Toledo Lucas County Public Libraries

Toledo Lucas County Public Libraries

The Toledo-Lucas County Public Library is the area leader of information, education and inspiration. By providing an open and equitable access to the Library’s collection, all of Northwest Ohio can enjoy the ‘The People’s University.’ The Toledo-Lucas County Public Library dates back to 1838, making it the first public library funded by tax dollars in the state of Ohio.

The Toledo-Lucas County Public Library offers something for everyone, including adult book discussion groups, enrichment for adults on a variety of topics, story times for children and programs for elementary school aged children and teens.

The Toledo-Lucas County Public Library has an edge on technology by providing computers for reference database searching, word processing and free wireless Internet access. The Library’s website, toledolibrary.org, allows visitors to search the entire Library collection of materials, access valuable information on all Library locations and services and view searchable databases.

The Library provides meeting rooms for community use and a detailed teacher’s collection. Also, the Library connects with the community by providing Youth Connection kits on issues that affect teens, bookmobile and book-hauler services that bring the Library to the community and delivery of materials to homebound borrowers.

With 18 different branch locations, as well as the Main Library downtown, it is possible to locate a Toledo-Lucas County Public Library in most areas of Toledo and the surrounding communities.

Main Library has stood as a downtown landmark since it opened on September 5, 1940. Welcoming more than a half-a-million visitors a year who check out nearly one million items, Main Library is home to 1.2 million books, CDs, videos, DVDs and reference materials, the fifth largest public library collection in the state of Ohio. For the last two years, The Toledo-Lucas County Public Library has been ranked among the best libraries in the nation by the Hennen American Public Library Rating (HALPR) index. In August of 2001, a 271,000 square foot, $45.1 million renovation and expansion to Main Library was unveiled, opening one of the most technologically advanced public libraries in America

All Library branches provide a variety of resources and services that make each location unique.

Birmingham Branch, 203 Paine Ave.
Located in the East Toledo, Birmingham Branch houses a special collection of materials related to Hungarian language and culture and is home to the Birmingham Cultural Center

Heatherdowns Branch, 3265 Glanzman
The original Heatherdowns Branch was built in 1968 and was unique because of its round shape. In 1991, a parallelogram-shaped addition was added and it became the largest branch in square footage?21,125 sq. ft.

Holland Branch, 1032 South McCord Rd.
The newest of the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library branches, Holland was built in 1984 to replace Bookmobile service at Strawberry Acres Park. In that time it has grown from once-a-week service to one of the top five branches in number of patrons and circulation.

Kent Branch, 3101 Collingwood Blvd.
Kent Branch houses the Art Tantum African American Resource Center. This facility offers a growing collection of print and non-print materials on the African American culture and people. In addition, the Center offers both ongoing programs and special events, including a monthly book discussion group, family storytelling, group tours, and visiting speakers and performers.

Lagrange Branch, 3422 Lagrange St.
Lagrange Branch serves as a gateway to the Toledo Polish community and provides a collection of materials related to Polish language and culture.

Locke Branch, 806 Main St.
Groundbreaking for the new Locke Branch, the final project in Library’s 10-year capital program, will take place in June. The $1.9 million project will include an expanded children’s area and an outdoor reading garden.

Maumee Branch, 501 River Rd.
The site of the Maumee Branch has seen a rich history. It’s been a seminary, a courthouse, a glass factory and the sight of Dudley’s Massacre, a brutal Indian ambush that saw the death of 600 troops during the war of 1812. The Maumee Branch Library was founded in 1918 with a $10,000 contribution from famed library philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and served as the Lucas County Library until 1970. The Friends of the Library organization began at the Branch in 1973 before spreading to all branches.

Mott Branch, 1085 Dorr St.
Mott Branch first opened in 1918 and was built with funds from famous library philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. It’s in the heart of central Toledo.

Oregon Branch, 3340 Dustin Rd.
Services to the Oregon community began in February of 1965 in the Oregon Plaza Shopping Center at Coy and Navarre. This location was enlarged in 1980 as usage of the facility increased.

Point Place Branch, 2727 117th St.
Library service for the Point Place community began in 1926 when the Lucas County Library opened a branch in the former Point Place Junior High School. When Point Place became part of the city of Toledo in 1937, Lucas County closed this library. In 1938 the Toledo Library System opened a branch in the same location. The branch moved in 1942 to rented quarters on Summit Street and stayed there until a new building was built in 1964. The branch outgrew this site, and in 1999 the branch re-opened at its current location.

Reynolds Corners Branch, 4833 Dorr St.
Originally part of the Lucas County Library System, the branch operated out of a rented storefront when it opened in 1958. In July of 1975, the Branch relocated to a 6,000 sq.-ft. location, again in a rented storefront of a strip mall. Finally, in April of 1985, the current 15,000 sq-ft. location opened, biding adieu to strip malls and rented storefronts for good.

Sanger Branch, 3030 West Central Ave.
Sanger Branch was established in a storefront in the Colony in 1953. It moved to another location in the Kenwood Shopping Center in 1959. Over the next 40 years, the branch was enlarged twice, and finally, thanks to the generosity of Lucas County voters who supported a capital improvements levy, a new facility was built. That was opened in March 2000.

South Branch, 1736 Broadway
South Branch Library opened its doors January 16, 1918, and was built with funds from famous library philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Through the years, South Branch has been an important asset to the Old South End community, serving a multicultural and diverse neighborhood, specializing in the Latino culture with both English and Spanish collections.

Sylvania Branch, 6749 Monroe St.
Sylvania is the busiest Toledo-Lucas County Public Library branch in terms of circulation and reference questions.

Toledo Heights Branch, 423 Shasta Dr.
In 1935, this English Tudor style branch library was built with the aid of a PWA grant. In 1998, the capital improvements levy allowed the Library to add a quiet study room, expand the collection space for fiction and magazines as well as provide ADA accessible rest room facilities.

Washington Branch, 5560 Harvest Lane
The Washington Branch was established in Trilby School in 1928 and then in 1961, moved to a new building on Whitmer Drive, which it quickly outgrew. In 1986, the branch moved to a beautiful new building at 5560 Harvest Lane, where the branch experienced an enthusiastic and ever-increasing demand for library service.

Waterville Branch, 800 Michigan Ave.
Recently renamed for long-time librarian and community activist Lois Waffle, Waterville Branch continues to be a viable meeting place for a diverse and growing population.

West Toledo Branch, 1320 Sylvania Ave.
West Toledo Branch opened in its present building in 1930. In 2001 the Branch remodeled and expanded. This library is such a beloved community center that the entire neighborhood is called Library Village