Editorializing confidently in 1906, The Columbian proclaimed there was “little or no doubt” Vancouver would get a Carnegie Library. The industrialist-turned-philanthropist Andrew Carnegie was funding a dozen public libraries across Washington already. One in the city would publicly express its citizens’ attitudes and attract new ones, said the newspaper.
Vancouver struggled throughout the end of the 19th century to create a lending library. All the city’s previous attempts failed for funding or space shortages. Edgar Swan initiated correspondence with Carnegie’s people and garnered interest. In January 1908, James Bertram, Carnegie’s secretary, responded that if the city agreed to yearly maintenance, the donor “would be glad to give ten thousand dollars” for Vancouver’s public library.
So, in 1908, R.H. Back, Vancouver’s city attorney, wrote inquiring about the particulars of the funding. The Carnegie grant of $10,000 covered the building — not its contents. It looked like the city would finally have a library, as long as the city council agreed. That committee would also need to meet the other requirements for the grant, including naming a building site, hiring and paying staff, using public funds and making the service free to all.
In early 1908, the offer was often on the city council agenda, members’ response was generally favorable, and the grant chugged ahead slowly. By February, locals had raised $1,500 for the library. Then in April, the city council accepted the gift and all its requirements. Councilmembers approved a lot on the corner of 16th and Main streets for the library (today the home of the Clark County Historical Museum). Lowell Hidden donated the site.
