The following is an article from the Madison Paper when the new Carnegie Library was complete.

"The new Carnegie library was opened to the public Tuesday evening.  Everyone who has visited it is delighted with the building and its furnishings.  Madison certainly has reason to be proud of her library and grateful to Mr. Carnegie for his gift and to those members of the original Library committee who mad the effort to secure it.  Much commendation is also due to the building committee for the work they have done and for the careful management that enabled them to finish within the required amount.

Great things from small beginning often grow and this has been the case with the library movement here.  Even the most sanguone of those who were so desirous of having a public library scarcely hoped for so beautiful and complete a building in such a short time from that evening, when, in the Parents and Teachers league it was decided to hold a mass meeting in the opera house and urge upon the people the necessity of a public library and reading-room.  Now the city has a beautiful building of its own situated opposite the court house in a park that in a few years will be a real beauty spot in the town.  The location is easily accessible from the main business street, yet it is away from the dust of a busier street and the noise that is likely to be distressing to the reader and student.  Having a whole city square of its own, the air and light are the best.

The building is sixty feet long, and forty feet wide, consisting of one story and a basement.  It is built mainly of Omaha hydraulic pressed brick, with foundation of Dell Rapids granite and trimmings of Kasota stone.

The classic style of building has always been a visible expression of high culture, and the divine function of architecture to elevate, to purify, and refine can be seen in the effects upon people of buildings of this style, so Madison's library will surely help in the art education of its citizens.

The entrance is imposing.  Two columns of white Kasota stone support the roof of the little portico leading to the double doors of oak paneled with plate glass, which are the main entrance, inside is the vestibule, which opens into the main part of the library.  Directly in front is the charging desk, a handsome semi-circular piece of furniture, made of beautifully polished quartered oak, with plenty of space on top to accommodate all the books even of those who rush in at the ninth hour on Saturday night for books for Sunday reading.  Beneath are roomy drawers and cup-boards in which to store the many little things needed in the administration of the library.  Back of the desk are the book stacks, made of the same wood, capable of holding nearly 3500 books.  In this space more book stacks can be placed, so it will be some time before the number of books will outgrow the library.  Other shelving will be placed in the adult reading room to accommodate the reference books which it is necessary to have nearer at hand, and in the children's room for the juvenile books.  This shelving will be of that same style as the book stacks and will add much to the furnishings of these rooms.

To the left of the main room is the room for the children, containing tables on which are their magazines.  One lower than the rest, with chairs to match, has been planned for the little children and here are a few hay picture books, indestructible ones that even the babies may look at.  On the opposite side is the adult reading room, in which are massive oak tables covered with most of the best current magazines.

A ladies dressing room opens from the children's room, and from this the ladies lavatory and toilet; in the basement is the men's lavatory and toilet.  The library's room, designed for trustee meetings, and as a work room for the librarians is on the left.

The library is kept at an even temperature with the hot air furnace; mention should also be made of the excellent plumbing and particularly of the the beautiful white marble drinking fountain in the main room.

Not least beautiful are the well polished, hard maple floors.  The lighting of the building is excellent, the arrangement of the windows being such as to give the best light in the day time and in the evening the electric lights keep the rooms as bright as in the day.  The old brass fixtures are in excellent taste, and the cluster of lights in the half under the opaline globe is particularly effective.  The pretty little balcony is deigned for books when space is needed, but at the present this is used as a place for keeping the back numbers of magazines.  It has been suggested that this balcony will make a most delightful resting place if properly furnished for ladies who wish to read and yet feel too tired to sit in the straight library chairs.  A rug has been given by a generous patron and some chairs are being hoped for.

The great need of the library now is books; the total numbers at present is about 1500.  Now that a fitting building has been procured, one that will be a source of civic pride to every person in Madison, the books will come of course, and the library will become the real center of the literary activity in town."