COVID-19 Test Kit Update: We have not received our shipment of test kits from the State for the Wednesday, January 19 distribution date. We hope to have our supply restored for Wednesday, January 26. Please check back for updates.
Westminster Branch
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
Visit the Exploration Commons at 50 East update page for information regarding the project and accessing the Westminster Branch during construction.
Directions
Programs and Events
Check Currents or the Calendar of Events site for more events.
Thursday, January 20, 2022 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Ages: Birth - 8
More 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.
Friday, January 21, 2022 - 12:00am - 12:00am
Ages: Birth - 5
More information
Craft supply kits will be available on a first-come, first-served basis at CCPL's Westminster Branch. You can pick them up at storytimes or starting on Fridays, during library hours, while supplies last.
Friday, January 21, 2022 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Ages: 3 - 12
Registration and more information
Oh no! The princess has dropped her sparkly golden ball down the well, what will she do? Frog will help her get the ball. All he wants in return is to be her best friend. Will the princess keep her promise to play with the frog and become his best friend? Join us at the castle to find out the exciting conclusion to this story.
Friday, January 21, 2022 - 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Ages: 3 - 12
Registration and more information
Oh no! The princess has dropped her sparkly golden ball down the well, what will she do? Frog will help her get the ball. All he wants in return is to be her best friend. Will the princess keep her promise to play with the frog and become his best friend? Join us at the castle to find out the exciting conclusion to this story.
Saturday, January 22, 2022 - 10:00am - 11:30am
Ages: 8 - Adults, Adults
Registration and more information
This event will now be virtual and streamed to the CCPL Facebook page and Youtube channel! It may be cold and snowy, but it's never too early to start planning your garden! Carroll County Master Gardeners will share how to add native plants to your garden to benefit pollinators, and demonstrate how to start seeds with the winter sowing method.
Seeds and supplies for the winter sowing demonstration will be included in a take home kit. Registration required for your take home kit. Kits will be available to pickup at the Westminster Branch.
Watch online video at Facebook or YouTube.
Saturday, January 22, 2022 - 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Ages: Adults
More information
During the course of our lifetime, we have all lost someone near and dear to us. What we wouldn't give to hear from them just one more time and to know their spirit was still with us. In this lecture, medium/author Rob Gutro returns to tell us what signs to look for from our loved ones on the other side. Rob will share the story of how his own father helped prove to his family that his spirit was at his own services and continues to convey his presence. Based on his book Ghosts and Spirits: Explained.
Monday, January 24, 2022 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Ages: Birth - 8
More 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.
Monday, January 24, 2022 - 3:30pm - 5:00pm
Ages: 12 - 17
More information
Join us for an afternoon of planning activities for CCPL's Westminster Branch. Service hours are available.
Tuesday, January 25, 2022 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Ages: Birth - 8
More 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.
Tuesday, January 25, 2022 - 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Ages: 16 - Adults, Adults
More information
Join us for a monthly book discussion focusing on a diverse author's work. Each month we will select a young adult or adult title written by an author from a diverse background so we can learn from others' perspectives. Our January selection is The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. Attendees are welcome to attend in person at CCPL's Westminster Branch or virtually through Zoom by registering here.
Tuesday, January 25, 2022 - 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Ages: Birth - 8
More 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.
Wednesday, January 26, 2022 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Ages: Birth - 8
More 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.
Thursday, January 27, 2022 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Ages: Birth - 8
More 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.
Friday, January 28, 2022 - 12:00am - 12:00am
Ages: Birth - 5
More information
Craft supply kits will be available on a first-come, first-served basis at CCPL's Westminster Branch. You can pick them up at storytimes or starting on Fridays, during library hours, while supplies last.
Monday, January 31, 2022 - 12:00am - 12:00am
Ages: 11 - 17
Registration and more information
Create your own DIY Pokémon snow globe. Material and instructions will be provided. This take-home kit can be picked up at CCPL's Westminster Branch beginning Monday, January 31. Kits not picked up by February 7 will be distributed to other participants.
Monday, January 31, 2022 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Ages: Birth - 8
More 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.
Wednesday, February 2, 2022 - 6:00pm - 7:45pm
Ages: 13 - Adults, Adults
Registration and more information
You’ve heard of Leonardo da Vinci and Vincent van Gogh, but what about Nina Katchadourian? Instead of focusing on artists of the past, join us for an evening of fun and creativity as we explore great artists of the present! Each week we will introduce a different contemporary artist and create art based on their work. Not sure you’re an artsy person? Come anyway! No art skills are required! Note: Please have a phone or camera handy. We will be using them for this art project.
This program and art prompts are based on the book You Are an Artist by Sarah Urist Green. Some of these projects are also featured on the PBS The Art Assignment Youtube Channel, hosted by Sarah Urist Green. Anyone wishing to share their projects with Sarah and other budding artists can tag their works with #youareanartist on social media.
Meeting Rooms
Meeting rooms are available for public use Sunday through Saturday, excluding library-observed holidays.
We have 2 meeting rooms available for public use:
Large Meeting Room - Capacity: 50
Small Meeting Room - Capacity: 10
Services
- 24/7 book drop access
- Children's learning games
- Copy machine
- Free Wi-Fi access
- Notary Services
- Pay County tax bills
- Play and Learn Centers
- Public fax
- Public Internet computers
- Scan documents to email
- Wireless printing
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.