The Allen County Law Library Association was incorporated on January 12, 1897, by Frank E. Mead, H.S. Prophet, M.J. Sanford, M. L. Becker and William Klinger. The purpose of the library was to provide a library for the reference of the lawyers of Allen County and for the use of the county officers and judges. This organization was authorized by the Ohio Constitution and was necessary as more laws were enacted by the states and federal government.

The incorporators include Mayors of Lima in Frank E. Mead and H. S. Prophet and Judge William Klinger, 1909-1921 Allen County Court of Common Pleas, 1930 3rd District Court of Appeals Judge, and in 1926 member of the PUCO commission. M.L. Becker also served as Common Pleas Judge of Allen County.

At first, dues were collected from local attorneys to defray the costs of books, but those were reduced to $4 per year in 1900. In 1897, the Law Library received $597 in dues at $5 per attorney. Costs were high then, too; the first contract let from the Library was for court reporters in the amount of $1,200.

And by 1903, more room for books to be shelved was needed. In 1910, you could become a life member by paying $75 of which previous dues paid could credit your account. But by 1911 and 1912, the first benefits from Court fines and penalties under the state law of May 10, 1910, were being distributed. This law was amended in 1939 to provide further support for the Law Libraries across Ohio.

In 1915, there were fewer than 700 volumes in the Library. In 1926, the first inventory of books occurred. And in 1929, a fire in the Courthouse damaged $1,100 worth of volumes.

William Rusler in A Standard History of Allen County, Ohio (1921) notes that "The Allen County bar has pride in its law library maintained in the Courthouse and accessible to all." (page 353)

More laudatory comments were joined on the occasion of the Law Library's 50th anniversary in 1947: "So well has it fulfilled its objective that it is regarded as unsurpassed by any law library in Ohio in a county of comparable size." (Lima News, May 18, 1947).

Librarian/treasurers of the library included Rent W. Hughes, from 1897- 1923; L.E. Ludwig, 1923-26; Carl M, Blank, 1929-30, and Oliver Brice Selfridge from 1932-47.

More recent years have seen Magistrate Robert Whitlatch, 1985-97, Greg Novak, 1978-85, Thomas W. Maurer, 1976-77, Judge Richard D. Heeter, 1965-73. The current Librarian is Bonnie E. Everett.

The Law Library Board of Trustees is a collegial group with a fine gift for administration of the Law Library. Since the move to the Court of Appeals Building in the early 90's, the Law Library has been a quieter, more reflective area with room to spread out one's research on the fine, old library tables which were restored. The decor is deceiving, because the library houses a fine computer-driven research library in addition to current volumes on Ohio and Federal law.

In 2002, the Third District Court of Appeals honored us with their collected decisions. A special section has been set aside for these volumes.

New acquisitions come to the library courtesy of recommendations of lawyers and judges in Allen County.