CLAFLIN — The Claflin Independent Township Library will have an open house from 2 to 5 p.m., after the All-School Reunion Parade, on Sunday, May 29. Refreshments will be served in the meeting room. The library is located at 108 Main in Claflin.

The library will be observing 50 years of service to the community.

The library was first organized in June of 1961 by a Lion’s Club committee and other interested persons. The library opened with donated books in the American Legion Hall which is now the Claflin Community Center. Book collections were ordered from the Traveling Libraries Commission, and family library cards issued for a year were sold for a dollar.

In September of 1961, the library was moved to the lobby of the old Lux Theatre which was no longer in operation, and the library sponsored summer movies along with the ever-popular Children’s Summer Reading Programs. Beverly Salmon was the librarian at that time.

In November of 1962, the Independent Township voted to support the library with a tax levy of .25 mills. The Claflin Township Library Board at that time included James Dennis, Lendon Brinson, Harold Grossardt, Fritz Eggers, Edgar Disque and Mrs. Ernest Grossardt.

On Dec. 30, 1964, there was an Operation Book Move as volunteers set about to move 1,040 books from the lobby of the Lux Theatre to a building at 223 N. Main which was owned by Lydia Ruch. At that time, Ruth Brunts was hired as librarian.

In August of 1972, Martina Luebbers was hired as librarian and served in this capacity until January 1989. In September 1977, the library was moved to 217 N. Main.

In February 1993, thanks to the $20,000 federal grant and matching funds from Bob and Lucille Branan, a Stumps Foundation Grant and other donations from the community, the Independent Township Library was able to purchase a building (the former IGA). The new site is located at 108 Main and with extensive remodeling, meets the standards of the American with Disabilities Act. The move of 10,000 books was made with the help of volunteers on March 20, 1993. On March 27, 1993, the library was reopened for business.

Judy Wondra has served the library from January 1989 to the present as library director. Wondra said the library has seen many changes over the years. The addition of five computers for public use, talking books, CDs, DVDs, and now e-readers and playaways. The library has a public meeting room, large print books, magazines, the Hoisington Dispatch, old Claflin newspapers some original, some on microfilm, all types of sheet music, free internet services, interlibrary loan service, rotating books, story hour and Summer Reading Programs. They are now members of the Pathfinder Central, an online catalog. Great advances have been made.

The library is open 19 hours a week. Hours of operation are: Monday, 3:30 to 8 p.m.; Tuesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Thursday,1 to 5:30 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon.

The present library board members are Jim Vance, Nedra Blazek, Patty Stueder, Dorothy Brinson, Norma Schneweis and Randy Oeser as township trustee.