View source for Carnegie Free Public Library

The inception of this important institution dates back
to 1903 but its establishment was delayed for a decade.

In 1903, Mr. W. G. Archer as secretary of the Owensboro
Business Men's Association solicited from Mr. Andrew
Carnegie a donation of $980,000 for a library building.
This Mr. Carnegie granted on condition that a suitable
site should be provided and that the city would pledge
$3,000 annually for the maintenance of the library.

Early in 1904, a Board of Trustees for the library was
organized with the Mayor of the city as Chairman and
Judge George V. Triplett secretary. The board held
several meetings, but being unable to secure a lot for
the building the meetings were discontinued and the
project was comatose for the next four years.

Then came the women. The first undertaking of the
Owensboro Woman's Club, organized in March, 1908, was
to revive interest in the library and secure its establishment.
A new Board of Trustees consisting of two women
and three men was appointed by the Mayor, and an ordinance
was passed granting the $8,000 a year for maintenance. The Woman's Club obtained private contributions,
raised money by entertainments, and secured a
fund of $3,300 with which the centrally located lot at
the southeast corner of Ninth and Frederica was purchased.
The 930,000 from Mr. Carnegie was forthcoming
and by April, 1911, the building was ready for occupancy.

But then further troubles were encountered. Three
successive city councils refused to pass the necessary
ordinance appropriating the maintenance money, and
when it was finally passed the Mayor refused to sign the
warrants. Litigation was necessary to force him to sign
and in this the trustees of the Library were successful
and the warrants were signed in March, 1918.
In the meantime the Woman's Olub had held a book
reception, resulting in the gift of about 1,500 books, and
with these the Library was opened, the women at first
volunteering their services to conduct it. During the first
year, ending July 1, 1913, the circulation reached 11,593.
July 14, 1913, the first trained librarian, Miss Mary
H. Davis, was employed. She served until 1916, and  her successors have been:
* Miss Irene Blair - 1916-19
* Miss Dorothy Haliburton - 1919-2020
* Miss Susannah Bishop - 1920-28
* Mrs. Sue R. McCulloch who joined the Library staff in 1922 was made Acting Librarian in 1927, and official Librarian in 1932. 

To Mrs. McCulloch the writer gratefully acknowledges his indebtedness
not only for most of the data used in this chapter but for much valuable assistance in treating
other subjects. She is competently assisted by Miss Lucy Hanning; who has held that position since 1927.

The early interest of Judge George V. Triplett in the
Library has been mentioned above. That interest continued
during his life, which ended March 1, 1931, and
from 1914 on he was present at nearly all meetings of the
Board. After his death, the Board of Trustees voted to
continue, as a memorial to him, the purchase of the
Compendium of American Genealogy and Dictionary of
American Biography, a department that he had started
some years before.

The present Board of Trustees (as of 1942) consists of:
* Mr. J. L. Foust, Chairman (naturally) since 1922
* Mr. P. D. Rudd
* Dr. D. M. Griffith
* Mayor Fred Weir (an ex-official member)
* Mrs. Gertrude Weill, treasurer
* Mrs. William Medley

The Library itself, the reading matter, has increased
gradually through the years, as has the circulation of it.
In 1940 there were 13,442 books, and the circulation was
64,833. There are also about 75 magazines to be found there. An interesting feature is the Kentucky
Room, where all histories, maps, newspapers, and other material about Kentucky and by Kentuckians are assembled.