The library was first organized by the Ashland Women’s Club in November of 1938. Miss Edna Geating was the president of the club at the time and she put out an appeal for books and money donations. When the library opened, it had a collection of 800 books. The library’s first location was at the northwest corner of 7th and Centre Street. In 1972 the library moved to its present location of 1229 Centre Street. The building for the current Ashland Public Library was donated by the Reidler Family in memory of Dora and Harry Schaefer.