Adult fiction and non-fiction, contemporary, classics and best
sellers
Large print books,
Jr. and children’s books
Magazines, newspapers, reference material
Books on audio tapes and CD’s
VHS and DVD
The library was started in 1968 in the building
known as the Beerman Store, which was shared with the post office.
The library was open 19 hours a week, open every day except Sunday.
The board agreed that no "quiet" sign would be hung,
since the library was to be a comfortable & welcoming place
for people to visit. At the end of the first year, 5,885 books
had been circulated to the 385 registered borrowers. Library cards
with numbers were first assigned in 1980 to assure privacy for
all borrowers. By 1981, Ventura began to participate in an Interlibrary
Loan program through the State Library & Regional Libraries
cooperation, allowing books to be borrowed from other Iowa Libraries
for the use of Ventura patrons, as well as loaning our books out
to other towns.
In
1985, our first computer was purchased with the help of a grant
from Kinney-Lindstrom Foundation. In 1989, the library had completed
it's collection for the computer database for the Iowa Locator
(now know as SILO on the Internet). Since 1986, all Library Directors
have been certified by the State of Iowa. The Library has met
& maintained the standards set forth by the State & has
been Accredited by the State Library of Iowa since 1992. (not
an easy thing to accomplish for most small towns in Iowa!)
A New library building was built on the original
site in March of 1992. The library was temporarily relocated to
the basement of the United Methodist Church until December of
1992, with the help of many volunteers, moved into the new building
& had the Grand Opening on December 5, 1992.
The Ventura Talent Contest began in 1991 as both
a fund-raiser for the new building & also as part of the sister
city celebration with Ventura, California. The winner of the Contest
was flown to Ventura, CA, as a representative of our North Iowa
talent, and to participate in their Talent Show, too.
Videos
were added to the collection in 1994, ranging in how-to, educational,
& popular family videos.
The Library was connected to the Internet in January
1997, for both staff & patron use. In 2001, completion of
the libraries collection was changed from the card catalog to
the "On-Line Catalog" Computer. We now have five computers
in the library; three computers hooked up to the Internet for
public use, and two for games and school reports.
Hours:
Services
Available: