| The 1930 Civic
Club organized a library and placed it in the city hall. ...[It
remained] there until 1949 when a petition was circulated among the
people of Minneola to bring before the Mayor and the City Council
the question "Shall the City of Minneola establish and maintain
a free library and reading room?" This petition carried over
100 signatures. The question was submitted to the people at the City
election April 5, 1949. The election results were 97 people for and
8 against.
With the passing of this, the library was then legally
established and organized under [State regulations]. This allowed
the Library to be supported by a tax levy on the City of Minneola.
[The Library was funded with the first years tax levy of $333.75.]
The Library continued to operate in the City Hall until 1953 when
the library board, needing more room for the library, signed a 99
year lease with the City of the use of the rock building, known as
the Boy Scout Building, at the corner of Oak and Locust.
...the Library was opened four hours a week, [and the
librarian was paid 50 cents an hour.] The library board asked the
City Council to have the building piped for gas and wired for
electricity. The books were moved from the City hall in August 1953. |