| 1885 1890 | 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2005 |
| DATE | LIBRARY EVENT |
| August, 1885 | Library Association opens circulating library in Kinsley J.J. Reeder, librarian |
| 1890 | |
| October, 1890 | Ladies of the Congregational Sunday school donating 250 volumes for library |
| March, 1895 | Ladies organizing a circulating library to be at Mrs. Slingerland's Millinery Bazar |
| April 1897 | Library moves to the Red Front (opposite the Alamo Hotel) |
| May, 1897 | Christian Endeavor Society serving ice cream and cake in library |
| 1900 | |
| August, 1902 | Kinsley Band give concert for benefit of the library ice cream social |
| Feb. , 1904 | Library moves into Schnatterly Millinery Bazar |
| 1906 | 650 volumes |
| 1910 | |
| March 1912 | Christian Endeavor Society gives books to Friday Night Club took over library |
| March, 1912 | Library moves to second floor of the Edwards, Noble and Co. Building and run by Wednesday Night Club |
| 1912 | Band concert to raise money for book for library |
| March, 1913 | 55 books and furniture given for Library Birthday party |
| June, 1914 | Kinsley Library Association formed |
| 1917 | Kinsley Woman's Club & Wednesday Night Club purchases land for The Kinsley Library and Joint Club House (111 &112 Niles |
| 1920 | |
| April, 1923 | One mil levy defeated for public library, 113 to 109 |
| February, 1925 | Library moves into room off school gymnasium supported by various clubs |
| 1925 | Kinsley Woman's Club, Country Woman's Club, Business & Professional Women, Kinsley Music Club, Alpha and Beta Delphian Societies and the PTA support library |
| 1925 | Jesse Fraval Librarian 2080 volumes |
| April, 1926 | Library mill levy passed 2 to 1 and will raise $900 a year |
| January 1, 1927 | Library funded by city and Library Board appointed |
| May, 1928 | Lillie Riley Librarian |
| June 24, 1927 | 107 volumes of books from Charles Edwards Memorial Library donated to city library |
| June 14, 1927 | Birger Sandzen "Dream Lake" donated to library by American Legion Auxiliary (MIA) |
| Library Board is meeting Feb., May, Aug., Nov. and annual meeting in Jan. | |
| 1930 | |
| April 1, 1930 | Library Building Bond Levy lost by 27 votes |
| 1930's | Depression caused library to keep the librarian's salary at $50/month in 1931 & 1932, lowered to $45 in 1933, and to $40 in 1934 & 1935. No books could be purchased in 1932 and the librarian's hours for mending books was cut back 2 hours. |
| 1932 | Mrs. Riley attends National Library Conference in New Orleans |
| January, 1933 | Over 5000 books in library; 21,628 books checked in 1932 |
| April, 1933 | Mrs. Riley attends National Library Conference in Chicago |
| December, 1933 | Library closed during Christmas vacation because of a lack of heat in the building while there was no school |
| June, 1934 | Moved a petition back in library, put up shelves, painted |
| November, 1934 | Bought a stove and pipe to heat the library |
| June, 1935 | Mrs. Riley attends National Library Conference in Denver |
| Fall, 1935 | Mr. Jenkins working in library under the PWA |
| Spring, 1936 | Two students woking parttime in the library under the NYA |
| August 18, 1936 | Meeting with Mr. Vincent of the W.P.A. engineers to secure a building under W.P.A., but board decided not to ask for the building at this time |
| Spring, 1937 | Purchased a suitable desk for the librarian |
| May, 1938 | Patrons asked to donate chairs for the library; new lights were installed |
| January, 1939 | Library Board begins meeting once a month |
| 1939 | Revised By-Laws |
| February, 1939 | Office of secretary/treasurer was divided into two positions to comply with state laws |
| Spring, 1939 | Mrs. Riley confined to home in January due to severe burns; Ellen Theakston working for W.P.A. and filled in for her |
| September, 1939 | Mr. Hatfield built a dictionary stand and filing stool |
| 1940 | |
| February, 1941 | Library joined the Lirary Trustees Association for fee of $1 |
| March, 1941 | Library Board insures books and fixtures for $3000 |
| March, 1941 | 2 W.P.A. assistants due for a lay off; no N.Y.A assistants available; Elsie Jenkins hired to help for $40 |
| July 7, 1941 | Mrs. Riley resigned as librarian; Elsie Jenkins hired temporarily, and then permanently |
