Courtesy of Grandview Heights Library
Establishing a community library is often one of the first steps in developing a thriving municipality. Long before the days of the internet, libraries have been, and have remained, a crucial source for acquiring knowledge and connecting with the world around you.
A Tale of Two Cities
The Grandview Heights Public Library (GHPL) was established in 1924, seven years before Grandview Heights was declared a city. It was located within the Grandview Heights High School, which had opened the year prior.
Twelve years later, in 1936, the current GHPL location opened after George Cambridge Urlin, one of the city’s founders, donated the land. Located on West First Avenue, it still stands as Grandview Heights’ only public library.
Almost 20 years after Grandview Heights became its own city, Upper Arlington earned its distinction as a city, rather than a village, in 1941. In 1942, the Miller Park Library, the Upper Arlington Public Library (UAPL) system’s oldest library, was opened.
Despite only having 600 books, the Miller Park library became so popular that the city decided to add another library in the Lane Avenue Shopping Center. This library building later closed and the materials were moved to what is now the UAPL’s Lane Road branch library, located in Thompson Park.
Surprisingly, even with two locations already complete, Upper Arlington residents were clamoring for more and the Tremont Center Library was built in 1955. Four years later, a new location was built in Northam Park. As with the Lane Road branch, the materials and resources from the old Tremont Center Library were moved into this new building, which still stands as the Tremont Branch of the UAPL system.
Courtesy of Upper Arlington Public Library
Miller Park in 1921
As of 2023, the city of Upper Arlington is home to three libraries: the Miller Park branch, the Tremont Road branch and the Lane Road branch. But until 1967, these branches were still a part of GHPL system. The UAPL system wasn’t established until 1967 when Ohio House Bill 494 was passed.
Jennifer Faure, community engagement specialist with the UAPL system, says before UAPL was its own system, some library employees and personnel took issue with the fact that the board of directors for all libraries in the Grandview Heights and Upper Arlington area was comprised only of Grandview Heights officials.
“We feel like we should be governed by our own community rather than by somebody else’s, and so the mayor that we had the time started really taking steps to get us to be legislatively our own system,” Faure says.
Then-Mayor John Dunkel took the issue to the state, and Ohio House Bill 494 lifted the restriction on opening new library systems within the state.
Advancements and Additions
Anyone who has lived in Tri-Village knows that the area changes and improves to meet the community’s wants and needs, and the library systems are no different. Since the libraries have been built, each has received renovations to keep them modern and appropriately sized for the growing region. Upper Arlington’s Tremont branch doubled in size in 1973 and again in 1987. The Miller Park branch was also expanded in 2007 and GHPL was expanded in 1986.
These additions were added mostly to make room for expanded youth and young adult services. Expanding building sizes also allowed more room for visitors to sit down and read, work or attend events.
Over the years the libraries have not only changed sizes but have changed resources and services. With the constant innovations in technology, libraries have made a lot of advancements, from film strips to VHS tapes and DVDs to streaming services, to name a few.
Both library systems have also built expansive online e-book collections for users to borrow and download. They also both offer online educational databases and academic e-books, tutoring, videos, articles and more.
Five years ago, GHPL began to offer backpacks with various resources including early reading books, STEM kits, virtual reality headsets, educational games, and even guitars and telescopes, all suited for young people of all ages.
In collaboration with the city, GHPL offers free Wi-Fi in the library and throughout Grandview Heights’ five parks.
UAPL system offers similar amenities as well as mobile hot spots, test proctoring, passport services, game consoles and more for visitors to utilize.
Funds and Finances
The GHPL receives funding from numerous different sources including federal grants (public library fund), private donations and city taxes. It also helped create and is a member of the Central Library Consortium, which includes 17 central Ohio library systems sharing funds, resources and materials.
Last year a levy proposed to help further fund GHPL passed with a whopping 87% of votes in support.
Canaan Faulkner, GHPL’s public relations manager, says library staff is blown away and immensely appreciative of the support it receives. In turn, he and his team members always aim to give those funds back to the community in the form of free resources and events.
“Delivering a great return on investment to the community to something we always strive to do,” he says.
The UAPL system ran almost entirely on state tax dollars until 1992. It now receives most of its money from the city’s property taxes.
Like GHPL, the UAPL system is grateful for the community’s support of its libraries and ensures the funds are going toward the betterment of the community.
“There’s a really high value on education and learning and so I think there’s an appreciation for libraries, for books, for resources and for access to information in this community that is just really strong,” Faure says.
Education for Everyone
Courtesy of Upper Arlington Public Library
Storytime at Upper Arlington Public Library
The UAPL has been part of Faure’s life since she was a child. She spent much of her childhood at the library and later got her first job there as a pager in high school. She even met her husband there while they were shelving books together. She later worked with the library’s adult services and now works in community engagement. She says her favorite part about the library is the welcoming atmosphere.
“We don’t tell people they can’t come here because they don’t have enough money or because they don’t live here,” Faure says. “Everybody has equal access to information, to resources, to things, and there’s not very much of that left in the world.”
Faulkner has been working at GHPL for 16 years. He says he also appreciates the universal opportunities that the library provides, especially the free museum ticket programs for entry into places like COSI and the Columbus Museum of Art.
“It’s greater access to arts and culture and education for all ages because sometimes there are barriers to some people, … they’re not able to go, and this gives them that opportunity,” he says.
Maisie Fitzmaurice is an assistant editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mfitzmaurice@cityscenemediagroup.com.
