About Us
HISTORY OF THE LIBRARY
Books and Much More
In 1903, citizens of the small town of Springfield, Missouri, watched a dream come true when the granite cornerstone of the new Public Library was laid. The ceremony was the culmination of three years of negotiations with prominent library philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, whose $50,000 contribution was the financial cornerstone of the community's dream.
The Springfield Public Library officially opened in 1905 with 700 books and an annual circulation of 8,657. More than a century later, the Springfield-Greene County Library boasts an annual circulation of 3,926,602 and has expanded its holdings to over 550,000 volumes -- which includes audiobooks, compact discs, DVDs and toys as well as books.
During this time the Library's commitment to public service was also growing. It has always been the Library's mission to provide citizens with free access to information for their recreational, educational, cultural and business needs. To meet these needs the Library offered many innovative services -- Walking Books, delivery of library materials to the homebound, a circulating Educational Toy Collection, Summer Reading Club for kids and computerized Reference Services.