In 1911 Webster Groves residents William and Jennie Jager donated land to the Monday Club to erect a building, under the condition that it include space for a public library.

[3] During the 1930s, a second library was established in North Webster with the help of Douglass High School Principal Howell Goins for access by African-Americans.

A site was picked at the corner of Lockwood and Orchard Avenues, along the southern edge of the neighborhood known as Webster Park.

The library board voted to purchase this house and subsequently applied to the Webster Groves Plan Commission for a Conditional Use Permit to subdivide the rather large lot this house sat on, in order to build a parking lot at the southeast corner of Lockwood and Orchard Avenues.

The plan occasioned some opposition in the community from people who did not want a parking lot built and did not believe that the level of traffic in and out of the library made it necessary.

In February 2009, voters in Webster Groves approved a 13 ½ cent tax levy increase.

Their surety company, Travelers Insurance, stepped in and oversaw the hiring of a new general contractor, Demien Construction.