On December 30, 1901, Marshalltown was awarded a $30,000 grant from the Andrew Carnegie foundation to construct a new public library facility. The corner building opened its doors April 22, 1903, and served the community for the next 105 years. When the Marshalltown Public Library moved to a brand new, single-story facility in December 2008, plans went into motion to repurpose the historic building for local government use.

By September 2010, a $1.3 million renovation was complete, and several city departments had moved to the new quarters. An enclosed connection was added between the Carnegie building and the adjacent City Hall, benefiting both city employees and local residents utilizing government services. A standing-room-only crowd attended the formal ribbon-cutting ceremony was held September 14, 2010.