| August, 1941 | 8000 volumes |
| October, 1941 | Entry way constructed at the head of the stairwy to cut off the draft from the entrance door on the street level and a gas stove was purchased |
| March, 1942 | Spanish Class meeting weekly in the library |
| Summer, 1942 | Elsie Jenkins hired to work in the mornings for $25/month for 6 months to reclassify the books and make them more accessible |
| August, 1941 | School District #15 closed and donated their books to library |
| 1941 | 8500 volumes |
| July, 1942 | Librarian Salary increased to $75 |
| June, 1943 | Milton Martin resigned from board due to his service in the army; Buelah Moletor took his place |
| February, 1944 | It was decided that books held by a child with scarlet fever be destroyed without obligation to the family. |
| February, 1944 | December 1943 bills were not paid until Dec. due to insufficient funds. |
| July, 1944 | Elsie Jenkins asks to begin a weekly story hour |
| December, 1944 | Board is looking at lots north of the M.E. Church for a building site for a new library |
| April 1, 1946 | Buelah Moletor resigned from board as Milton Martin has returned from the war |
| Augut, 1946 | Board continues discussion of a new building. Site across from M.E. Church sold to Edw Lippoldt for $750, 75' X 130' |
| 1946 | Libraian Salary $75/month |
| December, 1946 | Country Woman's Club starts a Memorial Book Shelf with Librarian keeping record bok and case being built by Hatfield |
| December, 1946 | Library Board had met with County Commissioner who agreed to donate $500 to the library next year and all county residents able to use the library for free. |
| 1947 | Librarian Salary $90/month |
| July, 1947 | Committee did not meet with Lippoldt over land because without a levy increase there seemed to be no assurance of maintaining a building |
| January, 1949 | Librarian Salary $100/month |
| 1950 | |
| May, 1950 | Board looks into rumor that McKillip would like to sell his building to the city and to see if County Commissioners would help library |
| October, 1950 | Telephone installed in the library |
| May 4, 1950 | Books being delivered to the Hospital |
| 1951 | Budget: $3000; Books, $1132; Librarian Salary $100/month |
| February 5, 1951 | H.W. Ruhe offered lot suth of school for library if it would be name in honor of his wife. Offer disscussed, but lot deemed too small so offer was refused. |
| March 5, 1951 | Looked into talking to Mrs. Watson about American Legion Bldg. for library |
| April 2, 1951 | Watson lots were not for sale |
| May 7, 1951 | Kansas Legislature passed bills #189 & 190 that would allow for an increased mill rate for public libraries. Also new law passed to set the number of library trustees at 7. |
| June 7 July, 1951 | Four Library story hours with 201 children in total attendance |
| June, 1951 | Library will ask for 2 mill increase with .75 going into a sinking fund (fund for new library) |
| Winter, 1951 | Elsie Jenkins visit the students at Southside, Northside and St. Nicholas schools to talk to children about the library books |
| 1951 | 15,599 books checked out |
| 1952 | Budget, $5749; Books $847; Librarian Salary $110/month |
| February, 1953 | Library and City Hall Building Bond issue passes by 8 votes |
| March 2, 1953 | Library plans gone over with architect |
| July, 1953 | Ground breaking for building |
| April, 1953 | Edna Brown hired as a substitue librarian |
| July 6, 1953 | County Commissioners informed board that they could not aid the library |
| July 6, 1953 | Furniture for new library discussed |
| September, 1953 | Boy Scouts offered to move books |
| October, 1953 | Met with Interior Decorator to choose colors and products; the contract was signed with Remingtron Rand for furniture |
| December, 1953 | Name of the library will be KINSLEY LIBRARY |
| 1953 | Budget, $7626; Books, $1077; Librarian salary, $110/month |
| 1954 | Librarian Salary $1500/year |
| Spring, 1954 | Chose drapes and other furnishing for new library |
| April, 1954 | Grand Opening of new library building |
| Spring, 1954 | 492 patrons registered in the first 6 weeks the new building was open |
| Summer, 1954 | Caliphone record player purchased for Record Room, records, and a cabinet in memory of Evelyn Carlson |
| July 2, 1954 | Edna Brown hired as Assistant Librarian at $80/month |
