7 Things to Know About the History of the Royal Oak Public Library

1. In 1916, library was located in bank building

The citizens of Royal Oak voted a quarter mil tax to support a township library on April 3, 1916.  With the new funding, the library moved out of the township offices and into a new bank building on the northwest corner of Main and Fourth Street. 

2. Library registers women voters

Some early activities of the township library included WWI efforts such as collecting books for soldiers and nut shells for gas masks.  The library also helped in the registration of women voters when they legally received the right to vote.

3. Library moves to Washington Square Buidling

In January 1928, the library moved into the Washington Square Building.  By 1935 it had outgrown its space, and the City Commission purchased the closed National Bank Building at the corner of Main and Third Streets.  The library remained there until the current building was completed in 1963. 

4. Library starts summer reading programs

Story times and summer reading programs were integral from the beginning of the library.  A Hans Christian Anderson Room was named as a result of a 1930 contest among the city's young people and was the story room in the Washington Square and Main Street library buildings.  

5. Friends of the Royal Oak Public Library starts

A friends group was formed in 1940 and raised funds for many library services including a lending music record library started in 1942.  This friends group folded in the early 1950s.  The current Friends of the Royal Oak Public Library started in 1977 and it still going strong.  It runs a used book store inside the library and funds library programs and materials with the book store and annual book sale revenues.

6. Gov. Romney dedicates new library in 1963

Gov. George Romney gave dedication speech at opening ceremonies of the new building on April 20, 1963.  This building underwent an extensive renovation in 2005-2006.

7. Library purchases bookmobile

Efforts to serve all of Royal Oak included "deposit stations" at drug and hardware stores in northern Royal Oak during the 1920s and 1930s.  A bookmobile was purchased in 1953.  The last bookmobile was retired in 1983.

Take the Royal Oak Public Library Survey

The Royal Oak Public Library is in the midst of creating a strategic plan for the next five years and it's seeking input regarding the state of the library and on possible changes the community might want to see.

Click here to take the library survey.