KINGMAN

EARLY LIBRARY HISTORY The library movement began in Kingman exactly one hundred years ago, in 1885, when members of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, led by Mrs. Mary M. Conkling, donated books to start a circulating library. In 1890, the Nineteenth Century Club was organized, and the infant club gave impetus to the library movement. In 1888, the library was moved from a private home to the new city hall building, and a reading room was opened there.

THE CARNEGIE LIBRARY

As early as May, 1911, the library board was thinking about obtaining a Carnegie grant, and in May, 1912, a year later, an investigation for a site for a Carnegie library got underway. By July, two sites had been located. The Rayl site ("the old courthouse site") would cost $800.00, and the lots belonging to Robert Cates would cost $1,000.00. Action was deferred. The library tax levy at that time was .20 mills. Corre- spondence was begun with Andrew Carnegie in April, 1913, and on May 21 of that year he offered $10,000.00 for a building. Two lots were pur- chased from Robert L. and Rebecca V. Cates, husband and wife, for $700.00 (a negotiated price), the lots being in the 400 block of North Main at the intersection with Avenue D West [U.S. Highway 54].

Fred G. McCune, of Wichita, was chosen as the architect, the library board finding his preliminary plans to their liking, and the contract was let to F. K. Stearns, of Kingman, for $9,500.00. The library dedication was held in the evening of June 23, 1914, at which time the library was opened to the public.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDING

The library building is rectangular, one-and-a-half stories in height, with a stone water-table just before grade. The exterior is of red brick. The top of each elevation has a brick parapet capped in stone; below that rests a continuous stone cornice that is carried by a band of corbelled brick. Between the upper windows, banded together in threes, and the smaller lower windows is a stone belt course. The east elevation houses the main entrance with a stone pediment above carrying the Carnegie library name.

LATER LIBRARY HISTORY

In 1932, the main stairs to the entrance on the east were removed, and a divided entrance stair, present today, was constructed at that time. In 1965, the lower level was remodeled for library use. A 2,600 square foot addition to the existing 4,280 square foot building is planned.

The library now has 30,900 volumes and serves a population of 3,600. 47,200 items were circulated in 1984. The 1985 budget is $58,000.00. The library is a member of the South Central Kansas Library System.