T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY Marshalltown Public Library Director Sarah Rosenblum is shown recently reviewing archival documents at the library relating to the facility’s 125th anniversary.

A prominent nationally-known businessman/philanthropist, the city of Marshalltown, the president of the Marshalltown’s Women’s Club (MWC) and voters helped establish the footprint of a local institution and public resource center celebrating its 125th anniversary this year.

The benefactor was Andrew Carnegie, a Scottish-American industrialist who made his fortune in steel in the late 19th century to become one of the richest men in the United States.

He used his immense personal fortune to enhance the lives of Marshalltown area residents by donating $30,000 toward the total cost of nearly $31,400 for a new Marshalltown free public library. In like manner, Carnegie donated immense sums to build libraries across Iowa and the United States.

The president of the MWC was Matilda Palmer Scheeler, known as the “mother of Marshalltown’s library movement,” according to Times-Republican archives from 1898.

That year, voters overwhelmingly approved a measure transferring library duties to the city.

The Carnegie Library was dedicated April 22, 1903 at the intersection of 36 N. Center St., and it dutifully served the community at that site for 105 years.

The city donated the land for the site, and the Marshalltown Women’s Club contributed $300 toward the cause while nearly $1,100 was pledged by other clubs and concerned citizens.

The Marshalltown Illustrated, published (date unknown) as a supplement to the Times-Republican under the supervision of the Marshalltown Retail Merchants’ Association, reported that the library would see more than 48,000 visitors annually to take advantage of the free public library and its book collection of 45,000.

“It is a handsome stone building made entirely from Marshall County stone,” reported the Marshalltown Illustrated.

But as Sarah Rosenblum, Marshalltown Public Library director for nearly 12 years said, the origins of Marshalltown’s first library predate the Civil War and reference the village of Marshall, the town’s name before U.S. Postal authorities mandated the name be changed to Marshalltown.

The library archives reported, “In 1860, when the town of Marshall was but a small village, an interest was awakened to the need of a public library. Someone gave a bookcase and others took books from their private libraries and put them in the bookcase, where all members had access as a mutual exchange. The war came in 1861. The library went out of sight.”

It was nearly 40 years later when Scheeler of Marshalltown used her passion and knowledge to advance the cause and find a home.

Previous libraries were housed in the Marshall County Courthouse and above 6 and 8 W. Main St, then Andrews Dry Goods Store.

Another significant milestone occurred in the early 2000s when library officials, as well as an all-volunteer library board of directors and foundation, supported the move to a bigger facility to best serve Marshalltown and Marshall County residents.

Voters again went to the polls to support the construction of a new library at 105 W. Boone St. The old library was remodeled to house and consolidate city departments.

Rosenblum operates the library with a budget of slightly less than $1.2 million.

A significant portion of the budget comes from its allocation voted on by the Marshalltown city council, as well as a much smaller allotment voted on by the Marshall County Board of Supervisors.

The supervisors also financially support free public libraries in Albion, Gilman, Le Grand and State Center.

“We have five great libraries in the county,” Rosenblum said.

MPL employs eight full-time staff (including Rosenblum) and 14 part-time.

“Our staff works diligently to meet the needs of our patrons,” Rosenblum said. “We serve patrons within in a 35-mile radius of Marshalltown.”

Also assisting are a number of volunteers. Rosenblum lamented the death of super-volunteer Ida Ward, who faithfully served the library and its patrons for many years.

“Ina was a retired nurse who joined us,” she said. “She was our genealogy and history authority and she is greatly missed.”

Also assisting Rosenblum and staff is its all-volunteer Library Board of Trustees.

The trustees help Rosenblum and staff set operations policy and budget.

The trustee meetings are open to the public.

They meet at 5 p.m. the third Tuesday of each month at the library in the community meeting room.

Tonya Gaffney is president, and Judy Lindholm is secretary and Marshall County representative.

Other members are Ashtyn Beek, Jim Lowrance, Maureen Lyons, Ruzan Morrison and Kevin Pink.

Rosenblum has been a professional librarian for 38 years, and she said much has changed due to technology and patron needs.

“But we do many of the things I did when I first started,” she said. “(Hard copy) books will be here, I believe, through my lifetime. I can not imagine people not sharing books with their children.”

Rosenblum said she and staff are especially proud of the way they can help residents with a wide variety of needs.

“We have a number of patrons who use our computers to complete job applications or do other tasks online,” she said. “We also participate in the state’s library loan program, meaning we can get a book or other material from another library.”

“The library has grown and prospered for the last 125 years thanks to the support of residents, its volunteers and staff,” said Rosenblum. “I would like to think we are responsive to the needs of the community. It comes down to great customer service. They really are our friends.”

Rosenblum said the future holds a lot of promise for the MPL.

“We will be remodeling to add more meeting rooms,” she said. “And we will have our mobile library ready too. It will allow us to take the library to the community.”

The library is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, contact 641-754-5738.