Amherst Public Library History

The Amherst Public Library has the historical distinction of being one of only 111 Carnegie libraries built in the state of Ohio.  Construction began in 1904 with a $10,000 grant from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation plus money raised through local gifts and a tax levy. The grant stipulated that the library must be built from local sandstone. Ground was broken for the library on May 11, 1905 and the corner stone was laid on July 6, 1905. The new building was dedicated on September 19, 1906, and the original Carnegie portion of the building is still in use. The architect was M.O. Wurmser of Lorain, Ohio.

In 1976, an addition was built and a new side entrance was added. The addition was financed through a voter approved bond. Click here to view a scrapbook covering the campaign. Click here to view slides from 1974 showing the library and the city of Amherst before the addition. The library underwent a major renovation in November 2000. Click here to view some pictures from the renovation. In 2014, the original Carnegie portion of the library was renovated. Click here to view some pictures from the Carnegie remodel. Commencement on a new addition is scheduled to start in Summer 2021.  

Maude Neiding was the first librarian hired at the Amherst Public Library in Amherst, Ohio.  She began work when the library opened in September 1906 and retired 42 years later.  Miss Neiding was born in Lorain, Ohio, on July 28, 1878 and died January 6, 1959, at her home at 901 Cleveland Avenue.  Miss Neiding was a graduate of Lorain High School and Baldwin-Wallace College.