A welcoming place in our community where friends and neighbors come to learn, discover, and connect.
History
Golconda Public Library
A story of vision, commitment, and generosity
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It all started with a seemingly simple wish, a desire of the town's citizens to broaden their horizons and to strengthen their cultural development. That desire led to their vision of creating a library for the townspeople. The story then travels across several decades of hard work, commitment, and generosity that eventually turns their vision into a reality. Today we have become part of the story, where we read books and communicate in formats that would have been unimaginable to those early visionaries.
Early Days - Dogged Determination, Generosity, and Vexatious Delays
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The story truly begins with the men and women in our community over 100 years ago. Some were indeed visionaries, and others were leaders, tireless workers, and generous givers. They were not famous nor unique and they came from all walks of life. What they shared was persistence and what drove them was dogged determination to reach the goal of having a library for their community.
There were likely many conversations and initial meetings to rally citizens around the concept of a library. There are stories of box suppers, plays, teas, pie suppers, memorial donations, and pure generosity that made possible the formation of the library. The road wasn’t easy, and it was not short. The Herald-Enterprise featured many references of library fundraising from 1910 through 1912. Then finally after several years of work, this announcement, succinctly expressing both the joy and the challenges experienced, appeared in the September 8, 1913 edition of the Herald-Enterprise:
“After many vexatious delays, the Library Board is pleased to announce that on next Thursday evening (the 15th) between the hours of 7 to 10 the Golconda Public Library will open its doors to the public.”
Prior to the opening, the Golconda Woman’s Club had worked tirelessly to raise funds to purchase the 100 volumes held by the library at its opening day. The Herald Enterprise documents many fundraising efforts prior to opening:
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“A brilliant comedy entitled ‘Al Martin’s Country Store’ will be (performed) . . . under the auspices of the Golconda Woman’s Club, the proceeds of which are to start a library fund.” – March 1911
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“Box suppers and other events during the school year of 1910 and 1911 raised a total of $629.60.” - April 1911
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“The library funds received from the pie supper, held Monday night at the courthouse, amounted to $14.75, which with cash donations, make a total of $18.32.” - April 1912
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“The Tom Thumb Wedding, given at the courthouse Friday evening under the auspices of the Golconda Woman’s Club for the benefit of the Public Library . . . net receipts amounted to $52.60.” - July 1912
It would seem that it took everyone in the community to help with the early stages of the library. In fact, the first librarians were high school girls who volunteered after school and on Saturdays.
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The library had several homes before finding a permanent location. When first opened, it occupied a rent-free room on the second floor of the old First National Bank building located on the corner of Main and Monroe streets. Then it moved to the “old schoolhouse”’ on Adams Street where the books were stored. The next move was to the Boicourt building across Main Street from the courthouse. The businessmen of Golconda had established a resting room in the Boicourt building where their rural customers and travelers could pause to refresh themselves. The men offered the woman’s club the use of the room for the library. From there, the library moved to a room above the newer First National Bank building and then to the Judge Anderson building opposite the courthouse, where the library stayed until its final move in 1951.
Old First National Bank Building
Boicourt Building
Newer First National Bank Building
Judge Anderson Building
Growth: 100 to 1,000 to 3,000 books
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The determination and generosity continued during the next nearly two decades as the library grew from the initial 100 volumes to 1,000 volumes to an estimated 3,000 volumes.
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“An inventory which has just been completed shows the total number of books in the Public Library to be One thousand, Eight hundred, & Twenty-five.” - April 4, 1929 Herald Enterprise
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An undated article in Judge Trampe’s Scrapbook mentions the beginning 100 books and continues, “an organization was formed and the library was given to the city. The organization struggled along, gradually increasing its number of volumes by an occasional donation of books or small sums of money. Several years later, Mr. Robert Randolph, who was then County Superintendent of Schools, gave all the books in the Pope County circulating library, of which he was the owner, and which comprised some 200 to 300 volumes to the Golconda Public library with the understanding that its patrons should not be limited to Golconda alone but that people all over the county should share its benefits.” The estimated number of books on the shelves, at this time was between 2,500 and 3,000.
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Support for the library continued through a new tax levy and through the tradition of the people’s support. Mayor Theo McCoy and the Golconda City Council, passed Ordinance No. 185 on July 1, 1935, “to establish and maintain a public library and reading room in the City of Golconda, Illinois.” This ordinance established a tax levy for the benefit of the library and included the phrase “forever free to the use of the inhabitants of the city of Golconda.”
The Herald-Enterprise from this era contains many articles publicly thanking individuals and organizations time and again for donations of books, financial support, and fund raisers organized to benefit the library.
