History of the Library by the Historical Committee
Southampton circa 1920 was a rural farming community encompassing five dirt roads. A few longtime residents recall a room in Dr. William's home on Belmont Avenue as the "first" library, where if you borrowed a book, it was necessary to make a book report. However, the first "official" home for the library was a room 12 feet by 16 feet above the Magee Real Estate Office located at 651 Second Street Pike and near the corner of Knowles Avenue and Second Street Pike. Mr. Boehm, the scoutmaster ran it with the help of the Boy Scout troop, until he died in the Bryn Athyn train wreck on December 5, 1921. Rev. Charles Bridgeman took over Mr. Boehm's work with the scouts, but when Rev. Bridgeman left Southampton, the Women's Club took on the responsibility.
When Mr. Magee needed the room, the library moved to a smaller room at the end of the building. Always cold, it was heated by a small old-fashioned stove. Needing more space around 1924, the library moved to the old wooden annex of the Southampton School on the corner of New and Hampton Roads. The Woman's Club put $200 in repairs into this building, but they were unable to use the 2nd floor, as it had been condemned. There were many fundraisers, such as Mrs. Deigendesch's weekly cinnamon buns and the flower bulb sales; also Mrs. Clemens walked from County Line Road to Street Road selling her vegetable soup.
The Library was housed at the School Annex for 10 years. In 1934, using their Building & Loan account, the Women's Club bought a lot at 654 Second Street Pike adjoining Leon Carlin's store. This lot had formerly held an Episcopal Chapel, which had moved to Philadelphia. Because many of the Women's Club members were associated with the church, the Bishop agreed to sell the lot for $700, about half of its actual value. Mrs. Hugh D. Graham, who was president of the Women's Club at the time, urged all members to work hard to build a structure to house the library. A committee met at "The Well" home of Mrs. Frank Embery, with the builders Mr. Frank Heaton and Mr. George Opitz, to make plans. These two men, whose wives were members of the Club, promised to build the library building at cost. Mr. A. W. Yerkes drew the plans and specifications.
Mr. C. Wilson Roberts, President of the Southampton State Bank and a practicing attorney, took care of all legal matters pertaining to the building and incorporation. These services were also donated. He was instrumental in obtaining many other donations of services free or "at cost" from many friends. The Junior Women's Club donated the cost of the fireplace in the library. The rest of the money was borrowed from the Southampton Bank.
On September 6, 1935, the front section of the building at 654 Second Street Pike was dedicated. A Library Association Board of Trustees was formed, the majority of which were always to be members of the Women's Club. The Southampton Free Library Association was incorporated under Pennsylvania state law on June 17, 1935 as a non-profit organization, with a clause allowing Associate Members, whose yearly $2.00 dues were used to purchase books. The first meeting of the new association was held on August 1st, 1934. There were 10 Woman's Club members and 9 at large members of the association. The first Board of Trustees were:
| President | Mr. Guy Leedom |
| Vice President | Mrs. Frank K. Embrey |
| Recording Secretary | Mr. William Lynch |
| Corresponding Secretary | Mrs. Eugene Klinger |
| Treasurer | Mrs. A. W. Hoelscher |
Directors:
- Mrs. C. Wilson Roberts
- Mrs. Hugh D. Graham (President, Women's Club)
- Mrs. H. Pownall
- Mrs. J. Chamberlain
- Mrs. H. Strathmann
- Mrs. Charles B. Ermentrout
- Mrs. Thomas Clemens
- Mrs. William Heist
- Mrs. Leon Carlin
Winifred James, who was the librarian at the School Annex, was an un-paid librarian at 654 Second Street Pike. Around 1958, Janet Stewart, with the aid of about a dozen women, cataloged the entire collection, using the Dewey Decimal System.
For two decades, the income of the library depended solely upon the fund-raising activities of the Women's Club, the Library Assiciation and the Junior Women's Club, which was organized in 1931. Cake sales and afternoon teas provided money for books and equipment as well as for such emergencies as excavating a cellar to foil termites. The first contribution of public funds came in 1942 when the Southampton School Board, which later merged into the Centennial School Board, made its first library contribution of $35. The amount increased to $150 over the years, then discontinued in 1970.
Rapid expansion of the population in Upper Southampton Township led the Library Association to undertake an extension of the building at 654 Second Street Pike in 1958. This extension of the main building more than doubled the library space, and the extension included a kitchen, lavatory and small workroom. The $12,000 cost was largely financed by a "Building Brick" campaign, cake and book sales, and the sale of flowering bulbs imported from Holland. In 1964, the Library adopted automation for the first time when it started to use the Gaylord Automatic Checkout System. This system continued in use until 1995, when the library adopted computer system to checkout books.
