Did you know a member of the Macnider family helped create the Mason City Public Library? Mason City is located in Iowa and the Mason City Public Library is now located on 225 2nd St SE. The Library is important in the history in Mason City because of the first attempts of a library, the first attempts of a public library, how May Hanford Macnider helped the library progress, the current library, and what was changed in the current library. In 1871, the first library was opened. That library was a subscription library so only paid subscribers could borrow books. There were lots of different locations of the libraries like in 1888 a second library was opened as a reading room. The paid libraries endured a fire and economic depression.
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The first locations were on South Federal but moved to East State Street in 1893. That building was later burned down. It moved again to a large home owned originally by D.M Tiffany. The building was named Tiffany house after the owner. A few years later money became available the Tiffany house was demolished for a new structure. The Carnegie Foundation and local money made the money available. The new library was called the Carnage Library. It was opened in 1903.
May Hanford Macnider was an active subscriber in the first library and was an important part of the library’s history. She became a trustee in 1988 and by 1903 she became the president of the board of trustees of the Mason City Public Library. In the era of depression, she made the Elizabeth Hanford Collection. She made it because money was scarce for a library. The Elizabeth Hanford Collection donated books for the library and money so they could buy materials. She also offered 7 acres of land for a new library building, donated lots of money and
The first locations were on South Federal but moved to East State Street in 1893. That building was later burned down. It moved again to a large home owned originally by D.M Tiffany. The building was named Tiffany house after the owner. A few years later money became available the Tiffany house was demolished for a new structure. The Carnegie Foundation and local money made the money available. The new library was called the Carnage Library. It was opened in 1903.
May Hanford Macnider was an active subscriber in the first library and was an important part of the library’s history. She became a trustee in 1988 and by 1903 she became the president of the board of trustees of the Mason City Public Library. In the era of depression, she made the Elizabeth Hanford Collection. She made it because money was scarce for a library. The Elizabeth Hanford Collection donated books for the library and money so they could buy materials. She also offered 7 acres of land for a new library building, donated lots of money and