In 1986 a group of area citizens approached the LaCrescent City Council requesting funds to establish a public library. The City council approved and appointed seven citizens to serve on the Board of Trustees of the LaCrescent Public Library. The members of the first board were the Reverend Bill Pearson, Barbara Phelps, John Gittens, Hanna Puczko, Shan Gruden, Sandra Johnson and William Gilles. Officers of the board were; William Gilles – President, Barb Phelps – Vice President, Hannah Puczko – Treasurer, Sandra Johnson – Secretary. Barbara Taylor was the first library director. The board joined Southeastern Libraries Cooperating (SELCO). The first three months the new library operated out of the boiler room in the local elementary school with books donated by families. When school started in the fall, the library moved to a room in City Hall, which was also used as the city council chambers and a senior citizen nutrition site. The first State of MN annual report was filed in 1988. Library use steadily grew and in 1990 the library moved into a 1,440 square foot remodeled garage, which had been used to house fire trucks. In 1996, the library again out grew its space and expanded its adult fiction section into the city council chambers. The city of LaCrescent purchased the Morning Star Lodge of Ancient True and Accepted Masons. The building was expanded and remolded to 4,800 square feet. On May 31st, 1998 the library moved to its present home.
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