This building was constructed in 1903 to be the home of Waterloo's Free Library (public library). The library had been established in 1887, but could only be given limited space within the town hall. After the turn of the century, the Department of Education began suggesting that the library's operational grant might be withheld if it was not provided with a larger home.

The Board of Trade and town council, headed by mayor David Bean, wrote to American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie requesting $10,000 to build a new library. Carnegie had already provided funding for libraries in Berlin (Kitchener), Guelph, and Stratford, and would eventually provide grants for more than 100 libraries in Ontario and thousands more across the U.S. and elsewhere.

Carnegie approved the grant on condition that the town collect $1,000 annually through taxes to staff and maintain the library. Construction commenced in 1903, and the library opened in November 1905.

The building continued as Waterloo's public library for more than 60 years, until it too was too small for the city's needs. Between 1966 and the early 1990s, the building was used by the police department, and it has been the offices of Habitat for Humanity since 1993.

Written by Gary Will
gary@garywill.com

Text and photographs copyright © 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 by Gary Will. All rights reserved.