Bell Memorial Library

Mission Statement
Our mission is to provide access to information for life.

History of the Library
The first actual library service for the town of Mentone was the H. Parmalee Company of Chicago. By subscribing to a particular amount, a town or neighbor was entitled to the use of 2000 volumes for two years, sent by Parmalee in installments of fifty books. Parmalee also encouraged the establishment of book clubs, and would, for a fee, arrange for home delivery. The Parmalee Library is first mentioned in the Mentone Tri-County Gazette in late 1899.

On Nov. 1, 1918, the library was moved to a room in a building owned by Carlyn Myers on the north side of Main Street. In 1936 the Library Board voted to purchase a building and lot on the south side of Main Street for $2600 as permanent quarters for the library. The library remained there until 1960 when it opened at 306 N. Broadway. The library moved to 101 W Main St. where it remains today. This renovated building that was the former Frank Manufacturing Building, houses a licensed daycare and a senior citizen center. (Funding was partly from a CFF Grant from the Department of Commerce. From the 644 books in 1917, the library now has over 38,000 copies for loan.