County of library: St. Charles County
Location of library: Elm St. & N Duchesne Dr., St. Charles
Phone: (636) 946-6294
"While the St. Charles library was a welcome addition in the community, not everyone was able to enjoy it. Chase Robinson, an African American janitor at the public library in St. Charles, applied for a library card in 1932. After other African American citizens also applied, the Library Board received letters from the pastor of the St. John A.M.E. Church, and from the Colored Welfare League. While the matter was discussed, the board took no action. The issue arose again in 1942, when the Library Board received a letter from Sylvester Dryden, secretary of the Negro Advancement Association, requesting borrowing privileges for African Americans. The board referred the matter to the city attorney, and a committee of the board began meeting with the association. After meeting with a committee from the Negro Advancement Association in August 1945, the St. Charles Library Board resolved, “The Negro population of St. Charles, Mo. will be granted privileges of the St. Charles Public Library beginning Sept. 16, 1946.” A year after the end of World War II, African Americans were finally able to access the library, and it was an important first victory in the struggle for integration in St. Charles County.
"By the 1960s, residents wanted expansion of library services in other parts of St. Charles County. Along with the City of St. Charles’ Library, a small library in Wentzville supported by a 1/2-cent tax approved by voters in 1943 was the only other option in the community.4 In response to this demand, and at the request of a committee of St. Charles County residents, the librarian for the Missouri State Library initiated a bookmobile project and a small walk-in facility on the outskirts of St. Charles in 1963. Just a year later, in April 1964, County voters approved a 2-cent tax levy for a County Library District. A branch library opened in O’Fallon the following August, and patrons of the Wentzville Library voted to merge with the County Library District in November 1965.
"In the midst of handling these censorship issues, the city and county library districts entered into a reciprocal agreement on Oct. 1, 1967, that allowed patrons to use the resources of the other since both districts charged the same tax rate. The two districts merged into the St. Charles City-County Library District in 1973. Under the state statute allowing the merger, the St. Charles City Council appointed four members and the County Court appointed five to the governing board. The district hired Carl Sandstedt as its first director in 1976.
"Today, the St. Charles City-County Library District has expanded to 12 branches and is governed by a Board of Trustees appointed by the Mayor of St. Charles and myself. Nearly 2 million visitors check out over 5.5 million items per year. The library collection includes not only books and magazines but music, movies, audio books, video games, electronic books, online research and instructional resources, and even telescopes and kitchen equipment to borrow. The following timeline of the library’s history and expansion is courtesy of the library district’s website and demonstrates how far the district has come in just over 45 years. Along with checking out the library’s website and resources, I encourage you to visit each branch’s webpage to learn more about their histories, collections and services:
• Oct. 25, 1982: Kathryn Linnemann Branch in St. Charles opens ~
Government Website