- The Shawano City-County Library had its origin as a simple reading
room of papers in 1874.
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- In March 1899 the Woman's Club, Superintendent of Schools L.D.
Roberts and Mayor Dayne Wescott organized a group to prepare for
opening a humble library. The library consisted of 272 books in
English and 65 books in the German language.
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- The facilities were scattered in the earliest days--first a
few shelves in the H. H. Andrews store (presently Dreier's Drug
Store). Later they were moved to the Odd Fellows building and
then into a few rooms on the second floor of the Shawano County
Bank building (now the location of the M & I Bank).
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- In 1914 the Carnegie Foundation granted $10,000 for a library
building at 121 East Green Bay Street. This building also housed
the City Clerk and City Treasurer in the basement, along with
rooms for the Woman's Club meetings and other civic organizations.
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- In 1960 the current facility at 128 South Sawyer Street was
completed.
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- In 1976 the Shawano City-County Library merged with the Nicolet
Library System to provide greater services in book lending.
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- In 1990 a major remodeling and addition was completed. Square
footage went from just under 12,000 to over 21,000. This provided
a separate audiovisual department and a greatly enlarged adult
reading areas as well as a large and bright Children's Room, plus
a theater for children's programs.
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- In 1991 the group "Friends of Shawano County Libraries,Inc.",
became official.
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- In 1996 computerization of the entire library was done enabling
the Shawano City-County Library to become a member of the OWLSnet,
the Outagamie-Waupaca System's shared automation network.
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- In 1996 the County Board purchased a new Bookmobile to continue
services to the entire county.
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- The latest building change in 1999 has been a renovation of
the entire audiovisual department with all new shelving, making
the videotape and audiotape collections much more accessible to
the public.
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- August 16-20, 1999 Shawano City-County Library held its 100
Year Celebration.
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- March 2000 the front Circulation Desk was replaced to offer
more efficient use of space and accommodate the necessary computers.
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- In the fall of 2000 renovations were completed on the existing
Bookmobile book storage area converting it into a separate Law
Library and the Elsie Engel meeting room.
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- The Technical Services area was renovated in February 2001.
The new cubicles provided better organized working areas for the
librarians.
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- In May 2001, all 10 catalogue terminals were converted to Personal
Computers.
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- Two additional Internet computers were installed in July 2002
and the Children's room received a Media Computer that is equipped
with 12 different computer games through funding from the Friends
of Shawano City-County Libraries.
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- The main library and 4 branches qualified as recipients of a
Gates Foundation grant in September 2002. Branches received 2
Internet access computers and a printer in February 2003. The
Main library received 4 computers and a printer in March of 2003.
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- The carpeting was replaced on the main floor January 2004. Staff
removed all the books, materials, computers, shelves and desks.
The floor was closed to the public for two weeks.
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