The Martinsburg Free Library first opened its doors on December 1, 1912 in a room in the residence of co-founder Dr. M. Anstice Harris. The library moved and was located in several different places during the next twelve years. In 1924, William H. Bush of Chicago, IL, a native of Martinsburg, purchased a house and property in the village to permanently house the library. The library’s name was changed to the William H. Bush Free Library. Mr. Bush died in 1931, but had made financial provision for the library in his will through an endowment that has provided income for the library ever since. Mr. Bush stipulated in his will that if funds should ever accumulate sufficiently, “a fire proof building fronting on Main Street” should be constructed. In July 1980, the library board opened their new building that mirrored the instructions of Mr. Bush, and again changed the name, this time to the William H. Bush Memorial Library.
A 1200 square foot addition was added in 2014 with renovations to the original structure. The library now has a community room, a work room for the librarians and a consolidated area for public access computers. Additional shelving was added to accommodate the library’s growing collection.
The Wm. H. Bush Memorial Library offers books, dvds, audio books, newspapers and magazines for patrons to borrow. Computers, printer/copier, fax and an AccuCut die cut machine are available for use. Several programs are presented throughout the year.