More than 70 people attended the 100th anniversary open house at the Albion Public Library last Sunday afternoon, Oct. 19.
The event was hosted by the library staff and the Albion Library Board.
Staff members are Marie Hosford, librarian; Sharon Stephens, assistant librarian, and Carolyn Fischer, part-time assistant. The Library Board includes Patty Hellbusch, chairperson; Kathy Williams, Kay Flanagan, Gay Sandman and Julie Dickerson.
The event included self-guided tours of the library, refreshments, door prizes, a digital slide show and entertainment by Paul Hosford.
Visitors were given a handout of historical information dating back to 1908, when the Carnegie library was built.
Land for the building was donated by heirs of the Augustus G. Mansfield Estate early in 1908, and construction began in April, 1908.
The library was very active in 1908. At a July board meeting, the librarian reported there were 1,056 library card holders and 706 books on loan.
To raise funds for furnishing the building and finishing the interior library walls, a “tag day” was held in Albion on Oct. 24, 1908. Citizens on the streets of Albion were “tagged” that day in exchange for a $1 donation to the library, and $172 was raised.
The building was completed in the late fall of 1908, and the move to the new building was completed by December of that year.
