Lethbridge Public Library

Most modern cities have libraries and Lethbridge is no different. A library acts as an example of a city's cultural advancement. Lethbridge has many libraries such as those operated by the university, college, law society, and miners, as well as the public library. This was not always the case and the story of Lethbridge's struggle to build a public library is an interesting look into the story of the people of Lethbridge.

P19891068045 The Lethbridge Public Library, now the Southern Alberta Art Gallery.

As early as 1885 a letter to the editor of the Lethbridge News asked for the building of a library and reading room in Lethbridge. Many such letters appeared, most stating the moral benefits of such an institution in a rather rough mining town. Such motives were behind Lethbridge's first public library, located at the YMCA, which received 3000 books through local donations.

The next chapter in the library's development happened in 1909 when city council approached the Carnegie Foundation in the United States for money to build a public library. The Carnegie Foundation said that they would donate the money but it was not accepted by the city due to a controversy. Lethbridge, at this time, was mostly populated by miners who refused to accept any donation from Carnegie (who owned the massive American corporation, U.S. Steel) due to the bad way that he treated his employees.

In 1919, when the mining industry was not so important to the city, Lethbridge city council again approached the Carnegie Foundation for a library grant. This time, however, the city accepted the grant of $25 000. A site for the new library in Galt Gardens was chosen and construction began in 1921. The library opened in 1922 and remained unchanged until 1952 when an extension doubled its size.

The 1952 expansion showed a new view of library services. The extension to the Galt Gardens library was created with the idea of making it a centre for culture, with a museum, theatre, and archival resources, in addition to a collection of reading materials.

The extension to the library was already not good enough when its doors opened. Calls for a new facility with more space began pouring in. A chance to expand again came with the donation of $100 000 to the city by the Yates estate in the early 60's. But the voters turned down a proposal to use the money for better library facilities. A new library facility would have to wait until the 1970's.

The large amounts of money that the government got from the oil industry in the 1970's allowed Alberta's government to give more money to cultural projects, such as new libraries. The city saw its opportunity to expand, and did so. On March 19, 1973 Mayor Cam Barnes turned the sod to officially begin construction of a new library on 5th avenue and Stafford Drive. The $1 million building was opened on April 4, 1974 and had a theatre gallery, board room, and a seminar room. The library presented puppet shows, cultural displays, lectures, and theatrical productions as well as full book and audio/visual lending services.

The library has continued to grow with an addition to the current facility being built in 1992. The old Carnegie Library at Galt Gardens has continued to serve Lethbridge as a cultural facility, it is now the home of the Southern Alberta Art Gallery.