Clark County Public Library

Clark County Public Library is the public library of Clark County, Ohio, United States. It is based in Springfield, Ohio and has a collection of approximately 500,000 items.

History

The Clark County Public Library traces its beginnings to the Springfield Lyceum in 1841 in Springfield, Ohio.^[1] Various short-lived library associations followed and the library found a more permanent home on the second floor of Black’s Opera House. The library housed 3,300 volumes when it opened to the public at this location in 1872. As patronage and the collection expanded, the need for yet another move set in and the library relocated in 1877 to the second floor of the Union Hall Building, which was situated on what is today Fountain Avenue.

Local entrepreneur Benjamin Warder gave the library a new location on the corner of High Street in 1890, with a building constructed in memory of his parents and dedicated to the people of Springfield. This location now houses the Warder Literacy Center. Library service continued to expand and grow at this new location. The year 1936 saw the library's first bookmobile service to the area, with a homemade trailer that could carry 500 books. The 1950’s and 1960’s brought about the expansion of the library in the form of branches at Park Shopping Center, Southern Village Shopping Center, and in the villages of Enon and South Charleston.

The main library moved to its new facility on Fountain Avenue in 1989. The library has five locations throughout Clark County. It also has two bookmobiles that cover 41 community stops, 7 schools, 14 daycare centers and 5 Head Start Programs.

The library's collection includes over 425,000 books, 425 magazine subscriptions, 7,000 videotapes, 4,000 CDs, 3,000 DVDs and framed art. Over 1 million items were circulated in both 2001 and 2002, and over 29,900 people came through the library's doors each week.

The library offers many cultural and educational programs throughout the year at all of its branches. The Speaker Series brings national and regional authors, artists, and lecturers to Springfield. Past participants include Sean Astin, Stan Lee, Maya Angelou, Dave Barry, Mary Higgins Clark, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Elie Wiesel. The library's annual Summer Reading Program is popular with area children, and the annual Film Festival and the Adult Reading Discussion Group are equally popular programs. The library also offers Internet and genealogy "how to" classes throughout the year.

Branches

• Main Library, Springfield, Ohio^[2]
• Park Centre Branch, also in Springfield, Ohio^[3]
• Southern Village Branch, also in Springfield, Ohio^[4]
• Houston Branch, South Charleston, Ohio^[5]
• Indian Mound Branch, Enon, Ohio^[6]
• Bookmobile^[7]

See also

• Clark County, Ohio
• Public library
• Springfield, Ohio

References

1. ^ http://www.ccpl.lib.oh.us/history.shtml. URL accessed 21 September 2006.
2. ^ http://www.ccpl.lib.oh.us/main_library.shtml. URL accessed 21 September 2006.
3. ^ http://www.ccpl.lib.oh.us/park_library.shtml. URL accessed 21 September 2006.
4. ^ http://www.ccpl.lib.oh.us/southern_library.shtml. URL accessed 21 September 2006.
5. ^ http://www.ccpl.lib.oh.us/houston_library.shtml. URL accessed 21 September 2006.
6. ^ http://www.ccpl.lib.oh.us/indian_library.shtml. URL accessed 21 September 2006.
7. ^ http://www.ccpl.lib.oh.us/bookmobile.shtml. URL accessed 21 September 2006.

External links

• Clark County Public Library Website

Coordinates: 39°55′19″N 83°48′38″W / 39.922065°N 83.810642°W / 39.922065; -83.810642