History
Library service in Dayton began in 1805 with the Social Library Society of Dayton. The Society was also the first library to be incorporated in Ohio. The Society was dissolved in 1821 and books were sold at auction.
In 1847, the Dayton Library Association was established. This lasted until 1860 when it merged with the Public School Library, founded in 1855. In 1887 it was organized as a school district library. A new building was opened in Cooper Park in January 1888. Bookmobile service began in October 1923. In 1948, the library changed in legal form from a school district library to a county district library.
In November 1956, the library officially changed its name to the Dayton and Montgomery County Public Library. A new $2.3 million building was constructed for the Main Library in 1960, with groundbreaking taking place on August 29. The new building, adjacent to the old building (since razed), opened on March 26, 1962, and is still in use today (albeit with renovations done in 1987 and 1998–2000). The Dayton and Montgomery County Public Library name stayed on until June 19, 2002, when it officially changed its name to the Dayton Metro Library. A new logo and website were unveiled in January 2003. (source of library history: compiled from Dayton Metro Library Personnel Manual, June 2005)
In November 2012, Dayton, Ohio area voters passed Issue 70, a $187 million bond issue covering building and renovation, with a vote of over 60% support. The project will allow for a completely renovated main branch of the library, expansion and/or remodeling and renovation on a number of existing branches, entirely new facilities for certain locations, and the consolidation of certain underperforming and outdated facilities with larger, modernized branches.
Read more about this topic: Dayton Metro Library
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