Arapahoe Public Library
306 Nebraska Ave
PO Box 598
Arapahoe NE 68922
308-962-7806
arapahoereads@gmail.com
The Arapahoe Public Library was established in 1919 due to the volunteer efforts of the Arapahoe Women’s Club. Books were acquired through donations and contributions towards new ones.
Finding a home for the library took some time, but the doors of the library were opened in 1920 in downtown Arapahoe. The library moved to ten different locations throughout Arapahoe until 1984 when the city purchased the former Peace Lutheran Church edifice and bequeathed it to the governing board of the Arapahoe Public Library. With the help of fundraising efforts and the hard work of community members, the former church property was converted from a place of worship into the current library.
In 2010 the library benefited once again from the hard work of volunteers during a major renovation. All of the books were removed from the building while a new roof replaced the angled and leaking one. Changes were made to the interior by removing a wall and what was formerly the area for the church altar. New carpet was added throughout.
In 2018, renewed efforts were made to make big changes to our aging building. Thanks in part to private donations from individuals and fundraising efforts through the Arapahoe Gala event, our renovation project also became possible with the following grants: the NE Department of Economic Development’s Civic and Community Center Financing Fund matching grant, Peter Kiewit challenge grant, Kreutz Bennett Donor Advised Fund and the Ethel S Abbott Foundation. Thanks also to the Kitty M Perkins Foundation and the Arapahoe Area Foundation for their continued support.
The city of Arapahoe formally awarded Paulsen, Inc the project. Wilkins Architecture Design Planning of Kearney is the firm who designed the renovation and the addition. The renovation process began in the summer of 2020, and while some minor setbacks occurred due to the pandemic, this did not deter the people who were determined to see the project to its completion.
A 1,720 square foot addition added a community room dedicated to activities. A new ADA accessible entry and new accessible bathrooms have transformed the building. 1,200 square feet of intensive renovations were undergone to better utilize the existing library spaces which increased security and overall library function. A drive-up service window with a new drive-up lane were also added to the east side of the building, allowing patrons another avenue to use the library’s services. The building opened for all services on June 21st, 2021.
