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
Directions
Programs and Events
Check Currents or the Calendar of Events site for more events.
Saturday, December 3, 2022 - 11:00am - 12:30pm
Ages: Adults
Registration and more information
Learn everything you’ve always wanted to know about wills, trusts, health care directives, probate, and powers of attorney but didn’t know who to ask! Join us as Amy Lazas, Esq., of Providence Law Group, LLC helps to make this complex topic a little easier to understand.
Saturday, December 3, 2022 - 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Ages: 4 - Adults, Adults
More information
Every dog enjoys a good story! KPETS’ trained “reading dogs” provide a relaxed informal atmosphere for kids to practice reading. Research shows that reading to animals can boost reading skills in children as well as help with emotional and social skills.
Saturday, December 3, 2022 - 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Ages: All Ages
More information
Join us for TUBACHRISTMAS, a live music event on our outdoor stage of traditional Christmas tunes performed on euphonium, baritone, and similar instruments.
Monday, December 5, 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, December 6, 2022 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Ages: Birth - 24 Months
More information
Join your little one at a storytime featuring interactive books, rhymes, music, and movement, followed by playgroup activities which allow children to practice skills and socialize.
Tuesday, December 6, 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, December 7, 2022 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Ages: Birth - 24 Months
More information
Join your little one at a storytime featuring interactive books, rhymes, music, and movement, followed by playgroup activities which allow children to practice skills and socialize.
Wednesday, December 7, 2022 - 11:00am - 12:00pm
Ages: 2 - 3
More information
This lively, fast-paced storytime for young children includes books, songs, fingerplays, and movement.
Thursday, December 8, 2022 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Ages: 2 - 3
More information
This lively, fast-paced storytime for young children includes books, songs, fingerplays, and movement.
Thursday, December 8, 2022 - 11:00am - 12:00pm
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, December 8, 2022 - 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Ages: 8 - Adults, Adults
More information
Come on out for our library game night! We're playing Catan, a strategy game with six players and an average game time of 90 minutes. You can trade, build, and settle an island in the game, and players can control a civilization and spread it across the game board for points. Join us to have fun and learn more about this addictive game! Find more about Catan here.
Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult.
Saturday, December 10, 2022 - 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Ages: All Ages
More information
Join us in Mary Lou Dewey Park to hear seasonal music performed by students from Westminster High School and Westminster Elementary School. Feel free to bring a blanket or lawn chair.
Monday, December 12, 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, December 13, 2022 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Ages: Birth - 24 Months
More information
Join your little one at a storytime featuring interactive books, rhymes, music, and movement, followed by playgroup activities which allow children to practice skills and socialize.
Tuesday, December 13, 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, December 14, 2022 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Ages: Birth - 24 Months
More information
Join your little one at a storytime featuring interactive books, rhymes, music, and movement, followed by playgroup activities which allow children to practice skills and socialize.
Wednesday, December 14, 2022 - 11:00am - 12:00pm
Ages: 2 - 3
More information
This lively, fast-paced storytime for young children includes books, songs, fingerplays, and movement.
Thursday, December 15, 2022 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Ages: 2 - 3
More information
This lively, fast-paced storytime for young children includes books, songs, fingerplays, and movement.
Thursday, December 15, 2022 - 11:00am - 12:00pm
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, December 16, 2022 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Ages: All Ages
More information
Storyteller Beth Rebert’s delightful presentation of this heart-warming holiday tale is sure to enchant children of all ages! Come dressed in your PJs as this magical story unfolds.
Saturday, December 17, 2022 - 10:00am - 12:00pm
Ages: 8 - Adults, Adults
More information
Come on out for our library game day. This Saturday we're learning how to play Space Cowboys' Splendor.
"In Splendor, you lead a merchant guild. Using tokens representing gemstones, you will acquire developments which produce new gems (bonuses). These bonuses reduce the cost of your purchases and attract noble patrons." - Space Cowboys
The number of players is 2 - 4; average game play lasts 30 minutes. Learn more about Splendor here.
Children under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult.
Meeting Rooms
Meeting rooms are available for public use Monday through Saturday, excluding library-observed holidays.
We have 1 meeting rooms available for public use:
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.