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The official opening of Montrose Public Library took place on 19 October 1905. It was opened by Scots born American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919). The idea of having a Public Library had been growing in the town since 1887. Montrose already had a Trades Library and a Subscription Library but this was held to be insufficient. The two libraries held a combined stock of 30,000 books but neither of them could provide a proper reading room for the public. The Trades Library agreed to donate their books in the event of a Public Library being set up. Many in Montrose were concerned that the town was not sufficiently prosperous to afford the increase in rates to support the project, so in common with many other local authorities in Britain, Andrew Carnegie was approached as a source of funding. He agreed to assist if a suitable site was located and gifted £7,500 to build the library. The Free Libraries Act was adopted on 13 January 1902 and gifts began to accumulate from local people.
The first librarian
 James Christison was appointed the first Montrose Public Librarian on 9 June 1904 and he remained in post until 1941. He was considered such a good candidate that the Town Council did not seek any others. He had previously worked for 17 years as the manager of the Montrose Trades Library.
Christison was the son of Montrose clothier. James followed in his father's business while serving as part time librarian of the Trades Library. In 1904 he was appointed as librarian to the new Public Library. He was the first and only librarian to occupy the librarian's flat incorporated into the library. His sitting room now serves as the staff room. At the opening of the Reading Rooms and the Ladies Room on 5 July 1905, Provost Melvin described Christison thus:
In our energetic and cultured Librarian, Mr Christison, we have secured a lover of books, and we have confidence in entrusting the carrying on of our new venture to one who will be courteous and helpful to all who frequent the building in pursuit of knowledge.
Christison had a great love of books and believed that librarians should not be mere distributors of books, but guides. He was a great reader with strong literary tastes, an essayist and a lecturer. He was a great friend to writers such as Violet Jacob who sought his opinion on their work. He delivered many lectures all over Angus to a variety of societies on various literary topics. He was also actively involved in preserving the history of the burgh, seeking out material, printed, photographic and archival, for the Local Corner. This material has formed the basis of the present day Montrose Local History collection and the forms part of the Angus Archives collections. Christison's interests and activities were numerous and varied. He was a president of the Burns Club, a convener of Dorward House, a director of the Royal Asylum, a Justice of the Peace and a trustee of the Savings Bank as well as being active in the Library Association and the Society of Antiquarians (Scotland). He served as both burgh and county librarian until he retired in 1941 at the age of 74. He died on 20 July 1945.
Architecture
 Montrose Public Library was designed in the Free Renaissance and Scots Baronial styles by J. Lindsay Grant, an Edinburgh architect. A contemporary writer described it as a "union of the picturesque and graceful with dignity and solidity". The building is constructed from red Closeburn (Dumfriesshire) sandstone with Westmoreland slates on the roof. It has a deep, coped base course, a cornice at the eaves, architraved margins, stone mullions and transoms and lugged and battered sills on the ground floor.
The new library was constructed to a high standard both outside and inside. The first class interior is a lovely example of Edwardian design, finished with a stained glass window in the stairwell. It is largely intact. The hexagonal entrance hall has a black and white marble floor. Originally, there were Ladies, Children's, Reading, Reference and Lending sections on the ground floor. The main staircase leading up to former meeting room has stone steps and an ornate, oak balustrade with a mosaic floor on the first floor landing. There are timber panelled internal doors and a window on the staircase with a stained glass light depicting the arms of Montrose: two mermaids supported by two wreaths of roses, below which are the mottos "The Sea Enriches" and "The Rose Adorns". The arts and crafts style brass window furniture is still intact.
It caused a bit of a stir at the time when the tender for the woodwork was won by a Brechin firm while the plasterwork went to an Aberdeen firm. Brechin firm W. Black & Son were contracted to make the reading desks, the issue desk and the chairs. The issue desk is still there and all but a very small number of chairs have now fallen out of use.
Montrose Library continues to serve the community and its changing needs.
© Angus Council 1998 - 2009
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