History and Development of the Waterville Public Library

The first known interest in a public library appeared in 1874 when the board of education spent $150 for books to be kept in the Union School Building but to be accessible to all. This library opened May 1, 1874 with 155 volumes. There were more applicants than books.

On incorporation of the Union School as an academy, the State Board of Regents said it would appropriate for a library a sum equal to that raised by the citizens, providing the sum did not exceed $250. The money was raised by a benefit program held at Putnam Hall.

The board of education granted the use of a room on the third floor of the Union Free School building and transferred to the trustees the school library of about 500 books as a nucleus.

The earliest surviving written minutes of a meeting of the library trustees are dated Feb. 19, 1895. At that meeting W.G. Mayer was elected president and W. P. Bigelow secretary-treasurer. The Waterville Public Library was incorporated by the Board of Regents of the State University on Feb. 28, 1895, and a charter was issued to W. G. Mayer, H. J. Coggeshall and H. P. Bigelow, its trustees.

The earliest surviving ledger entry, made in April 1895, show monies received from the board of education, state aid, and interest from the Palmer Memorial Fund which had been set up by Col. W. Palmer as a memorial for his deceased daughter. The Palmer Fund is the first recorded endowment and there have been subsequent generous endowments which, together with funds from the school district, now support the library.

In June 1895 Mrs. Stetson was appointed librarian for the summer at 50 cents for each Friday. The first permanent librarian was Miss Mary Smith who received $30 a year. Librarians from 1897 were: Miss Maud Young, Miss Mary E. Squier, Miss Louise Brown, Miss Mary Hamlin, Miss Cornelia Gorton, Miss Lillie J. West, Mrs. Walter Lally, Mrs. Stewart Martin, and Mrs. Lee Williams.

On July 5, 1899 the board of education purchased the Nolan House on White Street which adjoined the school buildings. The first floor of this dwelling was remodeled for use as a library. It contained 1,200 volumes and was opened Nov. 13, 1899.

Books were added from time to time and as the number of patrons increased so did the need for additional room. By 1908 the need for larger quarters became a grave concern to the trustees. About that time the Young Men's Christian Association building was unused.

This building at 220 Main Street was once known as the Winchell property and was used a women's seminary, connected by a bridgewalk to the Squier's House until 1895 when it was purchased by Mrs. M. Genevie Brainard.

It was given by Mrs. Brainard to the YMCA in February 1896 and reverted back to her in 1907. In 1908 Mrs. Brainard converted the building to the library trustees as a memorial to her two deceased sons with the stipulation that it revert back to her if no longer used as a library. The YMCA had a basketball court in what is now the stack room and also had bowling alleys there. When the YMCA owned the building, it was used by the Boy Scouts who still have use of the building as do the Girl Scouts.

In lieu of having a building of their own, the Waterville Historical Society records are stored in an upstairs room of the library. Available to the public are microfilm of The Waterville Times from 1855 to date. These films can be read and printed at the library.

In July 1939 the state charter was revoked and the library became autonomous. In November 1991 the charter was amended to provide that the board consist of not less than five, nor more than eleven members.

In 1965 the library became a member of the Mid-York Library System.

A Friends of the Library group was established in 1994.

March 1995 saw the library recognized as an Electronic Doorway Library by the New York State Education Department. An electronic doorway library provides a 2-way flow of requests and information into and out of a library by electronic means.

In 1997, the library made CD-ROM reference resources available to its patrons, and 1998 has brought full Internet access and a World Wide Web presence for the library.

In 2006 after we decided that we have used the old library to its fullest capabilities, the library moved from 220 East Main Street into its new, 8,000 square foot facility at 206 White Street.

The foregoing article (save for the final update paragraph) was written by Library Director Wendy Sexton in conjunction with the Town of Sangerfield bicentennial in 1995.