History of Stoddard County Libraries

Friday, October 18, 2013
The Bernie Library began in the back of the city hall building in 1968. Now it occupies the entire building.

A look into the history of our southeast Missouri libraries reveals a story of incredible service and self-sacrifice by a few dedicated volunteers who struggled for years against enormous odds.

From Bernie in south Stoddard County, to Advance in north Stoddard County, and all the way to Bollinger County, each of these libraries began with little more than an idea.

"Our library was founded by the Marble Hill Study Club in 1947," explained Bollinger County Library Director Eva Dunn. "We started with one book shelf in a shed so small that three members didn't have room to bend over at one time. The group decided to apply for a county property tax, rather than a city tax, thinking it would be more stable, and that has proven to be the case."

The Bloomfield Library, housed in the former driver's license bureau and tax office, had its origins as early as 1910 but was destroyed by fire in 1912 and re-established in 1936.

The library has expanded three times, adding two large rooms to the first tiny facility.

A fortunate connection between the Bollinger County Museum of Natural Science has provided this library with added benefits as the capital of the Missouri dinosaur.

The women's club which started the Bollinger County Library will celebrate its 75th anniversary this year.

The Advance Library is in one room of the former Advance RIV School Administration Building. It was established in 2004.

"The library is more than a place to read," Dunn insisted. "It's an information outlet for the community."

The Bloomfield, Mo. Library started in 1910 with Mrs. George Houck, Jr. It began in a private home but was destroyed in 1912 by the Great Bloomfield Fire. In 1936, the library opened again in the old bank.

According to Bloomfield Library Director Linda Myers, the library is supported by two taxes, a property tax of .1524, which generates about $15,000 a year and a .0125 sales tax, which brings in $27,000 a year.

The Keller Library was built in 1997, but the Dexter library began as early as early as 1935 and was housed in many locations until a donation made the current library possible.

The Bloomfield Library is in the former license and tax office near the square.

The Bernie Library was the idea of Yvonne Keathley, who helped start it in a back room of city hall in 1968. Her mother, Vivian Gary, was one of the first volunteer librarians. They kept the little library open several hours a day.

"We had a desk for the librarian and three bookshelves," said library director Sandy Stone. "All our books were donated."

Around 1983, the City of Bernie moved its headquarters into the old bank building, and the library took over the entire building.

"I know the building seems a little 'cut up,' but we've made use of every corner," Stone explained.

Visitors find the library bright and cheerful, as they wander down quaint hallways into various rooms.

The Dexter Library was started in 1935 by Mrs. T.J. (Kitty) Brentlinger in an upstairs room over Sherwood's Store on West Stoddard Street. Furnished with discarded books from the St. Louis Public Library and donations from local individuals, it was open one day a week. In 1942, it moved into a room of the local armory and was open three days a week. In 1955, under the leadership of Mrs. Dorris Turlington, the library began to receive State Aid. Shortly after, they were able to move into the Ringer home on Elm Street, where they stayed until 1997, when a generous donation by Edward (Bud) Keller provided them with a new 10,000 square foot facility on Grant Street. The Keller Library is the largest and most modern of the Stoddard County libraries.

The Advance Community Library is the youngest library in Stoddard County, dating 2004. It sprang from the labor of the Advance Community Team, a volunteer organization begun by former Advance Mayor James J. Harness, advised by the late Gary Capps, former director of the Industrial Development Authority of Stoddard County.

The idea for a library in Advance began as early as the 1940's, with a women's group known as The Wednesday Study Club. Members of this group organized a small library in the back of Advance City Hall. Advance resident Linda Eggimann remembers helping her mother, Daisy Zimmerman, unpack boxes of books. Well-known writer Thomza Zimmerman was a member of the group. Unfortunately, the Advance group fell apart without ever establishing a lasting library.

The second Advance library began with used books donated by a used book store in Cape Girardeau. A Gates grant in 2008 boosted the library's three computers to eight, with one librarian computer.

The Advance library is supported by a city budget which equals a tax of 10 cents per $100 on the city's assessed valuation, as required by Missouri statutes.

Each library story begins in a remarkably similar fashion: All began with no money, no building, and very little guidance. They all relied on dedicated volunteers who forged ahead, even when the odds were against them. No doubt all these volunteers heard repeatedly that there was "no need for a library" in their community, but they persevered.

These places of learning continue to offer affordable access to information for the entire community.

No information was available on the Puxico Library at press time.

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