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| Home ||1800's |1900's|2000's |Wisconsin Library Heritage Center| T. B. SCOTT FREE LIBRARY: HISTORICAL
OUTLINE 1886
T. B. Scott, lumberman, state Senator, and first mayor of Merrill
dies.
Scott wills $10,000 to the
city to found a free public library, contingent
upon the City’s provision of “suitable quarters” for the library
within five years. 1889
-Special city election is held
to establish a public library.
Results: 82 for; 0 opposed.
1891
-Janet Russell begins duties as first librarian
as, on March 24, T. B. Scott Free
Library opens on first floor of City
Hall (now the Old City Hall Apartments), among the first two dozen public
libraries in the state. Previous to this time
the community was served by rental libraries.
1898
Merrill Traveling Library Association, one of the first in the
state, formed.
Communities throughout the county subscribe, including Tripoli,
Russell, Gleason, Irma, Chat, and Heinemann. 1899
Classification of books changed from a “good ordinary classification”
to the Dewey Decimal system. 1900
Librarian authorized to maintain open shelves “to give the public
opportunities to select their books by examination of them on the shelves.” 1901
Separate “Children’s Room” approved by Library Board. 1905
Helen Price begins duties as second librarian.
By spring she starts the first
English language classes for foreigners conducted in a Wisconsin public library. 1908
Katherine Barker begins duties as third librarian, serves
until 1914. 1909
Request for $17,500 from Andrew Carnegie Foundation approved. Claude &
Starck of Madison (associates of the famed Louis Sullivan)
contracted as architects the following spring. W.W.I
Winnifred Bailey, fourth librarian, takes active role in the war effort,
including national mobilization of library materials for American
soldiers. 1929
Due to growth in services and collections, Children’s Dept.
moved to the remodeled lower level of the Carnegie building. 1930s During the depression library use increases dramatically as
its budget decreases. 1935
WPA grant helps with roofing and cement work on the library. 1945
H. V. Kaltenborn, Merrill native and famous radio commentator, journalist
and author donates $2,000 to the library for creation of a book
fund.
1948
Edna Kraft begins duties as eighth librarian. 1949
Several centers set up in the county so that rural residents
don’t have to travel directly to the main library for books. 1959
The library wins a John Cotton Dana
Honorable Mention Award for its
comprehensive, outstanding and original methods of service.
[An American Library Association Award sponsored by the H. W. Wilson Co.] 1961 The library begins participation in Project 6, a federally funded demonstration project of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission and the public libraries of Florence, Forest, Langlade, Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas counties. The project strengthens the collections of established libraries and uses a bookmobile to provide service to areas where there is no public library.
1966
Architects hired to plan an addition to the library. 1965
T. B. Scott Library becomes a founding member of the new cooperative organization called
the Wisconsin Valley Library Reference
Service. Following passage of state
legislation
aimed at the formation of library
systems, in 1972 this
organization became the
Wisconsin Valley Library Service.
1968
Edna Kraft named Librarian of the Year by the Wisconsin
Library Association. 1969
Library addition opened, doubling the size of the building. 1971
Library acclaimed as an excellent example of Sullivanesque
architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and Wisconsin Chapter of
American Institute of Architects. 1972
-Library recognized by State Department of Natural Resources
as an excellent example of
construction on a flood plain.
-Merrill receives its first State Aids funds ($7,881.50) for the
expansion of library services. 1973
-Gleason Branch opened. Bonnie
Preuser staffs it
until
it closes
in June
2001.
-The library approved as a Wisconsin Registered Landmark.
-Outreach Extension Service for the homebound, elderly and
handicapped begins, funded with a federal grant. 1975
Kathleen Gosz begins duties as tenth library director. 1976
Tile roof on Carnegie building restored; Bicentennial “roof raising” celebration. 1977
Library selected to receive the Wisconsin Library Association’s
Clarence B. Lester Memorial Award
(Wisconsin’s Library of the
Year) as an “outstanding example of what a library can do and be in a
small community.” 1981
N. Curtis LeMay begins duties as eleventh library director. 1983
Paperback book deposit station begun in Irma at the Irma Stop ‘N’
Shop. The station operated
until 1991. 1985
First card catalog cards, book cards, and book pocket labels made
with a new Apple IIe microcomputer. 1986
Anita Gebert, member of the Board of Trustees since 1960, named
State Library Trustee of the Year. 1988
-Library begins putting records of holding into statewide computer
Database, WISCAT.
-Beatrice Lebal begins duties as twelfth library director. 1991
Library celebrates its centennial, with a community-wide “Birthday
Party in the Park.”
[This inspired the beginning of "Jennyfest" an annual historical
celebration in Stange's Park which continued for about nine years.] 1993
Card catalog discarded; use of Dynix computerized circulation
system begins. 1994
Patrons begin using the Dynix computerized catalog. 1997
-Library begins offering public Internet access. 1998
-Medford Public Library’s collection and patron records added to
T. B. Scott Library’s computer
database (the “M and M Project”). 1999
-Referendum for a library building project defeated.
-T. B. Scott Library Board of Trustees gives its approval for the library
to
become a founding member of V-Cat, a shared automation consortium
administered by WVLS.
-Tile roof on Carnegie building replaced.
1999
-Fundraising for a library building project begins.
-Friends of T. B. Scott Library organized.
Photo below taken by Dr. Lewinnek the fall of 1999 before construction started on
the 2000 addition. 2000
-Second referendum on the proposed library building project passes.
-Frye,
Gillan, Molinaro Architects, Ltd. of Chicago are hired.
-Library moved into temporary quarters at the former Fox
Point
factory,
1905 E. 14th St., during construction of the
addition.
-Groundbreaking for the new addition. 2001 -Library moved back into the newly expanded and renovated building, and reopened the doors on Aug. 20th.
- Library Web Page debuts. 2002
-Library designated a Merrill Historic Landmark.
-For the second time the library receives the Wisconsin Library
Association’s Library of the Year
award. 2006 -Beyond Books: Community Artshare begins. 2007 -March --Library begins to offer wireless internet access to the public. -April --Lighted promotional sign, donated by Church Mutual launched. -October -- Director Bea Lebal receives the Wisconsin Library Association's Muriel Fuller award. 2009 -January -- Stacy Stevens begins duties as the 13th Library Director. 2009 -September -- Sunday hours begin after Labor Day. 2011 -All year celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Carnegie Building.
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