Canal Fulton Public Library

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Canal Fulton Public Library is a two-story frame building, which was constructed about 1880 by Timothy Sullivan. It soon became the showplace home of E.R. Held, a local banker. Mr. Held left town around 1900, but kept the property for years, during a part of which time it housed C.R. Daily's undertaking establishment. During the twenties the house was sold to W.L. Keller, whose family were the last owners. The structure became a public library in 1949 after it had been purchased and remodeled through the generosity of Mr. & Mrs. George Muhlhauser. A new addition in 1958 made more space for more books and a lower level social room, which subsequently became the children's department. Designs were by Massillon architect Harry Mallalieu and Barberton landscaper John Paolano. Another addition as well as renovation of the existing building was completed in 1992, designed by Gerald L. Cody. In response to patron requests for increased accessibility and a pressing need for additional staff workspace to accommodate increased interlibrary circulation, a new renovation/expansion project was started in July 2003. CBLH Design of Cleveland, formerly known as Spice Costantino Architects, was retained to renovate and paint the library yellow with multi-color trims to historically reflect the period when the original house was built, circa 1879. (The library had previously been housed, since its inception in 1937, in the local school). A new entrance with handicap-assisted doors has been added off the newly expanded parking lot. Today, the building now houses more than 50,000 books, over 200 magazines, and 3,000 items in multimedia formats like DVDs, CD-ROMs, and CDs, in addition to public computers with free Internet access and common applications such as MS Word and Excel, a local history collection, and a tool collection.