Grace Keiser Maring Branch Library

A Donation

The south and west side populations of Muncie continued to grow rapidly.  In the librarian’s annual report given to the board in January 1923, the librarian considered it very urgent that a library branch be established on the south side of Muncie in the vicinity of the Wilson Junior High School, as the deposit stations were not enough.  At the April 1923 board meeting, Mrs. Elizabeth Keckley presented a petition with 500 signatures from residents of the south side asking for a branch library. Although the board had favorably received the petition, nothing was done to further this endeavor until 1929 when the city received a bequest from Mrs. Grace Keiser Maring, a wealthy woman and former library board member. She had left in her will a gift of $25,000 to build a branch library. 

With the consent of the city’s Park Board and the heirs of Mrs. Maring, the library decided to build on a site in Heekin Park at the southwest corner of the park facing Madison Street. [Charles] Houck and [Herbert] Smenner from Muncie were chosen as architects, and library funds equipped the building. Plans for the new library branch would not only include areas to house the various collections, but MPL recognized that this area of Muncie needed a community cultural, educational, and recreational center, which is why a community room with a kitchenette was included in the design. It also had a fireplace in the children’s area, a workroom, and restrooms. 

MPL's First Branch

Modernization

By 1951, the Maring Branch Library, well-loved and used by the community, needed modernization as increased activity in the neighborhood suggested that the branch would become even busier. Garfield School had just modernized and had increased enrollment. The Muncie Boys’ Club had just relocated to Madison Street. The city had plans to launch an ambitious, new park program, which the library planned to participate in, and more housing was being developed in the area. As a result, the MPL launched a major renovation program for both the interior and exterior of Maring Branch Library, which included replacing the lighting, updating furniture, installing a water heater, purchasing a typewriting and adding machine, repairing sidewalks/steps/masonry, cleaning and painting the exterior trim, updating the landscaping, and more! By the end of the renovation, the southside essentially had a modern library to call their own. 

50th anniversary

In 1980, Maring Library celebrated its 50th anniversary with a rededication program at the library on October 20. Planned by a staff committee, the program included pictorial histories of the branch over its fifty years of service in Muncie as well that of Ball Corporation, a display of Ball jars, a talk given by Assistant Superintendent of the Muncie School Corporation Dr. Sam F. Abram, entertainment from the Senior Kids Rhythm Band, and refreshments. Dr. John Pruis presented a leather-bound copy of Ball Corporation: The First Century to the library for the Goddard collection. 

Consolidation

Maring Library Today

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