Editor's note: This is a reprint of a story that originally appeared in the Courier-Post in 1938 in honor of the newspaper's 100th anniversary.

Having the distinction of being the first free public library to be established in Missouri, the Hannibal Free Public Library, occupying the Garth Memorial Library building is one of the largest in the state, having a circulation next to those of St. Louis and Kansas City.

Library history in Hannibal dates back to March 19, 1845, when the general assembly chartered the Hannibal Library institute. The corporators were Humphrey Peak, Samuel Cross, Zachariah G. Draper, Hugh Meredith, Joshua T. Tucker and Edward C. McDonald. The library books of the first library were kept in the office of Dr. Hugh Meredith, president of the Library Institute, in a building belonging to his mother-inlaw, Mrs. Ann Rose, on the northeast corner of Bird and Main streets. This site was popularly known as the old "Wild Cat" corner.

After an equity suit over the realty, the institute died from lack of funds and income.

In December, 1870, the Mercantile Library Association of Hannibal was organized with headquarters at 110 North Fourth street. about where the White Star Laundry now stands. The association was formally inaugurated on February 25. 1871.

The chief organizer and librarian of the organization was Mrs. Martha W. Greene. Annual tickets were sold for three dollars and the corporation had a capital stock of twenty thousand dollars in one thousand shares of twenty dollars each. The subscribers paid twenty percent the first year and ten percent annually the following years. Two shares entitled the owners to all library privileges.

In October, 1871, the library had fifteen hundred volumes. Mr William C. Foreman, a well known lawyer, became closely identified with the institution but the association finally ceased to function and the books were put on sale and scattered.

On April 10, 1885, a law was passed allowing cities to set apart a tax of five percent for the endowment and support of free public libraries. Robert Elliott, president of the board of public schools, led the Hannibal movement in behalf of a library. In 1889 the proposition was voted upon and carried. The free public library of Hannibal, Missouri, was the first of its kind in the state.

Elliott purchased the old school Presbyterian church property on the corner of Fifth and Church streets for thirty-five hundred dollars and the title deed was filed December 2, 1890 for a consideration of twenty-five hundred dollars. Spencer M. Carter, Daniel M. Dulany, Sr., George W. Dulany, John J. Cruikshank, Jr., Aaron R. Levering and Cyrus Albertson each paid $291.66, making one-half of the estimate. Richard M. Stillwell donated $150 and the Standard Printing company $100. For the remaining sum a note was signed by W. A. Latimer, John L. RoBards, W. F. Chamberlain, Robert Elliott and Milton Strong, these people with Cornelium Voorhis paying the interest.

The will of the late Daniel M. Dulany gave the library an annual income of one thousand dollars. The library could have asked a popular vote for an annual five percent tax to create a real estate fund but it preferred to take care of payments out of the current income.

The purchase of books necessitated the raising of $2,183.32 and other items included concrete paving, the building of the east retaining wall and other real estate items which must be met out of the general fund.

In 1901, Mrs. Helen K. Garth and her daughter, Mrs. Anna Garth Goodlett, built a new library building on the old site in memory of Mrs. Garth's husband. John H. Garth, $25,000 was used to erect and furnish this building.

There are two stories to the buff colored brick building with a basement underneath. Rooms on the second floor are used as club rooms for the meetings of various organizations in the city.

In March, 1901, the library was moved to 302 Broadway where it remained until February 15, 1902, when the new building was finished.

Before Mrs. Garth's death she gave another gift of $15,000 to be used for general repairs and enlargement of the stack room.

After her death, the library received a $10,000 trust fund from Mrs. Garth, the interest specified for repairs.

Miss Nancy McLachlin was called to Hannibal on September 11, 1908 to catalogue the library books by the Dewey system and was hired as librarian. It was about this time that, with financial aid from Mrs. Garth, the circular rear wall of the library was squared out to give more room and new stacks were bought to accommodate the growing number of books which had for some years been placed at the disposal of the customer instead of allowing only the librarian to have access to the shelves.

At the same time the single desk was changed and three divisions of the desk were made to take care of incoming books and outgoing trade for children and adults. The increase of space in the back of the building allowed more room in the basement for magazines.

The Hannibal Public Library supplies books to the Hannibal school system, to the local hospitals and to different towns in the county. The Christian Endeavor of the Christian church and workers under the NYA have taken care of the distribution of reading material in the hospitals.

The circulation in the local library has jumped from 41,069 books borrowed in town in 1909 to 104,384 books taken out by townspeople in 1936, an increase of 63,315 in 27 years.

On May 31, 1937 the library owned a total of 25,887 books.