In the fall of 1924, nine interested citizens met at the home of Mrs. D.F. Nauth to discuss the possibility of establishing a library in Kiel. They named themselves the Kiel Public Library Association and launched a house-to-house fundraising campaign, asking residents for a pledge of $1 per year.
The first "official" library home was in the Arnold Building at the corner of Fremont and 4th Streets. The library moved there on July 1, 1925, and was staffed entirely by volunteers. There was no heat, other than a pot-belly stove.
In 1928, the library moved into the Kiel City Hall, where it remained until 1972. Clara Oesau served as the first full-time librarian, with a salary of $10 a month. Miss Eleanor Druecker served as evening librarian with a salary of $2 per month. The total operating budget in 1930 was $600.
Growing pains began in the early 1960s, when Ann Detjen was serving as librarian. In 1971, heirs of the Adolph Stoelting estate offered the family home on Indian Hill, its adjacent property along the Sheboygan River, and $50,000, if the city would provide matching funds. City officials accepted the offer. Two of Adolph's children, Fred Stoelting and Marie Lee, oversaw the relocation campaign. The city broke ground in 1971 for a new 40 x 60 sq. ft. building at a cost "not to exceed $100,000." Dedication of the new library took place June 25, 1972.
Current director Julia Davis is only the 8th director to serve the city of Kiel since 1924. Others who served were Nancy Knepful, Vicki Lenz, Aileen Fitzgerald, and Nanette Bulebosh. Our inventory of books has grown to more than 38,000 books, as well as numerous audio books, CDs, videos, DVDs, magazines and computers.