The Kansas legislature in 1893 passed a special act giving the Board of Education of Kansas City, Kansas authority to accept responsibility for administering the library. In 1899 the library came under the authority of the Board of Education and remains under it today. The original Carnegie library building at 625 Minnesota Avenue circa 1911. The cornerstone of the building was laid at night under new electric arc lights on September 6, 1902. Three thousand people turned out to witness the event.
 |
Sarah Richart, a former teacher and president of the Federation of Clubs, proposed a tax on the dogs of the city and had herself appointed as "dog enumerator." Instead of pocketing the receipts, as was the previously accepted custom, Mrs. Richart turned the money over to the public library fund, which was used to buy books for the library.
|