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Children enter the unique building that now houses the Santaquin library. The building was built in 1901 and was the first LDS church building in Santaquin. The building fell into disrepair and was used to store apples and hay until eight years ago when Santaquin City purchased the building and with federal grant money were able to restore the building. Photo by Debbie Balzotti.

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A patron at the Santaquin library chooses a book from the shelf. The current Santaquin Library serves the surrounding cities of Payson, Mona, Goshen, Genola and Elberta. Photo by Debbie Balzotti.

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SANTAQUIN — At first glance, the brick building located across from the Santaquin city offices looks like an old church building. And at one time it was. Now that old church building is home to the Santaquin Library, which serves several nearby communities. Built in 1901 as the first LDS church building in Santaquin, the building had fallen into disrepair until its restoration eight years ago.

Lyn Oryall, Santaquin Library director, remembers the restoration process.

“After it was a church, the building was used for apple and hay storage, and then another religious denomination owned it,” Oryall said.

After the city purchased the building it was able to use a matching federal grant to preserve the historic treasure.

“The barrel vault ceiling was actually discovered during the demolition of the ceiling,” Oryall said. “The ceiling had been lowered but the marks of the original beams were still there. The Gothic windows were there but Bitsy Schultz, a Salem artist, added the stained glass.”

The current Santaquin Library serves the surrounding cities of Payson, Mona, Goshen, Genola and Elberta.

“We will have a summer reading program for kids along with our weekly preschool storytime on Wednesdays and Thursdays,” Oryall said. “This is one of our most popular programs.”

The reading program “One World, Many Stories” will kick-off on Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. and will run through July 28. Children can register for the reading program and take part in booths and games. New this year is a read-to-me program for kids 5 and under and a weekly craft for $1. Storytime takes place at the library every Wednesday and Thursday at 11 a.m.

Although the library building began as a church then became a storage warehouse, it now provides a place to welcome library visitors who come to read or find just the right book to take home.

For more information about the library’s programs, call (801) 754-3030 or visit the library at 20 S. 100 West in Santaquin.