A Short History
From the Iroquois Falls Public Library,
to the Calvert Public Library,
to the Bibliothèque publique d’Iroquois Falls Public Library!
This is the history of our little library!
1922
Early in the year 1922, Town Council set aside a $400 grant for the establishment of an Association Library.
The Great War Veterans Association granted the use of their club room for free.
Abitibi Power and Paper Co. guaranteed the setting up of closed shelves.
$300 from the grant was used to purchase 576 volumes for the library.
Provincial Department of Education assisted with the loan of 306 volumes from the Department of Travelling Libraries.
On September 28th, 1922 the Iroquois Falls Public Library opened with 882 volumes.
1946
It is not known exactly when the Iroquois Falls Public Library moved out of the Great War Veterans Association’s club room, but by 1946 the library was being housed in the basement of the Iroquois Hotel.
1948
By 1948, the Mercantile Store, located where the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 70 parking lot is now, had been taken over by the Hudson Bay Company and moved.
The building became the Community Centre Building and the Iroquois Falls Public Library moved in.
1964
On February 3rd, 1964 the Calvert Public Library, also known as the Ansonville Public Library opened at 160 Main St.
1965
On August 12th, 1965 a fire completely destroyed the Community Centre Building, along with all of the library’s books.
The Iroquois Falls Public Library was moved back to the Iroquois Hotel after the fire.
1969
On January 1st, 1969 the Town of Iroquois Falls and the Township of Calvert (which included the towns of Ansonville, Montrock, Monteith, Porquis and surrounding townships) amalgamated to form the Town of Iroquois Falls.
The towns of Iroquois Falls, Montrock and Ansonville all became Iroquois Falls, Ontario.
1972
In the spring of 1972, the building that housed the Calvert Public Library, 160 Main St., was sold to the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC).
Plans to build a new central library on land near the arena to replace both the Calvert Public Library and the smaller Iroquois Falls Public Library began.
In September of 1972, Calvert Public Library was renamed Iroquois Falls Public Library and was temporarily moved to the Tri-Town Plumbing and Heating building at 251 Ambridge Dr. (formerly Bloomer’s Your Flower Place, currently Country Lane Photography and Giftshop).
1973
By 1973, the original Iroquois Falls Public Library, housed within the Iroquois Hotel had closed out of necessity due to the inadequate premises.
Construction on the new central library began in late 1973!
1974
Construction on the new library was completed by very late 1974, although the library wouldn’t be ready to open until the spring of the following year.
1975
From April 21st to May 1st of 1975, the town is without a library as the old libraries are packed up and moved into the new building.
On May 1st, 1975 the Bibliothèque publique d’Iroquois Falls Public Library opened at 725 Synagogue Ave, where it still stands to this day, and for many more years into the future!
