The Atchison Library was established on April 23, 1879, in two upstairs rooms in the 600 block of Commercial Street. Our doors opened to patrons on November 21, 1879. In 1921, the Congregational Church gave the present building, constructed in 1896, to the Library Association. Using funds from the Muchnic family, the upstairs was remodeled and in 1956 the Children’s Library was added in the basement. The library was converted from a privately operated institution to a public library by a referendum for tax support in 1958. A major addition was added in 1985, increasing the sq. footage to just over 16,000 sq. feet.
In its current state, the Library provides a range of services available to the community, including regularly scheduled programming for all ages, computer and printing service, a large collection of books, videos and other media available for checkout, fax, notary and passport services, and areas for quiet study or public meetings. In addition, the library boasts an impressive collection of local history and genealogical materials (housed in the lovely Kansas Room), and the newly-completed Monet’s Garden, which provides an outdoor oasis available to all. All of this and more awaits at the Atchison Public Library.
