History

• The library was astablished in 1899, but the library couldn’t get funding in 1900, 1901 or 1902. They were able to raise $50.00 in 1903.

• On March 5, 1913 women gathered at the High School building to “form such an organization for the purpose of having a library in this town.”

• The Limestone Library Association managed the library from 1913 to 1929.

• In 1915 the committee decided to pay the librarian no more that $1.50/week.

• At that time the library was only open a couple of days a week.
  

• All of the books had to be read before they were put on the shelves in order to assure that the language in them was acceptable.

• They once shared the library with a dentist a couple of days a week.

• In 1936 the Women’s Civic Club was organized in Limestone and made the library one of there major projects. Not only did the members of the club raise money for the support of the library, but they also purchased and collected books which subsequently became the property of the library. The library remained one of the major projects of the Women’s Civic Club for many years.
  

• In 1941 Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey C. Frost gave the building on Main Street that is still the library today, in memory of there son, Robert.
  
  
• The frosts were residing in Caribou at the time the gift was given but they were former residents of Limestone and the original owners of the first electric company in the town (Limestone). There son, Robert, was born on January 12, 1918 and attended schools in Limestone. While returning to college at Cornell University on May 16, 1937 Robert was killed in an automobile accident.
  
  
• On January 14, 1961, the fallowing budget was accepted by the Trustees for the coming year:
  • $950 salary @$1.00/hr. for the librarian
    
  • $600 for new books
    
  • $450 for general expenses

• This is a substantial increase from the $10.00/yr paid in the early 1900’s, and the $1.50/week paid to the women of the Library Association who served as some of the early librarians.

• The Trustees increased the salary of the librarian to $1.75/hr in 1966. They increased it again in 1979 to $139.10/wk, and again in 1980 to $175.00/wk.

• Over the past decade, in addition to books, audio-visual equipment has been added, beginning with the donation of a slide projector and screen in 1987. Later, these were supplemented with a movie projector, VCR with TV and table. Also, the library now carries books with cassettes, audio books, and video-cassettes for loan.