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Harford County Public Library is a public library serving Harford County, Maryland. It has 11 branches, an administrative office, and 2 outreach vehicles.[1] The library has an annual circulation of over 4 million materials and serves more than 174,000 registered borrowers.[citation needed]
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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.
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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.[citation needed]
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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.[2]
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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: 50,000 sq ft (5,000 m2).
Collection: 255,277 as of 7/2008
Circulation FY 07 - 1,028,419
Meeting Room: 1,404 sq ft (130 m2). (3 rooms at 468 sq ft (43 m2))
Abingdon
Abingdon Branch Library (Abingdon, Maryland) opened May 17, 2004.
Location: 2510 S. Tollgate Road, Bel Air, MD 21015
Size: 35,000 sq ft (3,300 m2).
Collection: 173,822 as of 7/2008
Circulation: FY07 - 879,818
Meeting Room: 1058 sq ft (2 rooms 529 sq ft (49 m2))
Aberdeen
Aberdeen Branch Library (Aberdeen, Maryland) opened in its present location in 1974.
Location: 21 Franklin Street, Aberdeen, MD 21001
Size: 14,000 sq ft (1,300 m2).
Collection: 96,300 as of 7/2008
Circulation: FY 07 - 320,124
Meeting Room: 750 sq ft (70 m2).
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: 16,500 sq ft (1,530 m2).
Collection: 92,168 as of 7/2008
Circulation: FY 07 - 248,445
Meeting Room: 720 sq ft (67 m2). (2 rooms 360 sq ft (33 m2))
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: 13,400 sq ft (1,240 m2)
Collection: 92,608 as of 7/2008
Circulation: FY 07 - 308,628
Meeting Room: 760 sq ft (71 m2).
Joppa
Joppa Branch Library (Joppa, Maryland) opened in 1980.
Location: 655 Towne Center Drive, Joppa, MD 21085
Size: 14,000 sq ft (1,300 m2).
Collection: 74,931 as of 7/2008
Circulation: FY 07 - 202,028
Meeting Room: 832 sq ft (77 m2).
Jarrettsville
Jarrettsville Branch Library (Jarrettsville, Maryland) opened May 1, 2006.
Location: 3722 Norrisville Road, Jarrettsivlle, MD 21084
Size: 14,000 sq ft (1,300 m2).
Collection: 67,992 as of 7/2008
Circulation: FY07 - 282,345
Meeting Room: 1,036 sq ft (96 m2).
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: 8,520 sq ft (792 m2).
Collection: 62,952 as of 7/2008
Circulation: FY 07 - 220,867
Meeting Room: 95 sq ft (9 m2).
Whiteford
Whiteford Branch Library (Whiteford, Maryland) opened on June 23, 1992 was renovated and expanded in 2010.
Location: 2407 Whiteford Road, MD 21160
Size: 7,300 sq ft (680 m2).
Collections: 56,685 as of 7/2008
Circulation: FY 07 - 208,362
Meeting Room: 558 sq ft (52 m2).
Norrisville
Norrisville Branch Library (Norrisville, Maryland) opened at its present location on February 1, 2003.
Location: 5310 Norrisville Road, White Hall, MD 21161
Size: 4,000 sq ft (400 m2).
Collection: 35,619 as of 7/2008
Circulation: FY 07 - 104,856
Meeting Room: 800 sq ft (74 m2). 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 sq ft (54 m2).
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
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