History
Since the late 1800s, we have been a fixture in the community. Follow our story to see our growth and commitment to serving the community.
1887
Elizabeth H. (Weller) Jones spearheads the first successful attempt at a community meeting room. At her own expense, Jones rents a room over Pardee’s Grocery Store – located near the corner of College Avenue and Morrison Street. With the help of her husband George C. Jones, as well as other women and businessmen, she solicits donations of books, magazines and newspapers.
1888
In early 1888, a Young Men’s Christian Association organizes in Appleton. Citizens recommended the YMCA take over the care of the reading room. Given the popularity of the room, the Joneses agree and turn over materials and furniture. George C. Jones was elected to serve as president of the Free Reading Room Association.
1889-1893
The reading room moves to various locations as the YMCA continues to grow its membership. Locations include the Congregational Church on Oneida Street and in rented rooms above the Plumb & Nelson grocery store and the Joseph Spitz clothing store on College Avenue.
In the spring of 1890, the YMCA considers purchasing the former Congregational Church property on Oneida Street. In 1891, after raising funds, the YMCA purchases the property, located between College Avenue and Lawrence Street. The reading room operates in the church building, one of the oldest buildings in Appleton at the time. Built in 1854, it was the first church building constructed in Appleton on land donated by Amos Lawrence, who was responsible for establishing Lawrence University.
On the afternoon of March 29, 1893, a fire broke out in the west end of the YMCA building. The fire destroys the building and most of the materials inside. The YMCA announces they will erect a new building and appoints a committee to obtain temporary quarters. They secure a room in the Commercial National Bank building, located on the southwest corner of College Avenue and Oneida Street. The reading room operates from that building for several months.
By July 1893, the YMCA decides to postpone the canvas for a new building, due to the financial panic of 1893. After reducing operating expenses, they continued running the reading room until the end of 1893 when they were forced to close it.
1894-1896
The YMCA announces they will not continue with a reading room as part of their organization but support a church undertaking it.
Appleton is without a publicly available reading room from January 1, 1894, to the fall of 1896.
1896
The Reading Room Association, still led by George C. Jones, begins to establish a public reading room again. In November, they open a new reading room on the corner of Oneida and Washington streets. The reading room has newspapers and periodicals, but they struggle to provide books to patrons. They write many appeals to ask for donations to the reading room.
1897-1899
By March 1897, the reading room is assisting up to 200 people a day with over 600 materials in the collection. The Reading Room Association offers their materials to the City of Appleton on the condition a public library organizes. The city council accepts the offer. On September 1, 1897, the Appleton Public Library opens in council chambers above Petersen-Rehbein Meat Market on College Avenue.
Rev. Albertus A. Drown is hired to oversee the library for $20 a month. Mayor Herman Erb, Jr. appoints the first library board of trustees with George C. Jones serving as president. Library circulation during the first month is 281 materials.
By the beginning of 1898, the library grows to 2,700 materials. The library hires Almena DePuy, a graduate of the New York State Library School, to organize and catalog the library. DePuy finishes her work, and on April 1, 1898, the library hires Agnes L. Dwight as its first professional librarian.
As the library continues to grow, there is frequent discussion about moving the library to a more accessible location. The library board begins negotiations with the YMCA for the land where the former Congregational Church building had burned in 1893. The YMCA turns over the land to the city in July 1898 on the condition the city pay the $3,600 mortgage balance and build a public library on the site.
In January 1899, plans are accepted for construction of a municipal building, housing the library on the first floor and city offices on the second floor. Architect W. A. Holbrook of Milwaukee and Herman Wildhagen of Appleton design the building’s exterior and interior.
1900
The first municipal building at 121 S. Oneida Street is dedicated on March 28, 1900.
1921
The library repurposes a magazine reading room to become the new children’s department. This enlarges the area for children’s materials to nearly twice the original size.
1926
Appleton Public Library becomes one of the first libraries in the state to collect statistics on the number of reference questions answered. That year, staff spend 406 hours answering 583 questions.
1939
City hall offices move out of the municipal building, giving the library additional space to occupy the full building.
1954
The library undergoes an extensive remodel. The remodel includes space for teens and new formats such as record albums and microfilm.
1975
APL joins other public libraries to form the Outagamie Waupaca Library System (OWLS). This creates opportunities for sharing materials, technology and knowledge.
Friends of Appleton Library (FOAL) organizes to support library efforts.
1981
Outgrowing the space at 121 S. Oneida Street, a new 70,000 square foot facility opens at 225 N. Oneida Street on June 1, 1981.
1982
The first online circulation system is installed.
1985
The Appleton Library Foundation organizes to provide additional funding for library activities.
1995
The second floor expands to increase space, create more flexibility, and improve accessibility.
The library develops the first public library website in Wisconsin. It is also one of the first public libraries in the state to offer a public computer with free Internet access.
2001
APL, and other area public libraries, begin to offer access to netLibrary, a virtual library featuring more than 1,600 titles that are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
2008-2009
Increased demand for services and lack of space in the library prompt a building study. The result is a recommendation for a new or remodeled facility.
2009
Friends of Appleton Library and Appleton Library Foundation merge to form Friends of Appleton Public Library.
2011
The library undergoes organizational restructuring with a focus on 21st century library ideas. Due to the weak economy, the proposed building project is put on hold.
2013
A community-focus planning effort results in a long-term strategic plan.
2014
Talks of a library building project are reinvigorated and continue to be worked on over several years.
2020
The library building is closed to the public off and on throughout 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Curbside check out service is launched, and many virtual programs were conducted while the building remained closed to the public.
Mayor Jake Woodford announces a plan to move forward with the library building project. The recommendation includes renovating the building on its current site – 225 N. Oneida Street.
2021
The library goes fine free.
2022-2024
In April 2022, the library moves to a temporary location to accommodate the building renovation at 225 N. Oneida Street. The temporary location operates at 2411 S. Kensington Drive until November 2023.
Supply chain and budgetary issues cause the building renovation delays, resulting in changes to the original plans. Groundbreaking on the renovation begins July 25, 2023.
In December 2023, the library moves to a new temporary location. The library opens at its second temporary location in January 2024.