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Akron-Summit County Public Library
The Akron-Summit County Public Library is a public library system in Akron, Ohio. Founded in 1874, it operates the Main Library on South High Street and South Main Street in downtown Akron, 18 branch libraries located throughout the city of Akron and Summit County, the Akron Art Library (located on the Second Floor of Main Library, and at the Ellet Branch, the North Hill Branch, and the Odom Boulevard Branch), the Project LEARN of Summit County Training Room (located on the First Floor of Main Library), Mobile Services (located on the Lower Floor of Main Library), and Project LEARN of Summit County (also located on the Lower Floor of Main Library). As of 2013, they have a lion cub mascot, named Paws.
An early predecessor of Akron Public Library (now known as Akron-Summit County Public Library) was the subscription library, the Akron Lyceum and Library Association Company formed in 1834 "for the promotion of literary pursuits." The Akron Library Association was formed in 1866 with a reading room in the Masonic Temple at South Howard Street and East Mill Street. Another predecessor of the Akron Public Library was the subscription library, the Akron Mechanic's Library, founded in 1870. In 1874 the Akron Library Association became the Akron Public Library.
On January 26, 1874, the Akron City Council established an ordinance to provide a free public library for Akron. On February 27, 1874, the Board of Trustees of the newly formed library met for the first time, with John R. Buchtel serving as the first board president. On March 1, 1874, the library officially opened to the public on the second floor of the Masonic Temple that was located on the corner of South Howard Street and East Mill Street. In October 1898, the recently established public library moved from the Masonic Temple to the second floor of the Everett Building on East Market Street and North Main Street.
The library grew rapidly and in August 1904, it moved to a new building funded by steel baron Andrew Carnegie who, in his retirement, provided funding for the building of 1,679 public Carnegie libraries in the United States. The building, at the corner of East Market Street and South High Street, is now office space. The library occupied this building until 1942 when its growing collection necessitated a move to larger quarters in the former Akron Beacon Journal building located at the corner of East Market Street and Summit Street.
As early as 1958, Library officials began discussions regarding the need for a new Main Library. Library Director Russell Munn felt strongly that this new building should be located on South Main Street. In 1962, a bond issue was legislated that would provide $3 million for the construction of the new library. Ground was broken on September 15, 1965, and the doors to the 148,300 square feet (13,777.52 m2) Main Library on South Main Street and South High Street opened on March 24, 1969, and the dedication ceremony was held on April 27, 1969. On May 30, 1974, the name of the library was changed from the Akron Public Library to the Akron-Summit County Public Library when the library officially changed its organization from a school district and extension center library to a county district library.
Changing technology and expanding services to a growing population necessitated an expanded Main Library. In 1996, library officials began to plan for a new building. Discussions took place about relocating the library, but the final decision was to remain at its present location and expand. Due to the nature of the expansion, all materials and staff were relocated to a temporary location. In May 2001, Main Library closed its doors and began the move to a former DIY store on East Tallmadge Avenue. For more than three years Main Library operated from this facility until October 10, 2004, when the newly renovated and expanded 300,000 square feet (27,870.91 m2) Main Library on South High Street and South Main Street reopened its doors to the community and was rededicated.
Main Library is located at 60 South High Street, Akron, Ohio, 44326. It has seven Special Divisions: Business, Government & Science (includes History and magazines and newspapers); a 12,000 square feet (1,114.84 m2) Children's Library; Culture & AV (includes Humanities; fine arts and music; and fiction); Mobile Services; Special Collections (includes Akron History, Summit County History, Ohio History & Genealogy, along with the microfilm machines); TechZone@Main (a makerspace); and Teen. The Main Library is a selective federal depository library.
Main Library has a 425-seat auditorium (located on the High Street level), a used bookstore, and a café. An interior walkway leads to a 600-space parking garage owned by the City of Akron. Main Library also has an outdoor amphitheater and landscaped park outside of the library's rear South Main Street entrance.
