A salesman wondered into town in 1904 and spoke promises of donating books to start a library if the town helped him sell his Chautauqua lectures to the folks. Many town members with money to spare put forth what they could, excited at the prospective to having a library open. However, come time for the lectures and only a few of the speakers showed- no salesman or books present. Not all money was handed over; the cost for the last lecture was still available, and with that amount they began to organize their own library. This was hosted in the Montrose Street home of Mrs. Payson Pierce, with the collection of books open to the town on Saturday afternoons. The Clermont Library Club also hosted their meetings at Mrs. Pierce's house with her permission. The books were moved to Isiah Benson's Lake Avenue house in 1910 and to the Baptist Church the following year due to the increase in library items but lack of shelving space.
