Following World War I the Tilden chapter of the Red Cross had money left in their treasury. With this funding the Tilden Women’s Club began acquiring books in May, 1922 and established a reading room. The first accession book lists 820 volumes by August of that year.

In December 1925 the Tilden Library Board, elected by the City Council held its first meeting for the purpose of organization. The Red Cross offered the rooms to be used by the library for $25 per month. A librarian was hired for $25 per month.

In the last 75 years, the Tilden Public Library has been housed in four locations. The first was at the corner of 2^nd and Madison Streets. At that time the door was conveniently located in the northwest corner of the building. In 1942 the library collection was moved to the south end of the same building. In 1944 the Library Board in cooperation with the City of Tilden purchased the "Barnum" building at 104 S. Center. In 1956 the new City Auditiorium included a room for the Library. This room was enlarged in 1979. In 1986, with the help of a Peter Kiewit grant the present building at 108 E 2^nd St. was purchased. this provided more sapce and was more conveniently located.

C. H. Sibley, Anna Stanton, Mrs. Mary Kingery, Mrs. Clyde McCord, Dr. C. F. Hansen, Reverend H. Sagehorn, Dr. C. C. Barr, Lillian Wadsworth, J.J. Ryan, Gertrude Marshall, Dr. C. E. Bush, Dr. H Salsburg, Clyde O. Baker, Isabelle Barkdoll, Evelyn Speicher, Mrs. William Brogan, Virgil Prevo, Ruth McKeever, Mrs. Jane Schumacher, Evelyn Lang, Mildred Anderson, Rodney Heckman, Joan Hodgson, Maxine Eickhoff, Shirley Burkhardt, Lorraine Gladem, Alida Hall, Barbara Coble, Doris Eymann, Darlene Ross, Olando Gunderson and Louise Giehler.

Mrs. Roscoe (Mattie) Cunningham*, Miss Katherine Deckert, Anna Stanton*, Mrs. E. H. (Jane) Schumacher*, Gwendylyn Barr French Osborn*, Mrs. Lester Odren, Mrs. Pete (Ruth) McKeever*, Mrs. Archie Findley, Mrs. Quentin Dauphin, Mrs Charles(Lucille) Beal*, Mrs. William McKnight*, Esther Wadsworth Alderson*, Mrs. Fred (Jennie) Boyer, Mrs. Bernard (Kate) Kielty, Mrs. Dwight (Mae) Whitehorn, Mrs. Maurice (Ruth) Lenser*, Mrs. Mack (Nellie) Cornett, Mrs Adolph (Betty) Rittscher, Mrs. Adie (Lois) Reikofski, Mrs. Otto (Josie) Eggers, Carol Osborn, Mrs. Marvin (Virginia) Werkmeister, Mrs. Russell (Anna) Meyers, Mrs. Bruce (Lucille) Winder, Mrs. Lowell (Lois) Hale, Mrs. Fred (Pearl) Kerkman, Mrs. Barry (Alta) Marsh*, Mrs. Scott (Jeanmarie) Shermer, Mrs. Melvin (Dixie) Kucera*, Mrs, Bill (Gloria) Hatterman, Doris Nelson Barrett, Mrs. Mike (Roxanne) Dusel and Mrs. Bernard (Hella) Bauer.