The Elora Branch of the Wellington County Library System, located at 144 Geddes Street, is a former Carnegie Library that is still in use as a public library. The library was built in 1909, and is listed in the Ontario Heritage Properties Database
According to www.mtc.gov.on.ca/en/libraries/carnegie.shtml (
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•Received grant on March 23, 1909
•Received $6,400 from the Carnegie Foundation
•W.F.Sheppard, architect
Details from the Ontario Heritage Properties Database (
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Property Name: Elora Carnegie Library
Street Address: 144 Geddes St, Elora
Municipality: Centre Wellington Twp
County or Regional Municipality: Wellington
Date of Ontario Heritage Act Designation: 8/15/1988
Construction Date: 1909 (Actual)
Building Type: Civic or Government Building
Protection Designator: Ontario Heritage Act designation - Part 4
Reason for Designation: The Carnegie library, built in 1909 in a Neo-Georgian style, is one of the few unaltered buildings of its kind in use as a library.
Addditional details about the history and character of this building are available from the Centre Wellington Designated Heritage Properties website: (
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This neo-Georgian style structure was built in 1910 and was constructed of stretcher red brick. The wall design is Doric capital and features large brick quoins. The roof is a medium truncated gable, with a pediment trim. The windows are flat with plain lintels and plain lug concrete sills. The main entrance features a flat door with a shaped, multiple-light transom. There is an open concrete porch with closed railings on the first floor.
First known as the Mechanics Institute, Elora Library dates back to 1843, when the Bon Accord Settlers passed around the few books they had brought with them. When it was decided to assemble the books in one place as a Library, the idea spread to Elora, and Wm. Reid volunteered to keep them in his house.
In Canada, in 1827, Mechanics Institutes were organized in cities, towns and were financed by Members’ Fees and small Government Grants. A Mechanics Institute was organized in Elora in 1857, at a Public Meeting with much enthusiastic support. This was at the close of the Crimean War, when the country had “gone broke”, and the future looked very bleak. Great interest was taken in lectures, Singing Schools, Debating Societies, to relieve their minds.
With the development of schools in Elora, the need for the Mechanics Institute diminished and the project dissolved in 1869. The books were stored in boxes in a hall in the Public School, where they were found in 1871, by the new Principal of the School, David Boyle. He set them out on the shelves, and was responsible for re-organizing the Mechanics Institute.
Legislation was passed in 1895, changing the name of all Mechanics Institutes to Libraries. Application was made to Andrew Carnegie, the American Steel Magnate, for a grant. The Village of Elora took over the Library in 1909, and supplied land for the new one on Geddes at Henderson Street. The library was erected later that fall with a substantial grant from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation, and was opened in January 1910.