Belleville Public Library
🏢 Central Kansas Library System · Belleville, Kansas
Belleville Public Library
Founded through grassroots community effort in 1926 and housed since 1956 in a landmark Contemporary-style building at the heart of Republic County, Belleville Public Library is home to one of Kansas's most intact WPA Heritage Art collections — 43 landmark prints, 17 pairs of costume dolls, and wildflower paintings produced during the New Deal era.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–5:30pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–5:30pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–5:30pm |
| Thursday | 10am–5:30pm |
| Friday | 10am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–1pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 1327 19th Street, Belleville, KS 66935
Phone: (785) 527-5305
Website: bellevillelibrary.org
Plus Code: 86F4R9F9+3R (Belleville, KS)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Belleville Public Library
Belleville Public Library has served as the cultural anchor of Republic County since 1926, when representatives from nineteen Belleville community organizations and churches pooled book and money donations to rent a reading room on the west side of the town square for $10 a month. After occupying several downtown locations through the 1930s and 1940s, the library moved into its current purpose-built Contemporary-style building in 1956 — erected on the site of the former Republic County Jail — featuring intersecting shed roof forms and banks of windows architecturally innovative for a small Kansas town. A 1983 addition and a major remodeling in 1998 expanded the facility. Today the library holds more than 20,000 volumes, circulates nearly 48,000 items per year, and serves roughly 2,000 Belleville and Republic County residents. As a member of the Central Kansas Library System (CKLS), patrons can borrow statewide through the shared catalog and SHAREit interlibrary loan network.
⭐ What makes this library special
- WPA Heritage Art Exhibit: 43 Kansas landmark prints by Margaret Whittemore, 17 pairs of historic costume dolls, 5 wildflower paintings by Avis Chitwood, and 6 wooden models — delivered November 1938; one of Kansas's most complete surviving WPA Museum Project collections
- Founded in 1926 through donations from nineteen Belleville community organizations; moved to its 1956 Contemporary-style building on the site of the former Republic County Jail
- Collection of 20,136+ volumes with annual circulation of approximately 48,287 items
- Member of the Central Kansas Library System (CKLS), with statewide interlibrary loan via SHAREit
- Access to the State Library of Kansas digital collection — CloudLibrary eBooks, Comics Plus, Britannica, and research databases via a free Kansas Library eCard
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Belleville cardholders can access Kansas statewide digital resources free with a Kansas Library eCard:
📚 Services
- Books, audiobooks, and DVD lending
- Interlibrary loan (ILL) via CKLS/SHAREit — statewide and national borrowing
- Kansas Library eCard issuance for statewide digital resource access
- Public computers and internet access
- Photocopying and printing
- Reference and reader advisory assistance
- WPA Heritage Art Exhibit on permanent display
🎸 Programs
- Summer Reading Program (children and adults)
- Story time for young children
- Books for Babies early literacy outreach
- Annual Cookie Walk and Tree Lighting community event
- National Library Week programming for children and adults
📍 Nearby Libraries in North-Central Kansas
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the WPA Heritage Art collection at Belleville Public Library?
Belleville Public Library is home to one of Kansas's most complete surviving WPA Museum Project collections. In November 1938 the library received 43 Kansas landmark prints by artist Margaret Whittemore, 17 pairs of historic costume dolls in traditional dress, 5 Kansas wildflower paintings by Avis Chitwood, and 6 intricate wooden models — all produced by workers employed through the Works Progress Administration. Kansas was one of only three states to operate a WPA Museum Extension Project, distributing handcraft and visual-aid materials to educational institutions statewide during the Great Depression.
When was the library founded, and how did it begin?
The library traces its roots to 1926, when representatives from nineteen Belleville community organizations and churches joined together to collect book and money donations and rent a room on the west side of the town square for $10 a month. After occupying several other downtown locations through the 1930s and 1940s, the library moved into its current purpose-built building in 1956 — on the site of the former Republic County Jail — and expanded with an addition in 1983 and a major remodeling in 1998.
Can I borrow from other Kansas libraries through Belleville Public Library?
Yes. Belleville is a member of the Central Kansas Library System (CKLS). Through the shared catalog at catalog.ckls.org and the statewide SHAREit interlibrary loan network, patrons can borrow materials from libraries across Kansas and from libraries nationwide. Requests can be placed in person, by phone at (785) 527-5305, or by email.
What digital resources can I access with a Belleville library card?
With a free Kansas Library eCard (issued at Belleville Public Library), Republic County residents can access the State Library of Kansas's statewide digital collection: CloudLibrary eBooks and audiobooks, Comics Plus (comics, graphic novels, and manga), Vooks animated storybooks, BookFlix, Britannica Collective, and research databases covering health, business, genealogy, and more. The Kansas statewide catalog is searchable at catalog.library.ks.gov.
✎ Notice something out of date? Suggest a correction and we’ll verify and update it.
