The Seneca Free Library grew from an idea of the Seneca Women’s Club embroidery circle in 1908, when members discussed books and the need for a town library as they worked. After collecting 300 books, they secured shelving space in a drug store, and town administrators later offered better quarters in City Hall. In 1913 the expanding collection moved to Seneca High School. In 1928, the Old Stone Universalist Church, built in 1869 of Kansas soft gray stone with stained glass windows and a bell tower, was acquired as the collection’s permanent home. As the library continued to expand, a new wing was added in 1997 to complement the original church. The project reflected Seneca’s growing interest in reusing historic architecture. The library now holds 30,000 volumes, including significant genealogical and research sections. In 2009, Hennen’s American Public Library Ratings ranked it the fourth best library in the U.S. among towns with populations of 1000-2500. It also serves as a popular gathering place for reading programs and free Internet access, and its steeple is known in Seneca as a “Beacon of Knowledge.”