FOUNDERS OF THE GLENDORA PUBLIC LIBRARY

 

In addition to building their clubhouse, the ladies of the Glendora Woman’s Club were dedicated to establishing a free library. At their regular meeting on February 7, 1911, Mrs. J. A. Jones made a motion that the club should undertake to establish a free library for Glendora. This motion passed and by March of 1911, a library committee had been formed consisting of Mrs. J.A. Jones, Mrs. L.N. Suydam and Mrs. J.M. Lewis. These ladies rented rooms for library use, established hours of operation and hired a librarian.

 

Eventually the Library was moved to rooms over the First National Bank Building. The monthly expenses were approximately $27.00 of which the Board of Trade (Chamber of Commerce) contributed $6.00 per month.

 

From early 1911 the club worked to increase the number of books available for loan. The library was open every day with regular hours. All the books were carefully numbered and classified in accordance with the rules of the American Library Association.

 

The members of the Glendora Woman’s Club financially supported and managed their library with its approximately 1000 books through April of 1912 when they agreed to freely gift their fully operational library to the newly incorporated City of Glendora.

 

On May 1, 1912 the City of Glendora assumed the financial support of Glendora Woman’s Club library, formally adopting the library as part of city government on May 20, 1912 by Ordinance 43.

 

On May 22, 2012, during the Library’s Centennial Celebration, the Glendora City Council recognized the Glendora Woman’s Club as the Founder of the Glendora Public Library.