The Essex County Library is a system of 14 libraries that provide quality materials and services, free of charge, to all residents of Essex County. The Essex County Library was established by County Council in January, 1966. It replaced the Essex County Co-operative, which was a loose federation of independent municipal libraries. Today, with the financial support of the County of Essex and the Province of Ontario, the Essex County Library provides a collection of over 367,000 items and a wide range of services through its branch libraries.