Twinsburg Public Library

The first business conducted on February 22, 1910 was the article by article approval of the Samuel Bissell Memorial Library Association's constitution and by-laws. Next, the executive committee of the Library was confirmed with Lister as president, Evelyn A. Parmelee as vice president, Albert W. Elliott as secretary, L. G. Bean as treasurer and Rev. Walter Blackmer as librarian. The following day the executive committee met in the home of Bean to propose a lease agreement with Mrs. Tucker for part of the Old Stone Building at $6 per month for one or two years and the privilege of remodeling the room with no injury to the building. On March 12, 1910, the executive committee formally entered a simple lease agreement with Mrs. Tucker. The Old Stone Building was on the north side of the public square.

A flurry of activity followed during the succeeding months in preparation for the grand opening on May 7, 1910 . The executive committee empowered Lister, Elliott and Parmelee to take whatever steps necessary to prepare the reading room for this event. They also directed Blackmer to install any system he desired to operate the Library. As provided for in the constitution, a Library committee, consisting of the librarian and two or more members of the Library association, was in charge of securing appropriate reading materials. This task was accomplished by obtaining magazines through subscriptions, purchasing materials using monetary donations, and acquiring works of fiction from the State Library.

Named in honor of Rev. Samuel Bissell, founder of the Twinsburg Institute, the new Library officially opened to the public Saturday, April 30, 1910 from 2:00 to 8:30 p.m. The Library room, at the time, opened into the Post Office, and Post Office clerks issued books. The Library's dedication was held on May 7, 1910. Miss Mary E. Downey, State Library organizer, was present at the opening and spoke to Library association members.

The citizens' committee successfully completed the first phase of their goal to establish a Library for the benefit of the community. The Library formed at their suggestion was now fully operational, but how would the members of the association find ways to maintain their new creation? For the Library to stand the test of time the entire community would have to embrace it and contribute to its maintenance. That was the challenge now facing the executive committee.