The Hoisington City Library began as a civic project of the Woman’s Civic Club, September 8, 1926. Mrs. Mable Cooney, president of the club, gave $5 which was the beginning of the library fund. Work was then begun to determine proper procedure  for establishing a library. A city election approved a .5 mill levy April 5, 1927, for a legal library.


The next step was to find suitable housing. The railroad YMCA had a reading room in the YMCA building on the corner of Main and Railroad Street. The secretary suggested that the City library and the “Y” library be combined. Books had been placed in this reading room for the use of Missouri Pacific Railroad employees by Helen Gould of New York City. Miss Gould was the daughter of Jay Gould, owner and operator of the Missouri Pacific Railroad at that time. These books, which were classics with good bindings, became the nucleus of the library collection. The library was moved in 1931 to rooms over the Hoisington National Bank at First and Main, because it was more centrally located.


The Civic Club, after much work and wise investments, was able to buy a property in a very desirable location for a library. It was not known at the time of purchase, but the building was in the “City Fire Zone,” and the club was not permitted to alter the building to make it suitable for a library. An opportunity then presented itself: the city decided to build a city auditorium and since the club’s property was on the desired site, the commissioners proposed building a wing to house the library in conjunction with the auditorium if the club would deed the city its property. This was agreed to, and the library wing was dedicated in June of 1939.


In time, the wing on the city building was outgrown and a new library began to take form. Construction started in early 1975, and the library was moved in December. The new library, approximately 5,000 square feet, is a modern brick structure located on the east side of the city building.


In December, 2010 the library celebrated the completion of the Enola Logan Conference Room. This beautiful Meeting room, added to the south end of the library, was built with the Enola Logan Estate.


Today, the library welcomes nearly 10,000 patrons annually who are offered more than 18, 000 print, audio and video materials. The library also offers a wide variety of services including free public computers, free 
wi-fi, fax/ scanner/ and copier services, genealogy services, outreach services, and library programming.