Specialties
Ashtabula Public Library is part (with Geneva Public Library and the County Bookmobile) of Ashtabula County District Library, a full-service library with 1.5 billion titles available to borrow. Get help with your research questions 24/7. Read popular magazines, professional & academic journals, explore genealogy, health & business topics, discover career options, strengthen job skills, get help with your job search, find resources for parents, teachers, home-schools and more, all for free, from your home or office Internet connection. Search databases with 100,000 foundations that give to non-profit projects & programs. Ongoing early-literacy program teaches adults to help pre-schoolers get ready to learn to read. Free public computers and wireless Internet access. What do you need to know? We'll help you find it.
History
Established in 1955.
Ashtabula Library began as a subscription library in 1813, and Ashtabula County District Library (ACDL) was created when the Ashtabula Public Library (which operated the County Bookmobile) merged with Geneva Public Library under legislation approved by the State of Ohio. (The county's other seven libraries declined to join in the merger.) The main branch downtown in Ashtabula was built in 1903 through Andrew Carnegie's library-construction program, and has been renovated twice since. Annual circulation reached more than 376,000 in 2008, tapering off slightly since as state budget cuts forced a 30 percent reduction in hours of operation. Adjusted for the reduced hours, library use continues to grow, particularly since the onset of the recession in 2007. ACDL, with the largest number of professionally-trained library staff in the county, and 40 public computers available for Internet browsing and other uses, is 95% state-funded and receives no funding from local property taxes.
Meet the Manager: Bill T.
Bill Tokarczyk, has been Director of ACDL for more than 20 years.
The Assistant Director is Donna Wall.
Tom Milligan is the Library's Community Relations Coordinator.