T.B. Scott Free Library
🏢 Wisconsin Valley Library Service · Merrill, Wisconsin
T.B. Scott Free Library
T.B. Scott Free Library has anchored Lincoln County's civic and literary life since 1891 — built on the philanthropic bequest of Merrill's first mayor, housed in a Prairie School Carnegie building since 1911, and a two-time Wisconsin Library of the Year.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM |
| Thursday | 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM |
| Friday | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Saturday | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 106 W. First St., Merrill, WI 54452
Phone: (715) 536-7191
Website: tbscottlibrary.org
Plus Code: 86QG57HX+PC (Merrill, WI)
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📖 About T.B. Scott Free Library
Thomas Burns Scott — lumberman, legislator, and Merrill's first mayor — willed the city $10,000 in 1886 to establish a free public library. Residents voted to accept the gift in 1889, and the library opened in March 1891, making it among the first twenty public libraries in Wisconsin. Among its early achievements: it established one of Wisconsin's first traveling libraries in 1895, and in 1905 became the first Wisconsin public library to conduct English language classes for immigrants. The current Prairie School building at 106 W First Street, designed by the Madison firm of Claude and Starck, was completed in 1911 with a $17,500 Carnegie Corporation grant and expanded with additions in 1969 and 2001. In 2017 the library installed a 27.25 kW solar array that supplies roughly 15% of annual electricity. The library is a member of the Wisconsin Valley Library Service (WVLS), a 26-library cooperative for north-central Wisconsin, and has won the Wisconsin Library Association's Library of the Year award twice — in 1977 and 2002.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founded 1891 on a bequest from Merrill's first mayor, T.B. Scott — among Wisconsin's first 20 public libraries
- Prairie School Carnegie building (1911) designed by Claude and Starck, with additions in 1969 and 2001
- First Wisconsin public library to offer English language classes for immigrants (1905)
- Wisconsin Library of the Year in 1977 and 2002; solar array installed 2017
- Free notary public services available during library hours
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
T.B. Scott cardholders access Wisconsin's statewide BadgerLink databases plus eBooks, streaming documentaries, and online learning through a full digital suite.
📚 Services
- Free library card for Merrill and Lincoln County residents
- Notary public services — free, available during library hours
- Genealogy research assistance and local history resources
- Interlibrary loan via the WVLS 26-library network
- Room booking for community meetings and events
- Mini food pantry — community donation model, take what you need
- Purchase suggestions — patrons can request titles for the collection
- Outreach services for community engagement
🎸 Programs
- Family Storytime — Wednesdays at 10:30 AM for ages 3–5
- Little Bluebirds Club — monthly for children birth to age 4
- Chess Club — Tuesdays at 4:00 PM, all skill levels welcome
- Real Writers Group — monthly creative writing workshop
- Annual food drive with ongoing mini food pantry
📍 Nearby Libraries in North-Central Wisconsin
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who was T.B. Scott and why is the library named after him?
Thomas Burns Scott was a lumberman, Wisconsin state legislator, and Merrill's first mayor. When he died in 1886, he left $10,000 to the city to establish a free public library. Residents voted in 1889 to accept the bequest, and the library opened in March 1891 — making it one of Wisconsin's first twenty public libraries.
Is the T.B. Scott Free Library a Carnegie library?
Yes — the current Prairie School building at 106 W First Street was funded with a $17,500 Carnegie Corporation grant and completed in 1911. It was designed by the Madison architectural firm of Claude and Starck, the same firm that designed dozens of Wisconsin Carnegie libraries, and has since been expanded in 1969 and 2001.
Does T.B. Scott Free Library offer notary services?
Yes — notary public services are offered free of charge during regular library hours. No appointment is needed, but it's worth calling ahead at (715) 536-7191 to confirm a notary is available, as staff schedules can vary.
What is the Wisconsin Valley Library Service (WVLS)?
WVLS is a cooperative of 26 public libraries serving north-central Wisconsin. T.B. Scott is a member, giving cardholders access to shared catalog resources, interlibrary loans across the region, and cooperative digital services including the shared OverDrive/Libby collection.
📋 This library offers notary services. See what a library notary can do — what to bring, fees and appointments — and find other libraries with a notary notary services by state.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
🎓 This library offers free English (ESL) or citizenship classes. See how library English classes work — free, usually no card needed, with ESL levels, conversation groups and citizenship prep — and find other libraries with classes free English classes by state.
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✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.