The
Boyne Regional Library was first organized by the Young Adult Group
(now the Young Citizen’s Group) in 1943. The Young Adult Group was lead
by President Alfred J. Strachan and Secretary Margaret Burnett. Initially
all books were donated to the library because of a lack of funds. The
Young Adult Group also needed a building to house their library. They
asked local druggist, F.W. Humphries if they could display books in his
front window. He willingly agreed and offered to act as librarian as
well. When
the library outgrew the insurance office they asked if they could move
into the Community Room in the Memorial Hall. Council approved on the
condition that no holes be nailed into the walls. The Young Adult Group
worked to make free standing shelves and they were soon able to move
in. Mrs. Earl Taylor was the volunteer librarian three times a week for
several years. Lucy Saunders took over as librarian after a few years. The
library soon outgrew the Community Room and they began thinking of
building. Plans were made and the estimated cost reached $48,000.00.
Just after this, the Young Adult Group heard that the town was building
a new Post Office and they worked toward purchasing the old Post Office
building. By about 1970 the old Post Office was being renovated to
house the library. This included lowering the ceiling, removing
partitions, redecorating, and re-carpeting. The
original Post Office was built in 1914 and opened in 1915; it was the
third Post Office to be built. It was built of Tyndall Stone and brick
from Medicine Hat, Saskatchewan. The clock in the tower was made by
A.E. Joyce and Company of Whitechurch, England. It was shipped to
Manitoba from England where they forgot to unload it and it went back
to England. They realized their mistake and sent it back to Manitoba
therefore crossing the ocean three times before finally reaching its
destination. In
order to get provincial funding the library had to become part of the
Regional Library System. This required a referendum which was passed in
1968. |