About Us
The Cedar County Library was voted into existence in April 1, 1947, along with a $.10 per hundred dollar valuation in property tax to support it.
- The Cedar County Library and Dallas County Library formed the Cedar-Dallas Cooperative in 1949.
- The El Dorado Springs Library, which was begun by the Twentieth Century Club, became a part of the Cedar County Library in 1949.
- Polk County Library joined the Cooperative in 1951. Bolivar Public Library became a part of Polk County Library in 1951.
- Cedar County Library, Dallas County Library, and Polk County Library then became Southwest Regional Library.
- Later, Dade County Library and Hickory County joined, and Dallas County Library dropped out of Southwest Regional Library in 1965.
Southwest Regional Library broke apart in 1995, and the county libraries went their separate ways. John D. Smith gave a building to the city of El Dorado Springs to be used as a library. The Friends of the Library, Inc. of El Dorado Springs were very instrumental in gathering donations to be used in the refurbishing of the building. Many Friends donated time and labor for this to happen in 1998. Cedar County Library rents the building from the City of El Dorado Springs. In 2020, the Cedar County Library District began a fundraising campaign to build a new library building in El Dorado Springs.
Cedar County Library automated their collection in 2001, and developed their first website with an online catalog. They began to offer free public wi-fi in 2006. A tornado took the Stockton Branch in 2003, and it operated out of a modular classroom for five years. A generous donor gave the library a start on raising the money for a new building in 2006. The building was started in 2007 and finished in 2008. The library is very grateful to the people who voted the 1/4 of cent sales tax in 2017 to support the library.
Branches:
Geneva Sharp Branch
717 East St, Stockton, MO 65785
417-276-3413
El Dorado Springs Branch
808 S. Main, El Dorado Springs, MO 64744
417-876-4827
Hours:
Both Branches
Monday – Friday : 9:00 am to 6:00 pm | Saturday – 9 am to 3 pm | Sunday CLOSED |
Current Board Members
Kay Forest, Board President
Carole Rickman, Board Treasurer
Carol Butts, Board Secretary
Bennie Salkil, Member
Larry Nottingham, Member
Meet Our Staff
Kim Schmid – Co-Director
Dr. Shannon Snow – Co-Director
Jesi Beauchamp – District Manager
Geneva Sharp, Stockton Branch
Kristine Bredvick – Circulation Clerk
Tiffani Coyle – Circulation Clerk/Children’s Programs
Nick Gardner – Circulation Clerk
Faith King – Circulation Clerk
Dollie Thiele-Martin – Advanced Cataloger
John D. Smith, El Dorado Springs Branch
Linda Jamison – Circulation Clerk
Kathy Koca – Circulation Clerk/Cataloger/Children’s Programs
Linda Mann – Circulation Clerk/Cataloger
Michelle Swager – Circulation Clerk