The history of the modern era of the Library began in 1908 when Susan Allston started a subscription library of about 4,000 volumes. In 1936, it was taken over by the WPA, and when they departed town, only the skeleton of a public library remained. The Library limped along for the next decade. The city of Georgetown withdrew support in 1949, and although the county continued to fund operations, there was little money for books. Effie Thatcher, a dedicated librarian, organized teas, catered proms, sponsored card parties, and held rummage sales to raise money for books. The Georgetown Library survived, and actually flourished during the 1980s when a new headquarters library and two branches were built under the leadership of Patricia Davis Doyle, head of the Library Board. The narrative ends with a triumphant bicentennial celebration on January 23, 1999.