Knox Library

The Knox Library first opened in March 1, 1935. The community had a population of 1,000. The Junior Civic Club, whose members were volunteer librarians, sponsored it. The library first was only open to member of the Civic Club. The library had an inventory of 500 books. Three honorary members of the Junior Civic Club acted as a Board of Directors.
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Eventually the small collection of books was ready for circulation. Cooperation with the Keystone Schools had been established. In effect, plans of service began to take place. With only one non-professional librarian and a host of volunteers, the library reopened in December of 1959 with a Christmas cookie tree, which seemed to be far more popular than the books that were proffering in the library.

During the years of reorganization the financial structure had completely changed. Clarion County libraries have one of the most complex financial set-ups in the state. Until 1966, the annual drive continued to be the main source of local income. In 1960, Mr. Harold Berlin, of Knox gave the drive a sum of $2000.00 annually. He continued to make the contribution up until his death in 1967.

In 1962 Keystone Schools and the library made a joint contract at $1500.00 a year, whereby the latter would supply books for the school system. The service included a yearly visit and allowed the children to check out books. During the school year of 1967-1968, 3,665 books were processed for three different shipments.

Through the following years, the library gradually developed a network of services. By 1968, the annual report of that year listed the following activities, directly governed by of sponsored by the library.

Such activities included activities for adults like Great Books Discussion Group, art classes (with different instructors). For the children of the community there were story hours for preschool children this included three sessions; Knox Borough, Ashland Township, Shippenville, Elk Township, Beaver Township, and Salem Township. They also had a story hour for first through sixth graders of White Memorial. Rewards were given out to the children who had read and reported on the number of books required for each reward. Other activities included Vacation Reading Club, open to all children in the Elementary grades of the Keystone System and to those of St. Michael's School in Fryburg. The purpose of this club is used to help students sustain their reading abilities through the summer months. Members of the library went to each grade to explain to the children how the clubs function.


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Knox Public Library