Three neighborhood branches of the Akron-Summit County Public Library are going dark for the long haul as the system launches a sweeping, multi-year renovation plan that will eventually touch every corner of its footprint.
Tallmadge was the first to go, closing on March 16. The Ellet branch is up next, set to shut its doors this Saturday, May 9, and Nordonia Hills will follow on Aug. 1. This initial wave of work is expected to keep all three locations offline through the summer of 2027, with patrons asked to shift holds, programs, and some services to nearby branches or mobile stops while construction crews move in.
The overhaul is powered by a voter-approved 1-mill, 20-year bond passed in May 2025 that will generate roughly $160 million for building and infrastructure upgrades. The plan is ambitious: the work is expected to reach all 19 locations in the system over six to eight years, according to Signal Akron.
A key financial domino fell on April 20, when Summit County Council advanced legislation authorizing the issuance of bonds and bond-anticipation notes. That procedural but crucial step clears the way for the library to move from planning to active construction, as laid out in Summit County Council.
Library officials say Ellet, Nordonia Hills, and Tallmadge jumped to the front of the line because of aging roofs and other infrastructure problems that can no longer be patched around. Design work and construction planning for those three branches are already approved. The system’s Building Our Future page lists closure windows, town-hall dates, and details for the Tallmadge bookmobile, which will be on site on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to keep regulars stocked with reading material while the building is under construction.
Design Partners And Next Steps
An RFQ for a Construction Manager at Risk covering the Main Library, along with the Ellet, Nordonia Hills, and Tallmadge branches, outlines a planned April 27, 2026, start date and sets out bidding milestones, a sign that procurement and preconstruction work are already in motion. The listing notes that the project is shifting from feasibility and design into early construction activity, although schedules could still move as bids are evaluated and contracts are locked in; full details are posted on ConstructConnect.
While the buildings are closed, regulars are not completely out of luck. Patrons can reroute holds to other branches, return items through available book drops, and lean on the system’s digital collections. Library leaders are urging residents to keep an eye on the Building Our Future page or call 330-643-9000 for updated closure maps, bookmobile schedules, and town-hall signups. The phased approach, they say, is designed to keep access as steady as possible while crews tackle long-delayed repairs and upgrades that are supposed to carry Akron’s library buildings well into the future.
