Polk County Library
🏢 Missouri Evergreen · Bolivar, Missouri
Polk County Library
The Polk County Library in Bolivar is the only Carnegie library in Polk County and one of just 22 in Missouri — erected in 1915 with an $8,000 Carnegie grant on land donated by local philanthropist T.H.B. Dunnegan — and today serves more than 31,000 county residents from four branch locations.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–8pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–5pm |
| Thursday | 9am–8pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–5pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 1690 W Broadway St, Bolivar, MO 65613
Phone: (417) 326-4531
Website: polkcolibrary.org
Plus Code: 8698JH6C+QF (Bolivar, MO)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Polk County Library
The Polk County Library was built in 1915 after local leaders secured an $8,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie, with land donated by T.H.B. Dunnegan, head of the Bolivar Library Board. It is the only Carnegie library in Polk County and one of only 22 Carnegie library buildings in Missouri. The building proved popular from the start: in just its first five days of operation it issued 430 reader cards and circulated 400 books in a town of fewer than 2,000 people. The library has grown alongside Bolivar ever since; today it holds 57,931 volumes and circulates more than 158,000 items per year through its main Bolivar location and three branch libraries in Humansville, Fair Play, and Morrisville. It participates in Missouri Evergreen, the statewide resource-sharing consortium, giving patrons access to materials from public libraries across Missouri. The library also serves as a designated extreme-weather shelter — a cooling center in summer and a warming center in winter — reflecting its deep role as a community anchor in Polk County.
⭐ What makes this library special
- One of only 22 Carnegie library buildings in Missouri — constructed in 1915 with an $8,000 Carnegie grant on land donated by local philanthropist T.H.B. Dunnegan
- Served 430 new cardholders and circulated 400 books in its first five days alone, in a town with fewer than 2,000 residents
- Four branch locations serving all of Polk County: Bolivar (main), Humansville, Fair Play & Morrisville
- Collection of 57,931 volumes with 158,000+ annual circulations; 147,000+ items including 56,966 eBooks through Missouri Evergreen
- Designated extreme-weather community shelter: cooling center in summer and warming center in winter
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Polk County cardholders can borrow and research free through Missouri's statewide digital collections:
📚 Services
- Free library card for all Polk County residents
- Four branch locations: Bolivar (main), Humansville, Fair Play & Morrisville
- Free public Wi-Fi at all locations
- Public computers and internet access
- Printing, copying & scanning
- Interlibrary loan through Missouri Evergreen statewide network
- Extreme-weather community shelter (cooling & warming center)
- Meeting and program space
🎸 Programs
- Story time for toddlers and preschoolers
- Youth summer reading program
- Job-search and career workshops
- Adult programs and book discussions
- Community events and exhibits
- 538+ programs annually across all locations
📍 Nearby Libraries in Southwest Missouri
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Polk County Library really a Carnegie library, and what does that building look like today?
Yes. In 1915, local library board chair T.H.B. Dunnegan donated land and Andrew Carnegie provided $8,000 to construct the original building, making it the only Carnegie library in Polk County and one of 22 surviving Carnegie library buildings in Missouri. The current main location at 1690 W Broadway is the modernized successor facility that has grown from those roots to serve the county's 31,000-plus residents.
Does the Polk County Library have branches, or is there only one location?
There are four locations in all: the main library in Bolivar (1690 W Broadway), plus branch libraries in Humansville, Fair Play, and Morrisville. All four offer free Wi-Fi, public computers, and access to the statewide Missouri Evergreen catalog.
Can I access eBooks and digital materials with a Polk County library card?
Yes. Your free Polk County card gives access to Missouri Evergreen's shared collection of 56,966 eBooks and audiobooks through Libby, plus hoopla for no-waitlist streaming of movies, music, comics, and audiobooks. Statewide databases through Missouri's READS program are also available.
What is the extreme-weather shelter at the Polk County Library?
The main Bolivar library serves as an official community shelter during dangerous weather conditions — a cooling center during extreme heat in summer and a warming center during extreme cold in winter. Anyone can use the facility during those activations regardless of whether they hold a library card.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
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