The Wyoming Territorial Library was created on December 16, 1871 by an act of the Second Territorial Legislature. E. P. Johnson was appointed the first territorial librarian. The library was initially mainly a government documents depository and was located in the Opera House building at what is now 17th and Capitol. Minnie Salughter was the first person to hold the title of State Librarian in 1890. The library became open to the public to any state resident in 1897. In 1917 the library moved in to the east wing of the State Capitol; it moved again to share space with the Supreme Court in 1937. In 1968 the State Law Library and the State Library became two separate entities. In 1990 the State Library became a division of Department of Administration & Information.
