The first library in Emo was started about 1914 or 1915 in the home of Mrs. Corliss on Hannah Street. Mrs. Corliss had shelves across one end of her front room.  The membership fee to join the library was $1.00 per year.

     Corliss' moved from Emo in the fall of 1918 and the library books were taken to Mrs. Bainbridges where her millinery store had been.  She started a grocery store while looking after the library and the place soon became to crowded.

     The books were then moved to the front of Mrs. Gill Wilcox' boarding house which was situated near the site of the present library.  Here the books remained until about 1926 when they were again moved -- this time to Mrs. Sanderson's home on Colonization Road on the lot where Irwin Morphet now lives.

     The books were next moved to the home of Mrs. Grace Pelletier, but the year is unknown.  The earliest minute book to be found is for the year of 1940 and the library must have been at Pelletier's house at that time, as the minutes state that Mrs. Grace Pelletier was librarian and secretary-treasurer. For this, her remuneration was part payment of her light bill.  She held this position for six years.

     In 1940 the library board consisted of ten trustees with Mrs. Jack Mannister serving as chairman of the board.  Money to operate the  library was raised by canvassing the various clubs and organizations in Emo and by holding a traditional "tea".  For the year of 1940, the council provided the library with $10.00 and a provincial grant of $26.45 was received.

     at this time, some of the books were on loan from a traveling library from Toronto.   The Emo Library also bought a few new books, spending $20.00.  Members of the board chose the books to be purchased, and it seems that all books needed to be censored and approved by the library board before they were allowed on the library shelves.

     In September, the library books were moved to the old red brick schoolhouse where they were housed in the teachers' room.

     In 1945 the board decided to put on a dance to raise money for the library.  The librarian's salary had been raised to $6.00 per month and the year's budget was $186.13.  The library was given a $42.52 provincial grant and since little help was received from the municipality, the board was responsible for raising enough money to carry the library through another year.  A few new books were purchased that year and some were donated to the Emo Library by the Fort Frances Library.  At this time the library had approximately 1,000 books and a membership of 108.

    A small frame building was purchased from Gilbert Corrigan in February of 1954 for the sum of $135.00  This eight foot by twelve foot cabin had been built in the mid-30's buy Ira Dobbs, Sr. on the F. J. Cain farm and had been used, among other things, as a playhouse and later a home.  This building was moved onto the municipal lot on King Street.  Shelves were built lining the walls, a small desk and oil stove added, and the library was open for business--Monday evenings from seven-nine p.m. and Friday afternoons from 2:30-5-30.  The last payment on the building was made in May,1954.  This was the Emo Library for the next 13 years and although it was exceptionally small, it was the first library building, as such, in Emo and the members were well-pleased.  You could browse lazily if you were the only patron in the library.  However, if an additional member or two came in, you would hastily choose a book and be on your way in order to make room for the newcomers, and no one seemed to mind this arrangement.  Our eight foot by twelve foot library was unique, if only in size, and through the years was photographed may times while other more impressive buildings were completely ignored! "Outsiders" could (and did) smile but Emo had a library building--and it was a beginning.

     By 1958 Emo was borrowing books from the Northwestern Regional Library Co-operative.  Their headquarters were in Fort William and they serviced the outlying communities by bookmobile.  In 1965 books were exchange through the NRL Coop at the cost to the Emo Public Library of $160.20 per year.  The rate was set according to the amount of books borrowed

     In July , 1966, a letter was received from W.A. Roedde, director of Public Library Service, stating that no legislative grant would be paid to former public library associations in 1967.  A motion was passed at the august 22, 1966 meeting that the council be asked to establish a public library.  The council passed By-law No. 771 on December 12, 1966: "That a Public Library be established in this municipality in accordance with the provisions of the Public Libraries Act."

     The local Kinsmen undertook to erect a new building for the library overlooking the river, on Mill Street, with the aid of a government centennial grant, and the new library was opened in July, 1967.  Miss Charlotte Cook was hired as librarian and remained until her retirement in October 1975 when she was replaced by Ida Olsen.

  In 1986 the library had a new addition put on and Ida Olsen remained as librarian until her retirement in 1990.  She was replaced as librarian by her assistant Shirley Sheppard.