Library Board Members
| Board Chairperson – Nancy Wagner |
| Library Director & Board Secretary – Mica Hunter |
| Treasurer/Assistant Secretary – Amy Clites |
| Nick Badwey |
| Wilfredo Blanco-Diaz |
| Cecilia Housman |
| Kelly Tetrick |
| Commission Representative – Kendra Wilkinson |
| Friends of the Library President – Steve Cost |
| City Manager – David Dillner |
| ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Date of List: November 2025 |
Mission
The mission of the Bradford Memorial Library is to provide library services to person of all ages in the community. The library will make readily available the most requested materials in various formats and serve as an access point for any needed information. In addition, emphasis will be placed on encouraging young children to develop an interest in reading for enjoyment and learning.
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History
On March 11, 1897, the El Dorado Free Library was established on the second floor of the city building with a $75 annual allowance from the city fathers. The library was open two hours a day, three days a week.
On December 2, 1912, as a result of a $10,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie, the first public library building opened its doors.
In June 1957, Mrs. Ruth Bradford, a library trustee, donated $200,000 for the erection of a new public library building as a memorial to her husband, Robert Bradford II. Mr. Bradford had been a leading citizen of the El Dorado community; he was president of the El Dorado National Bank, vice-president and treasurer of the El Dorado Refining Company, oil producer, and real estate owner.
In December of 1996, renovation was completed which added space and a new parking lot on the east side of the building.
In November of 1997, the library went online with a new automated circulation system, including dial up access to the public catalog.
In 2015, the library went through a major renovation thanks to donations from people in the local community, which helped update and modernize the library.
In March of 2020, Bradford Memorial Library joined the KanShare consortium, which allows patrons access to seven other different partner libraries in the area. This gives patrons the opportunity to easily utilize the collections of these partner libraries.
The Bradford Memorial Library actively promotes and invites the use of the collection and the facility by the community.