Opened at the beginning of the twentieth century in order to serve all residents of Van Wert County, it occupies an architecturally prominent building by David L. Stine, which was constructed with funds donated by a local businessman.

The building has been named a historic site, partly because of its place as the first public library in the United States to serve an entire county.

In order to finance their project, the ladies sought subscriptions at $3 per person throughout the city and sponsored public entertainment events to raise additional money.

[2]: 252 Born in Licking County in 1829, John Sanford Brumback settled in Van Wert in 1862 and eventually became one of the city's leading businessmen.

As his health was failing in the late nineteenth century, Brumback decided to engage in philanthropy, and following his death in December 1897, his bequest of a large sum to the library was announced.

[2]: 254 As the years passed, branches were closed; by 1968, locations outside of Van Wert had been restricted to nine pickup stations, although bookmobile service had been created to assist county schools.

In response, the library purchased the original Brumback family home; eighteen thousand titles were moved there, as well as facilities for serving parts of the county outside Van Wert.