Our History
The roots of the Andover Public Library can be traced back to October 9, 1934, when the minutes of the Andover Mardi Club, a Ladies Literary Club, recorded that local resident Walter E. Cole had offered the free use of a room for a library. A Library Committee was formed, marking the beginning of a community effort that would soon become the Andover Public Library.
In June 1935, the Andover Public Library was officially organized as a school district library. Brenda Merrill, Mabel Nagle, and Marjorie Wilder attended a district library meeting in Ashtabula and learned that if a library could operate for one year with local support, it would be eligible to apply for state funding. Through the generosity and dedication of local residents, the library successfully met that goal and later received $200 in state aid.
Many community members contributed to the library's founding, including N.G. Richardson, Julia K. Orr, Annie C. Ward, Dr. Edward G. Haas, Walter E. Cole, and Dr. Neil Bishop. Richardson, editor of the local newspaper, was elected the first President of the Board of Trustees and served until his death in 1938.
The library's first home was located on the upper floor of a village-owned building on the southwest corner of the Public Square. The building, formerly a fire station, was modest by today's standards. The downstairs had a dirt floor and was used to store village equipment, while the upstairs library was heated by a potbellied stove. Furniture was loaned by local residents, and chairs were borrowed from the Opera House.
The first librarian, Mrs. Howard (Mabel) Nagle, had been trained through the Cleveland Library System. Under her leadership, the library's collection was organized using the Dewey Decimal System, an uncommon practice for a small library at that time.
As the library grew, so did its facilities. In 1942, the library expanded into the building's lower level after a floor was installed. An additional expansion followed in 1959 with the construction of a south-side addition.
In 1967, the library moved to a newly constructed 2,000-square-foot building on West Main Street. The project, completed at a cost of $35,000, provided a modern home for library services and collections.
Continued growth led to another major expansion. In 1983, the Board of Trustees secured LSCA Title II grant funding, matched by local support, to add nearly 2,000 square feet to the facility. Construction began in 1984, and the addition was dedicated in 1985 as the library celebrated its 50th anniversary.
A second LSCA Title II grant was awarded in 1990, again with local matching funds. The resulting project added more than 6,400 square feet and extensively remodeled the existing building. Completed in 1992, the expansion provided quiet study rooms, tutoring space, additional shelving and computer workstations, and a dedicated meeting room for public use.
Today, the Andover Public Library remains committed to serving the community by providing access to information, educational resources, technology, and lifelong learning opportunities. Built through the vision, generosity, and support of local residents, the library continues to enrich the lives of those it serves while honoring the community spirit that inspired its founding in 1935.
Mission of Service
The trustees and staff of the Andover Public Library are dedicated to serving our community by providing contemporary materials in a variety of formats, access to information and research resources, support for educational growth, and programs that inform, inspire, and enrich the lives of our patrons.