Origins of the library

K.W. Stanley / News Virginian
Published: April 24, 2007

She asked to participate in Virginia State Library's Traveling Libraries Program. Bookcases, card files and 50 books were sent to Waynesboro monthly, beginning August 7, 1912, with the railroads providing free transportation. Townspeople donated 300 additional books. This was the third free public library in Virginia.

Public fundraising followed to help acquire more books. A community lawn party was held at Fishburne Military School. The Stonewall Brigade Band provided a concert. Stevens asked the Town Council to fund the free library. Years later, in 1956, the Public Library Board of Directors commissioned Mrs. T.J. Randolph to paint a portrait of Mary C. Stevens. It hung near the library door. Today, it hangs largely unnoticed in the library history room.

The town council voted in late 1912 to financially aid the fledgling library. Council appointed a board of directors with W.W. Dugsdale chairman. Virginia Leftwich was hired as librarian for $1 a week. Later, she married Nelson Bell and the pair left to serve as missionaries to China. Virginia Leftwich Bell was the mother of Mrs. Billy Graham.

The town library relocated January 1, 1913, to a room in the north wing of Wayne Inn on the corner of Wayne and 11th (Gorsuch Municipal Building), which was part of Valley Seminary, a women's school, in the 1890s. The library had 1,100 books by August.

Civic clubs used the dining room after the library relocated in 1915.

By July 15, 1915, the Memorial Library was completed on the corner of Walnut and 11th. The lot had been donated by J.A. Fishburne, F.P. Loth, Mary Stevens, M.R. Ellis, Eva Ellison, W.A. Rife, William Dugsdale and Captain Pratt. The Andrew Carnegie Foundation provided $8,000 on September 8, 1914, to construct the library. This was the second Carnegie Library and the third free public library in Virginia. During the dedication, the audience sang, "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name." A basement lecture hall became the children's library. Lyda Corner was the first permanent librarian. Virginia Lambert Rogers retired as librarian in 1965 after 28 years. Books increased from 10,150 books in 1937 to 30,000 in 1969. Renovations occurred in 1937, 1940, 1956 and 1960.

Waynesboro's East Branch Library opened April 8, 1968, with Mrs. H.C. Humphries as librarian. The library circulated 20 percent of city library books in its first year.

The Waynesboro Public Library at Wayne and 14th Street opened on May 18, 1969. The building of 13,929 square feet was constructed for $480,000 with $240,000 from City Council and $240,000 from the federal government. The library had 37,327 books. On June 24, 1979, an addition doubled the size of the library from 13,929 to 28,429 square feet. It was built with $711,000 from the Economic Development Administration, $150,000 from the city and $10,000 in corporate and individual contributions. The addition housed a reference area, book stacks, music room, history and genealogy room, microform room and meeting rooms. The expanded library had 70,000 books.

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