The Allen County Public Library is a public library system located in Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1895 as the Fort Wayne Public Library, the library served residents with 3,606 books out of a single room in City Hall. Today the library system includes 14 library branches throughout the city and county. The 367000sqft Main Library Branch in downtown Fort Wayne is home to the Fred J. Reynolds Historical Genealogy Department, which holds the largest public genealogy collection in the United States.Timeline1895 – Library opened in City Hall on January 28 with 3,606 volumes. 1898 – Library Board purchased the Brackenridge Home at Wayne Street and Webster Street for $14,000. 1904 – Carnegie-funded library building opened. 1923 – Service to county residents began. Fort Wayne Public Library became Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County. 1944 – Main Library expansion began with purchase of Hollywood Building on Washington Boulevard to house administrative offices. 1952 – Young Adult Department opened in basement of main library, the first such department in the country. 1968 – 173500sqft building at Wayne and Webster Streets was dedicated August 21, 1968. 1977 – Construction of the new addition to the Main Library began. 1980 – Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County officially became Allen County Public Library by act of the state legislature on January 1. 1985 – Estimated 5,500 people ate 2,731 pizzas during system's 90th birthday celebration. 1997 – Library Board and staff began system-wide space needs analysis for all library facilities. 2001 – Allen County taxpayers approved bond financing of the $84 million library expansion project. 2007 – Renovation and expansion of main library nears completion. Grand opening held on January 27, 2007, with Randall T. Shepard, Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court, among the speakers.
