Erie City Public Library

History

The following information was taken from “Erie Remembrances”:

“A public library was organized for the city with Mrs. F.A. Johnson as President of the Board and Mrs. Paul Cory, Secretary. The board was composed of representatives from various Women’s Clubs. Rooms over the J.T. Cole’s Grocery were to house the new library. (In 1932 the sum of four hundred dollars was allocated by the government for a new city library. It also gave 160 days labor at 25 cents an hour for its construction. The Erie Savings and Loan Association furnished the money for the material. The two-room building was built on West Fourth Street of brown shake shingles and served the city until a new building was erected in 1975.)”

“Erie citizens were both surprised and delighted when they learned that in the will of Mrs. Alice Chadwick of Rose Valley, Pennsylvania, Erie was to become a beneficiary of a $50,000 bequest which was designed to improve and implement the public library as a memeorial to Leon Sexton Cambern and Rose Jessup Cambern, the parents of Alice Cambern Chadwick.”

“Erie’s new Public Library became a reality through the diligent effort of Mrs. Chadwick’s brother and wife, Mr and Mrs. T.J. Cambern of Kansas City and rural Erie. They contributed a great deal as they personally oversaw much of the work from blue printing to construction and furnishing. The lovely brick building is located at the corner of Second and Butler next to the city park. Not only is it a complete library in every sense, it is air conditioned, carpeted and tastefully furnished with a community room addtion where public gathering can be held with compete facilities for serving. Six thousand books were moved from the old to the new library in November by members of the library board and volunteers from the Erie Boy Scouts and Kiwanis Club. The formal opening of the library was held December1, 1974.”