On May 5, 1941, civic activist Esther Hurwitz opened Irving's first library in a 7' x 12' corner of Louis Blaylock's furniture store at 126 E. First St. The Irving Public Library Assn. received a state charter in December 1941, with J.E. Van Horn, W.E. Harrington, and Mrs. Hurwitz as incorporators. In the Spring of 1942, the library moved to rented quarters at 113 E. First St. (now E. Irving Blvd.) The Library Assn. soon purchased six lots at the northwest corner of Main and Third Streets, and Mrs. Hurwitz bought a five-room house for $1,000. In 1951, she had the house moved to 217 S. Main St., one of the vacant lots, where she operated the library until 1962. By 1960, City of Irving leaders were discussing building and maintaining a municipal library. Until then, city support of the existing library had been limited. The city built the Irving Municipal Library at 915 O'Connor Rd., and it opened on February 24, 1962. Most of the books and property owned by the Irving Public Library were transferred to the new municipal library. At the same time, Mrs. Hurwitz dismantled the former library. The Irving Public Library Assn. was officially dissolved in 1964.