Libraries

Libraries in Cleveland County emerged as vital community hubs that fostered a love for reading and learning among residents. These libraries served as important resources for education and empowerment, providing access to a wide range of books and information. Through their collections and programming, libraries in the area played a crucial role in shaping the cultural and educational landscape of Cleveland County.

Spangler Library is the oldest library in the county. Once the library on the campus of Piedmont High School, it is a branch of the Cleveland County Library System. It was named for Clemmie D. and Veva Yelton Spangler and is located at 112 Piedmont Dr. Lawndale, NC. Listen to a podcast of the library’s history.

In 1910, this building was the bequest of Miss Sallie Waters, erected in memory of her brother, Abraham G. Waters, a Captain in Company F, 34th NC Infantry, Confederate Army. From the Piedmont High School catalogue for academic year 1910-1911:

“Capt. Waters was killed in the battle of Gains Mill, near Richmond, Virginia, June 27, 1862. The legacy was not sufficient for the building desired but the deficit was made up by Major H. F. Schenck and Mr. John F. Schenck. The building, thirty by thirty-six, two stories, built of pressed brick, the smallest but the finest of our buildings, adorns the crest of the hill. It is a fit monument for one who gave life for native land—more appropriate by far than glistering marble or lofty granite.”

Mauney Library. Originally the personal home of Dr. J. G. Hord, this library was named for Jacob and Margaret Rudisill Mauney and is located at 100 S. Piedmont Ave. in Kings Mountain, NC. More history here.

Then. . .

Now. . .

Shelby Public Library. The library in Shelby began in 1911 when six friends–Mrs. Madge Webb Riley, sisters Oeland, Cora, and Fan Barnett, Anne Miller, and Mamie Jones–founded Cleveland County’s first lending library in a single, unheated room behind the law offices of R.L. Ryburn, Esq., adjacent to the County Court Square. They began with “two tables, two bookcases, six split-bottom chairs, and 50 books,” and were open two afternoons a week, organized and staffed on a completely volunteer basis. More history is here.

The Shelby City Council Chamber now occupies the space at 300 S. Washington St. Shelby, NC.

Then. . .

In 1971, the Shelby Public Library relocated to a new building at 104 Howie Dr. Shelby. The name changed to Cleveland County Memorial Library. Another name change occurred in 2020; it is now known as the Eugenia Harrill Young Library.

Now. . .

John R. Dover Library. This is the campus library of Gardner-Webb University. During the early years of Boiling Springs Junior College, the first library on campus was located in the Huggins-Curtis Building, named for two of the prominent families who provided the school with land and administrative support. J. D. Huggins was one of the founders of the high school and his family’s house was located approximately where the current Dover Library is. The Huggins-Curtis building was destroyed by a fire in 1957. Continued. . .

The Digital Commons @ Gardner-Webb University is a service of the Dover Library. This extensive institutional repository offers numerous materials relevant to Cleveland County’s history. These materials are free to browse and/or download.

Rose Library. This library is named for James Marion “Jim” Rose and his wife Patsy Bland Rose who were faithful supporters of Cleveland Community College and education in general. It is located on the 1st floor of the Jack Hunt Campus Center.