As we close out the year, our Lafayette Lens is spotlighting a fascinating summary of how the Library began, researched and written up for us by our former local history librarian Sherlene.
- You’ll notice a recurring theme of enthusiastic community support, with everything from fundraisers to book donations! (These are still great ways to support our Library today, via the Friends of the Library book sales, King Soopers grocery card fundraiser, and other donation options.)
- Then and now, we are proud to have been embraced by our community and recognized for our role in Lafayette’s past, present, and future. If you would like to let us know your own experience with the Library, please share Your Library Story.
Our Library Story
Forming a Library Association
In August of 1924 the Lafayette Library Association was formed during a meeting in the Union Hall and officers elected with F. M. Carhartt, the incoming high school principal, selected as president. At the meeting Ft. Lupton residents told how they started their library and explained state laws governing public libraries. There were almost 300 library cards at the time of the meeting and 1,000 volumes on the shelves. The treasurer’s report lists money raised from gifts, dues, and the Town Board as well as spending on books, magazines, light, and the librarian’s salary. The first librarian was Gertrude Morgan, who left when she married in December 1924. Two other early librarians were Hilda Sandberg and Ida Hooper.
Teams of women went house to house in Lafayette and the surrounding territory in Fall 1924 to give everyone the opportunity to become a member of the Library Association at $1 per year. The purpose of organizing the Library Association was described in a September Lafayette Leader article as “in order that the library might be put on a firmer basis and enlarged in its scope and be adequate to meet the demands of the public.” A later article proclaimed, “Lafayette is going to have a public library that will be of everlasting benefit to . . . patrons to come in the future.” Residents were urged to see “one of the library board or lady solicitors and give them . . . your dollar.” October of that year saw 100 new books placed in the library from the state traveling library and customers could “call at the library Wednesday and Saturday afternoons and evenings” to look them over.
The beginning of the Library
The Lafayette Library was started by the Community Church Ladies’ Aid Society in the north room of the Church building. The Community Church was originally the First Congregational Church and is pictured below. A Lafayette Leader article from January 1923 announced that the future opening of the free public library, with Mr. and Mrs. John Wilson in charge, would be achieved using several hundred books donated in a fundraiser the year before (called a “book shower”). June brought a donation of duplicate books from Denver City Librarian Hadley. In August 1923 the Town Board, by unanimous vote, gave $100 to the Library to pay for expenses and by October there were 200 cardholders.
In May 1922, local entertainment served as an opportunity to ask the public to contribute books they didn’t need to the Library. An operetta was performed in the school auditorium, and 50 students sang in glee clubs. An article in April 1922 predicted a “heavy book shower.” Eleven programs had been given by June 1922 with net receipts of $17 for the Library. The programs were then paused because of the summer heat. Some of these events charged admission of 20 or 35 cents and others sold refreshments as a fundraiser. Dinners were also given to raise funds for Lafayette Library.
Supporting the Library
Local organizations such as the Lions Club supported the Lafayette Library with money and by contributing to the entertainment events. As early as 1921 the Club had “decided to get behind the movement to establish a public library and reading room in Lafayette,” as written of in the Lafayette Leader. In 1923 the Lions Club donated magazines, furniture, and money to purchase books for the Library. The Lafayette Choral Club gave a concert held in February 1925 with the entire proceeds to benefit the public library. At that time the Library offered magazines on its reading tables in addition to books. By 1936 there was a collection of 2,167 books which had swelled to 6,120 books by 1963.
The Wednesday Study Club began to sponsor the Lafayette Library in 1931 and held fundraisers to support it. The Town of Lafayette was asked to take over responsibility for the Library during the years 1957-1958. Sue Klempan began the Friends of the Library in June 1983 by organizing a book sale that August to support the Lafayette Library.
Location, location, location
Over the years the Lafayette Library moved to two other locations on E. Simpson Street, including a small room under the stairway in the Rocky Mountain Stores building and to an old bank building at 408 E. Simpson Street, where the building received a face-lift in 1960. In September 1964, many volunteers helped move it back to the former Congregational Church building. The Lafayette Leader article explains that “6,000 books were packed and moved to the new location in only three hours” and that volumes were “hauled the block and a half and unloaded by a crew of townspeople.” In 1985 the Library was moved to the City Hall building on S. Public Road and in 1997 to the new building on Baseline Road and its current location.
More to Explore
Articles from the Lafayette Leader may be accessed through the Library website orcoloradohistoricnewspapers.org. Historical Lafayette photographs can be seen in the photo gallery on the Lafayette Library History and Photos webpage of the Lafayette Library website.