Harford County Public Library

History

In June 1945, Harford County became the first county in Maryland to implement the new tax-supported Public Library Law. By January 1946, the first Harford County Board of Library Trustees was formed and the old Methodist Church Building on Main Street in Bel Air was bought to provide headquarters for the County library system.

Services

Included in the services and materials that the library offers to the community are: books, eBooks, sound recordings, audio books, eAudiobooks, Playaways, magazines, newspapers, video games, public meeting rooms, large-type books, DVDs, compact discs, STEM kits, puzzles, puppets, oral history, films, copy machines, public access computer catalogs with printers, microfilm reader- printer, children and adult programs, information services, Internet access, health information, tax assistance, and volunteer opportunities.

Awards

In 2023, Harford County Public Library received an American Inhouse Design Award from Graphic Design USA (GDUSA) for the design of the graphics on its Traveling Library outreach vehicles. This is the third time the Library has received an honor from GDUSA since 2018.

Branches

The library has eleven service outlets, listed here by collection size.

Bel Air

Bel Air Branch Library (Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland) has been the largest branch in the system since its beginning in 1947. The building was constructed in 1960 and renovated and expanded in 1967. A second renovation and expansion occurred in 1998. The Children's Section was renovated in 2016. The Bel Air branch also houses the Learning and Sharing Center.

Location: 100 E. Pennsylvania Avenue, Bel Air, MD 21014

** Size:** 50000 sqft.

** Collection:** 255,277 as of 7/2008

** Circulation** FY 07 - 1,028,419

Meeting Room: 1404 sqft. (3 rooms at 468 sqft)

Abingdon

Abingdon Branch Library (Abingdon, Maryland) opened May 17, 2004.

** Location:** 2510 S. Tollgate Road, Bel Air, MD 21015

** Size:** 35000 sqft.

** Collection:** 173,822 as of 7/2008

** Circulation:** FY07 - 879,818

Meeting Room: 1058 sq ft (2 rooms 529 sqft)

Aberdeen

Aberdeen Branch Library (Aberdeen, Maryland) opened in its present location in 1974.

** Location:** 21 Franklin Street, Aberdeen, MD 21001

** Size:** 14000 sqft.

** Collection:** 96,300 as of 7/2008

** Circulation:** FY 07 - 320,124

Meeting Room: 750 sqft.

Edgewood

Edgewood Branch Library (Edgewood, Maryland) opened in 1962 and was renovated and expanded in 1979. A second renovation and expansion occurred in 2001.

Location: 629 Edgewood Road, Edgewood, MD 21040

Size: 16500 sqft.

Collection: 92,168 as of 7/2008

Circulation: FY 07 - 248,445

Meeting Room: 720 sqft. (2 rooms 360 sqft)

Fallston

Fallston Branch Library (Fallston, Maryland) opened in December 1984 as the Fallston/Jarrettsville Branch, now serving primarily the Fallston area.

** Location:** 1461 Fallston Road, Fallston, MD 21047

Size: 13400 sqft

Collection: 92,608 as of 7/2008

Circulation: FY 07 - 308,628

Meeting Room: 760 sqft.

Joppa

Joppa Branch Library (Joppa, Maryland) opened in 1980.

Location: 655 Towne Center Drive, Joppa, MD 21085

Size: 14000 sqft.

Collection: 74,931 as of 7/2008

Circulation: FY 07 - 202,028

Meeting Room: 832 sqft.

Jarrettsville

Jarrettsville Branch Library (Jarrettsville, Maryland) opened May 1, 2006.

Location: 3722 Norrisville Road, Jarrettsivlle, MD 21084

Size: 14000 sqft.

Collection: 67,992 as of 7/2008

Circulation: FY07 - 282,345

Meeting Room: 1036 sqft.

Havre de Grace

Havre de Grace Branch Library (Havre de Grace, Maryland) opened in its present location in 1987 and was rebuilt in 2015.

Location: 120 N. Union Avenue, Havre de Grace, MD 21078

Size: 8520 sqft.

Collection: 62,952 as of 7/2008

Circulation: FY 07 - 220,867

Meeting Room: 95 sqft.

Whiteford

Whiteford Branch Library (Whiteford, Maryland) opened on June 23, 1992 was renovated and expanded in 2010.

Location: 2407 Whiteford Road, MD 21160

Size: 7300 sqft.

Collections: 56,685 as of 7/2008

Circulation: FY 07 - 208,362

Meeting Room: 558 sqft.

Norrisville

Norrisville Branch Library (Norrisville, Maryland) opened at its present location on February 1, 2003.

Location: 5310 Norrisville Road, White Hall, MD 21161

Size: 4000 sqft.

Collection: 35,619 as of 7/2008

Circulation: FY 07 - 104,856

Meeting Room: 800 sqft. shared with Parks and Recreation

Darlington

Darlington Branch Library (Darlington, Maryland) moved to its present location in 1979. A new location is under construction.

Location: 1134 Main Street, Darlington, MD 21034

Size: 576 sqft.

Collection: 17,741 as of 7/2008

Circulation: FY 07 - 51,500

Meeting Room: none

Other services

Rolling Reader

The Rolling Reader is one of many outreach services the Library provides to Harford County residents. The Rolling Reader promotes reading for pleasure, visiting after school programs that target at-risk children in grades K through 8.

Service Began: January 2001

FY07 Circulation: 4,075

Collection Size: 9,688 as of 7/2008

Silver Reader

The Silver Reader, a mobile library vehicle, visits senior centers, senior housing, assisted-living facilities and nursing homes throughout the county. The vehicle is equipped with a lift so customers in wheelchairs can board the vehicle and choose materials for themselves, with help from library staff if they like. At facilities where some customers may need more assistance, the Silver Reader staff can take materials inside for customers to review and check out.

Service Began: March 2006

Annual Circulation - 6,365

Collection Size: 4,695 as of 7/2008

Harford County Detention Center

FY07 Circulation: 18,825

References

References

1. "Facts & Policies".
2. "Harford County Public Library Wins Third American Inhouse Design Award".