History:
A public library was first located in Kremmling, in 1967. Vi Johnson and Virginia Taussig researched and then established a library in the elementary school basement. The basement of the school was no longer used for classes because it did not meet the Kremmling fire codes. Prior to the opening of the Kremmling Library, residents traveled to Hot Sulphur Springs to visit a library.
The library was staffed by volunteers and was open on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. Shelving was built from cinder blocks and varnished boards. The sparse collection began with books borrowed from the library in Hot Sulphur Springs and donations from individuals in the community.
As the community wholeheartedly embraced the new library, hours were added and the county employed Betty Nunn, as librarian, and Virginia Taussig to work with her.
In 1977 the library moved into what is now the community room of the Kremmling Library. The building is owned by the Town of Kremmling and was previously owned by the government and housed the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) offices. When the building was given to the town it was stipulated that it could be used for recreational purposes only, so the library was called the “Reading Room”.
More and more books were added to the library collection, and eventually, remodeling began to enlarge the “Reading Room” into what is now the children’s library. The main and larger portion of the building was still being used as a garage to store the Town of Kremmling’s fleet of trucks. Growth in the community and interest in library services soon made it necessary to remove walls for the expansion of the library into the garage portion of the building. Betty Nunn retired in 1988 shortly after the remodeling and expansion project was completed.
Today the Kremmling Library encompasses 2800 sq. ft. and houses 16,432 items, which includes: books, videos, CDs, DVDs, magazines and audio books and has 7 public computers for access to the Internet. The library employs three full-time staff members, is open 46 hours a week, and provides a multitude of library programs for all members of the community. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of its founders, Kremmling now boasts a very modern and well used library.
