TOLEDO–The Toledo Heights Branch doesn’t quite have the hushed atmosphere one might expect at a library, especially one closing at the end of the year. Instead, it resonates with activity—keyboards clicking, phones connecting and greetings exchanged between staff and patrons the moment the front door opens. It’s an atmosphere the neighborhood will soon be without.
This community connection began nearly a century ago when the library first opened in rented quarters in 1926 and was solidified in 1935 when the current structure on Shasta Drive was built under the federal Public Works Administration (PWA). Now, that nearly 90-year history of service in a historic building is coming to an end as the Toledo Lucas County Public Library (TLCPL) has confirmed the branch will permanently close its doors on Dec. 30, 2025.
The decision, officially passed by the Board of Trustees, is driven by the immediate need to close a $2.8 million operational deficit and avoid an estimated $6 million in structural repairs necessary for the aging, PWA-era facility. But for lifelong residents, this closure represents a loss of a neighborhood institution.
What the library means to the community…