The Huntingdon County Library was founded in 1935.  "Miss Clara" (Clara McMurtrie) was a supporter of the Library for many years. Upon her death in 1952 she bequeathed her stately mansion in the heart of Huntingdon to provide a permanent home for the public library.

The Mount Union Branch Library was established in 1936 by the Mount Union Women’s Twentieth Century Club and became a part of the HCL system. The Lower Huntingdon County Branch Library was established in 1972 by the Lower Huntingdon County Professional Women’s Group and became the third member of the system.