Dr Sloan Library

The Dr Sloan Library was built in Zanesfield in 1914

Children reading books at the Dr Sloan Library in the 1950s

Oswald "OK" Reames and one of the librarians pictured at the Dr Sloan Library in 1957

Portrait of Dr Earl Sloan painted by Warren Cushman hanging in the Dr Sloan Library

Sloan Library Board members, Dr. Richard Firmin, Lee Pennock, O.K. Reames and Rev. Guy Furbay

Bottles of Sloan's Liniment from the Dr Sloan Library collection

The children's reading room at the Dr Sloan Library in Zanesfield. Photo courtesy of Cori Morse

The children's reading room at the Dr Sloan Library in Zanesfield. Photo Courtesy of Cori Morse

Grandfather clock that was once in Dr. Sloan's Boston home. Photo Courtesy of Cori Morse

Cozy corner in the Dr. Sloan Library. Photo courtesy of Cori Morse.

The Dr Sloan Library has two computers for public use. Photo courtesy of the Dr Sloan Library

Bronze bust of Dr Earl Sloan on the front of the library

Historical marker in the front yard pf the Dr Sloan Library. Photo courtesy of Cori Morse

The Dr. Sloan Library in Zanesfield has continuously served the Zanesfield area for over one hundred ten years. The free-public library was built in 1914 using funds donated by Dr. Earl Sloan.

Plans to build a library in Zanesfield started in 1912 when the Zanesfield Commercial Club was formed by Oswald “O.K.” Reames and Lee Pennock. At that time, the club discussed erecting a monument to honor Isaac Zane and Simon Kenton, and building a new library. Dr. Sloan, who was a good friend of Reames, made a generous donation for the monument and announced, “he wanted to spend more of his store of money for the good of Zanesfield, the dearest town of all to him, the town where he was born.”

According to legend, when Sloan was a child, he was denied a book from the village library because of his ragged, untidy appearance. He vowed if he could ever earn enough money, he would build a library in Zanesfield where no one would be denied a book. Whether this actually happened or not, he did acquire a fortune selling his father’s home-made horse liniment and funded the construction of a new library. Sloan also gave an additional gift of $2,000 for books.

Earl Sloan’s father, Andrew, known as “Doc” Sloan, was a veterinarian who developed a liniment for horses with sore muscles that eased their pain. Earl and his brother, Foreman, began selling their father’s liniment in 1871. They peddled it at fairs, carnivals, and farms. One of their customers told the brothers that he had used the liniment on his sore back and it had worked great. After hearing his testimonial, they began the advertising campaign of “Sloan’s Liniment, Good for Man or Beast”. By 1896, sales of Sloan’s Liniment had reached $30,000 annually and Earl, like his father, was given the title of “Dr. Sloan.”

The Dr. Sloan library was dedicated on September 8, 1914, Earl Sloan’s birthday. The library is constructed of buff brick and gray Bedford limestone with a red tile roof. A bronze bust of Dr. Sloan adorns the front of the library. The upper level has five rooms, the main reading room, children’s reading room, book room, reference room, and trustee’s room. The basement features a meeting room, community room and fully equipped kitchen.

The first two books received were Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress” and “Swiss Family Robinson”, gifts from former Zanesfield resident Mrs. M.M. Glover of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Foreman Sloan donated 400 books, including a set of encyclopedias. Miss Eva Grubbs was appointed as the first librarian.

The Logan County Archaeological and Historical Society was organized at the Dr. Sloan Library in 1945 with O.K. Reames as president. They set up exhibits and display cases of various artifacts in the library. They used the library as their headquarters until their collection grew and they needed a larger facility. The Dr. Sloan Library still has some of the original artifacts on exhibit.

Over the years, the Dr. Sloan Library has seen little change. Other than a few modern updates, it still has the original charm of a small-town library. The library walls have oil paintings by local artist Warren Cushman, including a portrait of Dr. Sloan. A beautiful grandfather clock that once stood in Dr. Sloan’s home in Boston keeps accurate time in the children's room.

The library serves the community with up-to-date books and magazines and computers for public use. Story Time for children offers stories, crafts and play for pre-school children.

Monthly programs include Book Club, Book Circle, Men’s Coffee Club, Creative Open Studio, Zanesfield Historian’s Club, and various craft and guest speaker programs. Each September the library hosts Jazz on the Lawn in coordination with the annual Zane Cabin Bean Dinner.

The library offers reading materials and programs for all ages. It’s a great place to curl up in one of the comfortable chairs with a hot beverage and read a book.

For more information on the Dr. Sloan Library visit their website at www.drsloanlibrary.org