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.

Source: Sixty Years of Owensboro, 1883-1943, William Foster Hayes.