For several decades many people in the Seward community–especially the library director, the staff, and frequent patrons–saw the need for a new public library. Every year, the Fourth of July sale of used books in front of the old Carnegie building became a vivid reminder that for every new book purchased, one had to be discarded.
The original library structure located at 5th and Main was built in 1913 with funds from the Carnegie Library Commission. The original library building was overcrowded, provided minimal accessibility, had restricted parking, limited storage and cramped space. When compared to 20 communities of similar size, Seward ranked FIRST in rate of circulation, for both adult and childrens’ books, but ranked LAST in library square footage. A new multi-funcational, quality library building was greatly needed in Seward.
Wide-spread yearnings for a new building led to the establishment of the Seward Library Foundation in 1990. The Foundation came into being for one purpose: to provide more adequate library service for the community of Seward by looking into possibilities for a new facility. The first Foundation members were Arlo Bower, Doug Ellis, Duane Gabriel, Mike Hecker, Virginia Hughes, Becky Vahle, and Annette Wallman.