About the Library
The Nevada Public Library is now observing its 105th year of service in a building at 218 West Walnut remodeled for the library in 1997. The building was originally erected in 1920 for a Moss–Urner Car Dealership. It was given to the library by the Finis M. Moss Charitable Trust and the remodeling was paid for by private donations from individuals and businesses and a matching grant from the Moss Trust.
Most of the lower level (12,000 square feet) was leased to the Vernon County Historical Society. The Moss Trust aided the society in transforming the basement into the Bushwhacker Museum. Total square footage of the building is 30,000 square feet. The library area takes up 12,000. The final tab on the renovation contract was right at one million dollars.
The Nevada Public Library moved to the new location from the Carnegie Building, which was erected in 1917 with the aid of a grant from the Carnegie Foundation for $17,500. The library was actually organized in 1898. Seventeen ladies met in the Mitchell Hotel on a spring day and elected Mrs. Rose Kimball the first president. A house to house canvass for books from private collections was made. The collection was housed in the Duck Block at the northeast corner of the intersection of Washington and Cherry. The location of the library was moved in 1908 to the new courthouse, but soon became too crowded. Negotiations began soon thereafter with the Andrew Carnegie Foundation in 1912 for a building.
One of the original purposes of the library was to “look to the intellectual and moral uplift, as well as to the higher plane of pastime for the people of Nevada.” The mission of our library today is to provide access to high quality materials and services in order to be a leading resource in the community for information, continuing education and recreation. We want to become known as a leading provider of those materials and services in Nevada and throughout Vernon County.
The city of Nevada provides a continuing tax allotment for its support. Through city taxes the library receives 17 cents on each hundred dollars of valuation which this year amounted to nearly 180,000. Although the library is not a county library, it still tries to provide services for people in Vernon County outside the city limits. This year, the county commission declined to help defray the expenses for these services. A user fee remains in place of $25.00 for patrons outside the city limits. The library budget for 2003 is $204,000, with the city providing 80% of this.
Patrons are enjoying double the library space, access for the disabled, a genealogy room, more shelves, microfilm reader/printers, 22 public access computers and a security system that virtually eliminates theft.
In 2002, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gave us 46,000 for a computer lab. The library holds classes in computer training and allows others to use the space at no charge to train their employees. Children and adults alike have this marvelous facility for research and homework.
The library is here to serve you, the patrons. Please stop by and check it out!
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