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- 1843
Allegan
incorporated and the village officials voted $25
for a library to be housed in the township
clerk’s office. It consisted of 200 volumes.
- 1907
The library has been housed in the Masonic Temple
for 3 ½ years and had increased to 4700 volumes
and 2000 card holders
- 1909
The library bought 340 new books for $261.28 at
an average cost per volume of 77 cents. There
were now 5,401 volumes available. The City tax of
½ mill was $878.21. Allegan Township
appropriated $325.00 of the library’s income
of $1,203.21.
- 1912
The library
is closed 14 days for quarantine because of
scarlet fever.
- 1913
Librarian
Lenora Porter received a $10,000 pledge from the
Carnegie Library Commission to build a Carnegie
Library.
- 1914
The present Carnegie Library building was
formally opened on Hubbard Street. The total cost
was $13,000.
- 1929
The library circulated 31,822 books for an
average of 6 ½ books per person. It housed
10,404 volumes.
- 1942
A set of Britannica Encyclopedia’s were
purchased for $148.52.
- 1958
The book budged was $2,100. A “best
seller” cost $4.50 - $5.00.
- 1966
The library bought 1,926 books for $7,319.
Circulation set a new high at 33,646 items.
- 1976
Librarian Barbara Hanson was instrumental in the
library expansion that resulted in the present
addition. The size of the building was almost
doubled.
- 1986
The free loan of video cassettes was introduced
as a new service.
- 1990
Librarian Donna Roop saw to the introduction of
our first library computer system for circulation
control and on-line catalog of holdings. We had
entered the technological age! A new record high
of 71,013 items were circulated.
- 1994
The book budget was $16,000 and a “best
seller” cost $16.95-$27.50. The collection
grew to 62,903 items.
- 1995
A library millage passed increasing revenues by
½ mill for a total library millage of 1 ½ mill.
- 1999
Director Ann Perrigo oversees the remodeling of
the library .
New wiring was installed to accomodate more
computer terminals, the paper (card) catalog was
removed, new carpeting installed and a
"tree" was added to the children's
room.
After closing for three months, the library
reopens in May.
The number of hours the library is open to serve
the public increases.
- 2000
The library
receives four new computers (complete with
Microsoft software), a content server and laser
printer from the Bill & Melinda Gates
foundation.
- 2001
The library
adds a Dedicated Genealogy computer and a flatbed
scannerr.
- 2002
The free
loan of DVDs was introduced as a new service.
- 2003
The free
loan of Books on CD was introduced as a new
service.
- 2005
The Library
renovates the Carnegie Meeting Room. New carpets
are installed and wood blinds are added.
- 2006
The Library
installs a wireless router and introduces free
wi-fi to the public.
- 2007
The library
receives six new computers from the Bill &
Melinda Gates foundation and purchases three
additional computers to replace aging computers.
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