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Scugog Memorial Public Library turns a page, starting an exciting new era Now that the Township of Scugog has opened it’s bright, new public library - it’s a good time to look back and discover how this important information centre began. Following is a brief history of Port Perry’s institute of knowledge. About 1856,a brand new building was erected for the dual pur- pose of a Library and Community Hall, and the Port Perry Mechanic’s Institute was formed. For many years concerts, plays, suppers and entertainments of The Mechanics Institute building, at the corner of Queen all kinds were held and Rosa St, was sold to the Baptist Church about 1875. there for the up- keep of the library and other public interests. It is not known how many books this original library contained, and we do not know how long the library continued in this building as no records have been found. But we do know that by 1875 it had been relocated to the McCaw business block on Queen Street and the original Mechanics’ building had been sold to the Baptist Church. (this building is now serving as a women’s building at the fairgrounds). About 1890 the library was discontinued and the books sold by the wheelbarrow load full. Only a few years later, in 1894, the Women’s Christian Temperance Union feeling the need of keeping the boys off the street, opened a read- ing room. The room was lighted, heated and furnished with chairs and periodicals. A few years later, by house to house canvas and other means, a fund was raised and an Associate Library formed. For the next 30 years the community struggled to finance this library. The first talk of building a new library building came about 1916 when a delegation to council suggested purchasing the former Post Office site to build a public library. In December the same year, the library moved into the ground floor of the building and held an open house in January 1917. Five years later, in June 1922 council approved a proposal to pur- chase the old post office site, tear down the building and construct a War Memorial Library. The property at this time was owned by a dozen townsmen who had bought the site to safeguard and they were willing to sell it for $1,000. Through the efforts of Dr. Mellow and Reeve Figary in Feb. 1924 the Associate Library became the Public Free Library. The new Library Board set about raising the money to purchase the property. In the meantime Port Perry's former post office, located on the nor oat the War Memorial Committee and the Scugog Chapter IODE set about publi | gone oe Street became the The original Mechanic’s Institute building (without tower) is used today for exhibits at the Port Perry Fair. 28 FOCUS - JUNE 2011 JUNE FOCUS. 40 pages.indd 28 5/2411 8:56:57 AM