[6] After the Chautauqua association had their first session in DeFuniak Springs, locals realized there was a need for library resources to support it.

[7] The establishment of a railroad in the region increased exposure to the DeFuniak village as a developing area for educational, cultural, and social opportunities.

[7] Early writers saw this growth as a response to the cultural and educational needs of society, laying the foundation for theories of public library development based on democratic traditions or multiple social forces later associated prominently with Sidney Ditzion and Jesse Shera.

[8] The 1900 census revealed the DeFuniak Springs area experienced a population growth rate of 147 percent over a ten-year span.

[7] Local women raised 580 dollars in 1886-7 to build the library, and land on Lake DeFuniak for an annual rent of 25 cents.

[2] The library was sustained by subscription payments from members until the 1960s when the local government took over the financial responsibility to maintain the facility.

The library is also home to a collection of antique arms and armor originally owned by Palmer College's Professor Kenneth Bruce.