History of the Library
- On January 20, 1877 a meeting of prominent citizens was held at the Opera House on the second floor of City Hall to organize a Library Association. People paid for a subscription to use the library located in two rooms over the current Sharrow Drug Store. The library started with 54 books donated by Ex-Governor James Lewis, a resident of Columbus.
- A free library was formed in 1901 with 1,965 books. The library was located in City Hall on the lower floor in the front corner. It soon became apparent that this would not provide adequate space.
Library Built
- The current Carnegie Prairie style library was build at its present location in 1912. Mr. Andrew J. Carnegie was approached by the Woman's Club for funding. He donated $10,000. The Women's Club loaned the city $3.00 to for the deed to two lots. They than did fundrising to pay for the site and furnish the building. It opened with a collection of 4,643 books.
Renovations and Additions to building
- In 1990 the library was renovated to increase space and provide a handicapped accessible elevator but even with the expansion it was not up to the standard square footage required for the number of people served due to a land lock situation at the time.
- The library board purchased the Swarthout property, 239 W. James Street, in 1999 for future expansion. The house on the property was sold and moved February 2002.
Awards and Honors
- The library was added to the National Register of Historic Places and the State Register of Historic Places in 1991.
- The library was awarded South Central Library System Library of the Year on September 8, 2000. The library shared this award with American Family Insurance corporate library as winner of the special library category.
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The 2008 Chester Pismo Snavely Memorial Award for a Nifty Activity was presented to Peggy Kindschi and the staff of Columbus Public Library for their response to June flooding in that community.
Phyllis Davis, System Director stated:
"Kindschi and her staff took the lead and helped residents begin filling out FEMA forms and distributing information. For those who had to leave pets, staff took down information that was passed on to the fire department. They also served as the go-between for those people who needed additional information. The library served as a drop off site for nonperishable food, diapers, canned pet food, toiletries and cleaning supplies. Staff took names for the cleanup kits that were distributed by the Fire Department, area churches and the library. Kindschi modified the library website to provide up-to-date disaster information as it developed.
Columbus Public Library served its community with distinction in a time of dire need, and Peggy and her staff are deserving of this year’s Chester Pismo Snavely Memorial Award for a Nifty Activity."
The library will celebrates its 132nd anniversary since it's founding in 2009 and 100 years in the present building in 2012.