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Spooner Memorial Library is located in Spooner, Wisconsin which is part of the Northern Waters Library Service - one of Wisconsin's seventeen regional public library systems.

History
Dr. George N. Lemmer, a Spooner physician, coroner, and drug store owner, built his home on the southeast corner of High and Walnut streets in the summer of 1903. In 46 years the Lemmer home would become the site of Spooner’s public library, but before that the library would have several other homes.

Spooner’s first public library was opened in 1915 financed by local fund-raising events and under the leadership of a local woman's group, the Spooner Study Club. One of the first library buildings was a former schoolhouse which for many years was located on the alley on Summit Street where the north end of the fire hall now is. That building has since been moved to the southeast corner of Front and Oak streets.

The library’s next home was in the basement of the new city hall which was built on Walnut Street in 1937. That location is now the parking lot across from the present Northwest Sports Complex. Then in 1949, the city purchased the Lemmer home to house the public library which had seriously outgrown its small basement space. Going up a few steps into the house’s porch to enter the library, patrons could choose books from shelves in the Lemmers’ former living quarters. One of the main rooms – the living room, which had a fireplace – held books for adult readers. In what had probably been the Lemmers’ dining room, the librarian sat at her (checkout) desk, ringed by reference books. The doctor’s former bedroom held books for young adults. Other smaller rooms, adjacent to the librarian’s station, held books for children in grades 1-5 and provided storage and a work area. The Lemmer house was a vast improvement over the basement accommodations in city hall, but soon it, too, was woefully inadequate for the library’s growing efforts to serve the community.

In 1962 the city appropriated $46,000 to build a new, large L-shaped library on the site of the Lemmer home. But constantly growing patronage, expansion of the book collection, and addition of video and audio cassettes, computer/Internet services, and more soon brought the need for yet more space. In 1997, funding was raised – mostly on the local level from individuals and businesses, and the 1962 library building was extensively remodeled and enlarged at a cost of $234,000.

Services
The library provides its patrons with many services such as:
 * Books, videos and DVDs
 * Free public internet access
 * Free WiFi
 * Printers and copier
 * Over 80 magazine subscriptions
 * 8 newspaper subscriptions
 * Atlases and maps
 * 100+ years of the Advocate on Microfilm
 * State and local history.

Programs
The library also provides, and is host to, many different programs including:
 * An interlibrary loan service through the Northern Waters Library Service
 * Video Eye for visually impaired patrons
 * Test proctored for students
 * Two 10-week pre-school story hour programs
 * Summer reading program for children from preschool through 8th grade
 * First grade library tours
 * Other special programs such as being a host for Theater in the Woods and accommodating visiting authors

Other Services
The library also provides access to copier and fax services along with access to Microfilm reader and printer for minimal charges for use.

Sculpture
Located in front of the library is a sculpture in steel created by Sara Balbin titled "Rivers to the People" The concept of "Rivers to the People" is the result of a two-year effort between the artist, Sara Balbin, Library Director Jane Frankiewicz, the Spooner Library Board and members of the community.

The sculpture is composed of four cut steel books, highlighted with stainless steel and cut steel images. The piece is set on a large boulder surrounded by a pond. Water flows up through the sculpture and cascades down into the pond. Eventually the cut steel will oxidize (rust) and change in color. The carved steel hands rise from the pond catching the flow of water. The hands represent the human element of libraries.

Location and Hours of Service

 * Address: 421 High Street, Spooner, Wisconsin 54801
 * Phone: (715)635-2792
 * Fax: (715)635-2147
 * Hours: Monday-Thursday: 9:00am-8:00pm, Friday: 9:00am-5:00pm, Saturday: 9:00am-1:00pm, Sunday: Closed