The Alger Public Library serves all the residents of the Upper Scioto Valley School District. The library is located in the village of Alger in Hardin County Ohio. As a public library in Ohio, the Alger Library’s service area is defined as the entire Upper Scioto Valley School District, including the villages of Roundhead and McGuffey, but library services are available to any Ohio resident.
The Alger Public Library was organized as in the late 1930’s and was housed in the old Alger School. Regular board meetings began in 1943 and the first librarian was hired the following year.
In 1961 the library moved into a small building (a former used car lot office), which was to be used rent-free for one year. The librarian was paid $1.00 per hour and $1.00 per month to clean.
By 1962 the library board realized that more space was needed and began searching for a property to purchase. In early 1965 the lot at the corner of Wagner and Main streets was purchased and estimates for construction were sought. The cost was estimated at $8,000 and Hardin County appropriated $3,500 from their funds for the new library. Many fundraisers were held and donations given toward the rest of the cost. Construction on the 32 by 36 foot building began in September 1966.
In the early 1970’s Ohio public libraries started receiving funds from the state along with official designation of service areas. The Alger Public Library’s service area is now the entire USV School District.
The West Room was added in 1990 which doubled the size of the library. The cost of the new addition was $50,000. Fundraisers were not needed at this time due a generous donation by the Dunlap family. The Alger School Alumni Association was helpful in the purchase of furniture and equipment for the library.
In 1997, the Alger Public Library joined the information super highway with two computers and internet access provided by the Ohio Public Library’s Information Network (OPLIN).
The library was awarded an $18,000 grant from the Gates Foundation in 2001, providing five additional computers and related equipment.
Automation of the library card catalog and circulation systems was accomplished in 2005 through the Serving Every Ohio Library Consortium. Alger Library patrons now have access to items from the combined holdings of 80 Ohio libraries.
Today, the Board of Trustees, Library Director and staff of the Alger Public Library, will be working to expand and improve library and information services for Alger and the entire Upper Scioto Valley community.
As a member of the SEO Library consortium, the Alger Library offers access to the combined materials of 100 Ohio libraries. E-resources such as books, videos and magazines are available 24/7 online through Ohio Digital Library Libby app for use on any digital device including tablets and smartphones. Other services include: Weekly Story Times; after school activities for grades 1-12; monthly book club for adults; summer reading programs for all ages; public use computers with high-speed internet access; free Wi-Fi ; printing, copying, and faxing fee-based services.