The Jacksonville Public Library began in 1957 as a part of the Calhoun County Library when the Town and Realty Company provided an 8 foot by 17 foot space for the collection of books. A high school student was employed as librarian and paid by the Jacksonville Book Club.
In 1958 more clubs agreed to participate in a building fund and the library moved into city hall. In 1959 it moved into the recreation center; in 1963 Mrs. A. C. Shelton was appointed librarian to keep the library open 20 hours per week instead of the previous nine. The first month this "new" facility was open, 50 books were checked out.
In 1983-1984 the library doubled its floor space in moving from the recreation center to the old post office building, which was built of white Alabama marble in 1940. In 1984 the library boasted a circulation of 39,112 under the leadership of librarian Kathryn Childress.
The library has continued emphatic growth in membership, collection size, programs, and circulation. In FY 1997-1998 circulation was 81,904; by FY 2003-2004, it reached 93,167. Of that number 17,767 were checked out in the month of June alone.
