LaFollette Public Library History

History of LaFollette Public Library

In the beginning the ladies of the LaFollette Book Club began an effort for a public library. Early in 1941 TVA was asked to donate land for a library, without success.

The first library was located in the office of E. E. Hill on the second floor of Peoples Bank. Citizens were asked to donate books. Members of the Book Club operated the library for a limited number of hours.

The LaFollette Book Club joined with the Exchange Club, Lion's Club, and city commissioners to obtain a building for the library.

Second location for the library was a small room in City Hall on First Street. When the city needed the room, library had to move. The library was then housed at the LaFollette Press for a short time.

Guy Easterly and Lansden Hill were instrumental in promoting the idea of a library for the town.

The Book Club then persuaded the city to provide space in the new LaFollette Municipal Building on South Tennessee Avenue which was constructed in 1951. It is from this location that the LaFollette Public Library serves its patrons today.

Present

From this one room in the LaFollette Municipal Building, the library now occupies three. Presently the original part of library houses the adult collection, reference, current periodicals, and videos. The children's collection is housed a separate room. The third room houses periodicals. This space originally housed the genealogy collection which is now located in the Campbell County Historical Museum and Library.

Future of the Library

LaFollette Public Library is now, due to increased patron use and the advent of the technology age, severely overcrowded. The future hope for LaFollette Public Library is to be able to build a modern, technologically user friendly library to serve the growing population of the city of LaFollette. Plans to reach this goal are currently under discussion.


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	History of LaFollette Public Library In the beginning the ladies of the LaFollette Book Club began an effort for a public library. Early in 1941 TVA was asked to donate land for a library, without success. The first library was located in the office of E. E. Hill on the second floor of Peoples Bank. Citizens were asked to donate books. Members of the Book Club operated the library for a limited number of hours. The LaFollette Book Club joined with the Exchange Club, Lion's Club, and city commissioners to obtain a building for the library. Second location for the library was a small room in City Hall on First Street. When the city needed the room, library had to move. The library was then housed at the LaFollette Press for a short time. Guy Easterly and Lansden Hill were instrumental in promoting the idea of a library for the town. The Book Club then persuaded the city to provide space in the new LaFollette Municipal Building on South Tennessee Avenue which was constructed in 1951. It is from this location that the LaFollette Public Library serves its patrons today.
Present From this one room in the LaFollette Municipal Building, the library now occupies three. Presently the original part of library houses the adult collection, reference, current periodicals, and videos. The children's collection is housed a separate room. The third room houses periodicals. This space originally housed the genealogy collection which is now located in the Campbell County Historical Museum and Library. Future of the Library LaFollette Public Library is now, due to increased patron use and the advent of the technology age, severely overcrowded. The future hope for LaFollette Public Library is to be able to build a modern, technologically user friendly library to serve the growing population of the city of LaFollette. Plans to reach this goal are currently under discussion.