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 About M/RCPL |
The Mansfield/Richland
County Public Library,originally the Mansfield Memorial Library
Association, was founded in 1887 by 50 women and was located in the
Memorial Building on Park Avenue West in downtown Mansfield. At the
turn of the century head librarian Martha Mercer visited New York
City to request funds from industrialist Andrew Carnegie to build
a new library in Mansfield.
Carnegie promised $35,000 to the building project provided that the
city of Mansfield furnish a suitable site and pay for the maintenance
of the building.
In October of the same year the city council passed a $10,000 bond
issue for the purchase of the West Third Street site. The original
Carnegie library formally opened Saturday evening, December 19, 1908.
Approximately 15,000 books lined the library shelves.
On May 20, 1951, an open house marked completion of a $122,000 remodeling
and enlargement project funded by two bond issues.
The automated circulation and public catalog system came on-line in
1986, and is now a second generation system with increased efficiency.
This system enables patrons to be more self-sufficient when accessing
information and materials.
The library expanded once again with funds available from a local
bond issue. When the doors opened at the grand opening celebration
February 12, 1989, original Carnegie building had doubled in size
while still retaining its original structure.
In addition to the Main Library, there are eight branch libraries
throughout Richland County to provide services to the outlying areas.
Plymouth and Bellville branches became affiliated with the Main Library
in the 1930's. The land for the Plymouth branch Library was donated
by the McIntire family of Plymouth. Mrs John Stambaugh, a 100-year
old woman provided in excess of $500.000 to build and furnish the
library. In 1986 the
Plymouth Branch Library was deeded to the Mansfield Richland County.
Service in Lexington began in the 1950's while Butler came into existence
in 1971. Ontario and Madison were opened after the 1986 bond issue
and Lucas, the seventh branch, was opened in 1990 as a result of community
efforts. Crestview branch recently became affiliated with the library
system in March 1999. The historical synopsis of the library is best
concluded by the mission statement of the library as stated in the
long range plan.
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Activities at Main Library
Main
Library Calendar
 This
summer we are launching a new dynamic calendar that will let patrons
view the events for the entire library system schedule more easily
and filter the events by your local branch.
The purpose of the Mansfield/Richland County Public Library is select,
maintain and make available to the public those resources, in a variety
of formats, which serve the educational informational, recreational
and cultrual needs of the public.
Today, the Mansfield/Richland County Public Library is broadening
its impact county-wide. Programming in all areas is becoming quite
diversified. |
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