About the Ontonagon Township Library
Ontonagon has had public library services for over 100 years; beginning with the Ontonagon Woman's Library which was organized on October 29, 1904.
Today, the Ontonagon Township Library provides library services to all residents of Ontonagon, Greenland, Bohemia, and Rockland townships. We also provide services to residents of Carp Lake township (White Pine) through a reciprocal service sharing agreement (Carp Lake library members can use the Ontonagon library and vice-versa)!
OTL is a single-room library located in the Ontonagon Township Memorial Building at 311 North Steel Street in Ontonagon. We are adjacent to the Township of Ontonagon offices and directly beneath the historic Ontonagon Theater of Performing Arts.
Newspaper Article Announcing the Library Organization
NOVEMBER 5, 1904
LIBRARY IS ORGANIZED
Starts Out With Good Membership and Bright Prospects
The Ontonagon Woman's Library was organized last Saturday afternoon at a meeting of some of those interested in the project held in the club rooms. There were about 20 ladies present and the final details in the organization were perfected. The officers elected are:
President - Mrs. John G. Parker, Jr.
Vice-President - Miss Annabelle Chisholm
Secretary - Mrs. T. A. Green
Treasurer - Mrs. Z. C. Kimball
Librarian - Miss Mary Spellman
While the women are instrumental in organizing the library membership is also open to men and an effort is being made to secure as many names as possible. A membership fee of 50 cents is charged and the dues are $1 per year, payable in advance. This entitles the members to free use of all the books.
The library will start out in a modest way. The first purchase of books will consist of about 100 volumes, mostly fiction, and then other books will be added as fast as the finances of the enterprise shall warrant. It is beleived that quite a number of books will also be contributed by those who are desirous of helping along the cause and that in time a good-sized library will be secured.
It is figured that the library will be ready to open about the first of next month and while no definite arrangements have been made for a room it is probable that the books will be kept in Mrs. E. B. Wood's store.