McKinley Memorial Library

History of the Library

The Niles Library Association was established in 1908 with support from private subscription and both city and school board appropriations.

The Niles Public Library started in a modest room on State Street. The library was later moved to the post office building where it remained until 1916.

For one year the library occupied a building on the current McKinley Memorial grounds. In 1917, with the completion of the Memorial building, the library moved into the south wing.

In 1918 the name was changed from the Niles Library Association to the McKinley Memorial Library Association. The library has always remained a public library.

To provide for the maintenance of the McKinley Library, an endowment fund was created. Henry C. Frick as the largest contributor to the fund with a gift of $50,000.

Ohio's public libraries began organizing in the 1920s and 1930s to allow for better funding. The majority became school district libraries as McKinley Memorial Library did. School district libraries have the Board of Trustees appointed by the School Board and the service area is the same as the school district.

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10/01/07