Bella Vista Library History
Lila Wylie is credited with founding the library in 1981 when she received permission from the Bella Vista Property Owners Association (POA) to form a Library Board of Trustees. The Library Board organized donated books in a reading room at Riordan Hall, established a check-out system, and purchased new books. When an ad was published in the Weekly Vista for a meeting of those interested in helping with a library, approximately fifty people attended and signed up for various library jobs.
In the latter part of 1985, the POA Board approved the rental of a former carpet shop in Town Center as a new location for the Library. The Library was open for business at that location in January 1986.
Fund raisers were held beginning in 1986 to build a library. This capital campaign ended in 1994 with gifts totaling $850,000. The Mabee Foundation capped the campaign with a gift of $100,000 and Cooper Communities donated land for the library. This effort allowed the current 7,000 square foot library to be completed in 1996. The library has no debt on the facility.