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| The Phillipsburg City Library had its beginning in the minds of two very civic minded ladies: the late Mrs. E.A. Nelson and Mrs. F.W. (Mamie) Boyd. Mrs. Nelson and Mrs. Boyd helped organize the Business and Professional Women's Club on May 21, 1925, with forty-nine charter members. This club sponsored various types of fund raising projects and then asked the city council for assistance. The council voted to appropriate sufficient money to pay rent and upkeep for a room in which to house the library. The library formally opened on February 26, 1926, with nine hundred twenty-one donated books on its shelves. It was a proud day for the B.P.W.The Club held an Open House and served refreshments. In May of 1927, the Phillipsburg City Council assumed full financial responsibility for the Library. The period of the early '30's was a crucial one for the Library, and it was closed for a short time for lack of funds. The Library has moved several times during the years. The most significant moves were in 1937, when it was moved from the Winship Building to the Community Building and later in 1972 when it was moved to its present location. In 1965, the services of the Library were enlarged considerably. An article from the local paper quoted, "A library area comprising nine counties from Phillipsburg south to Great Bend now has its own traveling library service, making four thousand additional books available-two hundred new volumes each week. The first week it was in service here, one hundred eighteen of the two hundred books were checked out. These are new volumes covering all kinds of material, and are in great demand." In 1967 this service became a part of the Central Kansas Library System, and the Phillipsburg City Library is happy to have been a part of this System from the beginning. Construction of the present building was begun in 1971 with major contributions from the family of Ray H. Garvey and A.W. and Nellie B. Armstrong. The new building was opened for service in October of 1972 after moving over thirty thousand volumes from the community building. A formal dedication was held June 10, 1973. |
1987 picture of Phillipsburg City Library 
2006 picture of Phillipsburg City Library |