in 1911, a second attempt at organizing a public library met with greater success. the board of aldermen for the city of concord named a board of trustees who became the governing body for the library. various book clubs were in existence in the community and their desire for reading material was a part of the foundation for library services in cabarrus county. these clubs banded together to form the concord library association and citizens were charged dues in order to have borrowing privileges at the library which was located on the second floor of the phifer building. interest was low as the area was still mainly rural and those living in concord were generally textile mill workers earning low wages; education and reading were low priorities for those citizens.