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| The Belleville Public Library was established in 1927 and became a city tax- supported library in 1930. The first few locations were around the downtown square above various businesses until 1937 when it was moved into a house. In 1956, the present brick building was constructed on the southeast corner of the courthouse square. In 1983, a forty by fifty foot addition was built onto the west side of the building. It is interesting to note, that the original building and the west addition were built entirely with bequests and donations. No tax funds were used. In 1973, the library received a grant for special services to the aging. This was a pilot project in Kansas. From 1973-1979 the following services were initiated: a large print book collection; oral history tapes; homebound delivery; and a resource directory for aging services. All of these services continue to be offered. Other library services include: reference by phone and email; AV equipment for check-out, including an LCD projector and digital video camera; Story Hour for toddlers and preschoolers; Summer Reading Programs for preschoolers through adults; meeting room; local history collection; Republic County newspapers and census records on microfilm; books on cassette, CD and MP3, a large collection of videos and DVDs; computer software; free wireless internet access and free public access computers. The library is one of the original members of the Central Kansas Library System, and in 1983 became a Core library. Cooperation between the Belleville Public Library and the schools, museum, senior citizens center, Belleville Main Street and Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce, enhances the library's ability to "reach out" into the community. The Belleville Public Library board has always been receptive to new ideas to provide more and improved services to the area. The library employs four part time staff members and a director/librarian, and is open forty-two hours per week. The Friends of the Belleville Public Library was organized in 1983. This active group raises funds for special projects and does programming for the library. Volunteers from this group help the library staff with many tasks. In 1991, the Belleville Public Library Foundation was formed to create a permanent endowment fund for the support of the library. For more information, visit our web site at www.bellevillelibrary.org. |
1987 picture of Belleville Public Library 
2006 picture of the Belleville Public Library |