There
was the dream of a library in Tully as early as 1903 when Mrs. McGahon
organized a book exchange club. And, as long ago as 1913 an Old Home
Day speaker made the statement that Tully was in need of a "Carnegie".
It was inevitable that our community would one day have a public
library, but it was no one Carnegie, but many public-spirited citizens
who were willing to help. The Tekaneata Club, a local women's literary organization, and its
president, Katherine Wheeler, spearheaded the drive for a library in early 1935. The Chamber of Commerce was an energetic backer of the project and made the first contribution of $25.00.After carefully planned organizational meetings and a concentrated drive to procure funds, and 300 books, the Tully Free Library opened its doors on May 15, 1935. 100 books were borrowed from the Syracuse Public Library for
one year, at a cost of $100. The books were to be exchanged as often as
demand warranted.
The original trustees of the library were Mrs. R. Walter Riehlman, President, Mrs. Leon Baldwin, Secretary, Mrs. Louis Wheeler (Katherine), Willard C. Wheeler, editor and publisher of the Tully Times, Mrs. Bailey Hess, Mrs. Norbert Finkler and Leicester Green, school principal. Cecilia Murphy, a teacher then in the Tully Valley
school, Mrs. Jesse Garrett of Apulia, and Nathaniel Pierce of Solvay Process and later French's Store in Vesper completed the Board of
Trustees. The
library was open Wednesdays and Saturdays 3 - 5 and 7 - 9. Members of
the Tekaneata Club served as librarians and many residents donated books and magazines. 100 books were borrowed the first two days In November 1936 the library received approval from the State Education
Department in Albany for a provisional charter renewable every five years. Perhaps more important, the library was now eligible for assistance from Albany. In 1937 the library moved down the street to a room in the Masonic Temple, and then a year later it settled into the basement of the then Tully Trust Company Bank, now Marine Midland. There the library stayed, rent free, for 20 years.
The new Mayor was Leon Baldwin who was also Tully's mortician. His interest in a library was so keen that he offered a room in his funeral home for its use. Thus the first of several homes for the library was in the
north front room in the Leon and Dorothy Baldwin residence, 5 State Street. This north room also served as a funeral parlor. The library books were stacked on movable shelves. In the late 1930's and early 40's there were few cars and gas was rationed during the war. Branch libraries were established in Apulia Station at
Monroe's Store, in Vesper at French's and Eibert's and in Tully Valley at Galusha's. The library was bursting and books were stored in various houses and barns in the village. But, the library was always in financial distress. The
library always had volunteers, patrons and friends. What it was in desperate need of was funding. The minutes of every meeting, and in
some years there were many special meetings, reflect the dire financial
situation.
In 1958 the bank needed its basement. Finding a new location for the library , one that was accessible and near the center of the village,
was not easy. The library moved a few doors up Warren Street to what was known as Hart’s Garage. But, within two years the building had been
sold and the library was on the move again. This was not altogether
It
was mentioned that Katherine Wheeler and her husband had been instrumental in starting the Tully Library. Mrs. Wheeler passed away in 1936. Dr. Wheeler was a trustee until his death in 1940. The
Library board purchased an old home in the village in the early 1950’s. The trustees were landlords, with three apartments, two in the house that is now the library, and one in a rear building. The main building was in poor condition.
With no place to move to, the library took over a small portion of the house
it owned, curtailed services and did the best it could to provide the
community with library services. At about this time, 1961, the Onondaga
Library System was being organized. Tully trustees did not take warmly
to the idea of joining. But, they came to the realization that in order
to approach good library service. Story hours for children began. A committee chose books, primarily from the New York Times Book section. Books were also rented from a company on
Clinton Street in Syracuse. Library hours were extended to 3 days a week.
The County system was of immediate help to Tully. Consultants suggested the rearrangement of rooms and books, and helped weed the collection. The
building was evaluated as worth preserving and remodeling as a permanent home.
A report to the Community is issued each year in late January . This report is sent to state, county and local legislators, town and village officials, Tully Central School Board members, and is available to anyone in the community at the library. What is included in the report is an overview of the library's services during the past year. As of 1963 the library hired a librarian for 12 hours a week, thus ensuring the coordination of the best possible service for the community.The Tully Free Library was permanently chartered by the State of New York in 1967. We are chartered to serve the area covering the Tully Central School district. We serve a population of 5,400 spread over an area of 82 square miles. Having concluded the first forty eight years of library service in Tully, the Board was in a position to give concentrated effort to a building project. In 1984, after months of examining the options, the Board agreed to have an architect look over and assess the present facility. Investigations proved that the rear portion of the building, particularly the foundation was in bad shape. The architect recommended it be demolished. With this information, the decision was made to refurbish the front part of the present building to house the office and reading room. The area to be added to this would consist of space for all book stacks, a large community room with efficiency kitchen facilities.
By
June 1985 enough research had been done to give the Board president and trustees confidence that the needed funds could be raised to complete
and equip a building. The total cost was projected at $150,000. Over
the next year, many fund raising events were scheduled to help raise money for the proposed renovations. Finally, by the Fall of 1986, it
was possible to advertise for bids, which were opened October 30, 1986.
A
Norway Spruce tree had grown in the backyard of the library edging the back wall, and had to be removed before construction could start. In April 1986, a letter was sent to Syracuse Mayor Tom Young, offering the
tree to the city as its Christmas tree in Clinton Square for the holidays of 1986. In February 1987, demolition of the back part of the library began.
Decisions about color or roof shingles, selection of hardware, carpeting, flooring, and other similar decisions were made by the
sub-committee; Ruth Poellot, Ann Padget, Ed After
many problems, annoying developments, delays, and changes, there were plans made to hold an open house at the Library on Sunday, May 22, 1988, with a dedication ceremony that would commemorate a milestone in
the history of Tully Free Library.