This timeline was created for a presentation to Annandale's History Club in April of 2009.  The presenters were Improvement Club members Rose Mary Nelson and Jill Bishop.

1898

• Seventeen women met, formed Improvement Society
• Entertainment at each meeting
• Town Hall dedicated
• 1^st project: piano for Town Hall

1899

• Organized Library Association; Member dues 25 cents, Outsiders $1.
• Library opened in Town Hall with 317 books
• New name: Improvement Club & Library Association

1900s

• 1901, 60 members; 500 books in library
• Mayor asked library to have Reading Room and Boys Club
• 1903 Telephone installed for librarian
• 1905 Flowers planted in the park
• 1906 1^st Industrial Fair
• No books collected from homes with Scarlet Fever
• 1908 Well put in park
• 1909  $10 fine imposed for removal of piano from Town Hall

1910s

• First vote for Public Library; 4 yes, 7 no.
• $29.28 Red Cross donation
• Sent books to boys in the service
• 1918 Summer librarian hired, $1./mo.

1920s

• Installed flower bed at Depot
• Saturday librarian salary, 50 cents
• 1922 Library moved to former school building, remained there 82 years
• 1923 Flora Kurz became librarian

1930s

• Joined Horticulture Society.
• Decorator from Daytons hired to decorate library
• Name became Annandale Improvement Club
• 1939 Pledge to flag at each meeting
• Library cards free to public
• Library had 1578 books
• Christmas baskets for needy families

1940s

• Sent books to boys in the service
• Library available to Red Cross for making bandages
• Purchased ten shade trees for fireplaces in park.
• Hesitated to put questionable book East Side, West Side in library

1950s

• Toured Nicollet Hotel; lunch at Waikiki Room
• 1958 Flora Kurz, 35 yrs as librarian
• 1959, June flower sales presented by Julia Barkley
• Assisted Commercial Club with July 4^th events
• Lunch raised to 25 cents

1960s

• 1960 Sold Recipe Book sells for 50 cents
• Purpose of Club read to open meetings
• Librarian paid $31/month
• 1965 Doris Kalash took over as librarian from Neva Peterson
• Dues raised to $1.
• Commissioned Mrs. Dawson to paint Flower Sale to be placed in library
• 1969 Library became part of Great River Regional Library

1970s

• Held a Tour of Homes with  proceeds going to Medical Clinic
• 1976 Kitchen Secrets yellow cookbook
• 1976 Sandy Otto became librarian
• Discontinued Library Board
• Discontinued sponsorship of Girl Scouts
• Village Council moved, gave council rooms to Improvement Club to expand library
• Meetings held in library and in homes
• 1978 Discontinued flower sales on Saturdays

1980s

• Dues $1.50 annually; membership in the 50s
• Added ramp and book drop to library
• Started selling book tote bags; continued selling cookbooks and wreaths
• Supported Bloodmobile and pre-school testing

1990s

• 1991 Kitchen Secrets II cookbook
• 1997 Provided funds for public Internet in library
• Meetings held in Centennial Villa, Park Pavilion, and Southbrook
• 1997 1^st catered lunches
• 1998 Improvement Club website

2000s

• 2001 1^st meeting at Reichels
• 2002 1^st participation in Business Expo
• 2004 Library moved to new building
• Computers purchased for library
• 2004 Dues increased to $25
• 2004 1^st Member Directory
• 2007 Started meeting 12 months/year
• 2008  One hundred members

-Jill Bishop, 2009