Long before Eau Claire became a city, its citizens were among the first in Wisconsin to consider the necessity for a public library.

The library moved to the Newton Building in 1861, the Putnam Building in 1875, and later to the Ingram Building in 1894.

The first 70 years of the twentieth century brought many changes to the library, to Eau Claire and to its citizens.

In the fall of 2006, L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library began a capital campaign to raise $3.9 million for an expansion and remodeling project to enlarge Youth Services, make necessary improvements to Adult Services and introduce technological upgrades.

A collection of photographs depicting the history of the public library in Eau Claire.

Annual reporting of the library's collection, its Board members, annual circulation data and more from the library's archives, 1896 to the present.

Library Board Minutes 1894 - 1911

Library Board Minutes

Scripts from a weekly radio program, "The Library Speaks" broadcast on WEAU radio in 1938.