In 1901, through the efforts of George E. Hinds and the members of the members of the library board, Andrew Carnegie became interested in Kent and he agreed to give $10,000 to erect a library building on condition that the town provide a site and agree to contribute 10% of the gift yearly for the library's maintenance. Marvin Kent donated the lot at the corner of Main and River Streets and the town voted by an overwhelming majority to make the necessary tax levy. Plans for the library were drawn by Charles Hopkinson of Cleveland, and in June, 1902, the contract for the building was awarded to A. C. Stambaugh.
The building was completed in the spring of 1903. At the request of the Board, Carnegie gave an additional $1,500 for the furnishings of the library. Nellie Dingley of Painesville was employed as librarian and Janet M. Green, library organizer for the state of Illinois, was engaged to organize and catalog the new library in a systematic manner.
On September 25, 1903, the doors of the library were opened to the public. From then on, it rapidly grew and prospered. In 1904, the plans and model of the building were sent to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, as a perfect model of a $10,000 building. [http://www.kentfree.lib.oh.us/page.cfm?id=5]
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