Next up in our library history series, let’s take a little jaunt over to Clinton. The first library in Clinton was again a Mechanics’ Institute and it was housed in the Town Hall in 1872. Just seven years later, in 1879, the Town Hall burned, taking the Mechanics’ Institute along with it. The fire destroyed all library records and nearly all the books. It was undoubtedly a sad day for both the Clinton community and librarianship.
But it would take more than a fire to keep the Clinton Mechanics’ Institute down. Shortly afterwards, the Institute reopened with temporary accommodation in the Victoria buildings. The librarian at the time, a certain Mr. James Scott, was not only the librarian – he also taught night classes at the library. Seems like a good use of the space.
A couple years later, in 1887, all residents of Clinton were granted free admission to the library and the reading room, but were not permitted to take any books home. Imagine that – a library where you couldn’t borrow any books! If we told someone that today, they probably wouldn’t understand what was happening.
Just a few years after this, an interesting and quite unique story proceeded to unfold. In 1890, Mr. James Staveley, a Clinton resident, passed away. Mr. Staveley was a well-to-do landowner and businessman, and he left no heirs. He willed his estate to a relative who had, unbeknownst to Mr. Staveley, died before him, and so the estate passed to this relative’s heirs in the United States. But apparently this didn’t sit well with some movers-and-shakers of the day, and these 19th century influencers decided that non-residents should not be entitled to Mr. Staveley’s windfall. So, in their wisdom, they petitioned the provincial government to overturn the will. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never heard of something like this happening. They suggested that the inheritance should go to the Town of Clinton, and that the funds could go towards erecting a public hall for the use of the town.
It’s a long story, and a bit too complicated for our purposes to go into all the details, but in the end, the Staveley Hall, which housed the library, was built with Staveley’s funds and opened in 1900. This created an unusual situation when Andrew Carnegie showed up shortly after this with possible grants for libraries to be built in Huron County. Carnegie wanted to gift a library to towns that did not already have one, and might not get one. Carnegie and his employees felt that towns and villages that didn’t already have a library were more deserving or were in more desperate need, and so those communities were chosen to be given grants.
This was true of all communities that received a Carnegie grant across Ontario, except one – Clinton. With the Staveley Hall library building so recently completed, the Town decided to ask for the grant money in order to build an addition. The request was granted, and Clinton became the only Ontario community with a Carnegie grant that went towards an addition to an existing building.
Since the Clinton Library is still housed in this building today, anyone can go and see this. If you do go, the original Staveley building is the two-story part of the building to the north, and the Carnegie addition is the one-story portion to the south.
In 1978, the library was designated as a heritage building by Clinton council, which immediately protected the building from demolition and any major changes that might damage its architectural features or historical significance. This designation may have saved it.
Just a few years later, in the summer of 1981, this headline was on the front page of the July 30 issue of the Clinton News Record – ”Library may be sinking”. According to the article, “Clinton’s stately library … is presently under examination and a feasibility study may be conducted to determine how structurally sound the building actually is.” The article also mentions that “… (it’s) said to be sinking and rumoured to be sitting on a bed of quick sand” and “suspicion shows that the library foundation may be sinking, seen from the noticeable lean on the basement floor.”
Well, that was quite the rumour! Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think it proved to be a true one.
In addition to the foundation needing to be checked out, by 1981, the second floor was approaching 20 years since it had been abandoned, and so had fallen into disrepair. At that point, it was being used for storage and occasionally as a meeting space.
Here’s one reporter’s description.
“A climb up the once elegant old winding staircase leads to the second story of the Clinton library building. Although run down and dirty, the seldom used room is still architecturally intriguing with its large windows and deep woodwork.”
Just to pile on, some parts of the roof were in need of repair. Needless to say, seems like the old building needed some attention!
Once the evaluation was completed, in 1982, it was announced that the library was no longer structurally sound. As a result, library operations were shifted to the empty former Pro Hardware store on Albert Street. Staff and volunteers took on the huge task of transferring equipment, furniture, and 21,000 books to the temporary location. I wonder if they made a human train and passed the books down the street from one person to the next!
The municipal council at the time agreed to renovate the existing structure. The second floor was included in the renovations and was transformed into “a bright children’s library, complete with a story room”, which remains largely the same to this day. Other work included refurbishing the original stained-glass windows, replacing glass where needed, restoring the original oak circulation desk, replacing furniture, and retaining the tin ceiling. In other words, sounds like everything that needed attention, got it.
About two years later, in March 1984, it was reported that the library would be closed so everything could be moved from the hardware store back to the newly renovated library. It took library workers and volunteers 2 weeks to pack up hundreds of boxes of books and transport them, along with the equipment and some furniture, back to the Staveley building.
Just a couple months later in May, there was an afternoon open house to showcase the newly renovated space. More than 125 people took in a completely transformed library, most of whom were no doubt impressed by the changes.
More recently, the Clinton Library has seen a major overhaul in its layout with a new front desk and new shelving on the main floor. And in 2025, a lift was added to make the second floor fully accessible for the first time ever!
About two years later, in March 1984, it was reported that the library would be closed so everything could be moved from the hardware store back to the newly renovated library. It took library workers and volunteers 2 weeks to pack up hundreds of boxes of books and transport them, along with the equipment and some furniture, back to the Staveley building.
Just a couple months later in May, there was an afternoon open house to showcase the newly renovated space. More than 125 people took in a completely transformed library, most of whom were no doubt impressed by the changes.
More recently, the Clinton Branch has seen a major overhaul in its layout with a new front desk and new shelving on the main floor. And in 2025, a lift was added to make the second floor fully accessible for the first time ever!
