Honoring the women of Priest River Library in centennial year

A century of books, learning, and community programs — Priest River Library is turning 100 in 2026.

From its humble beginnings in 1926 to its modern-day home, fully equipped with free Wi-Fi and welcoming spaces for the community, the library has grown alongside the people it serves. The community is invited to celebrate this important milestone Saturday, Oct. 3, during Priest River's Oktoberfest.

As the library staff and Friends of the Library volunteers plan the celebration, it would also like to acknowledge the efforts of all the women who have helped through the years. Marie Duncan is one of those women. She has been involved with the library since 1965.

Here is what she remembers.

Marie Duncan says that the first thing she did upon moving to Priest River in 1962 was to get a library card. She was working as the secretary to the bank manager on the corner of High and Main streets in the Beardmore Building. The Idaho First National Bank required its employees to participate in one civic duty, and Marie chose to help with the volunteer library. She was 25 years old.

“It was one of my best decisions,” she said, noting she's been volunteering ever since.

Marie describes the first library, located in a small room in City Hall, as “little but efficient.”

Rumor was that City Hall was built by the WPA and was required to have a library in the building. Prior to the City Hall room, Priest River women were having the library “here and there” and wherever they could find free rent. One popular fundraiser was the annual cookbooks; in fact, Marie still has two of these treasured cookbooks. The books contained local recipes for things like hard tack and picking a goose as well as stories of the times and local ads where the listed phone number was only four numbers.

Marie recalls that the first cookbook sold for $1.50 in 1960 and the Centennial edition celebrating the 100-year anniversary of Priest River in 1989 sold for $10.

“It was all women and they were all volunteers,” Marie remembers warmly. 

Marie also remembers a bi-annual cleaning day where they took all of the books off of the library shelves and wiped down everything. Marie is excited about the 100-year anniversary because these women's efforts will be acknowledged.  Marie shakes her head as she recalls the one-room library as compared to the large facility we have today on Main Street. Even the name and the area served have changed: from Priest River to West Bonner County.

Marie admits that she has always loved libraries and books. She tells a funny story of crossing the border into Canada with her family right after World War II. Her mother who was born in Germany and did not drive did not have a driver’s license. They were not going to let her into Canada without an ID so she told the family to go without her, and she would wait in the U.S. Then she produced her library card and they let her through. So, Marie feels that she has always had a special connection with libraries. 

“As a child it was a special occasion to get to go to the library to get books. I even remember the smell of the place,” she said.

Marie considers the library “a gem of the community.” People can read without investing money. The library has printers, copiers, computers, children’s programs, teen programs, cooking and sewing classes, crafts, community and cultural discussions. She also helps coordinate Book Talk, a book club free to the public that meets monthly since 2008.  She says that if you join a book club, you end up reading things that you wouldn’t necessarily pick up. 

“It is a great way to get to know people and their backgrounds and beliefs.” People who prefer audiobooks can obtain them for free at the library on the Libby app or buy them for $1 at Main Street Books.

Marie is also a longstanding member of the West Bonner County Friends of the Library. The FOL is a non-profit group of dedicated volunteers that support library events and raise money through Main Street Books, the adjacent used bookstore and through the annual "Beer & Wine Tasting Auction."

People can usually see Marie on the first Saturday of each month at Main Street Books. These days feature a bonus sale and typically have the most customers along with Marie's friendly smile. In Marie’s perspective, Main Street Books is a “labor of love for the library and also the community.”

Marie is proud of the growth of the library and all the free programs that it offers the community. “The library’s amazing administration and staff have been able to build on the backs of those early volunteers.  Priest River is lucky to have such smart, dedicated women who still work, staff and volunteer at the library.” So come out for Oktoberfest and the 100 year celebration of Priest River Library. There is always a big outdoor book sale in front of Main Street Books during Oktoberfest. 

This year will be special with games and prizes. Community members are invited to stop by, buy a book, and say hi to Marie as well as the rest of the library staff and volunteers.

    Priest River Public Library volunteers and staff are pictured in this 1989 photo. Pictured seated, from left, are Joyce Gillespie, Mary Sperry, Clara Brudie, Shirley Murray and Kay Small. Pictured standing, from left, are Sandy Bogen, Mary Will, Marie Duncan, Pat Moriniti and Priest River librarian Connie Salesky. Not pictured are Jan Nelson and Evelyn Gleason.