The first library in the Winneshiek County town of Fort Atkinson was established in 1964 in a room on the first floor of the former public school building. It later moved to the building’s lower level and then to a portion of the fire department. In 1995, Fort Atkinson Public Library returned to the public school building, which had been fully refurbished. It shares space with the city museum.
The history of the public library in the Webster County town of Dayton can be traced to 1900, when a few women each purchased books for exchange. Books were housed in the back of the local bank with access for local children. In 1966, a new building was constructed to house the post office, city council chambers, and the public library. In 1993 the council chambers were relocated allowing the library to expand with an additional 420 square feet. The library is open four days each week.
The first public library in the Cedar County town of Clarence was established in 1940 and occupied a room in the town hall. To accommodate an expanding collection of books, two jail cells were removed from the town hall in favor of additional library space. In 1952, resident Edna Zybell donated her former home for use as the library, where it has been located since.
A committee was formed in January 2011 to review library expansion options; by October, the committee determined expansion of the home was not feasible. A lot along U.S. Highway 30 has been selected for construction of a new library. An architectural plan is pending, but aggressive fundraising efforts are underway to generate money for the building project.
To make a donation to the library project, send a check payable to the Library Building Fund to: Edna Zybell Library, P.O. Box 450, Clarence, Iowa 52216.
The Harrison County town of Modale has had a public library since 1928, due to the efforts of the local Federated Married Teachers’ Club. The first library was located within the city hall, in the second floor of a downtown building. Original books were donated and community plays, bake sales, box suppers, and card parties served as fundraisers to help generate funds to grow the collection.
The library began receiving city funds in the 1940s; in 1978, an open house was held at the local American Legion hall to celebrate the library’s 50th anniversary. In March 1980, the Modale Public Library moved to its current location, a new building constructed to serve both the library and the fire department. The new space offered three times the space of the prior location.
In 1973, the Crescent and Federated Clubs in the Cass County town of Lewis joined forces to organize a library in a room within the town’s community building. As the library grew, it moved to one of the stalls at the fire station, and then to its present Main Street building. The Lewis Public Library now contains over 5,000 items with a circulation averaging more than 3,000 items yearly.
On August 29, 2011, ground was broken for construction of a new Public Library and Heritage Center. Fueled by a former resident’s $50,000 donation and a $187,000 grant from USDA Rural Development, the new facility is expected to be completed in Spring 2012. In addition to library materials, the building will contain records and artifacts from Lewis’ 150-plus-year history.
The library’s Facebook page includes photos of the new building’s progress.