of Service
From our humble start in one reading room in 1873 to 23 locations serving Franklin County in 2023, we’ve been helping communities thrive for 150 years. Take a look back with us.
March 4, 1873
Columbus Public Library opened in the new city hall.
1907
Main Library opened, built with a gift of $200,000 from Andrew Carnegie.
1920
Annie Norton Battelle appointed first woman library trustee.
1928
Columbus city council approved $30,000 for the library’s first four branches: Clintonville, Hilltop, Linden and Parsons branches
1937
First Summer Reading contest held.
1950
Bookmobile service began.
1968
Martin Luther King Branch became the first public library building in the nation named after the civil rights leader.
1977
The first public computers were available for customers to use.
1989
The first Discovery Place public computer terminal allowed customers to search the electronic card catalog.
1991
First Lady Barbara Bush dedicated the expanded Main Library.
1996
The library offered access to the World Wide Web.
1998
Columbus Metropolitan Library website launched to allow customers to access services at home.
2004
The first Homework Help Center opened at Linden Branch.
2005
The library started offering eBooks.
2009
Job Help Centers opened in response to the economic downturn.
2012
All locations have Homework Help Centers (now called School Help Centers).
2013
The library launched Phase I of its building program with a groundbreaking for a new Driving Park Branch. Nine more libraries would be transformed by June 2019.
2017
The library stopped charging fines for overdue books and other materials to remove barriers to access.
2021
The library opened transformed branches in the Hilltop and Karl Road communities as part of Phase II of the library’s building program.
March 4, 2023
The library celebrates its 150th birthday and opens its new Gahanna Branch.
Interested in learning more about our history? Check out the Columbus Metropolitan Library Archives collection.
Want to talk with an expert? Stop in Main Library at 96 S. Grant Ave. and visit Local History & Genealogy on the third floor and staff are happy to help.
Want to talk with an expert? Stop in Main Library at 96 S. Grant Ave. and visit Local History & Genealogy on the third floor and staff are happy to help.
WOSU Columbus Neighborhoods segment about Columbus Metropolitan Library’s history.
Calendar
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of Events
Sesquicentennial
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Author Series
Celebrating with
Community Partners
Community Partners
Celebrating with
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Community Partners
Columbus Metropolitan
Library History
Library History
