History of the Plainview Carnegie Library
Earliest minutes of the Library Association in 1908 indicate that a library and reading room had been established in the Frost Block and later moved to a building on Main Street. About where the J.C. Penney store is now located.
Anxious to secure a public library here, the Board of Education donated the high school library of 112 volumes to the new institution as a loan. The Chamber of Commerce aided financially, and many people donated books and money. By May, a tax, not to exceed two mills, had been levied and it is by this means the institution is supported today.
$6,000 Grant Received from Carnegie Corporation in 1916
A Carnegie grant of $6,000 was received in 1916, and the townspeople raised $2,000 more to purchase three lots from Mr. Buckingham. The present brick building was dedicated on April 5, 1917. Services were held in the Opera House. Presentation of the library to the city was made by P.D. Corell, and the acceptance was given for the city by Mayor W.J. Houston. The large crowd was escorted through the new building. At this time the library boasted 500 volumes. Mrs. P.H. Parker served as librarian at fifteen dollars a month.
Almost 100 Years later it was time to make a decision to update to a new library. The carnegie library building is now the Plainview Carnegie Library Preservation Center part of the Plainview Historical Society.
On Monday, August 10th, 2015 a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new 7,000 square foot library at 209 N Pine St. where the old Roller Rink used to be. On Saturday, June 4th, 2016 we had our Grand Opening of the library.
Today our library contains over 15,000 volumes of books, over 1,000 audiobooks, over 700 movies on DVD, over 15 magazines, multiple newspapers, 15 computers, Epilog Laser, large and pouch laminator, heat press, sublimation printer, large vinyl cutter, cricut maker machine and mug press and a fax & copy machine. Activities include story time, after school programs, summer reading program, book club, family game days and variety of speakers/presentations.
OUR MISSION
The mission of the Plainview Public Library is to provide access to informational, educational, cultural, and recreational library materials and services in a variety of formats and technologies; to be responsive to the public library need of the community; and to uphold the public’s freedom of access to information.
GOALS OF THE LIBRARY
Our goal is to serve all residents of Plainview and the surrounding community for their reading and technology center as well as a meeting place for special events. The Plainview Library is an active institution that provides not only reading material, but accurate material.
Some of the many services we provide are computer classes, interlibrary loan, faxing, children’s story time, after school programs, summer reading program, DVD’s, books on CD’s, Nebraska OverDrive and a scanner/copier.
Our board meets with the staff on the first Monday of each month to discuss library issues and needs. We have a Library Foundation and a Friends of the Library group.
Another goal is to serve all residents of Plainview and the surrounding community as a library as well as a meeting place. The Plainview Library is an active institution which provides all kinds of materials that are accurate and current. To provide access to resources beyond our own facility, such as interlibrary loan, local, state, and regional level, and Nebraska online. To provide a competent, helpful, and pleasant Library staff. To provide both special and cultural programs to enrich the community and therefore encourage use of the library. Also provide computers and wireless Internet as well as an automated circulation system for our patrons.
