Library service in Carroll County began in 1863,when the Westminster Public Library was founded by Reverend J. A. Monroe and Dr. Charles Billingslea. The library was supported by membership dues and fines, and was open to the public on Friday afternoons. Relocating over the years from the Odd Fellows Hall to the new Times Building and then to the second floor of the Wantz Building, Westminster Public Library was still a one-room library in the 1940s.

In 1949, Mr. and Mrs. Walter H. Davis announced that they would give a public library building to Westminster and provide an endowment for its support. At that time, the Westminster Public Library turned over its operation and assets to the Davis Library. The Davis Library, housed in a former Methodist church building, was formally dedicated as a library in May, 1951.

In 1958, after ten years of lobbying, a county-wide library system was established, with the Davis Library operating as the central branch. Carroll County's first modern library facility, the Westminster Branch, opened at 50 East Main Street in March, 1980. An interior and exterior renovation of the building has been completed.

CCPL Time Line

1863 - Westminster Public Library, a membership organization, was founded

1949 - The Davis Library was established through the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Walter H. Davis

1952 - Annual circulation: 28,183

1955 - Hampstead Library was founded by the Junior Woman's Club

1958 - Carroll County Public Library, a county-wide library system was established Bookmobile service was instituted

1959 - Annual circulation: 88,390

1961 - First story hour was held at Davis Library

190 children participated in Davis Library's summer reading program

1965 - Mount Airy Community Library opened

1968 - Eldersburg Community Library opened

1969 - Taneytown Community Library opened

1971 - Life Enrichment (now Library Link) established to serve older adults

1979 - Circulation system was automated through a partnership with Baltimore County Public Library

1980 - Westminster Branch opened as a full-service library branch

1980 - System-wide circulation: 504,582

1983 - Eldersburg Branch opened as a full-service library branch

1985 - System-wide circulation passed 1,000,000 in June, 1985

1985 - Service to the Carroll County Detention Center was established

1989 - Taneytown Branch opened as a full-service library branch

1990 - North Carroll opened as a full-service library branch

1992 - 3,472 children participated in CCPL's summer reading program

1993 - Mt. Airy Branch opened as a full-service library branch

1994 - CCPL began offering Internet access through Sailor

1995 - Carroll County Public Library became the first Internet service provider in Carroll County

1999 - System-wide circulation: 2,972,224

2000 - 11,529 children and teens participated in CCPL's summer reading program

2001 - System-wide circulation exceeded 3 million items: 3,044,266

2008 - Library Headquarters relocated to New Windsor

2008 to 2010 – Major renovation of Westminster Branch

2009 - Finksburg Branch opened on Jan 28

2009 - Bridges, a partnership with the town of Union Bridge, was established to provide a computer lab in the Union Bridge Community Center

2010 - Mary Lou Dewey Park at the Westminster Branch dedicated

2012 - System-wide circulation exceeded 4.4 million

2012 - 10,332 children and teens participated in CCPL's summer reading program

 

CCPL has maintained the highest circulation per capita in Maryland since 1994