In January 1874, the Akron City Council passed an ordinance to create a free public library for the city. On February 27, 1874, the Board of Trustees of the newly-formed Akron Public Library met for the first time, with John R. Buchtel serving as the first Board President. The Akron Public Library officially opened to the public in a building at the corner of Mill and South Howard streets on March 1, 1874. A century later, in 1974, the Library became the Akron-Summit County Public Library, incorporating suburban branch libraries into its system.
Today, the Akron-Summit County Public Library's official service area includes the City of Akron and all of Summit County except for Barberton, Cuyahoga Falls, Hudson, Peninsula, Stow-Munroe Falls, and Twinsburg, all of which are served by independent libraries. Anyone living, working, or attending school in Ohio is eligible to register for a free Akron-Summit County Public Library card.
Mission Statement
The Akron-Summit County Public Library provides resources for learning and leisure, information services, meeting spaces, and programs for all ages that support, improve, and enrich individual, family, and community life.
Adopted: December 14, 2006
Vision Statement
The Akron-Summit County Public Library is recognized locally as an essential community asset and nationally as one of the finest public libraries in the United States due to its excellent customer service, collaborative community involvement, and high level of customer and employee satisfaction.
Adopted: December 14, 2006
Core Values
Excellence
Operating with the highest level of integrity and accountability and demonstrating excellence in all we do
Service
Providing innovative service that is kind, welcoming and equitable for our customers and co-workers
Learning
Engaging those we serve in life-long learning and individual enrichment to foster community well-being
Diversity and Inclusion
Creating a library environment that respects and values human diversity, offers access to resources that present multiple views and provides inclusive opportunities for all
Adopted: December 13, 2018
Request for Qualifications
Akron Library Request for Qualifications for Design Professional Services
Fact Sheets
2023 At A Glance (.pdf)
2022 At A Glance (.pdf)
