Westminster branch

Overhead drone photo of the Westminster branch and the sculpture park

50 East Main Street
Westminster, MD 21157

Christina Ogle, Branch Manager

Branch hours
Monday - Thursday: 9 AM - 8 PM
Friday - Saturday: 9 AM - 5 PM

Directions

Upcoming programs and events

Check Currents publication (PDF) or the Calendar of Events site for more events.

Family Storytime

Family Storytime

Westminster Branch
Monday, April 13, 2026 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Ages: Birth - 8
Class information

We’ll share books, stories, rhymes, music, and movement. Come talk, sing, read, write, and play together in a format appropriate for young children. 

Open Mah Jongg

Open Mah Jongg

Westminster Branch
Monday, April 13, 2026 - 5:00pm - 7:45pm
Ages: Adults
Class information

Join us for a friendly game of casual, non-competitive American Mah Jongg. This program is for experienced and newer players with some play experience. An instructor will be present. Please bring a current National Mah Jongg League card. If you don’t have a card, one will be provided. 

Read and Play

Read and Play

Westminster Branch
Tuesday, April 14, 2026 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Ages: Birth - 24 Months
Class information

Join your little one at a storytime featuring interactive books, rhymes, music, and movement, followed by playgroup activities that allow children to practice skills and socialize.

Twos and Threes Together

Twos and Threes Together

Westminster Branch
Tuesday, April 14, 2026 - 11:00am - 12:00pm
Ages: 2 - 3
Class information

This lively, fast-paced storytime for young children includes books, songs, fingerplays, and movement.

Pajama Party Storytime

Pajama Party Storytime

Westminster Branch
Tuesday, April 14, 2026 - 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Ages: Birth - 8
Class information

Wear your pajamas, bring your favorite stuffed animal, and listen to stories before bed. This storytime introduces stories through books, songs, and activities appropriate for young children.

Read and Play

Read and Play

Westminster Branch
Wednesday, April 15, 2026 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Ages: Birth - 24 Months
Class information

Join your little one at a storytime featuring interactive books, rhymes, music, and movement, followed by playgroup activities that allow children to practice skills and socialize.

Twos and Threes Together

Twos and Threes Together

Westminster Branch
Wednesday, April 15, 2026 - 11:00am - 12:00pm
Ages: 2 - 3
Class information

This lively, fast-paced storytime for young children includes books, songs, fingerplays, and movement.

Transitioning to Medicare Part 1

Transitioning to Medicare Part 1

Westminster Branch
Wednesday, April 15, 2026 - 5:00pm - 6:30pm
Ages: Adults
Class registration and more information

Are you or someone you care about eligible for Medicare? Come and find out how to maximize your Medicare health benefits. There are many decisions to make when you are transitioning to Medicare. This seminar will cover the four parts of Medicare (Parts A, B, C, and D), Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans, available preventive services, and how to protect yourself from healthcare fraud. We will also cover Medicare Savings Programs, which help pay out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries. These are not all low-income programs.

Twos and Threes Together

Twos and Threes Together

Westminster Branch
Thursday, April 16, 2026 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Ages: 2 - 3
Class information

This lively, fast-paced storytime for young children includes books, songs, fingerplays, and movement.

Family Storytime

Family Storytime

Westminster Branch
Thursday, April 16, 2026 - 11:00am - 12:00pm
Ages: Birth - 8
Class information

We’ll share books, stories, rhymes, music, and movement. Come talk, sing, read, write, and play together in a format appropriate for young children. 

CCGS Research Thursday

CCGS Research Thursday

Westminster Branch
Thursday, April 16, 2026 - 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Ages: 13 - Adults, Adults
Class information

Volunteers from the Carroll County Genealogical Society are available to help with your family history research. Please contact volunteers at info@ccgsmd.org to schedule a time if you require CCGS staff assistance.

Connect U to Technology: Smart Devices Made Simple

Connect U to Technology: Smart Devices Made Simple

Westminster Branch
Thursday, April 16, 2026 - 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Ages: Adults
Class registration and more information

This hands-on workshop is designed to help adults feel more confident with their smartphones, tablets, and everyday technology. Participants will learn practical skills like texting, taking photos, staying safe online, and troubleshooting common issues. This judgment-free session encourages questions and provides personalized guidance to help everyone leave feeling more empowered with their devices. Presented by Jason and Lydia from Connect U, LLC.

Preschool Play

Preschool Play

Westminster Branch
Friday, April 17, 2026 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Ages: 3 - 6
Class information

Play is a fantastic way for children to develop their critical thinking skills. Join us for an open playtime where children can be imaginative and creative while exploring blocks, puzzles, playdough, and more.

Teen After Hours Music Night: Karaoke & Open Mic

Teen After Hours Music Night: Karaoke & Open Mic

Westminster Branch
Friday, April 17, 2026 - 6:30pm - 9:00pm
Ages: 11 - 17
Class registration and more information

Join the Westminster Branch Teen Advisory Board for our first music night! We will have karaoke, open mic, music trivia, and more. Snacks will be provided. 

Registration and permission slips are required for this after-hours event; download a copy or pick one up at the Westminster Branch's Customer Service Desk.

Bird Tales from the Maryland Woods

Bird Tales from the Maryland Woods

Westminster Branch
Saturday, April 18, 2026 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Ages: 6 - Adults, Adults
Class registration and more information

From our forested rolling hills to our suburban backyards, Central Maryland is the crossroads for a diverse and fascinating array of birds. Join Mount Airy nature photographer Brian Smith for a colorful, lively slideshow highlighting many of Maryland's most beautiful bird species. Brian Smith is an award-winning nature photographer specializing in the birds of the Mid-Atlantic region. His photographs have appeared in National Geographic and Cornell Lab of Ornithology publications. Children must be accompanied by an adult caregiver for the duration of this program.  

Art Therapy with Therapy Dogs

Art Therapy with Therapy Dogs

Westminster Branch
Saturday, April 18, 2026 - 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Ages: 11 - Adults, Adults
Class information

Unwind and express your creativity in a calming environment with the support of our friendly therapy dogs! Explore hands-on art activities like coloring, sculpting with playdough, and playing with kinetic sand—all designed to reduce stress and spark joy. Perfect for anyone looking to relax, connect, and create in a soothing space.

Meeting rooms

Meeting rooms are available for public use Monday through Saturday, excluding library-observed holidays.

We have the following meeting rooms available for public use:

Large Meeting Room - Capacity: 50
Small Meeting Room - Capacity: 8
1 Study Room - Capacity: 4 people

Book by Room

Services

Branch history

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 E. Main Street in March, 1980.

A major interior and exterior renovation to the building and park began in 2008. The interior renovation included a complete redesign of interior public space and features a train-themed children's area. Improvements to the Mary Lou Dewey Park in front of the branch included a redesigned entrance, new landscaping and walkways, and the Booth Memorial Stage, a performance platform for concerts and educational programming. Private funding made the addition of Wild Imaginings, a library-inspired sculpture by world-renown artist Bart Walter, possible.