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About the Detroit Lakes Library

Library Board Meetings
Regular meeting first Thursday of every other month (starting in January) at 4:30 p.m. in the library

Library Board Members
James D. Sinclair, Chair
James Donehower, Sec.
David Welte, LARL Rep.
Jan Ness, Council Rep.
Rhoda Hooper
Sally Oja
Julie Sanders
Duane Wething,
Mary Haney, Librarian

History of the Detroit Lakes Library
The original Carnegie building, facing Washington Avenue, was built in 1913 with a $10,000 grant from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation. The firm of Claude and Stark of Madison, Wisconsin, was chosen to provide the architectural design; and August Randolph, of Detroit Lakes, was the general contractor.

This building, in the prairie school style, is now on the National Register of Historic Places. The most notable features of the building are the Louis Sullivan exterior frieze; the lead and stained glass windows and doors; the completely open and unobstructed interior; and the clay-tiled hip roof. The original building has 4,142 square feet. The upstairs was intended as the library and the downstairs included rooms for the Library Club and classes. The meeting room, referred to as "The Club Room" has long been used by the community for a variety of uses. It has been used continuously for the Library Club meetings, served as the site for theater productions, was the high school orchestra rehearsal room, served as an emergency class room, has been a gallery for numerous art shows, and has held countless numbers of storytimes, summer library programs and meetings of all kinds.

Plans for an expanded library facility were begun in 1984 when David Smith, a Minnesota library consultant, was hired to assess our library needs. The most critical needs were space, staff, hours of opening, and a larger collection.

In 1985 the city hired Jeffrey Scherer of the Minneapolis architectural firm of Meyer, Scherer, and Rockcastle to design an addition to our Carnegie building.

A successful bond referendum election was held in September 1987 which allowed the financing of a $1.7 million dollar addition. Ground breaking for this addition took place in August 1988 and the fourth building was completed in August 1989. T.F. Powers of Fargo, North Dakota was the general contractor, Bergen's of Detroit Lakes had the landscaping contract and Driveway Services of Detroit Lakes had the parking lot contract.

The most noticeable features of the building are echoes of the original Carnegie building: the large, tiled hip roof; lead and stained glass doors and windows; the oak trim, plaster ceilings, and furniture in the style of the period.

The circulation desk, reference desk, study desks, study chairs,
staircase banisters, bay windows and window seats were designed and built to preserve the classic prairie school design. The furniture as well as the overall design and floor plan were created to be functional and efficient in the latter part of the 20th century. Handicap accessibility, energy efficiency, and technological access have all been carefully incorporated to make this a modern and efficient building that will meet the needs of local residents for many years to come.

1000 Washington Ave.
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
Phone: (218) 847-2168
FAX: (218) 847-2160
E-mail: detroit@larl.org

Updated 6/21/02