The library was manned by volunteers in its infancy.
Librarians to date-
In 1935 Mrs. C.A Graham, Sr. and Mrs. J.P. Cox of Ramseur presented an idea to the Ramseur Book Club. They longed to see a public library in Ramseur. While the book club approved the idea they felt that undertaking such a project would have to have community support and backing. The name Ramseur Public Library was chosen, a committee was formed and the rest is history. Sounds easy but it wasn’t. It was especially hard for the committee to collect funds during the depression. Mrs. Madge Kivett worked tirelessly throughout her life promoting the library. It is said that she walked miles down the Coleridge Road, stopping at every house in an effort to collect funds for the library, in one afternoon she collected a total of $3. Sacrifices were made as donations of books, material and labor were being offered. The Library Association was formed, a constitution was drawn up, and advisory board members chosen. Mr. I. F. Craven of the Carter Mercantile offered rent free two rooms that were formerly used for feed and storage to the association as a home for the library. The rooms were located on the side of the Carter Mercantile Building near the center of town. On November 10, 1936 Opening Day Ceremonies were conducted with a tea and an open house. The first librarians were volunteers. With the help of the federally sponsored program W.P.A. Mrs. Ida West and Miss Edith Siler were appointed and were paid for staying in the library a few hours a day. Miss Hattie Burgess followed Miss Siler in 1941and was the first librarian paid by the Association. She worked full time and is considered to be the first true librarian. She and people like her set the tone and raised a standard for the library. She knew every book and loved them dearly. She often said, “Books are friends, like people.” Miss Burgess was never too busy to help boys and girls select books. Miss Hattie Burgess was librarian for fifteen years. Other librarians to date have been Mrs. Floyd Moffitt, Mrs. S. E. Leonard,Sr., Mrs. Ruth Newell , Mrs. Crandall Ellison, Mrs. Stacey Curtis ,Mrs. Sandra Livingston and Sandy Jarrell.
In 1951 the Library had outgrown the remodeled feed and storage room and Mr. I.F. Craven once again offered his support. The library was then moved to a building that had once been Columbia Manufacturing’s main office; it had also been used by Busick’s Jewelry Store. The company provided new flooring, electrical outlets and painted the building inside and out. The Association furnished all other supplies, which were donated by patrons and friends. In July 1956 the “Tell-A-Story” time was started with Mrs. J .H. Marley. The library’s life hung by a thread until 1957 when the town at the Association’s urging recognized the library as a community institution. With that action the library was then included in the town’s budget. The Library Association was dissolved when the town appointed June Beane, Mrs. Carrie Craven, Miss Margaret Lane, Miss Madge Caveness, Mrs. Lucy Leonard and Mr. Allen Leonard to serve on a new Library Board of Trustees. The library thrived. Time passed again and space was needed. A new building seemed impossible. At the reading of the will of Mr. M. E. Johnson the town learned that Mr. Johnson had left $50,000 to the County Library Board of Trustees for a building to be located in Ramseur. It was to be named the “Blanche C. Johnson Memorial Library Building” in memory of his wife. Construction began on October 20, 1961. On January 7, 1962 the library building was dedicated and opened its doors to the public on January 8, 1962.
With the continued funding by the town, the Library Board of Trustees and with the help of the Randolph County Public Library and that long ago vision the Ramseur Public Library exists today. It is a welcoming place where people of all ages can read, access the Internet, and enjoy programming offered by staff. It serves as beacon in the community and is a legacy to all the people who worked so diligently to bring the world to Ramseur through reading.
Miss Hattie Burgess and Library Board of Trustees President, Mr. Allen H. Leonard
