Meyersdale Public Library - The History Behind the Meyersdale Public Library

About This Collection

The Meyersdale Public Library dates back to 1938, when the Meyersdale Woman’s Club, under the direction of Frances Livengood Imler, appointed a committee to plan for the establishment of a free community library. This small library opened on May 16, 1939, above the Meyersdale Republican newspaper office. A total of 139 35mm slides detail the library's history, along with the 1984 construction and May 11, 1985, dedication of its current building. The Meyersdale Public Library has digitized these slides, in addition to the seven pages of script containing the captions and talking points for their presentation, delivered on May 30, 1985, to raise awareness of its long-standing importance to the community. Today the library continues to grow, providing vital services to children, families, seniors and the area's Amish population. Especially well known for its collections focusing on the region's history and family genealogies, its Pennsylvania Room annually attracts visitors from across the nation as they seek to utilize these resources.

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Crowds, Ground breaking ceremonies
Crowd stands on grass and sidewalk on commercial street facing toward left
Public libraries, Commercial streets, Building dedications, Crowds
Crowd standing on street face toward presentation in front of brick one-story building
Buildings, Excavation
Basement dug out for construction
Buildings, Excavation
Basement dug out for construction
Buildings, Excavation, Construction equipment
Basement dug out for construction; brick walls collapsed into pit
Building construction, Entrances
Two men on ladders install aluminum siding on underside of portico
Signs (Notices)
Black sign with added white letters "FOUNDED MAY 16 1939"
Public libraries, Entrances, Women
Four women walk on concrete sidewalk in front of one-story brick building entrance
Buildings, Building construction, Commercial streets, Concrete, Sidewalks
Man kneels beside curved form of sidewalk at street
Furnaces, Basements
Green furnace in corner of concrete block basement
Banks, Snow
Brick three-story building with stone front and columns; snow on roof and road
Buildings, Commercial streets, Crowds, Ground breaking ceremonies
Crowd of people stand facing left; brick and stone buildings behind
Buildings, Commercial streets, Ground breaking ceremonies
Women and men in dress clothes gather in semi-circle, three with shovels.
Buildings, Commercial streets, Ground breaking ceremonies, Cockley, Marguerite (Lepley)
Women and men in dress clothes raise shovels with sod
Signs (Notices)
Black sign with added white letters "GROUNDBEAKING SEPT 1 1984"
Podiums, Men, Rotary Club (Meyersdale, Pa.), Bashore, Herman
Man in blue suit and tie raises one arm while looking down at podium
Podiums, Men, Rotary Club (Meyersdale, Pa.), Bashore, Herman
Man in blue suit and tie raises arms behind podium with mike
Public libraries, Commercial streets, Building dedications, Bashore, Herman
Side view of man in tan jacket speaking at podium in front of library; band at left
Horse teams, Parades & processions, Commercial streets
Team of horses pulls wooden wagon with two passengers on street; man in brown coat to right
Women, Events
Woman holding bouquet of blue and white flowers walks among many women seated in metal folding chairs and tables