Oshtemo Branch Library

History

A group of interested Oshtemo Township citizens began meeting in 1964 to discuss forming a library. Their work continued for two years before the township board agreed to allocate funds for the project. In 1966 Oshtemo Station opened its doors in what was referred to as "the former Standard School building on West Main Street." No other reference has been found to Standard School. The building also appears to have been called old Hurd School, and still stands on the north side of West Main near the intersection of 8th Street. The station began service with a volunteer staff and fewer than 1000 books. It had close ties with the Kalamazoo Public Library, which loaned books for circulation and provided matching funds to purchase new materials. In 1968, Miss Lillian Anderson retired from the Kalamazoo Public Library staff and became a volunteer at the Oshtemo Station in charge of ordering new books.