The public is invited to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Jacksonville Library branch on September 23, from 1-3pm. The Friends of the Library will be on-hand along with honored guests, Dr. Naversen and his wife Jane, and staff, in the Naversen Room. Light refreshments will be served.
The creation of the Jacksonville branch library has a long and storied past dating back to 1885, when residents began raising funds for a public library. In 1908, the library Association rented the Beekman Bank on California Street and fitted it with a reading room, bookcases, desks, and chairs. It was initially stocked with 50 books from the state traveling library, 80 donated books and a collection of Harper’s magazines dating from 1868.
In 1920, when the town population hit 489, residents agreed to a cooperative arrangement with the County, finding a suitable location in the small Brunner Building (current Thrift Shop) on South Oregon Street. At that time, Mrs. H. K. Hannah, the first librarian, supervised the circulation of 290 books. By 1999, a county-wide bond measure funded construction of new libraries.
In 2000, the City Council donated a piece of land on West C Street, where a groundbreaking ceremony was held, with Town Historian Larry Smith as master of ceremonies. Larry noted, “The design committee used the building located across California Street as inspiration for the design of the library’s clerestory because they needed a taller-looking building to match downtown Jacksonville.” The library opened in January 2003 thanks in part to notable donations from the 2001/02 Jacksonville Elementary class ($2000), Dr. & Mrs. Doug Naversen ($50,000), the Garden Club, and others.
The 20-year celebration will include a display of photos and memorabilia collected over the years, including a video of the groundbreaking, with Larry Smith again as master of ceremonies.