A Look Back at the Slayton Library’s 85 Years

By Colleen Gengler

This year marks the 85th anniversary of the Slayton Public Library. In 1940, the Monday Study Club sponsored and organized the library. It was initially run by volunteers until funding from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) allowed for the hiring of a librarian. In those early years, the library was housed in rooms above the Murray County State Bank.

This wasn’t Slayton’s first attempt at establishing a library. In 1911 or 1912, Reverend O. Quallen, pastor of the Slayton Lutheran Church, launched a small public library housed in City Hall. When that effort didn’t succeed, the donated books were transferred to the school library.

There must have been a lot of behind-the-scenes discussion among Study Club members, as meeting minutes from 1937 to 1941 make no mention of organizing a library until October 7, 1940. The library officially opened just days later on Friday evening, October 18, with an open house—clearly, a lot of planning had already taken place.

Meeting minutes from October 7 noted a library fund of $17.21 and outlined the first set of rules. One of the most interesting was the schedule: “Library will be opened every evening except Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. Library will be open Wednesday & Saturday afternoons from 3 to 5 p.m.”

Evening hours were emphasized, and other rules included the number of books allowed per checkout, loan times, fines, policies for damaged books, and special rental rates for new items. Magazines were to remain in the library.

A Murray County Herald article dated October 10 described the community’s involvement in launching the library: “A group of National Youth Administration girls were assigned to the library project and they put in many long hours getting the rooms in readiness… Walls and floors had a thorough cleaning and shelving was painted before the rooms were ready to receive the books.” “The Campfire Girls also helped by collecting and delivering donated books. The library started with approximately four to five hundred books, all donated, as well as necessary furnishings. The Herald office made a sign for the new library. Overall, the community and many organizations contributed.”

Two Study Club members, Mrs. Elizabeth Smith and Mrs. C.H. Dethmers, visited the librarian in Marshall for advice. According to the Herald, “the librarian in that city was most generous in advising them regarding the work.” Elizabeth Smith was appointed as the first librarian, with six other Study Club members volunteering in two-week shifts.

List of Head Librarians at the Slayton Public Library:
1941–1942: Margaret Mangel
1942–1946: Elizabeth Smith
1946–1971: Nell Keyser
1971–1982: Lavina Lindsley
1982–1991: Peggy Southwick
1992–2016: Sharyl Larson
2017–2024: Lori Stainer
2024–Present: Dwayna Paplow

The Monday Study Club remained involved, donating funds for books and magazines. Meeting notes from January 6, 1941, show the group beginning to explore county library services—possibly the first steps toward funding a librarian. The WPA began funding “library services and book repair work” sometime in 1941. Margaret Mangel served as librarian from early 1941 to June 1942. Unfortunately, WPA support was reduced in 1942 and fully discontinued by June 1943. The library faced significant challenges, but in 1944, the Slayton City Council stepped in and officially funded the library, making it eligible for state services.

The library has gone through many changes over the past 85 years. In 1946, it moved to the upper floor of the Don Weck Building. In 1958, it relocated to its current home in the Municipal Building. By then, the library’s collection had grown to about 7,500 volumes.

A major milestone came in 1974 when the library became a charter member of the Plum Creek Library System, gaining access to expanded services and interlibrary loans. Renovations followed—including a remodel in 1979. In 1993, the entrance was moved from the alley to Broadway Street. Additional improvements over the years include murals, a teen area, storage space, quiet reading zones, and a computer lab funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Today, the Slayton Public Library holds more than 35,000 books along with audiobooks, DVDs, magazines, and newspapers. It remains one of the few public spaces accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds—free of charge.

If you’d like to learn more about the library’s history, the Murray County Museum offers reference binders on the library and the CCC/WPA, along with archived newspaper articles. Display boards created by museum staff are also currently available for viewing at the Slayton Public Library.