South Lorain Branch is the oldest branch in the Lorain Public Library System. It opened as a station with a small collection of books in a dry goods store in South Lorain in 1907. In 1911, the South Lorain Branch was moved to the YMCA building. In subsequent years, the branch library's location changed two more times. In 1923, it was moved temporarily to the basement of Lowell School, and in 1925, it moved to the new YMCA building. In 1934, it moved to its own building at 3059 Pearl Avenue. That building was later outgrown and in 1957, the branch was moved to 3008 Grove Avenue. This location was a leased storefront building on the corner of Route 57 and East 30th Street.

In 1968, an addition to this building almost doubled the available floor space to 1,368 square feet. In 1982, the building was enlarged and remodeled again.In 1997, after much review, land was purchased from the Cleveland Catholic Diocese for a permanent library building on Homewood Drive. On August 21, 1997, the Board hired David Holzheimer Associate Architects of Chagrin Falls, Ohio to lead the building project. On Thursday, January 29, 1998, a purchase agreement for the land was approved by the Library Board.

Groundbreaking for the new South Lorain Branch Library was held in March 1999. On March 13, 2000, the new 12,000 square foot building opened to the public. There was a grand opening celebration for the community on May 21, 2000.The Lorain community has been very supportive of library services. The citizens have passed operating levies in 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006. This money supplements library support received through the Library and Local Government Support Fund (LLGSF) provided from the state income tax. The local operating levy helps the library to provide the staff, materials, and technology that support the Main Library, South Lorain Branch, and the Bookmobile.