Designed in Renaissance Revival style by James T. Walsh, it was built by Willapa Construction and opened in 1913. It has been in continuous use as the city’s library since. The library remains largely unchanged and includes the original shelving and reference desk. The library became wheelchair accessible in 2006 with the addition of an ADA restroom and wheelchair lift. The building continues to be owned by the City of South Bend. The library became part of the Timberland Regional Library System in 1968.
In August 2018, Timberland administration closed the library due to safety concerns.
After receiving an anonymous donation of $100,000, the Friends were able to complete the abatement work required by the Department of Labor and Industry and the library reopened in January 2019.