Gaston County Public Library History

          1960

• Margaret and Donnell S. Holt established the Gaston County Public Library’s McConnell Art Collection in memory of Mrs. Holt’s father, Dr. D. E. McConnell.

          19 June 1960

• New Belmont branch library on North Central Avenue, the Minnie Stowe Puett Memorial Library, was dedicated and had open house. The library was designed by architect James L. Beam, Jr., of Cherryville. Miss Alice Bryan became the new librarian and Miss Meliabel Crawford became the new assistant librarian.  Minnie Puett helped organize the Belmont Woman's Club and the Gaston County Federation of Woman's Clubs. She also was a Gaston County historian and wrote the History of Gaston County in 1939. (GCHB Feb 1962) (Gaston Co. Public Library 1905-1981) (GGZ 4 Feb 1960, p.7) (Belmont Banner? June 15, 1960) (GGZ 30 April 1959, p.7)

          September 1960

• Library organized the Great Books Discussion group for adults

          November 1960

• New branch library in Stanley opened for service. (GCHB Feb 1962)

          13 November 1960

• Lowell Library branch on East First Street opposite the Town Hall had a dedication and open house. (GGZ, 8 Nov 1960, p, 3) (GGZ, 15 Nov 1960)

          December 1960

• The Gaston County Board appointed a new Library Board of Trustees. The six new members were J. W. Atkins, Mrs. T. A. Belk, Mitchell Carr, Mrs. Price Hand, Dr. Jesse Caldwell, and Rev. George Riddle.

          25 June 1963

• The Lincoln County library bond election was held to determine if $300,000 in bonds would be issued for construction of a new Lincoln County Library. The bond would have also provided for books, a bookmobile, and a qualified librarian just for Lincoln County. Gaston and Catawba counties were currently supplying part-time librarians.
• The library bond was defeated by a vote of 1,644 to 1,083. (GGZ, 26 June 1963, p. B1)
• A new larger library building would have replaced the library housed in the United Daughters of the Confederacy Memorial Hall, a Civil War era brick building. (GGZ 2 June 1963, p. 5A) (GGZ, 24 June 1963, p. 2)

          1964

• New North Carolina legislation allowed the joining of Gaston County with Lincoln County to become the Gaston-Lincoln Regional Library System, with headquarters in Gastonia. The combining of both county systems in the 1963-1964 fiscal year, granted the region an additional State Aid block grant for shared administrative and technical operations. A budget of 28,000 was provided to the library board by the state and federal governments. (Popular Government, April 1964, page 22)


• The Library acquired its first electric typewriter. (Gaston Co. Public Library 1905-1981, p. 47)

• Coin-operated Photo Copying Machine was first made available to patrons in the Gastonia Main Library. (59^th Annual Report of the Gaston County Public Library System)

          March 1965

• The Lincoln County Public Library was moved from Memorial Hall on Academy Street to the vacant Academy Street School building. The library occupied the first floor of the Academy St. building. (Dedication and Formal Opening of the Lincoln County Public Library, 306 West Main Street, Lincolnton, NC, April 4, 1976, 2:00 pm.- brochure) (Lincoln Times-News, March 31, 1976)

          September 1969

• Property adjacent to the Cherryville Branch Public Library was purchased for $12,500 with funds from Cherryville citizens. The fund drive was conducted by a group of civic leaders headed by former Cherryville Mayor W. T. Robinson. (The Cherryville Eagle, 5 May 1976)