Library History

 

The Churdan Public Library was organized by three federated clubs in 1952.  Each club was represented on the original library board.  Board members were Helen Lohr, Edith M. Smith, Lucy Hall, Frieda Stephenson, and Marjorie Meyer.  The librarian was Lucille Dobney.  She continued as director for 35 years until her retirement in 1987.  The original library was located on the second floor of the old city hall. 

In 1961, the city built a new library on the north side of Sand Street, where it is located today.  In 1979 the library built an addition to handle the increase in programming and expanding collection.  Shirley Hamilton was director from 1987-2005.

In 2013, the library began fundraising for another addition of a meeting room, which would allow the library and community members to have a space to put on programming and other events. With the help of the Churdan community, the library relocated to 604 Hill St.  on April 2, 2018 and remained there during the renovation. The library board, staff, and community members broke ground April 9. The library returned to its newly renovated space November 2018, with the official dedication of the addition occuring at an open house on June 23, 2019.

 

Interested in more history? Check out the Iowa Historical Society