About Us:
The Moscow Free Library and Reading Room opened in March of 1901 in one room on the second floor of the Brown Building in downtown Moscow with a fifteen dollar stove, half a ton of coal, a fifteen cent shovel, a table, twelve chairs, $8.00 per month for rent and 115 donated books. The library was open two afternoons and two evenings a week and was operated by the Pleiades Club and the Moscow Historical Club.
In 1903, members of the two clubs formed a sub-committee to work with the Andrew Carnegie Library Endowment to secure funding for a library building. The Endowment granted the group $10,000, and in 1904, Moscow residents approved a special tax to raise money for the building's operation. A lot was purchased on the corner of Second and Jefferson Streets, and the mission style structure, unique for northern Idaho, was completed in 1906 for just under $10,000, making it one of the last Carnegie libraries funded.
In 1931 the first major building improvement was made at a cost of nearly $2500. An addition doubled the stack and office space available. During 1938 the front steps were rebuilt, replacing the curved stairs which had been a feature of the original architecture. In 1964 the basement was remodeled into a children's library at a cost of $20,000.
Construction started in August 1982 to remodel and add to the original Carnegie building. In April 1983 the building was opened to the public, with the Carol Ryrie Brink Reading Room in the historic Carnegie building designated a special place for the children of the community. This addition more than doubled the space while maintaining a warm and friendly atmosphere.
The Moscow branch serves as headquarters of the Latah County Library District and houses roughly 60% of the District's 100,000 volumes, both adult and juvenile. The District's administrative, adult services, youth services, branch services and technical services, departments operate out of the this branch.
