About APL

History

The first library in Atikokan was opened on December 16, 1952, in a space rented for $30.00 a month in a building on Main Street. Equipment for the library was donated, as were the 700 books on the shelves.

By December of 1953, the library had a membership of 270 and the number of books had risen to 2,000. At this point, the building was sold, and the library was moved to a place on Burns Street, where it re-opened on June 12, 1954. In September 1954, it joined the Thunder Bay Co-Operative, and membership had risen to 508. Larger premises were needed, and on May 12 1960, the library was once again moved to a building donated by Steep Rock Iron Mines on Clark Street, which officially opened on August 2 1960, and organized as a public library. The old building was sold, plans were submitted for a new library as a Centennial project, and on June 6 1966, the present library was officially opened.