In the spring of 1934 a committee was appointed to study the possibility of establishing a public library in the northeastern Iowa community of Fayette. A constitution and by-laws were officially established in October 1934, and two years later, control of the library shifted to the city council and tax dollars were made available for the organization. After a 1943 fire destroyed the first community-sponsored library, two local couples offered generous donations for a new building, which formally opened in 1952.

The library has seen a series of expansions since 1952 including  a 1700-square-foot addition that was completed in 1999. The addition included meeting rooms, handicapped-accessible restrooms, and additional storage for the library. The library is open seven days a week.