Mansfield/Richland County Public Library, Mansfield, Ohio - Carnegie Library Buildings on Waymarking.com

A group of ladies established the Mansfield Memorial Library in the Opera House in 1887. In 1902, head librarian Martha Mercer visited New York City to request a Carnegie grant to build a dedicated library building in Mansfield. Carnegie awarded a $35,000 grant for the building, and the city passed a $10,000 bond issue to purchase a lot on West Third Street. Local architect Vernon Redding designed the Greek Revival building, and local contractor Samuel Mowry was hired to construct it. Redding had also designed the 1904 Galion Carnegie Library. The library opened on 19 December 1908 with about 15,000 volumes.

In 1951, an addition was built in the rear of the building. Remodeling of the Carnegie building was also done at this time. (This may be when the stairs to the original entryway were removed and ground level entrance added.) The stained glass rotunda was covered with a dropped ceiling in the 1970s, but was restored and repaired in 1988 when the east and west wings were added. At the grand reopening in February 1989, the library was twice the size of the original Carnegie section. In addition to the enlarged main library, eight branches serve Richland County, and the system continues to evolve with new technology.

References:
Armentrout, Mary Ellen: Carnegie Libraries of Ohio
Mansfield/Richland County Public Library

Address of Library Building: 43 West Third Street Mansfield, Ohio USA 44902 Current Use of Building: library Year Built (optional): 1908 Website about building: [Web Link]

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