VZC Library celebrates silver anniversary

The Van Zandt County Library will celebrated its 25th anniversary Oct. 31 in its current location at 317 First Monday Lane in Canton, but the history of the library dates back to its humble beginnings in 1933.. From its modest start in a dark room in the basement of the county courthouse, the library has grown into a 10,000-square foot facility with 45,000 items available for use.

“In 1933, the Canton area had 533 students in area schools. The library started as a resource center for rural school teachers,” said VZC Library Director Susie Pulley. “There was a county school superintendent who was the supervisor of all the common rural school districts within the county.”

In 1940, County Superintendent Wendell P. Oliver wrote an article for the Grand Saline Sun in the Feb. 19, 1940, edition that explained the history of the library calling the library “one of the greatest help to our rural schools.” To use the library, a cost of $10 per teacher from each rural school was required. The library was located in the VZC Courthouse basement in one room in the northeast corner. It had 3,000 books in rotation for students in primary grades through high school.
VZC Library Director Susie Pulley explained that it was the teacher’s jobs to get the books to the students.

“The teachers would come to the courthouse library and check out all the books for her/his students. The teachers then would carry them back to school. Individuals were also allowed to check out one book at a time, as long as they had no fines, overdue books and the book was not needed by schoolchildren,” said Pulley.

Supt. Oliver remarked in the article, “the library is a county library and is available to everyone who resides in the county and no individual is hurt by doing much good reading.”

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