Impressed by the Library Association's persistence in pursuing its goal of providing good library service, the township supervisors started in 1959 to contribute tax money to the public library at the rate of $500 annually. In 1966, $2000 was added to hire a part-time librarian and two years later this amount was raised to $7,500 to enlarge the paid part-time staff.
Still faced with the problems of spiraling costs for new books, lack of space and maintenance of the building, the Library Association, in the fall of 1968, appealed to the Upper Southampton Supervisors for more financial aid. Additionally, the Library Association felt that a ban on street parking on Second Street Pike in 1967 added to the difficulties of using the current site. A new location was needed. At this time, the library served a membership of 4,700. There were 12,000 volumes on the shelves and the annual circulation was 33,000. There were two salaried librarians and over thirty volunteers who staffed the library during the 17.5 hours that it was open each week. Another ten volunteers formed a work-party each week to catalog new books and repair old ones.
The Supervisors' responded by creating a Library Advisory Board to advise them "on the manner and methods to be used to provide adequate library facilities to the residents of Upper Southampton Township." Eight months of intensive research by the Advisory Board produced a report with the recommendation that the supervisors accept the library from the Southampton Library Association, and enact an ordinance establishing the library as a municipal agency, and guarantee it an annual income of $2 per capita. These recommendations were enacted. In February 1968, a new Township appointed Library Board of seven members was formed. These members were first selected by the old Library Association, twenty-three in number, and then appointed by the supervisors. They were Edith Balas, Godfrey Balas, Myron Beans, Mary Exum, Ruth Miller, Betty Smiley, and Robert Steiger.
The township formally adopted the library when they passed Ordinance 97 on March 18, 1969.
When the recommendation from the Library Advisory Board was adopted, the search for a new site began. The high cost of real estate along either of the two main highways led to the decision to build on property already owned by the township at 947 Second Street Pike. An application for federal funds under Title II of the Library Services and Construction Act was filed through the combined efforts of the new Library Board, the Bucks County District Library Center, and the staff of the Bureau of Library Development in Harrisburg. This request was approved and a grant of $108,250 was awarded in June 1969. To qualify for the matching grant, the township pledged to maintain the $2 per capita tax and Bucks County Free Library pledged to give Southampton $3000 from its portion of state aid. The balance of matching funds came from a $2500 Grundy Foundation grant, sale of the old library property, private donations and various fund-raising activities.
Robert Frey of Allentown was chosen as architect and groundbreaking was in December of 1969. George Synnesvedt of Huntington Valley was the builder. The new building contained an area of 8,411 square feet on the ground floor and a partial basement including a meeting room for special events and exhibits. Fully, furnished and landscaped, the total cost of the project was $250,000. Dedication of the new building was held on Jan. 23, 1971 coinciding with the 50th anniversary of library service in Southampton.
Over 14,000 volumes were moved from the old library in February 1971 under the direction of Dorothy Rowe, the first librarian with a Master's Degree in Library Science. In January 1972, the library hours were increased to 49 per week, making it possible for patrons to use the library every week-day and evening, and for four hours on Saturday. Over 40 volunteers assist the staff members in handling the return and charge-out of books. The new library now contained 22,000 volumes and had an annual circulation of almost 100,000 items.
In 1971, the yearly budget was $50,000 with only $28,000 guaranteed by local taxes and $6,000 in state aid, the library still depended on the generosity of its many friends, both individuals and organizations, who recognize it as a very valuable asset to the community.
Use of the library was free to Upper Southampton residents because they paid a per capita tax for its maintenance. Persons outside the township could research or use the library facilities free of charge, but they paid $8 per family for lending privileges.
In 1989, the library building was expanded another 1500 sq feet to include an expanded Children's area, an expanded reference area, a meeting room and a staff lounge.
Through out the history of the Southampton Free Library, volunteers have been an important link to the successful operation of the library. Accordingly, in 1971 the Library Board began its annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner, a tradition that continues today. In 2002, 59 volunteers donated slightly more than 8000 hours of service to the library.
The Southampton Free Library is now a partner in an electronic library network with the Bucks County Community College, the seven branches of the Bucks County Library System, the County Law Library, nine other community libraries and one private library. This network system allows patrons to check-out a book in any member library and return the book again to any member library. However, the computer tracks the books and any other item the patron has on loan. After the book is returned, the computer "forgets" what item a patron borrowed in order to protect a patron's right to privacy.