For over 125 years, public libraries have been serving the citizens of Ashtabula County in the region served by what is now known as the Ashtabula County District Library. As the needs of our communities have changed, so has the library. This is our story.

Library service in the City of Ashtabula began as a subscription library association in 1813. It was incorporated in 1896 as the Ashtabula Free Public Library.

In 1901, Ashtabula was one of the many communities across the world to receive funds to build and maintain a Public Library from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.

These funds were combined in 1902, with the proceeds of the estate of Ashtabulan Maria Conklin bequeathed to the Free Public Library of Ashtabula to begin construction of a new library building for Ashtabula.

In 1903, the new building, located on Division Street (later named West 44th Street), opened as the Carnegie-Conklin Library.

A change in State Library law permitted the Ashtabula Free Public Library to become a county district library in 1953.

An addition was added in 1958 and a new entrance and elevator in 1984.

On October 3, 1990, while undergoing a million dollar renovation project, a fire broke out on the second floor of the Ashtabula Public Library.

Extensive fire and water damage closed the building for repairs, extending and complicating the remodeling project.

After the fire, the library was forced to relocate temporarily. Its plight became national news through Chicago Tribune columnist Bob Greene, prompting donations of over 30,000 books from readers nationwide.

Through use of insurance & development funds and thanks to the huge outpouring of donated items the library was finally able to reopen March of 1992.

The early history of library service in the City of Geneva is strongly associated with Genevan Platt R Spencer.

Spencer is credited with establishing a number of libraries in the community, notably the "East Street Library" established in 1832 in the home of his brother.

In 1910, Geneva, like Ashtabula, received a grant to build and maintain a Public Library from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.

These funds were combined in 1910, with funds from the Platt R. Spencer Memorial Association to create a new library.

In 1938, a significant enlargement of the Carnegie building was completed, doubling the library's size.

In 1955, the library would join the Ashtabula County District Library,

There would be subsequent additions in 1984 and 1989 before consideration would be given to the possibility of a new building.

In May 1995, a bond issue was passed by the citizens in the Geneva Area City School District to construct a new Geneva Library.

The new building opened in June of 1997 and has served the Geneva and adjacent communities since.

The County-wide Bookmobile service began in 1958 and was a result of the previous extension service offered by the Ashtabula Public Library.

Subsequent vehicles continued this tradition. In 2007, ACDL's current Bookmobile (above) hit the roads of Ashtabula County, bringing books, videos, and programs throughout the county.

In the fall of 2013, the ACDL passed a levy to support and expand its operations and help offset cuts at the state level. This levy was graciously replaced by the voters at the same millage in November of 2022 for another ten years.

About 57% of ACDL’s revenue in the current budget comes from the State’s Public Library Fund (PLF) and 38% comes from our local 10-year tax levy.

In the fall of 2014, the Board approved a project to expand the existing library in Ashtabula and renovate the Geneva building using a plan developed by Ziska Architecture of Cleveland.

Construction broke ground on the Ashtabula expansion on May 18, 2015, and we celebrated our grand re-opening on September 11, 2016.

Thanks to the support of Ashtabula County voters, ACDL can now plan for the future.

As of March of 2023, ACDL is pursuing a new bookmobile and a significant expansion of the Geneva Branch.