BIRCHARD PUBLIC LIBRARY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY
“Sardis Birchard has conveyed real estate
and other property to the value of $50,000 in trust
to establish in Fremont a Library…for the
free use and benefit to the people of Sandusky
County.” With these words, Rutherford B.
Hayes announced his uncle’s generous bequest
to the City Council in July of 1873. President
Hayes not only gave the money, but also supervised
the founding of the library and served as chairman
of the Board of Trustees until his death.
On June 3, 1874, Birchard Library opened its
doors to the public in a building on Front Street.
Containing 1,683 volumes of the 5,000 books ordered
by Hayes, patrons could borrow books only if they
were 14 years or older and deposited a bond or
$3.00. Only librarians could remove books from
the shelves.
In 1878 a library building was erected at a cost
of $6,369.31 on the site of Fort Stephenson, a
stipulation of the original bequest. By the early
1900’s, thanks to a $2,500 gift of from Mrs.
Elizabeth Kelly, the Kelly Reading Room was added
to the structure.
Several notable people served the library during
the first fifty years. Mrs. Harriet A. Gast served
as library director from 1879 to 1915 for a salary
ranging from $350 to $500 per year. Funding was
a major obstacle during this time but Mrs. Gast
kept the library open, even taking a $100 pay cut
at one point.
In the early days the library was funded by the
Birchard bequest with assistance from the town.
In 1904 a crisis arose when the Fremont city council
threatened to cut off the heat in an economy move.
When library trustees, led by Colonel William E.
Haynes, visited City Council to protest, they returned
with a gift of $1500 and the promise of a half
mill tax levy. This became the first move toward
placing the library on a public support basis.
Another notable person in the development of
the library was Lucy Keeler, cousin of President
Hayes, who became Secretary of the Board of Trustees
in 1915. Although she never held a paid position,
she succeeded in making many changes. Under her
leadership the library changed from being privately
endowed to being partially supported by local taxes.
Internally, she initiated the adoption of new library
methods, and then she carried on an extensive publicity
campaign to bring the library to the people.
Although Miss Keeler resigned in 1922, from 1923
to 1944 there were a number of significant changes.
In 1935 a stable source of funding was found in
the intangibles property tax. Birchard Library
began to extend its services throughout the county
with branches in Gibsonburg (1936) and Woodville
(1937). Mrs. R.D. McAllister was hired in 1936
to provide county extension service. Her husband
drove her to the stops in their station wagon until
1938 when the library purchased a panel truck for
the purpose of transporting books. In 1940 an addition
was made to the library.
In 1944 Mrs. Hallie M. Grimes was hired and she
presided over a period of rapid growth and development.
She was a tireless advocate for the library and
its role in the cultural and educational life of
the community. She particularly championed services
to children and library extension services throughout
the county. Highly visible and active in the community,
for many patrons, Mrs. Grimes was the
library.
Under her leadership the first bookmobile was
purchased in 1949 to provide service to school
and county stops. In 1950 the lower floor of the
library was remodeled to provide space for extension
work and book processing, and in 1956 a bookmobile
garage was added. In 1965 she achieved the long
time dream of previous librarians by adding a children’s
room and an additional room above the bookmobile
garage. The library changed its status from association
library to county district library in 1968 and,
finally, in 1969 Green Springs Memorial Library
became a branch of Birchard when the Clyde and
Green Springs school districts merged.
Since 1971, Birchard Library has been served
by library directors Richard Gooch (1972-1982),
Mary Anne Culbertson (1982 -2009) and Pam Hoesman
(2009 to the present). These years have seen major
changes in the library and its array of services.
By the early 1980’s it was apparent that
the collection had outgrown the building. After
significant weeding and an inventory of the collection,
work was begun on a building plan. Plans were developed
to double the size of the main library building,
restore some of the architectural elements that
had been lost in previous renovations, and remodel
the existing structure to make it suitable for
the wiring requirements of computers. The current
building is an elegant design which clearly delineates
the original building while providing additions
in keeping with the original style and showcasing
a traditional but functional interior.
To fund this expansion, provide improvements
for the branches and purchase an automated circulation
system, the trustees placed a successful $3,600,000
bond issue on the ballot in May of 1987. In early
1988 the main library moved to temporary quarters
in a former car dealership as work commenced. At
the same time, the Green Springs and Woodville
branch buildings were renovated and the debt was
paid on the Gibsonburg building. The community
was justifiably proud of its beautifully remodeled
main library facility dedicated in October of 1989.
Years later this building still draws compliments
from visitors.
The public responded to the new facility and
improved services by increasing their use of the
library. From 1982 to 1990 circulation doubled.
Fortunately, in 1986 funding for the library changed
from the intangibles tax to a dedicated portion
of the state income tax which allowed the library
to increase services. In the early 80’s the
children’s department began offering programs
that enhanced the school curriculum, and the children’s
department grew to three full time staff. In 1986
the library joined with Vanguard Vocational Center
and other libraries to form Project Read which
offers literacy training to the community.
In 1991 the library discontinued bookmobile service
as school libraries had improved. Instead, the
library Outreach Department began to offer extensive
library services to nursing homes and nursery schools.
In 1992 the library joined the information age
when the card catalog was automated. Suddenly,
all county citizens had access to the entire collection
and could even search the catalog from home. In
1994 Gibsonburg branch library was expanded to
include a children’s wing, thanks to a $300,000
bequest by Elizabeth Scherger. In 2002 the Green
Springs branch library building was demolished
and rebuilt thanks to funding by the library system,
Don Miller, Jeanne Reed, the Birchard Library Association
Foundation, and the Claude Young family.
In the closing years of the century, computers
and Internet access created a major technological
shift in libraries. In 1996 the Ohio Legislature
created and funded the Ohio Public Library Information
Network to provide free Internet access at the
public library for all Ohio citizens. Information
from all over the world has become accessible to
our citizens through computers available at each
of our four library locations.
Since January 1, 2000, library participation
in the Clevnet library system has given patrons
access to over 3 million titles and increased online
services. In 2002 the Green Springs branch library
building was rebuilt when the original building
became structurally unsound. Now all 3 branch buildings
are ready for another century of service. The library
website was completely redesigned in 2006 and,
with new services being added every year, has become
a virtual library branch of the system. In 2007
funding for Ohio public libraries was changed to
2.2% of state general revenue.
We have come a long way from requiring a deposit
and handing books to patrons; Birchard Library
now freely provides information from around the
world in a variety of formats in person at each
facility and online to everyone. President Hayes
and Sardis Birchard would be astonished at the
fulfillment of their dream.
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