​The Beginnings

Pictured is the old Syracuse School, which housed the old library in its basement.

A memorial to Wilma Agnes Kitson that resides in the Syracuse Public Library.

The first evidence of any sort of a library in Syracuse, Ind., comes from the minutes of a town meeting in 1886. It seems there was a circulating library in effect with about 40 subscribers. It was in 1908 that a local judge, Lemuel Royse, was petitioned to form a library board. The new library board had their first meeting on Oct. 24, 1908, and the library was organized in the basement of Syracuse School, formerly across the street from the present library.

On Nov. 2, the board hired Ida Knorr as the librarian. The library was a single room in the basement, and was open fifteen hours a week. Most of the books in the collection were gifts or donations. The original library opened on February 12th, 1909.

Ida Knorr was the librarian from 1908 until about 1916, when Kitson took over for her. In the minutes of a board meeting from September 29th of that year, it’s recorded that Ida Knorr was taking an “indefinite vacation” and thus Kitson was hired as the librarian for one year.

Unfortunately, Kitson passed away in April 1918. So Ida Knorr resumed her former duties as librarian. 

​Enter Carnegie

A portrait of Andrew Carnegie housed in the Syracuse Public Library.

Another important thing happened during this same board meeting on Sept. 29, 1916, is that the members of the board decided to seek a grant from the Carnegie Foundation of New York for a free-standing public library in Syracuse. In 1881, Andrew Carnegie funded his first library by building one in his hometown in Scotland. This gift to his native city was so well received by its inhabitants Carnegie decided to do the same for other areas of the world where no free library was available. From 1890 until 1917, Andrew Carnegie gave more than $56 million dollars toward building over 2,500 libraries all over the world, which earned him the nickname “The Patron Saint of Libraries.” In order to qualify for a Carnegie loan, all towns or cities that applied had to agree to certain conditions, commonly called “The Carnegie Formula.”

The Carnegie Formula

​The first condition to be met was for communities to show they had a demonstrated need for a freestanding public library. The town of Syracuse achieved this by virtue of the small library in the school basement, which not only was fast becoming too small for its collection but also the space had to be shared with the school, as the basement was used for student speeches and debate events. So, Syracuse met the first criteria – it had displayed a real need for a freestanding library building. The second requirement was for the town or city to provide a building site for the library. In 1918, the library board of Syracuse bought a plot of land. The third requirement in the Carnegie formula was that the community had to annually provide ten percent of the cost of the library’s construction to support its operation. Thus, a tax levy had to be established in Turkey Creek Township for this purpose, and this levy still supports the library today.

 Moving the Project Forward

A photo copy of correspondence between Syracuse and the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Pictured is Syracuse Public Library's Carnegie building as it appeared in the '20s. Remodeling has changed much of its Carnegie appearance.

After much correspondence, it was recorded in the library board minutes on Feb. 13, 1917, that the Carnegie Corporation of New York had offered Turkey Creek Township $10,000 if all of the conditions of the Carnegie Formula could be met. It became clear soon after plans were made to build the freestanding Syracuse Library that the cost of construction would easily go over the $10,000 budget. According to the correspondence with the Carnegie Corporation, the cost of labor and materials had gone up during the time between getting the promise of Carnegie funds and the actual start date for the construction. (Keep in mind this was about 1919. World War I had just ended.) Material, especially steel, was scarce, as most of it had gone toward the war effort. Additionally, labor was at a premium during this time. The library board wrote to the Carnegie Corporation, asking them for either more money or an extension on the deadline Carnegie imposed on building projects, but Carnegie wouldn’t budge. The people of Syracuse had to get creative.

We know that the library board got a loan from Syracuse State Bank to cover the cost of buying the plot of land to build the library, and that the board also solicited donations from the community. It seems they didn’t wait to get the full amount for the whole project before beginning.

An interesting note about the architecture: Recipients of Carnegie funds were encouraged to build in any architectural style they wished, but Carnegie did make two stipulations. One, there had to be a staircase leading up to the front doors. Carnegie believed that by climbing steps to enter a library, it represented elevation of mind by learning. Also, he wanted a lamp or lamppost outside of every library he helped to build, as he believed a lamppost symbolized enlightenment by learning. Carnegie also sent a portrait of himself to every library built with Carnegie Corporation funds, so that no one ever forgot their benefactor. The Syracuse Public Library still displays the portrait we received from Carnegie.

Welcoming The New Library Building

The first check sent by the Carnegie Corporation arrived on October 27, 1920, in the amount of $4,500. In November of that year, another $1,850 was received and the final $3,650 was received on Feb. 11, 1921. The library was opened almost exactly a month later on March 15, 1921. Most of the festivities that day took place downstairs in what is now the children’s department. It wasn’t until 1956 that the library was renovated and the basement was finished, creating the children’s department, but in 1921, it was a very small space used for meetings and staff offices. A short speech was made by William Hamilton, the secretary of the State Library board. We know that the Syracuse High School orchestra played a number, followed by a performance from the Girls Glee Club. It seems several impromptu speeches were made, and there’s even something about a spontaneous violin duet by two of the new patrons. Afterwards, the public was encouraged to go upstairs and take a look at their new library that their funds and tax dollars, along with some help from Andrew Carnegie, had built.

We can catch a few glimpses of how our library was operating through the years. For instance, in an annual report dated Aug. 1, 1928, we know that there were 1,171 citizens in Syracuse, and the library was open 27 hours a week (it was increased to 33 hours a week starting in 1929). There were about 3,200 books in the library, including children’s books, and about 14,000 checkout transactions per year. To put that in perspective, currently the Syracuse Public Library has over 55,000 books in its collection and has an average of 87,000 library visits per year.

'50s To The '90s: An Evolving Library

A snapshot of the library's sitting area in the '90s.

There have been plenty of physical changes to the library as well. In 1956, the basement of the library was renovated to house the expanding children’s department and also created an enclosed front entrance. Less than a decade later, in 1964, another renovation took place; it added space for offices, and also created the lower-level entrance to the children’s department. It was during this renovation that all exterior steps were enclosed, as it was said the steps became slippery in winter weather. It cost $20,000 and was completed in 1965.

In 1990, the biggest renovation yet of the Syracuse Library was undertaken, and it is what gave us the library we have today. The renovation of 1990-1991 added about six thousand square feet to the library, bringing the total square footage of the library to over ten thousand feet. Along with the front entrance being updated, a vestibule and the elevator were put in, which made the library handicapped accessible. Also, a space was added to house the Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum. This museum was moved to the Syracuse Community Center several years ago, and the space is now used as the adult fiction section.

The 2010s To Today

In 2014 and 2015, another renovation was undertaken. This included new carpet and paint throughout the library, new circulation desks in both adult and children's departments, and the bathrooms being remodeled.
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In 2016, the library received a Dekko grant that allowed it to completely renovate the downstairs meeting room with new flooring, a new kitchen area, new AV equipment, and new chairs. The Dekko grant also allowed for a new LED sign being created and placed on the right side of the building. The outside of the library was also redone with all new landscaping to create patio seating and gardening.

SPL In Photos

Rosalyn Jones Room

The Rosalyn Jones Room in the Syracuse-Turkey Creek Township Public Library honors past Executive Director Rosalyn Jones (1966-2006). Rosalyn is remembered well for her passion as a public librarian.

The room now offers a relaxing space for young adults to browse the latest YA books, use public computers,  play board games, or just hang out.