About Us

Sedalia Public Library is a municipal library serving the citizens of Sedalia. The library is governed by a nine member Board of Trustees appointed to 3 year terms by the Mayor and Sedalia City Council. The current Board of Trustees consists of the following members: Susan Mitchell Callis (President), Wanda Meyer (Vice-President), Nancy Finley (Secretary/Treasurer), Donna Freese, Rick Langdon, Jim Rissler, Mary Jo Sartin, Raymond Taylor and Salome Taylor.

Mission Statement

Sedalia Public Library will be a reliable community resource and a center of intellectual freedom serving primarily the residents of the Sedalia Public Library District and secondarily the residents of the Pettis County area by acquiring, organizing and disseminating books, non-print materials and services including electronic access that help educate, enrich, entertain and inform.

In fulfilling this mission the Library will focus on:
(1) Popular Materials Center
(2) Pre-schooler door to learning
(3) Formal education support center

History

Founded in 1895, Sedalia Public Library was first located in the basement of the Pettis County Courthouse. In the Fall of 1899, the Sedalia Public Library Board of Trustees was notified that Sedalia had been awarded a $50,000 Carnegie Grant to build a new library, which was the first to be awarded by Andrew Carnegie in the State of Missouri. The current library building was dedicated in 1901 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The historic Sedalia Public Library building is in the Greek Revival style of architecture constructed of ornate white terra cotta stone with a limestone foundation. Four massive limestone columns support the front porch at the entrance to the library. The interior features the original golden oak woodwork throughout the building, marble floors in the main lobby, 5 ornate fireplaces, glass floors in the stack areas, antique cantilever shelving, a skylight, and a collection of antique furniture and paintings. As visitors enter Sedalia Public Library, they journey back in time to the turn of the century.