| September, 1954 | Library was measured by check list of state rules |
| December, 1954 | Decided to the Mercury microfilmed |
| 1954 | 24,414 books checked out in first 10 month in new building |
| 1954 | Expenditures, $7542; Books & records,$2020 |
| 1955 | Librarian Salary $1800/year and added 2 weeks of sick pay |
| June, 1955 | Bought a projector and screen |
| July, 1955 | City of Kinsley assumed responsibility of hiring a janitor for library |
| August, 1955 | Decided to have a Suggestion Box in library; Rules for Borrowing Records adopted |
| November, 1955 | Bought magazine covers |
| 1955 | 30,171 books were checked out |
| 1956 | Budget, $5745; Books & Records, $1100; Librarian Salary, $1900 |
| 1956 | Microfilm reader made available |
| July, 1956 | Microfilm of Kinsley Graphic received and Mercury sent in; Mr. Nations agreed to donate $400 for a Recordak Reader |
| July, 1956 | Ten foot ladder purchased |
| December 31, 1956 | Decided to have all of the Kinsley Graphics microfilmed |
| 1956 | 30,428 books checked out |
| 1957 | Budget, $5955; Materials, $1500; Librarian, $2040 |
| June, 1958 | Water Fountain installed |
| August, 1958 | Elsie Jenkins introduces William Allen White Award program in the schools |
| December, 1958 | Cards promoting the library were put into business establishments |
| 1958 | Shelves built in storeroom; Easel was built to exhibit art works, duplicator and adding machinge given to library |
| 1958 | 11,336 Volumes; 31,234 books checked out |
| 1958 | Budget, $6405; Materials, $1875; Librarian, $2040 |
| 1958 | Expenditures, $6523; Books & Records, $1854; Librarian Salary $1900 |
| March, 1959 | 10 drawers added to card file cabinet |
| May 4, 1959 | County Commissioners declined to assist the library |
| August, 1959 | Salaries frozen for the 1960 budget; discussion of charging $2.50 for family library cards |
| 1959 | 11,764 volumes; 31,350 books checked out |
| 1959 | Expenditures, $5649; Books & Records, $1262; Librarian Salary $1900 |
| 1960 | |
| Sept. 1960 | Ruby Parkhurst hired as substitute library clerk |
| 1961 | Librarian Salary $ |
| 1961 | 31,790 books checked out |
| Feb. 6, 1961 | Library Board met with County Commissioners seeking help in financing the library |
| 1962 | Budget 5,540; Librarian Salary $2,200 |
| 1962 | Library questionnaire circulated to survey patrons |
| Dec. 5, 1962 | "A note in the Suggestion Box read 'More quiet - Please.' Since this is a serious problem in other libraries, and could become one in the Kinsley Library, the board members present felt that such a problem could more easily be prevented than it would be to retified if allowed to develop. Toward that achievement, the librarians were expected to use such measures as they deemed necessary--irrespective of person, suitable quietness should be maintained." |
| 1962 | 12,534 volumes; 32,043 books were checked out |
| 1963 | Budget: $6220; Materials Budget, 1500; Librarian Salary $2400 |
| July, 1963 | Virginia Richardson hired as part time library clerk |
| Feb. 3, 1964 | Discussion relative to disciplinary action on Wed. nights terminated with the board unanimously agreeing that the librarian, after one notice to refractory students, should ask the student to leave the library if he misbehaved a second time. If he wished to return at a later date, he could do so only after a talk with the librarian, and receiving library permission. |
| July, 1964 | Helen Beezley hired as Library Clerk |
| February, 1965 | Another tier of drawers purchased for card catalog |
| August 2, 1965 | Copy Machine purchased; charge 10 cents per sheet |
| Nov. 1, 1965 | Voted to join KPERS effective January 1, 1966; Elsie Jenkins appointed Designated Agent |
| 1966 | Budget: $8,610; Materials, $1525; Librarian Salary, $3720/year |
| Spring, 1966 | Library painted |
| May, 1966 | Proposed Southwest Kansas Library Association meeting |
| 1966 | 35,134 books checked out |
| 1966 | Neither librarian missed a day of work due to illness |
| 1967 | Budget, $6000; Materials, $1650; Librarian Salary $3840/year |
| April, 1967 | Proposed Southwest Kansas Library Association for 21 counties |
| Sept. 5, 1967 | Upon Elsie Jenkins death, Edna Brown appointed Librarian, Helen Beezley made Assistant |
| October, 1967 |
