The Medina Circulating Library Society, formed in 1877, was the first library in Medina County. It was organized by Professor W. R. Commings. For approximately ten years it was housed in various businesses around town and run by the shop’s owner at a salary ranging from $10 to $25 a year. It was financed by members’ dollar-a-year dues and various other donations.

In 1899, the Medina Circulating Library Society became Medina Library Association by incorporating through the state. A small building on the north side of the Public Square was purchased. The library remained there until the construction of the Franklin Sylvester Library where the library is still housed today.

Franklin Sylvester was born in Bristol, New York on March 28, 1831, moved to Granger Township as a young man and married Eunice M. Reid in 1857. He was a business man, dealt in real estate, and raised and sold live stock. In a biographical sketch, he was regarded very highly: “Mr. Sylvester is deserving of great credit for his endeavors to better the grade of cattle in Granger and adjoining townships. He is a man of broad and liberal views, opposing everything known to be wrong, and favoring everything known to be right. He is, in the fullest sense of the term, a self-made man, and his career has been one of signal success - the elements of which are found in an excellent judgment, a remarkable business tact, and indomitable energy and perseverance, a strict integrity in dealing, and a power (which few men possess) of keeping his own counsels.”

Judge A. R. Weber, an acquaintance from Franklin’s boyhood, was the initiator of the library idea. As Franklin and his wife had no heirs the judge suggested that he build a library in Medina, the county seat, to keep his name alive.

On December 31, 1904, Franklin Sylvester gave $10,000 to be used for a library. The Board of the Franklin Sylvester Library Association met on February 17, 1905 to begin the search for the site of the library structure. The southeast corner of Washington and Broadway Streets was chosen but the lot was occupied by the King/Deibel House. In 1905 this house was moved by its owner, Judge Fremont O. Phillips, to its present location on the northeast corner of Broadway and Union Streets.

Mr. Frank Gruninger of Warren, Pennsylvania was chosen as the architect (who designed it in the Carnegie style) and Lee Fretz (who had the low bid of $9,560, not including the heating, plumbing, or electrical fixtures) as the builder. The dedication of the Franklin Sylvester Library was September 29, 1907. It opened with 2,000 volumes on the shelves. Unfortunately, the 76-year-old Mr. Sylvester died in May of that year without seeing his library completed. In his will, he left he library an additional $4,000 and stated that the library always remain named Franklin Sylvester Library and that the property never be used for anything but a library.

The first professional librarian, Irene Hess, was hired in 1925 and the library became a school district library. It received funds and direction from the Medina School Board although children were unable to take books out overnight until 1936. Circulation for that year was 11,131.

In 1933, the Ohio State Legislature passed the Whittemore Bill providing for the formation of county library systems. In August of that year, Franklin Sylvester Library voted to extend the borrowing privileges to all Medina County residents, excluding Wadsworth which already had a library.

In 1948 bookmobile service was established, classes were initiated for Medina elementary schools to educate children about the library and how to use it, and circulation had risen to 79,622 with about 15,000 volumes on the shelves. Employees numbered six and the library was open 51 hours a week. A total of 92 programs were offered that year with 2,991 attending.

By 1957, the Franklin Sylvester Library had a collection of 24,147 volumes and subscribed to 50 periodicals. An addition to the building was completed in 1958 that provided more stacks and a reading room. A second bookmobile was added to keep up with the community’s needs.

Three of our branches opened in 1961: Brunswick Community Library in February , Lodi Community Library in May, and Seville Community Library in November. Circulation for 1962 showed a definite increase: Medina, 135,271; Bookmobile, 191,834; Brunswick, 64,614; Lodi, 19,327; and Seville, 21,861. Hinckley Community Library was added to the system in March of 1965.

In 1972 a 1.75 mil, 5-year levy was passed by Medina City residents to expand the library. Work began in July of 1975 and was completed in August the following year. The addition, which more than doubled the size of the library to 17,043 square feet, was designed by Ronald Kohanski and Associates of Medina. Some of the new features were: additional stacks and study areas; the Gallery, a 60 seat meeting room used for library programs and by community groups; a lounge area for staff; display space for special loan collections; and a drive-up book return slot.

On January 19, 1982, the library board voted to change our service area from a school district library to a county system and we became the Medina County District Library . The Medina library continues to be Franklin Sylvester Library as was instructed by Mr. Franklin Sylvester’s will. Yearly appointments to the board are made alternately by the Medina County Commissioners and the Medina County Common Pleas Court. The library’s financial structure remains the same.

The citizens of Medina County passed a .75 mil operating levy in 1987 which, in addition to providing operating expenses, allowed for the purchase of a new bookmobile (the others having been retired years before) and in June of 1990 the purchase of the Law and Commerce Building adjacent to the Medina library. After renovations the administration offices, Public Information office, Collection Development, Technical Services, and Extension Services moved in.

The total system-wide circulation for all materials in 1987 was 643,993, while the 1991 circulation jumped to 1,430,531, an increase of 122% in four years! Our system now ranked eleventh in the state in circulation. Due to the tremendous growth we were experiencing, the library board placed a 1.25 mil levy on the ballot in November of 1992. The levy passed and allowed for expanded hours of operation (Sundays in Medina and Brunswick and extra hours open during the week at the other branches), increased staffing, expanded services, enlarging the collections and renovations at all locations.

In December of 1996, the library debuted its first Web site on 47 new personal computers offering full Internet access to its patrons. This new service was met with both an overwhelming positive response and opposition from a few area residents who objected to our open access Internet Policy. 1997 began with an Intellectual Freedom challenge and ended with a victory at the polls when our 10 year levy was renewed.

The Medina County District Library system currently has approximately 412,128 items in our collection with a circulation of 1,896,230 in 1996. There were 3,080 programs offered last year with an attendance of 793,599. In less than 10 years, the Franklin Sylvester Library will have it 100th anniversary. Wouldn’t Mr. Sylvester be surprised if he could see the changes that have happened over this century!