Mr. Belding selected the architectural firm of Frank Allen & Sons of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and construction began in April of 1917.  The site chosen was an area Mr. Belding had helped clear of timbers when purchased by his father from Charles and Levi Broas in 1855.  Built at a cost of $50,000.00, the 51 ft. X 80 ft. building is of early Greek classical design. The Ionic columns, continuous frieze keystone arches above the entrance and Palladian style windows give the building a look of beauty and elegance. At Mr. Belding’s insistence, only the best building materials were used as is evidenced by the Indiana Bedford cut limestone on the exterior, the Spanish tile roof, the granite front entrance steps, the top notch oak, white pine, and cypress used for the woodwork and window sashes, and the Vermont Verde antique marble used in the lobby and at the base of the pilasters of the library interiors.

The building was dedicated in memory of Mr. Belding's parents, Hiram and Mary Wilson Belding, and presented to the city on May 14, 1918.  Large crowds gathered for the elaborate dedication ceremonies; business places and industries closed in honor of the occasion.  As Alvah N. Belding was ill, his son, Frederick N. Belding presided over the ceremony.   The library, in addition to the service it provided area residents, became a well-known and appreciated historical landmark.  It is unique in that it is the only building built in Belding by the Belding family still being used for its original purpose.  The chandelier that continues to hang in the library’s main lobby originally hung in the Hotel Belding.  The library was granted designation as a State Historic Site in 1980 and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in May of 1993.

The Belding Library has a rich history spanning almost 100 years that began with a gift to the Belding community by Mr. Alvah N. Belding, a founding partner of the Belding Brothers Silk Mill Company. The Alvah N. Belding Memorial Library is a historic building and became a State of Michigan Historic Site in 1980 and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in May, 1993.  Klassics by Kurtis, Inc. was commissioned to recreate this landmark as a glass ornament to raise funds by the friends of the library organization and the result is thi spetacular, rich in detail Historic Belding Library ornament,    This ornament measures:  2 3/4H X 4 1/4W X 3D  MOUTH BLOWN AND HAND PAINTED IN POLAND