Mission Statement

Red Oak Public Library is a service agency available free to all people of the community, providing diverse materials in various formats for self-directed learning, information, and recreational reading, listening and viewing.

Library History

Read how this library was established and how it has evolved to become such an important part of our community.

• Before the current library was built, a small circulating library (692 books) was opened in a room at the old Houghton State Bank.

• The Red Oak Public Library is an Andrew Carnegie library, constructed in 1909

• The Herbert C Lane Memorial addition was dedicated in 1924, and the Virginia Kelly Addition was added in 1959, increasing the size of the library by one-third

• In May, 1983, ROPL was listed as an Iowa Historic Site on the National Register of Historic Places

• Interested in more history? Check out Iowa Historical Society.