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| In 1965 and 1966 the newly organized Athena Jr. Women's Club set the goal of starting a new library. The members had young children and wanted them to appreciate good books and reading. The old Fetrow Grocery Store (later the Wayne Berneking Grocery) was acquired by the city and remodeled for this purpose. Shelving and books were moved from the previous library, which was located above the old Firehouse. A library board was started by having a representative from each community club, for a total of fourteen members. In June of 1978, Formoso citizens began to enumerate reasons for having a public library affiliated with CKLS. The original motivation was the use of the Rotating Book Van. Since that time, the library patrons have discovered many and varied services offered by CKLS. The Formoso Public Library became a legal institution on April 7, 1981, by a forty-eight for and twenty-three against vote of the people. Services added since that time include Story Time for children, many new books, film strips and tapes, films from the State Audiovisual Center at Wichita, Summer Reading Programs for young children, extended library open hours, and periodic Open Houses, explaining the services of CKLS. Additions planned during the coming year include a VCR, a camera, a cassette recorder, and a 35mm projector with screen. The library features monthly displays of crafts and art. The Athenas, a branch of The Federation of Women, helps with this feature. The library is a meeting room for PRIDE, the Stamp Club, and FOCUS (Formoso Offers Courses Utilizing Sharing) which offers crafts for children. The library is open for the use of clubs and organizations interested in the betterment of the community. The main thrust of the Formoso Public Library is to provide services for children, while meeting the informational, recreational, and programming needs of all citizens of the area. |
1987 picture of Formoso Public Library 
2006 picture of Formoso Public Library |