Members of the Tekaneata Club, 1939
History of the Tully Free Library
There was the dream of a library in Tully as early as 1903 when a book exchange club was organized by community members. And as long ago as 1913, prominent community leaders made the statement that Tully was in need of a Carnegie Library. It was inevitable that our community would one day have a public library; in the end, however, it was not the Carnegie Foundation that provided the necessary funds, but many spirited citizens who made the dream a reality.
The Tekaneata Club, a local women’s literary organization, and its president, Katherine Wheeler, spearheaded the drive for a library in early 1935. The Chamber of Commerce was an energetic backer of the project and made the first contribution of $25. After organizational and planning meetings and a concentrated drive to raise money, the Tully Library opened its doors on May 15, 1935. The Library offered 300 books of its own collection, and 100 books borrowed from the Syracuse Public Library. The rental cost was $100 and was good for a year; books could be exchanged with the Syracuse Public Library as needed. The Tully Library was referred to as a branch of the Syracuse Public Library.
The original trustees of the Library were Mrs. R. Walter Riehlman, President; Mrs. Leon (Dorothy) Baldwin, Secretary; Mrs. Louis (Katherine) Wheeler; Willard C. Wheeler, editor and publisher of the Tully Times; Mrs. Bailey Hess; Mrs. Norbert Finkler; and Leicester Green, school principal. The mayor of Tully was Leon Baldwin, who was also the town mortician. His interest in the Library was so keen that he offered a room in his funeral home for its use. The funeral home was located at 5 State Street. The north front room in the residence was the first home of the Tully Library. It also served as a funeral parlor. The books were stacked on mobile shelves. When there was a wake, the library was ‘rolled’ to another room.
The Library was open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 3-5 pm and 7-9 pm. Members of the Tekaneata Club served as librarians and many residents donated books and magazines. On the first two days that the Library was open, a hundred books were borrowed. In one year, 1300 books were available at the Library.
In November of 1936, the Library received approval from the State Education Department in Albany for a provisional charter, renewable every five years. Even more important, the Library was now eligible for assistance from New York State.
In 1937, the Library was moved down the street to a room in the Masonic Temple; one year later it settled into the basement of what was then Tully Trust Company Bank. There the Library stayed, rent free, for 20 years. The basement was damp and dark. Volunteers lit the oil space heater, took care of the dehumidifier, and provided all library services.
In the late 1930s and early 1940s, there were few cars and gas was rationed during the war. Branch libraries were established in Apulia Station, Vesper and Tully Valley.
Story hours for children began during this time. A committee chose books, primarily from the New York Times Book section. Books were also rented from a company on Clinton Street in Syracuse. Library hours were extended to three days a week: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons and evenings.
The Library was bursting and books were stored in various houses and barns in the village. Despite its literary wealth and the volunteers, friends and patrons willing to help, the financial plight of the Library was serious. The minutes of every meeting (and in some years there were many special meetings) reflect the dire financial situation.
In 1958 the bank needed to reclaim use of its basement. Finding a new location for the Library, one that was near the center of the village, was not easy. The Library moved a few doors up Warren Street to what was known as Hart’s Garage. But within two years, the building was sold and the Library was on the move again. This was not an entirely unwelcome development, as there had been a flooding problem in the Hart building.
Dr. Louis Wheeler, husband of original trustee Katherine Wheeler, was a trustee until his death in 1940. Katherine preceded him in death in 1936. In his will, Dr. Wheeler bequeathed his home on Elm Street to the Library. He stipulated that the home be sold and that the proceeds be saved and added to until such time that the Library Board could afford to purchase or construct its own building. The Library Board purchased an old home in the village in the early 1950s, located at 12 State St. The trustees were landlords with three apartments, two in the house that is now the Library, and one in a rear building. The main building was in poor condition, but the location, adjacent to the school, was excellent.
With nowhere else to move, the Board decided to locate the library in a small portion of the house it owned. Hours were curtailed, and the volunteers did the best they could to provide the community with library services.
At about this time (1961), the Onondaga Library System was being organized. Tully trustees did not take warmly to the idea of joining the system. But they came to the realization that in order to provide the level of service they wanted to offer the community, they would need to join. The Onondaga County Public Library (OCPL) offered assistance. Consultants suggested a rearrangement of rooms and books, and helped weed the growing collection. The building was evaluated and was determined to be worth preserving and remodeling as a permanent home for the Library.
The Trustees were encouraged by the county’s assistance and launched a fund drive to match a $5,000 grant from the county. The Library was closed for some months as renovation took place. OCPL consultants gave encouragement and made recommendations about remodeling, new equipment and the budget. In 1963, the Library hired a librarian for 12 hours a week, ensuring the coordination of the best possible service for the community.
The Tully Free Library was permanently chartered by the State of New York in 1967. The charter designates a service area spread over 82 square miles and covering the Tully Central School district.
On May 19, 1985, the Library held a celebration to observe its 50th anniversary. This was a momentous occasion: the founders of the Library had high hopes for the organization they established, but their grandest dreams could not have matched the achievements that were to occur over the next 20 years.
In 1984, the trustees of the Library Board oversaw a $260,000 expansion and renovation of the Library. In addition to renovating the original space, a 1200-square-foot community room was added to the back of the original structure. Twenty years later, in 2004, the trustees of the Library Board again decided it was time to renovate and expand. A $400,000 project was undertaken to again renovate the existing Library space and turn the community room into a reference area, an adult reading area complete with fireplace and coffee center, and a public access computer area. A 900-square-foot addition was added at the back of the renovated structure to act as a new community room. The impetus behind the 2004-2005 renovation was provided by members of the Padget family. Local and long-distance members of the Horace Greeley Padget family contributed 15 percent of the funds needed for the renovation. In both expansions (1984 and 2004), local patrons donated generously to the projects; the difference in funding was made up by successful grant applications to the Rosamond Gifford Foundation (1984 and 2004), the John Ben Snow Foundation (2004), the Central New York Community Foundation (2004), the M&T Howard and Grayce Bendixen Memorial Trust (2004) and a New York State Public Library Construction Grant (2004).
In 2010-11, The Tully Free Library celebrated its 75th jubilee. Many events scheduled throughout the year celebrated this important milestone. The staff at the Library look forward to serving the community through many jubilees to come.