Great Bend Public Library

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Great Bend Public Library The GBPL fosters the spirit of exploration, lifelong learning, & the joy of reading. From the start the library in Great Bend went Beyond the Book.

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Our Beginnings:
Around 1896 a group of ladies organized 2 literary groups, the Athenian Club and the Progress Club. They, along with the Commercial Club (what would now be similar to the Chamber of Commerce) petitioned the Carnegie Foundation for funds for a local library. The Free Library and Reading Room opened on August 14, 1908 and Miss Sabina Deighton served as the town’s 1st librarian until her death in 1933. In the original building the main floor was the library, but the second floor was more of a community center, holding dances, meetings, Community Theatre, socials and even school classrooms. Eventually a children’s room opened in the basement of the building. The library’s current building opened on February 1, 1971 and demolition on the original Carnegie library began on January 25, 1972. On January 23, 1971 local children helped move books from the old children’s room to the new building by forming a long line and pass books along. The rest of the collection was moved by conveyor belt and a moving company. Social Media Conduct Policy: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1z5_nE9O0ZGPqrlJoHRW5leYaX2qsDvoo/view?usp=drive_link

Make a miniature fairy garden or capture a little ghost in a bottle! Supplies are limited. First come, first served.
10/13/2026

Make a miniature fairy garden or capture a little ghost in a bottle! Supplies are limited. First come, first served.

Try out our escape room inspired by everyone’s favorite pocket monsters! Reserve your time slot online. Link in comments...
10/13/2026

Try out our escape room inspired by everyone’s favorite pocket monsters! Reserve your time slot online. Link in comments!

Tomorrow, get creative in the Teen Spot and turn paper pulp and paint into 3D pieces of art!
10/13/2026

Tomorrow, get creative in the Teen Spot and turn paper pulp and paint into 3D pieces of art!

Join us for a special story time on Tuesday, October 13th at 10:30 A.M.
10/12/2026

Join us for a special story time on Tuesday, October 13th at 10:30 A.M.

Check out our new cooking class with a healthy twist! The K-State Extension office will be here to teach us how to cook ...
10/12/2026

Check out our new cooking class with a healthy twist! The K-State Extension office will be here to teach us how to cook with healthy ingredients to help manage conditions like hypertension and diabetes.

Take a breather from Novelvember prep to listen to our guest speaker, Laurie Murray, who is returning to share more of h...
10/12/2026

Take a breather from Novelvember prep to listen to our guest speaker, Laurie Murray, who is returning to share more of her projects inspired by real life experiences. Murray, a former assistant professor, teaching fellow, lecturer of English, and writing center director, taught creative nonfiction in Tennessee and South Carolina. Her essay "Maidenhair" was the runner up in "The Iowa Review 2015 Awards" and was published in the winter edition 2015/2016.

Come and learn the basics for creating text-based documents with Microsoft Word.
10/11/2026

Come and learn the basics for creating text-based documents with Microsoft Word.

Bingo is back at the library! The first bingo card is free, but if you like the thrill of running multiple cards at a ti...
10/11/2026

Bingo is back at the library! The first bingo card is free, but if you like the thrill of running multiple cards at a time, make a donation for up to four more (while supplies last)! Your generous donations will help fund this event and future rounds of bingo.

Address

1409 Williams Street
Great Bend, KS
67530

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm

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