Current Building – Generous Benefactor and Giving Community
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The late Charles F. Rauchfuss purchased and donated the lot the present building occupies. Then later, in his will he left $37,000 to construct and maintain a building for the Golconda Public Library.
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Mr. Rauchfuss attended school in Golconda and then later moved to northern Illinois. He opened a drug store and with his partner, capitalized on a process of making carbonated water, an endeavor that brought them great wealth. Over the years, both Mr. Rauchfuss and his wife (Myrtle Alice Roper Rauchfuss) maintained an interest in the library and nearly every year sent a crate of books for the library shelves. Each year the library receives a sum from the Rauchfuss Trust Fund established to help maintain the building.
The advent of World War II caused a material and labor shortage, causing construction plans for the building to be suspended. “ . . . tentative plans have been made to begin work on the new Golconda Public Library in the summer of 1946. O. R. Kerley was chairman of the building committee. Other members were W. S. Watson, Jr. and Judge R. Gerald Trampe.” - Herald Enterprise 1945
Construction actually began October 16, 1947 and there is a plaque near the library entry recognizing the generosity of Mr. Rauchfuss. The plaque reads “Erected and donated in memory of wife, Myrtle Roper Rauchfuss and mother, Wilhelmina Jacobina Rauchfuss, by Charles F. Rauchfuss 1947.”
In March 1951, the Golconda Public Library building formally opened with a well-attended celebration tea. Once more the community had stepped forward and donated their time and money to provide beautiful blond cypress wood furnishings, decorations such as a classic George Washington bust, and other items for the library. The Golconda Woman’s Club was active in the 1910s, but it was the “ladies of the Golconda Literary Club” during this era that received mention of helping with the library construction.
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Herald-Enterprise articles show the library received donations from residents and former residents. Some were bequests in wills, others were proceeds from fund raisers, and others from community organizations that paid for needed improvements. Many books were purchased and dedicated to the memory of a friend or family member.
Popular social events that also generated funds in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s were the Silver Teas held inside the library. Attendees dressed for the occasion and their signatures appear in the very beautiful Silver Tea Register book in the library.
Silver Tea Register
Inside Pages of Silver Tea Register
Postcard from era of Library Opening
Expansion – The community helps again
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Over the years, the library’s collection grew and its services expanded, resulting in a need for more space. Continuing in the tradition of helping, the community once again stepped up and raised money for a big library project. A fund-raising thermometer was placed outside so everyone could see and help with the progress. Special events and sales were held and donations were given. The Library Board and Mildred McCormick worked tirelessly to move the project forward.
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In October of 1996, the addition was completed and dedicated in memory of Helen M. Walker, a lifelong supporter of the library. With this addition, the building footprint was doubled. A Live and Learn grant from the Illinois Secretary of State provided new paint, flooring, and furniture giving the interior a pleasingly unified look.
By 2000, a mortgage burning ceremony was held to the delight of all who had worked so tirelessly on the annex.
Groundbreaking Ceremony June 21, 1995
Jimmy Walker, Mildred McCormick, Phyllis King, James Lowry, Bob Winchester, Janet Roper, Jim Ed Roper, Linda Cummings, Lucy Daisy.
The Library Today
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Today the library offers many materials and services beyond books. Although book lending is still the most popular service, many people also enjoy the movie and documentary DVDs, music CDs, and audio books. The library also offers Talking Books for the visually impaired. There are sections for youth and children and there is a special collection of local history and the genealogy of local families. Free Wi-Fi is available and there are updated computers for internet access, homework, and research.
The cloudLibrary app lets patrons read or listen to books on a computer, tablet, or mobile device. Through the library’s membership in the Illinois Heartland Library System (IHLS), cardholders can use their card at any of the over 500 libraries in the IHLS system. They may visit the member library in person or just simply request/checkout/return the materials all through the Golconda Public Library.
The annual Silent Christmas Auction is an important fundraiser for the library and as in the past, the men and women of this community make this fundraiser a success. Because of their commitment and generosity, the library keeps on humming and adding new features for the community to enjoy. Books are added to the collection, computers are upgraded, tech support is provided, there are new ways to read books, children enjoy summer reading programs, special programs are presented, signs are purchased, repairs made, and the list goes on.
The citizens of Golconda and Pope County can be proud of their library, thanks to the strong community support received over the years from loyal patrons and community members who have continued to follow in the footsteps of the original sponsors. Whether it’s through teas, pies, plays and weddings or through donations, memorial gifts, time, talent, and auctions, as future generations continue with this tradition of support, the Golconda Public Library will be here to serve the needs of the community for generations to come.
