Organized by eight women in October 1927, the group was originally named the Cannon Beach Civic Club. Cannon Beach was then a small village of about fifty families and the women felt that a congenial social group was needed that could also do worthwhile things for the community. Minnie Nicholson was the first club president and was later know as the “Mother of the Cannon Beach Library.”
In November the club joined the Oregon Traveling Library program through the Oregon State Library and received 54 books to help start the library. For the first year the books were stored on three shelves in the local variety store, La Rose Shop. By late 1928 the Library had grown enough to rent its own space in the Gerritse Building. A plaque was placed on the building honoring the first home of the Cannon Beach Library. In 1945 the library moved from the Gerritse Building to a small cottage on Second Street. 10 years later, with donations and community support, the library purchased the building and continued in that location for the next 20 years. In 1976 the library was dedicated in its present location, and in 1997 the children’s room addition was built. The library is a private, nonprofit organization staffed by volunteers and a full-time office manager, and supported by fundraising events, used book sales, and donations. Generous support from our volunteers and donors has made library services possible for Cannon Beach, Tolovana Park and Arch Cape residents and visitors for 90 years. Services and programs include: eBooks, internet access, free WIFI, book sale room, interlibrary loan, NW Author Series, Haystack Rock Awareness Program lectures, Cannon Beach Reads book club, and a variety of children’s programs. Family cards are just $10.00 for the year!
