Coeur d’Alene Library

The origins of Coeur d’Alene Public Library are very closely tied to the history of the Coeur d’Alene Women’s Club, which was organized on October 14, 1904 with the express purpose of developing a free public library and a reading room for the City of Coeur d’Alene. On February 8, 1905 the club held a reception at the pavilion in Blackwell Park, now the Coeur d’Alene City Park, for the purpose of collecting books for the library. Over 200 books and a few magazines were donated.

In late 1905, the Women’s Club rented three rooms on the second floor of the Exchange National Bank building. Mrs. Ida Milner became the first paid librarian and oversaw more than 500 books. The librarian’s salary, rent and other expenses were met entirely by volunteer subscriptions and other funds raised by the Library Committee of the Women’s Club. By 1907 the library was becoming a major financial burden for the Coeur d’Alene Women’s Club. They decided to issue a statement through the Coeur d’Alene Press that the Women’s Club could no longer support and manage the library, and that if they did not have support from the citizens the library would be closed. It was suggested that the City of Coeur d’Alene take over the library and support it with taxes.

In June of 1908, city attorney McFarland presented a resolution to the city council from the Women’s Club, which petitioned the city to take over the library and make appropriations for its maintenance. The council voted against the petition. By the end of 1908 however, the city agreed to provide space and utilities for the library in the new city hall, which was under construction. The transfer from the Exchange Bank building to the second floor of city hall was made in February of 1909. On May 1, 1909 a delegation from the Women’s Club, headed by Mrs. J.M. Elder, again petitioned the city council to accept the library and make provisions for its maintenance. The city council agreed to accept the library as a city funded institution and appoint a library board to run the affairs of the library.

After operating in a general store, a bank building, and in city hall for 36 years, the Coeur d’Alene Public Library finally moved into its own building in 1945 when Mayor O.W. Edmonds accepted a deed to the Marcus Wright building at 703 Lakeside from its owners Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Nelson. After several months of renovation, the library opened at the Wright building in October of 1945. That would be its home for the next 42 years.

By 1985, the library was again in serious need of more space. Fortunately, the General Telephone Company was moving into a new office building and was vacating a large modern building at 201 East Harrison Avenue. That building had plenty of space, plus parking and was in a central location. The GT building was purchased the building, a public dedication was held on January 2, 1986.

By the mid-1990s there was again a need for more space, not just square footage, but a building that was designed to be used as a library. On November 1, 1995 the Coeur d’Alene Public Library Foundation was created to raise funds for a new library. On August 15, 2000 the Coeur d’Alene City Council unanimously approved locating the library on city owned property just north of City Hall. On August 22, 2001 the City Council approved of the overall footprint, which connected City Hall, McEuen Field and the new library.

On October 25, 2002 Kevin Jester of Architects West unveiled the design for the new library, which featured a 54,000 square-foot building with a classic northwest lodge look. On February 1, 2005 a supermajority, which was 68.2 percent of the voters, approved a $3 million library bond. An additional $3.6 million was eventually raised the Library Foundation. A public dedication for the new library was held on September 9, 2007. It was opened to the public the very next day. Finally, after over a century of operation, the Coeur d’Alene Public Library is now housed in a state-of-the-art building designed specifically as a modern, up to date library. This was accomplished by a dedicated library foundation and staff, a forward thinking city and many supportive citizens.

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