The Coatesville Area Public Library (CAPL), founded in 1877 by Isabelle Lukens Huston, occupied several temporary locations in its early years, beginning in what was described as a “small shack” on the site later occupied by Devitt’s Hardware. In the early Twentieth century, when the YMCA became established in Coatesville, the Library was invited to use an area at that location. As library use continued to grow, more space was needed and that prompted a move to Benner School in 1941, where the Library used two rooms.
By 1948, Benner School was experiencing crowded conditions of its own so the Library moved to rooms at the National Bank of Coatesville.
In 1952, the Library had the opportunity to purchase the former Braunstein home on Lincoln Highway. This served as the Library’s permanent home until 1974, when Dr. Michael C. Margolies donated land for the construction of a new permanent library building. Presently the facility has an area of 14,000 square feet.Just as the facility has changed over the years, so have the services of the library. From books in a “small shack,” it has evolved into a contemporary facility with books and materials for all ages, audio and visual materials, as well as access to eBooks and Downloadable Audio, and Internet access. The next few years will see us providing access to eReaders and other new technologies to access the world of eBooks.The past three years have been a time of extreme budget crisis for libraries. Large cuts from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the recent economic recession have been hard on Coatesville Area Public Library. These factors also mean that the library, especially in a community such as Coatesville, is more necessary than ever.
