A Brief History of

Riverside Regional Library

In the early 1950’s the Women’s Extension Clubs began vocal support for the idea of a county library in Cape Girardeau, Perry, and Scott Counties. At their request a demonstration bookmobile was sent by the State Library in 1953-1954 to travel over the region and show the possibilities if such a library were established. The bookmobile visited rural schools and set up deposits in stores, post offices, homes, and existing public libraries. The impact was considerable.

Following the demonstration, petitions were circulated and the county courts placed the issue on the ballot of the April 5, 1955 election. The question was, should the people not already served by a library district tax themselves at the rate of 1 mill per $100 valuation to establish county libraries? It passed almost 2 to 1.

Since the three new library districts were to be supported by a county tax, they came under the jurisdiction of the county courts. The court in each county appointed a 5-member board for each library.

Excluded from the county libraries were the cities served by already existing public libraries. In 1955, these were Perryville, Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Chaffee, Oran, and Sikeston.

It was immediately recognized that better use of the tax money could be made by combining the three county libraries into one regional library. Thus there would be need for only one administration and a single distribution center; centralized buying and processing would reduce the cost of books per copy; personnel could be used more efficiently, and one bookmobile could serve all three counties. Another important factor was the offer by the State Library—if a regional library was formed—of a gift of 7,000 books and the loan of a bookmobile until one could be purchased.

The first joint meeting of these original county library boards was held in the Cape County courthouse in Jackson the evening of July 14, 1955, where they voted to join into a regional library and elected officers for the regional library board. They voted to pay board members 7 cents a mile for attending meetings. A committee was formed to screen applicants for the job of Administrative Librarian to head the new regional library. Mr. Otto A. Koenig, who had been working for the New Madrid County Library, was chosen for that position at the August board meeting. The first Assistant Librarian was chosen a few weeks later.

At the September 7^th meeting, the name “River Hills Regional Library” was rejected in favor of “Riverside Regional Library,” because each of the three counties border the Mississippi River. Personnel policies were adopted. A committee was formed to find temporary headquarters for the library. They decided to buy a station wagon. Steps were put in motion toward the purchase of a bookmobile. They accepted that State Library’s gift of 7,000 books and loan of a bookmobile.

All the books were used and a bit grimy, so a room was set up in the basement of the Cape County courthouse where the books could be cleaned by washing them in a sal soda solution. By November 12, 1955, the borrowed bookmobile was loaded with the re-conditioned books and ready to make the very first trip for the brand-new regional library. Its first stop was at the elementary school in Illmo. The bookmobile service continued from 1955 to 1974 when economic considerations and a changing lifestyle brought it to a close.

The move from the Cape County courthouse basement to a new building located on Highway 61 North just north of the Hubble Creek bridge was completed in late November 1955. The building was constructed and owned by Gene McDowell and rent was $125 a month. This building served as the headquarters for the regional library where books were processed, shelved and circulated. The first budget was a total of $87,865

The library quickly outgrew this small commercial building on Highway 61 North. Mr Reuben Landgraf was contracted to build an 80x40-ft. building with a 40-ft. car part at the end of the building. This building, located in the western section of Jackson, was leased to the library for $200 per month. The library was moved into the new location in February 1958. Only four months later, on June 10, 1958, nearly 6 ½ inches of rain fell in a 10-hour period, sending Hubble Creek to record heights. The rapidly rising water struck the new building with force, sending a piece of timber through the north window. Forty-two inches of water rose inside the building, floating the three bottom rows of books in the stacks and soaking the fourth row. A massive work effort by library board members, staff, neighbors and family members to clean up the building and salvage what they could. Most of the staff took typhoid shots due to the heat, mud, and dirty water.

By 1965 the library had outgrown the headquarters building and expansion became necessary. Landgraf Construction Company built an addition to the existing building that doubled its size. This is the building that is still used today as the headquarters for Riverside Regional Library.

The need to place permanent collections of books in populated areas of the three counties soon became evident. Branch libraries were opened to provide these expanded services.

SCOTT CITY: At the February 1957 board meeting, it was decided to set up two service centers in Scott County, one at Illmo and the other at Benton. The Scott County Library Board located useable buildings in each of the two communities. The branch at Scott City (formerly Illmo) was opened in April 1957 in a building on the west side of Main Street (the other half of the building was a beauty shop). In 1959 the library was moved across the street to a larger building and six years later it moved up the street to the former Hartner Theater. In 1995 it was moved to a storefront building in a strip mall near the highway (its present location).

BENTON: A few days after the Scott City Branch opened, the Benton Branch began operation on April 13, 1957, in the former Frobase Theater, where it remained until 1968 when it was moved into a new building on Winchester Street. In 1992 it moved to a larger building next door—which is its present location.

PERRYVILLE: For a while after the Perry County Library was established in 1955, the Perryville City Library continued to function as a separate entity. But in July 1957 a contract was signed between the two library districts, which called for Riverside to furnish library service to the city of Perryville. The Perryville City Library Board continued to function and to provide a location for the City Library—located on the second floor of City Hall. Riverside supplemented the city library’s book collection and offered audiovisual services. The contractual arrangement continued until 1965 when the Perryville City Library Board voted to merge with the Perry County Library and thus become a part of the Riverside Regional Library. A new location was selected—the former American Legion Hall—and the library moved in October 1965. In 1999 the Perryville Branch moved to the new Perry Park Center (its present location).

ALTENBURG: Early in 1963 the Board recognized that east Perry County and north Cape County could be better served by Riverside Regional Library if a branch was established in that area. Altenburg was selected and the library was located in a building, which was also occupied by the Altenburg Post Office and the Littge Machine Shop. This remains its present location.

MORLEY: The Morley Branch was open in 1973 in the city’s new Community Building, which contained the city offices and the library. Riverside supplied books and materials and paid a nominal rental fee to the city as well as contributed to the salary of the City Clerk who staffed the library as part of her duties. The Morley Branch remained open until 1998 when it withdrew from the system.

ORAN: In 1985, Riverside Regional Library entered into an agreement with the Oran City Library to provide service to the residents of that city effective January 1, 1986. It is now known as the Oran Branch of Riverside Regional Library. That agreement remains in effect today.

Past directors have been Otto A. Koenig (1955-1971), Earl H. Oldham, Mildred Seboldt, Elizabeth M. Link, Geoffrey Roth, and Paula Gresham-Bequette (interim director 2000). Current director is Nancy Howland (began January 1, 2001).

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