In September, 2025, the ACPL will launch a new gateless parking system for the Main Library in downtown Fort Wayne.
News release from the Allen County Public Library:
Allen County Public Library to Launch Gateless Parking System at Main Library
Fort Wayne, Indiana (August 13, 2025) – In September, the ACPL will launch a new gateless parking system for the Main Library (900 Library Plaza) in downtown Fort Wayne. The system will impact the Library’s parking garage and nearby surface lots on Webster, Harrison, and Wayne Streets. ACPL visitors will receive the first 3 free hours of parking for free. Parking at all other ACPL locations is not impacted and will continue to be available at no cost.
Although originally scheduled for August 18, Library leadership decided to delay the launch until September to allow more time for library visitors to plan and adjust. The delay also minimizes the impact on already-scheduled community events, including the annual “Be a Tourist in Your Own Hometown” program. The anticipated new launch date is September 8.
The change addresses a critical need to ensure adequate parking for library visitors and to generate revenue to maintain the parking lots. Over the years, the existing parking system has experienced technical and mechanical challenges, as well as, repeated vandalism causing traffic backups and unanticipated maintenance costs. At various times, and for most of 2025, the system has been out of operation leading to open gates with no means of verifying library use. As a result, Library users and staff have reported consistent challenges in finding parking in the lots. After months of trying to improve the current system, the Library determined that a new system was needed.
With the primary goal of restoring parking access for Library use, and a secondary goal of ensuring a reliable revenue stream for parking lot maintenance, the Library evaluated several modern gateless solutions and in June of 2025, the ACPL Board of Trustees approved the installation of a new system from ABM Industries, Inc., a company with a local presence as managers of the City of Fort Wayne’s Civic Center Parking Garage and other local locations.
Signage will be installed in the parking lots to provide the necessary directions. Library visitors will need to enter the library to access their free 3-hour parking session. All paid sessions will require a credit or debit card for payment. Parking is $1/hour with a $7 daily max. Enforcement is conducted by ABM staff who will monitor the lots and check license plate numbers for compliance with the new system. Violators are subject to citation.
Library staff will be available to assist drivers as the new system is implemented, and it is working with ABM to provide flexibility with citation fees as the community adapts to the changes. More information, including a step-by-step guide and FAQs, is available on the library’s website.
About the Allen County Public Library
The Allen County Public Library (ACPL) has fostered lifelong learning and discovery in northeast Indiana for more than 135 years. The ACPL consists of fourteen branches throughout Allen County, serving more than one million visitors per year. The ACPL’s collection includes more than 3.9 million items, with a circulation total of 4.6 million items borrowed annually. It also houses The Genealogy Center, the nation’s largest public genealogy research center, and The Rolland Center for Lincoln Research, consisting of more than 30,000 artifacts related to President Abraham Lincoln.
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