History

April 27, 1833

First Library established in Lancaster. Individuals purchased stock. William Medill was secretary.

June 4, 1878

A free library was established. The Board of County Commissioners rented the old county building to the Board of Trustees of the Lancaster Association.

June 25, 1878

Miss Lavina Busby was appointed librarian.

May 1898

Library moved to City Hall

November 1, 1940

West Side Branch opened in a room on Washington Avenue provided by the West Side Civic Organization.

April 1, 1949

Bookmobile service begins.

December 1955

West Branch moved to 601 Harrison Avenue (4/1/01, Lancaster-Eagle Gazette article).

May 17, 1960

Lancaster Public Library becomes Fairfield County District Library.

January 1968

Library purchased Holzer property as a portion of the site for the new library.

August 1968

Geneva Hudson hired as the first Children’s Services Librarian (4/1/01, Lancaster-Eagle Gazette article).

November 15, 1970

Bremen-Rushcreek Branch Library is dedicated at 132 Mulberry Street.

February 1971

New Harvester model Bookmobile is purchased.

October 23, 1972

Friends of the Fairfield County District Library is formed.

January 1973

Library purchased Meyer property to complete site of new library.

January 27, 1974

Theodore D. and Emma G. Griley Memorial Branch Library dedicated in Baltimore as a branch of the Fairfield County District Library.

March 1974

West Branch Library opens at new location, 503 Lenwood Drive, in Lancaster.

December 4, 1977

Groundbreaking for the new library, 219 N. Broad Street, Lancaster.

December 7, 1977

Construction began for new library, 219 N. Broad Street, Lancaster.

August 1, 1979

Formation of the Fund Raising Committee for a new Main Library.

December 31, 1979

$82,013 raised for library furnishings and equipment.

January 26, 1980

Friends of the Library present Gala Celebration of the new library.

January 27, 1980

Dedication of new Main Library building, 219 N. Broad Street, Lancaster.

September 1981

Third Floor Gallery and meeting rooms open at the Main Library.

June 9, 1983

Fairfield County Library Foundation was formed.

April 18, 1987

Groundbreaking for Stanton D. Johns Memorial Branch in Amanda.

October 18, 1987

Dedication of Stanton D. Johns Memorial Branch Library, 116 E. High Street, in Amanda.

March 1988

Library institutes its first automated system called Unisys.

March 1989

FCDL becomes one of the original libraries in the formation of the Central Library Consortium. CLC was created by four member libraries (Fairfield County District Library, Grandview Heights Public Library, Pickerington Public Library, Wagnalls Memorial Library) to establish, maintain and operate a computerized library network in order to promote resource sharing among member libraries and to increase access to information for their patrons.

September 29, 1991

Groundbreaking for Stanton D. Johns Memorial Branch in Amanda.

August 30, 1992

Dedication of new Baltimore Branch Library, 205 E. Market Street, Baltimore.

October 1, 1993

Library Foundation purchases bank building at 203 N. Broad Street for Library’s use as data center.

February 1996

Library moves to Dynix for its online catalog and automated circulation system.

February 1997

Internet access via Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) is available at the Fairfield County District Library.

April 1997

Library opens remodeled bank building at 203 N. Broad Street as the Technical Services center. This facility houses Technical Services, Maintenance, the Fairfield County Literacy Council and the Fairfield County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society.

January 1999

Bookmobile and its collection moves to leased facility at 438 S. Ewing Street.

January 1999

Fairfield County Library Foundation purchased lot at corner of Spring and School Streets in Bremen for new Bremen Branch.

March 1999

Renovation of Main Library begins.

June 9 & 11, 2000

Renovation Celebration at Main Library.

July 18, 2000

Grand opening of Books & Such, a bookstore inside the Main Library operated by the Friends of the Library.

September 23, 2000

Groundbreaking for the new Bremen Branch Library at the corner of School and Spring Streets. Construction funded by the Fairfield County Library Foundation.

September 30, 2001

Grand opening of the new Bremen Rushcreek Memorial Branch Library at 200 School Street in Bremen.

May 24, 2003

West Branch Library closes due to budget restrictions.

December 19, 2003

Bookmobile Service ends in Fairfield County due to budget restrictions.

January 20, 2004

Walnut Township Library Station established in Millersport.

March 2, 2004

A .5 mill library levy fails.

November 2, 2004

Library passes .5 mill levy.

July 2005

Foundation purchases property on Helena Drive, Carroll to build a new Northwest Branch facility.

October 17, 2005

Groundbreaking for new Northwest Branch facility.

May 2006

FCDL migrates to HORIZON as its automated circulation and online cataloging system. In addition, FCDL unveils a new webpage.

September 2006

Return of Bookmobile Service. New 25′ Elf Wide Body vehicle is purchased with outside graphics designed by local artist Karen Henry.

October 16, 2007

Dedication ceremony of the new Northwest Branch, 2855 Helena Drive NW, in Carroll.

November 19, 2007

Northwest Branch opens to the public.

February 2008

Wireless Internet access available at all library locations.

November 4, 2008

Library passes renewal of its .5 mill levy.

December 2, 2008

Walnut Township Library Station closed due to safety and accessibility issues.

May 1, 2009

Library budget cuts at the state level necessitate the reduction of library hour and library services.

November 18, 2009

CLC migrated from Horizon Catalog System to Polaris Cataloging System.

August 2012

Johns Memorial Branch Library renovated.

May 22, 2013

Project Scoville – addition of Columbus Metropolitan Library, Worthington Libraries, and Southwest Public Libraries to the Central Library Consortium.

October 2013

Main Library renovated with new paint and flooring.

November 2013

Library passes .5 million replacement levy.

April 2014

Reorganization & painting of Bremen Branch Library.

April 9, 2014

Project Supersonic – addition of Bexley Public Library, London Public Library, and Upper Arlington Public Library to the Central Library Consortium.

August 15, 2014

The Library purchases the Annex from the Foundation.

September 2, 2014

New library website goes live.

September 8, 2014

Grand Opening of Early Literacy Center at the Northwest Branch.

May 18, 2015

New gazebo opens at Johns Branch Library.

September 2015

Library Foundation Board votes to dissolve the Foundation.

June 2016

Early Literacy Center added to the Bremen Branch Library.

October 2016

Peter Rabbit Garden opens at the Northwest Branch Library.

April 4, 2019

Millersport Library Kiosk grand opening.

September 2019

Library goes fine free

October 2019

Early Literacy Center added to the Main Library.

March 14, 2020

All library locations closed due to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

 All library locations reopen for in-person service.

February 1, 2021

Hold lockers at Main open for public use

November 2022

 Library released its new app.

March 3, 2025