About

The Charles City Public Library provides services to the residents of Charles City, Colwell, and Floyd and to Floyd county rural
residents. CCPL mission is to act as a community center for all ages and to be an essential resource for
information in various formats for popular reading, entertainment, self-help, and to facilitate programming
for growth, and lifelong learning to increase the general good and well-being of all community residents. We
accomplish this mission by providing digital and physical materials for our patrons and by offering a variety
of children’s and adult programming.

1878- The first public reading room and library were established on the 2nd floor of the Hildreth Building. Later the building caught fire and the library was damaged. The library reopened a short time later in the Cheny-Hand block and later moved to the 1st floor of the Owens Building on Kelly St.
1904- The Carnegie Library building opened on the corner of Jackson and Kelly Streets. This building was funded by a $12,500 grant by Andrew Carnegie.
1930- Arthur Mooney established a $25,000 trust fund for art at the library.
1979- The library's current building was opened. This building is located on Clark St, between the First Baptist Church and City Hall.
1998- Katherine Zastrow's estate established a fund for the library to build an addition for a meeting room. The library board decided to add a gallery to house the Mooney collection and remodel the existing building at the same time.
2000- The library was moved to a temporary location in the Cedar Mall.
2001- The newly expanded and remodeled library reopened.