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Akron-Summit County Public Library
The Akron-Summit County Public Library is a public library system in Akron, Ohio. Founded in 1874, it operates the Main Library on South High Street and South Main Street in downtown Akron, 18 branch libraries located throughout the city of Akron and Summit County, the Akron Art Library (located on the Second Floor of Main Library, and at the Ellet Branch, the North Hill Branch, and the Odom Boulevard Branch), the Project LEARN of Summit County Training Room (located on the First Floor of Main Library), Mobile Services (located on the Lower Floor of Main Library), and Project LEARN of Summit County (also located on the Lower Floor of Main Library). As of 2013, they have a lion cub mascot, named Paws.
An early predecessor of Akron Public Library (now known as Akron-Summit County Public Library) was the subscription library, the Akron Lyceum and Library Association Company formed in 1834 "for the promotion of literary pursuits." The Akron Library Association was formed in 1866 with a reading room in the Masonic Temple at South Howard Street and East Mill Street. Another predecessor of the Akron Public Library was the subscription library, the Akron Mechanic's Library, founded in 1870. In 1874 the Akron Library Association became the Akron Public Library.
On January 26, 1874, the Akron City Council established an ordinance to provide a free public library for Akron. On February 27, 1874, the Board of Trustees of the newly formed library met for the first time, with John R. Buchtel serving as the first board president. On March 1, 1874, the library officially opened to the public on the second floor of the Masonic Temple that was located on the corner of South Howard Street and East Mill Street. In October 1898, the recently established public library moved from the Masonic Temple to the second floor of the Everett Building on East Market Street and North Main Street.
The library grew rapidly and in August 1904, it moved to a new building funded by steel baron Andrew Carnegie who, in his retirement, provided funding for the building of 1,679 public Carnegie libraries in the United States. The building, at the corner of East Market Street and South High Street, is now office space. The library occupied this building until 1942 when its growing collection necessitated a move to larger quarters in the former Akron Beacon Journal building located at the corner of East Market Street and Summit Street.
As early as 1958, Library officials began discussions regarding the need for a new Main Library. Library Director Russell Munn felt strongly that this new building should be located on South Main Street. In 1962, a bond issue was legislated that would provide $3 million for the construction of the new library. Ground was broken on September 15, 1965, and the doors to the 148,300 square feet (13,777.52 m2) Main Library on South Main Street and South High Street opened on March 24, 1969, and the dedication ceremony was held on April 27, 1969. On May 30, 1974, the name of the library was changed from the Akron Public Library to the Akron-Summit County Public Library when the library officially changed its organization from a school district and extension center library to a county district library.
Changing technology and expanding services to a growing population necessitated an expanded Main Library. In 1996, library officials began to plan for a new building. Discussions took place about relocating the library, but the final decision was to remain at its present location and expand. Due to the nature of the expansion, all materials and staff were relocated to a temporary location. In May 2001, Main Library closed its doors and began the move to a former DIY store on East Tallmadge Avenue. For more than three years Main Library operated from this facility until October 10, 2004, when the newly renovated and expanded 300,000 square feet (27,870.91 m2) Main Library on South High Street and South Main Street reopened its doors to the community and was rededicated.
Main Library is located at 60 South High Street, Akron, Ohio, 44326. It has seven Special Divisions: Business, Government & Science (includes History and magazines and newspapers); a 12,000 square feet (1,114.84 m2) Children's Library; Culture & AV (includes Humanities; fine arts and music; and fiction); Mobile Services; Special Collections (includes Akron History, Summit County History, Ohio History & Genealogy, along with the microfilm machines); TechZone@Main (a makerspace); and Teen. The Main Library is a selective federal depository library.
Main Library has a 425-seat auditorium (located on the High Street level), a used bookstore, and a café. An interior walkway leads to a 600-space parking garage owned by the City of Akron. Main Library also has an outdoor amphitheater and landscaped park outside of the library's rear South Main Street entrance.