West River Eagle

Thanks for Giving: Hats off and thank you to… Dakota Club Library: 87 years old and counting



Avid readers cannot live without a supply of books from which they select their escape or refuge.

Living in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, located 90 miles from Pierre, and more miles from other major SD cities, running to the local book store or library is not a 20-minute round trip venture.

In 1930, that hour and a half trip today would have been even longer, and TV and the internet was not available for sleepless nights.

So, a group of women created the Dakota Club and established the Dakota Club Library, which stands today at 219 Main St. in Eagle Butte.

The library services approximately 1800 people a month.

There are several computers available for people on the Cheyenne-River Reservation who need access to the computer or Internet for research, job search, or other needs. As well as walls lined with books

Although small, the library has a cozy feel to it, and still offers residents that opportunity to escape into the imaginations of writers across the world, or explore the facts of many different fields of study.

The library operates on a budget funded with moneys from the Ziebach and Dewey Counties along with grants and fundraising efforts.

The library has a Facebook account, Dakota Club Library, and is open from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday & Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday; 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Fridays. The contact number is (605) 964-7661.

The current librarian since 2010, Leisah Blue Spruce, said “The City of Eagle Butte gives us no money. We get $1,000 from Ziebach County and Dewey gives us $13,500. We partner with the tribe for a $7,000 grant. The rest of the income is from fundraisers and grants.”

While the small local library seems a quiet building that several people say they have not entered, libraries are a goldmine for everyone who wants to expand their minds and explore new and imagined worlds.

We are fortunate to have such a long-standing gem in our community.

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