Mountain Lake Public Library

The Mountain Lake Public Library began in 1926 when one of the community’s Federated Women’s Clubs, The Tuesday Study Club, supervised a traveling library of 50 books from the Minnesota State Library. The books were first housed in the home of a club member and later moved from business place to business place, wherever space permitted. The Club members volunteered their time to check out the books. During this time, the Tuesday Study Club realized the need for a real public library and in 1931 the Mountain Lake Public Library was created. Its initial location was in the basement of the First State Bank. The library was open two afternoons and one evening a week and the Club members continued to volunteer until 1938 when the city took over the funding of the library and a librarian was hired.

The library services soon became inadequate and the library board initiated a contract with the Martin County Library in Fairmont, MN to lend 150 books per month plus inter-library loan privileges. This continued until 1974 when the Plum Creek Library System was organized.

Over the years, the library was housed in various locations in the community, but by 1967 it had again outgrown its facilities. The city obtained a federal grant for the construction of a new building, which was completed in June of 1968. As the library continued to grow, more space was needed. An expansion project began in 1996 for additional space at the east end of the library and was completed in the spring of 1997.