Our Mission
Our mission is to provide equal access to information, knowledge and experiences so that people of all ages may seek education, social and cultural growth.The Newark Public Library encourages the free flow of ideas so that citizens may make informed choices about their personal lives, activities, and government.
History
The Newark Public Library was first chartered in 1897 with the help of Reverend Charles W. Tomlinson. However, it was Henry C. Rew who presented his family’s homestead site at the corner of Mason and High Streets for the library’s location.
You can see photos of these men on either side of the High Street door as you exit the library.
Tomlinson is on the left and Rew is on the right.
The cornerstone of the building was laid in October of 1900.The northeast wing was added in 1937, while the northwest wing was added in 1954 for additional library space and to house the Hoffman Clock Museum. The children’s room in the lower level was constructed in 1963.
The addition in 1989, after years of investing and planning, increased the total library space to 16,500 square feet. We automated in 1991 and in 1995 we provided the first public access computers for library users in the OWWL Library System (formerly the Pioneer Library System). The Teen Room was created in 2002 to offer for the growing demand for space, library services, and materials for area teenagers. In 2006, we became a school district public library to broaden our tax support to include the residents of the Newark School District.