The Waterville Public Library is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2006. In April, 1906, the Shakespeare Club (a women's study club,) appoint a committee to "agitate for a public library and reading room." The group sent for a traveling library from Topeka in October of 1906. The books were kept in the Eli Peterson store.

Members were assessed 10 cents each to help with the cost of transporting the books from Topeka.