Ohio County Public Library
Dedicated to building knowledge and enriching lives.
Dedicated to building knowledge and enriching lives.
The Ohio County Public Library was created in 1937. Each town in the
county was asked to send a Works Project Administration worker into
Hartford to facilitate a rural library project. The library that was
established in Hartford was first housed in Hartford High School.
Services included pick-up and delivery of materials that were
collected by WPA workers. Later, the library was housed in several
buildings, including a tool shed.
In 1942, the WPA asked the Hartford Women’s Club to take over the
administration of the tool shed library. The group agreed and began
raising money for the library through rummage sales and
contributions. The city of Hartford donated $13.00 per month for
library operations. Materials were obtained through a traveling
library provided by the Library Extension of the Kentucky Department
for Libraries and Archives.
The library received the first Bookmobile in 1954, as a memorial
from a patron. The Ohio County School Board agreed to appropriate
funds to operate the Bookmobile. The Bookmobile route was developed
by the county health nurse.
In 1962, plans were presented to the Hartford City Council, the Ohio
County Board of Education, and the Ohio County Fiscal Court to
establish a regional library. Ohio County would be the headquarters
for six other counties. The library would be funded through taxes.
In 1965, funds were applied for under the Library Services and
Construction Act to build a new library. The library received
$82,511 in matching federal funds. The total cost of construction
was $104,720. A new Ohio County Public Library was dedicated on
October 15th,
1965.
Thirty years later in 1995, the library began a new construction
project on a desperately
needed addition. This expansion more than doubled the existing
square footage. A portion of the cost was offset by a construction
grant. Diligent fund raising and dollars saved paid for more than
half of the remaining cost. Debt service on the building was paid in
full within ten years.
On November 29th,
2012 the Ohio County Public Library opened the Genealogy Annex
across the street from the main branch. This addition houses state,
family and local histories as well as death and birth records. The
Annex also provides a technology lab and public meeting spaces.
The Ohio County Public Library Board of Trustees meets monthly on the second Tuesday of the month at 4:30 p.m. The meeting is held at the library.
The Ohio County Public Library Long Range Plans may be viewed by clicking here.
Ohio County Public Library Proctor Policy
Ohio County Public Library Room Use Policy
Ohio County Public Library Unattended Child Policy