The Halifax Memorial Library was built in 1951 as a memorial to Halifax's First and Second World War casualties. The sod was turned by Mayor J.E. Ahern on April 21, 1949, and the cornerstone was laid on November 11, 1949, by Mayor Gordon S. Kinley. The library opened its doors to the public on November 12, 1951. It served as a combination war memorial and public library on the site of the old Poorhouse cemetery, where the pirates of the barque Saladin are supposedly buried.
The dedication plaque was designed by Alderman A.H. MacMillan and was constructed of bronze with aluminum fittings.
Over the years, the library included a great number of items and symbols that strengthen its role as a memorial. The Canadian Legion, the Silver Cross Women of Canada and the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire were actively involved in the planning and outfitting of the library. Some of these include flags, standards, plaques, a Silver Cross replica, Books of Remembrance, and murals (since donated to the Maritime Command Museum).
There were two glass cases on either side of the entrance. One contained a Union Jack and a flag of the British Empire Service League, the other had two standards of the Silver Cross Women of Canada. These items were donated to the Maritime Command Museum.
The Silver Cross which hung in the Library is a large replica of the Memorial Cross (more often referred to as the Silver Cross) awarded to mothers and widows (next of kin) of Canadian soldiers who died on active duty or whose death was consequently attributed to such duty. It was donated to the Library in 1950 by the Silver Cross Women of Canada. The Silver Cross was donated to the Maritime Command Museum.
