For some time, McGregor Public Library was located in the community room, which had been two cells of the former jail. Prior to joining East Central Regional Library, other library spaces in McGregor were the corner of O.L Johnson's telephone office, the back room of Paul Huff's barber shop, the school, and the General Minnesota utilities building. Founded in 1959, ECRL is the oldest existing regional public library system in Minnesota. Headquartered in Cambridge, it is a consolidated library system with 14 libraries and Outreach Services and serves residents in Aitkin, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, and Pine counties.