Celebrating 125 years: The long, murky history of the Wayne County Public Library
WOOSTER − At 125 years old, the Wayne County Public Library is among the oldest institutions in the county, and while books are still central to its mission, it's more than words on paper keeping it alive and thriving.
From educational programs to reading time, audiobooks and kitchen pots and pans, it has evolved to meet the needs of a modern age, said Jennifer Shatzer, director of the library system.
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"We are a library of things," said Shatzer. "If you need technical help, Wi-Fi, video games, 3D printers or cake pans, we've got it."
Shatzer is now searching for orange cones, to loan out to student drivers.
In her nearly three decades with the library, Shatzer sees the institution as an evolving community service that adapts to the times. Coupled with the support of the community, she said, that is how it has lasted a century and a quarter.
"I'm so proud to be part of this organization and its history," Shatzer said. "I think we have another 125 in us."
The Wayne County Public Library of today
Today's facility is well used by young and old alike, as the numbers provided by the library indicate.
Between 1,100 and 1,200 people visit the seven branches daily.
Nearly 44,600 registered borrowers were recorded at the end of 2021. Of that, 9,437 were juveniles.
In 2021, 871,833 adult items and 619,887 juvenile items were checked out.
There are 397,519 items in the WCPL collection. CLEVNET has nearly 12 million items.
The library employs 104 workers across seven branches, two bookmobiles and the operations center.
Its 2022 budget is $6.4 million.
A local levy provides 42% of the library system's revenue. The State of Ohio Public Library fund provides 56% while 2% comes from interest earnings, fees and donations.
Its mission: "To provide an environment that enriches lives and fosters a strong community by offering lifelong learning opportunities."
A murky beginning
The Wayne County Public Library is 125 years old this year, and its roots stretch back to unknown origins.
"The exact date of its founding is unknown," Shatzer said. "There was some library association before 1857, but we don't know much about it."
The foundation of what would become the Wayne County Public Library was laid in a schoolhouse on March 7, 1857, according to a history of the library provided by Shatzer.
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Called the Wooster Library Association, it stored history and reference books in the law offices of an attorney on Liberty Street.
While the library association, and others, would not last, it was a stepping stone toward creating the Wayne County Public Library.
Another library opened in 1882 called the People's Library Association, featuring 100 volumes and 100 members. Little is known about the library other than it increased to 115 titles and 175 people in 1883.
Then in 1895, the Women's Christian Association established a reading room to "keep children off the streets at night," according to the library history. From magazines to books and prayers, the location attracted nearly 175 borrowers and housed 600 books.
The next year it expanded into a full-fledged public library loaning books. Despite its success, it lacked public support as it appealed for money.
In 1897, Wooster residents wanted an alternative to the WCA, so they founded the Wooster Free Library Association, which would later be called the Wayne County Public Library.
The Wooster Free Library Association
Under this new library, anyone could become a member by signing the library constitution and paying $1 and the annual $1 fee.
Bertha Ellsperman was soon hired as its first librarian with a weekly salary of $3, according to the library history.
With the long hours of 9 to 11 a.m. and noon to 8 p.m., the library was understaffed. Ellsperman could only work the afternoon and evening shifts.
To cover the morning hours, the library partnered with the Women's Christian Association to manage the reading room and other librarian duties before Ellsperman arrived at noon.
This arrangement lasted for a few months until the morning hours were discontinued, leaving the librarian in sole control of the operation.
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Four years after she became librarian, the Board of Trustees terminated Ellsperman because they believed "for the best future growth and proper development of the library, change was advisable."
Her successor was interim librarian Elizabeth McBride who was replaced by librarian Della Dice.
In the following decades, the library moved to the northwest corner of Market and Larwill streets and expanded its collection of books and its presence in local schools.
Creating a county public library
When Katherine Schantz became the librarian in 1956, she had nearly five decades and her several predecessors to build upon.
Each librarian before her brought changes, including the mobile book trucks, film service and expansions into nearby communities, but Schantz's would oversee the most drastic change.
Two years after taking on the role, the Friends of Rittman and Friends of Doylestown asked the Board of Trustees to transform the Wooster-focused library into a county district library.
Trustees opposed the move, saying it was "unwise," according to the library's history.
The following months saw public debate spark controversy extending beyond the county borders. Then "threats of a motion to be placed on the" November ballot began to circulate.
As the publicity and the threat of a public vote ramped up, trustees entered several longwinded debates before signing a resolution on Nov. 18, 1959, changing the library's legal status to a countywide institution.
On Jan. 1, 1960, when the legal status went into effect, the Wayne County Public Library was born.
This formalized what already existed on the ground. The Wooster library supervised and provided books to libraries in Shreve, Creston, Rittman and Doylestown for decades, but residents in those communities had no voice on the Wooster board.
The changed legal status meant those residents could represent their community on the board. It marked the first truly countywide library system in Wayne County.
From the '60s to the present
The next three decades saw the library rapidly expand. A new library building opened in Wooster in 1967, the Shreve branch was dedicated in 1973 and a Doylestown location opened in 1977.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Dalton and Creston opened new libraries.
Phonographs, art prints, videocassettes and toys were added to the Wayne County Public Library's ever-growing collection of records and history. This collection grew so large its Wooster building was renovated using federal funds in 1984.
The following year, the WCPL joined CLEVNET, a regional library system owned and operated by Cleveland Public Library.
Shatzer joined the Wayne County Public Library in the mid-90s, just as computers were beginning to be introduced.
"I remember when the terminals were only catalogs; there were no word processors at first," Shatzer said. "Then when we got the first computers, we had to make up the rules for using them."
While technology has taken over much of daily life, she said people are just as interested in books as they were 125 years ago.
"It's just how people read books," Shatzer said. "People listen to audiobooks, read them on their phones and computers and there are podcasts. Kids still come to the library and are reading for enjoyment or education."
Celebrating with authors
The 125-year-old Wayne County Public Library is celebrating its founding anniversary this year with the week-long Anniversary Author Series.
It features writers with works ranging from travel and nonfiction to mystery and children's stories.
"We couldn't have done it without the help of the Buckeye Book Club, which is co-sponsoring the event," Shatzer said. "We wanted to give back to the community and do something special."
Featuring 12 authors, the series started on Oct. 26 and runs through Thursday, Nov. 3. To register for the free talks visit the library website.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: The storied 125-year history of the Wayne County Public Library
