Our History:
“NO Town Library? Be it said to the DISGRACE of our village and township, we have no public library….A village and township of OUR PRETENTIONS should have five hundred volumes at least; and we hope our people will avail themselves of the first opportunity that arises to take this STIGMA from their good sense and public spirit.” – 1878, Charlevoix
Early Library “Reading Rooms”
Following the above proclamation, Charlevoix tried to eliminate the disgrace by putting together collections of books in reading rooms which were available to the public. The first reading room was upstairs in the Fagan Pool Hall and Cigar Factory – on Bridge Street, where the tiered seating for the band shell is today. Another reading room was located in part of the second floor of the Harsha Building – once Lieberman’s, once Trademark Clothiers, the current Van Pelt 1910 building, which today houses Cherry Republic.
Arrival of the First, Official Township Library
Finally the stigma was over when a true township library came into existence in 1886 in the village hall and engine house at the corner of State and Antrim. Effie Berdan was employed as the first librarian.
Township Library is Transferred to the Charlevoix School District
In 1905, perhaps because our village was now undergoing incorporation as a city, the Township Library was transferred to the School District and was presumably placed in one of the school buildings found on Mason and Clinton Streets. Cora Bently was hired as librarian in 1906, served for three months, and was replaced by Elizabeth Putman. Miss Putman had an annual salary of $60 and stayed four years.
Carnegie’s Free Public Library
Carnegie was a Pennsylvania industrialist who had made his money in steel…about $75 billion in today’s dollars and late in life, used this fortunate to build over 2,500 libraries.
In 1910,Charlevoix’s Mayor Hampton posted a letter to the Carnegie Corporation of Pittsburgh, and this was the reply.
“…If the City agree by resolution of Councils to maintain a free public library at a cost of not less than one thousand dollars a year and provide a suitable site for the building, Mr. Carnegie will be glad to give ten thousand dollars…”
The Free Public Library – address 107 State Street – opened on Saturday, July 2, 1910. Edna Sue Green was the first librarian in the new Carnegie. Miss Green may have found the new elegant surroundings too much to handle, or she may have found better circumstances. In any case, by the end of the year, Annie Bon had been hired. She worked at the Carnegie for seven years before resigning to take a position with a Chicago publishing house. With Annie Bon’s departure in 1917, Minnie Payton, W.E. Hampton’s assistant in the Charlevoix Courier office, was elected to the position of librarian by a unanimous vote of the Board of Education. Her twenty-six year tenure would endear her to the community. Florenz Milner, with degrees from the University of Chicago and Columbia, had been teaching mathematics at Charlevoix High School and was was hired to be the interim librarian following Minnie Payton’s departure. Florenz proved to be more than an interim by staying on for two decades.
109 Clinton Street Building
In need of additional space and following 59 years of use, the Carnegie building was sold for $7,800 and on July 5, 1967, the library opened its new doors at 109 Clinton Street. The new library had 7,000 volumes, including 1,600 on loan from the Grand Traverse Library Federation. The old Carnegie library was promptly torn down to make way for a bank. Initially, Margaret Duerr was hired as interim librarian before Dorothy Olmstead, former Genesee County Librarian arrived. In 1972, Marybeth Wallick, a graduate of Ellsworth Community School and a history major from Central Michigan University was hired. She served until 2001 and was followed by Charlie Kregel. Charlie served as Interim until Valerie Meyerson was hired. Previously head of the Wixom Library in the suburban Detroit area, Meyerson instituted staff training and technology development, and encouraged community involvement.
District Library Formation 
In 1997, due to changes in legislation, the library reorganized as a District Library which removed the public library from the jurisdiction of the school system and made it an independent, governmental library with taxing authority. A Library Board of Trustees was appointed and an operating millage passed overwhelmingly.
The Present Library at 220 Clinton Street
Due once again to a shortage of space, in 2002 planning meetings for a new, improved facility began in earnest. A building committee was established to evaluate and advise the trustees about possible sites – should we add on to the existing building or move?
Following extensive community feedback and meetings, it was established both that the library had to remain downtown and that there was tremendous affection for the 1927 school building at 220 Clinton Street which had recently become available. After much negotiation, in the fall of 2003, the Downtown Development Authority and City of Charlevoix publicly embraced the project by agreeing to buy the building from the Board of Education for $635 thousand dollars and hold it on behalf of the library until funding could be secured.
In 2004 the community approved millage requests of .645 mills to renovate the school building and .637 mills for future operations of the new library. Simultaneously, a separate capital campaign exceeded expectations by raising $2 million to help fund the renovation of the school building.
Renovations to the old school building occurred from 2004 through 2006 and in September 2006, the new library opened. With expanded space, the library’s collection increased to over 40,000 volumes. Additionally, the new space made it possible to offer a multitude of programs, concerts and events while also providing individuals, organizations, and businesses from the community a beautiful space to meet, engage, and learn.
In 2015, leadership of the library transitioned from Valerie Meyerson to Linda Adams, a ten-year team member of the Charlevoix Public Library. In 2020, Adams retired passing the reins to current Director Ryan Deery, a native of Petoskey with 10 years of previous public library director experience.
We welcome you inside!
The Charlevoix Public Library is a success story due to the hard work and dedication of the Board of Trustees, hundreds of volunteers, the taxpayers of the Charlevoix Library District…but especially……the staff…a terrific group of professionals who welcome everyone, answer questions and make sure this library is a place for everyone to meet, to learn, and to be inspired.
For more information about the renovation process of the current building, check out the scrapbook from the library:
“Dream, Vision, Reality: Building the Charlevoix Library, 2004-2006”
Original Blueprints of the 1927 school:
(that was later turned into the Charlevoix Public Library)
Lower Level
Main Level
Upper Level
Original blueprints of the 1927 School