Kinsman Free Public Library, Kinsman, Ohio
Posted by: 
boatchick
N 41° 26.884 W 080° 35.279
17T E 534415 N 4588580
Much of the credit for the creation of the Kinsman Library is owed to a gladiolus grower.
Waymark Code: WM4W6E
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 10/04/2008
Views: 15
The Village Improvement and Library Association, formed in 1885, was the first Kinsman library. One hundred sixty citizens paid a dollar annually to be allowed access to the library’s collection of 70 books, stored at the village post office. The collection was moved from place to place over the years and the Village Improvement and Library Association eventually disbanded. Local gladiolus gardener Frank Banning made the next attempt at a village library, keeping the books at first the Centralized School Building and later at the Specialized High School Building. Encouraged by the community’s interest in the library, Banning applied for a Carnegie grant to build a permanent, dedicated library building in 1912. Carnegie granted $7000, Banning added $6000 (and also agreed to pay the salary of the librarian), and the Board of Education donated land. The building was designed by Charles Thayer, a New Castle, Pennsylvania architect. Shortly after the groundbreaking for the Kinsman library, Banning died, never seeing the results of his efforts. Today, his portrait hangs in the library near a portrait of Andrew Carnegie.
The brick building, finished in 1912, has been expanded several times over the years: twice in the 1980s, and again in 1990 and 2000. Each expansion has used materials matching the original building as well as possible. The most recent improvements added a foyer in the front of the building which enclosed the old entry and lightpoles, and increased handicap accessibility with a lift. The interior of the library receives a lot of natural light through many wood-framed windows, and tries to stay true to the original design and furnishings.
Address of Library Building:
6420 Church Street
Kinsman, Ohio USA
44428
Current Use of Building: library
Year Built (optional): 1912
Website about building: [Web Link]
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