About the Library

History of SPL

Salina Public Library’s origins date to 1868, when 15 residents petitioned for a charter to establish the Salina Library Association “for the purpose and object of establishing a public and circulating library.” In 1893, community members organized a free reading room in the Odd Fellows building at Seventh Street and Iron Avenue, marking an early effort to broaden public access to books and information.

On April 27, 1899, Mayor T. W. Roach appointed a 12-member board to formally organize a public library. That same year, a city mill levy of one-half mill was approved to provide ongoing financial support. The library first opened in a building owned by V. A. Austin at Eighth Street and Iron Avenue and later moved, in March 1901, to the first floor of a building on South Santa Fe Avenue.

Later in 1901, the board learned that industrialist Andrew Carnegie was offering grants to help communities construct library buildings. Salina was awarded $15,000 on the condition that the city provide a building site and guarantee annual support of at least $1,500. Local fundraising efforts quickly secured the required funds. The new Carnegie library opened in June 1903 at the corner of 8th Street and Iron Avenue. In 1904, Delia Brown was appointed librarian, serving in that role for 42 years. An addition to the Carnegie building was completed in 1922, and the facility continued to serve the community until 1968.

By the 1960s, the need for a larger building had become clear. Under the administration of Richard “Dick” Neuman, who served as director from 1961 to 1989, the library experienced significant growth and organizational change. In 1965, Salina voters approved a bond issue to construct a new library building. The resulting 50,000-square-foot facility at 301 West Elm Street opened in 1968 and remains the library’s main location. During this period, circulation doubled, and the overall collection was quadrupled. Neuman developed strengthened business, reference, and local history resources to meet evolving community needs.

The 1990s brought technological and structural changes. In 1992, the library completed automation of its card catalog and circulation system, improving access to materials. A major renovation began in 1996, relocating the children’s department to the lower level, reorganizing the fiction collection, and adding meeting rooms.

Continued growth in technology services led to a $1 million expansion in 2003, adding approximately 7,000 square feet for a Technology Center, which opened in 2005. In 2007, the library purchased the building across Elm Street to provide additional meeting rooms and staff offices. This space was later named the McKenzie Center following the retirement of longtime director Joe McKenzie in 2017.

In 2019, Melanie Hedgespeth was appointed director. Subsequent updates have included a redesigned main floor layout in 2020 and the launch of the Salina Public Library app in 2022. Plans for further improvements, including a remodel of the Youth Services Department, continue as the library adapts to changing community needs. Over more than 150 years, Salina Public Library has evolved through steady public support, expanded facilities, and a continued focus on providing accessible services to the community.