These pages honour a significant time in Halifax - an era when two urgent needs expressed by citizens culminated in a grand enterprise: a fitting war memorial and public library. The story is told through a variety of historical documents, newspaper articles and photographs from the era. The Halifax Memorial Library was built as a testament to all who fought to safeguard freedom of speech and freedom of study. As the story of the Halifax Memorial Library unfolds, one is struck by the enduring community spirit and foundation of democratic ideals upon which public libraries were built – a legacy that will continue in the Halifax Central Library.