READ HOW OUR LIBRARY STARTED IN
Our History
Seward Public Library was first organized as an upstairs reading room in 1888 located in the McKillip Building at 625 E. Seward Street circulating more than 550 books of History, Biography, Fiction, Poetry, Scientific and Miscellaneous works (Article from The Nebraska Reporter dated Thursday, August 16th, 1888). A tornado ripping through town in 1913, provided the opportunity for the reading room to be reorganized as a city library through local donations and a grant from the Carnegie Library Commission. The Seward Public Library's stately brick façade and classical architecture stood as a symbol of progress and enlightenment in the heart of Seward.​
Major renovations took place in the late 1960s and again in the mid 1980s. In 1990 the Seward Library Foundation was formed to raise money for a new library building. On September 2, 2003, the new Seward Memorial Library opened its doors to the public.
In 2013 the lower level was completed and opened for public use. We knew that there would be many additional aisles of shelving, but little did we know that study rooms and meeting spaces would shortly become indispensable.
​After roughly 20 years, an increased need for space and access to technology led to a slight remodel to the lower level: adding a third and fourth study room, and another mid-size meeting room.​
As our collection continues to grow beyond printed and bound materials -- we lend out cake pans, board games, equipment and outdoor games -- our paperless readers are enjoying digital materials of eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, music, tv and movies on their personal devices. The library has something for everyone and is changing to meet the needs and interests of its patrons and community.
