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Edward R. And Minnie D. White Memorial Library

108 East Wapakoneta Street
419-568-5851

The creation of the Auglaize County Public District Library System began with a donation of land adjacent to the Blume High School and $50,000 from the estate of Mr. Lewis Napoleon Blume (L.N. Blume), a Wapakoneta businessman and banker. Through Mr. Blume's generosity, a three-story building was erected next to the Blume High School. The first floor of the building was for the high school gymnasium, the second floor was for the public library, and the third floor was for a YMCA.

The Edward and Minnie White Memorial Library located in Waynesfield was opened to the public in 1998. This library was made possible when Mrs. White passed away in 1995 and left $900,000 to the St. Marys Community Foundation with specific instructions that the funds be used to build a library in the memory of her and her late husband, who passed away in 1987. Previously, the Waynesfield branch had been located in various older buildings in town. As recent as 1994, the library was in danger of closing unless new and better facilities were located. In 2003, th library acquired the property adjacent to the library and made the necessary improvements to turn the area into much needed greenspace.