Blanchester Public Library

Blanchester Public Library An organizational meeting of concerned citizens was held on this date at the home of H.O. Craig with State Librarian Paul Noon in attendance.

History of the Blanchester Public Library

The Blanchester area has been served by libraries of one form or another dating back to the Civil War, but the official founding date of the Blanchester Public Library is May 25, 1935. The first Board of Trustees was elected and state funds were promised. The new library opened Feb. 15, 1936 in a rented room in the Gibson Building on West Main Street with

1,147 books and May Reeder as the first librarian. Alden Shawhan, a library board member who died in 1944, left money in his will to construct a new library building. The library eventually did receive the money, but due to a controversy over the will, the new building at the current location did not open until Nov. 4, 1957. The library more than doubled in space to its current size of 7,500 square feet with an addition in 1988-89. An open house to celebrate the new building was held on Sept. 10, 1989. The Blanchester Public Library, like most public libraries in Ohio, receives the majority of its funding from the state's Public Library Fund. Local voters approved a 1.0 mill operating levy for the library in 1996 and renewed it in 2001 and 2006. Funds from this levy provided about 15 percent of the library's operating budget. The library sought an increase to a 2.0-mill, continuing levy in the spring of 2010, and voters resoundingly approved it by a 63 to 37 percent margin. The library began receiving funds from this levy in 2011, and it provides nearly 40 percent of the annual operating revenue. These funds are indispensable in allowing the library to meet an increasing demand from patrons as monies from the state continue to decrease. The library is one of the nine founding members of the Consortium Of Ohio Libraries (COOL) and in March 2013 went live on the Evergreen system. The move to an open-source circulation system will help the library maintain costs in the future while also providing patrons quick access to about 400,000 items. COOL currently consists of 11 small libraries. Today, the library features more than 55,000 items and nearly 10,000 registered cardholders.

Tweens and teens, join us for today's hangouts where we will make tissue paper flowers! 🌼 Enjoy snacks, chit-chat, and t...
06/02/2026

Tweens and teens, join us for today's hangouts where we will make tissue paper flowers! 🌼 Enjoy snacks, chit-chat, and this fun craft!

Join us for Storytimes this week! ☀ Children will have fun with an activity or craft to take home after a few stories, s...
06/02/2026

Join us for Storytimes this week! ☀ Children will have fun with an activity or craft to take home after a few stories, songs, and a snack. Visit our page for our summer Storytime schedule!

Congratulations to our early registration gift bag winners! Children's Early Registration:Aubrey won the Glow-in-the-Dar...
06/01/2026

Congratulations to our early registration gift bag winners!

Children's Early Registration:
Aubrey won the Glow-in-the-Dark Dino Blanket.
Finn won the Dinosaur Car Race Track Set.
Silas won the Fossil Excavation Kit.
Izaiah won the Squishmallow Mystery Box.

Teen Early Registration:
Braxton won the Teen Squishmallow Sleepamallow.

Winners can pick up their prizes at the desk!

Our summer food service program with free breakfast and lunch begins today! Pick up 7 breakfasts and 7 lunches per child...
06/01/2026

Our summer food service program with free breakfast and lunch begins today! Pick up 7 breakfasts and 7 lunches per child on Mondays from 2 -6 p.m. at the library. This program is open to anyone 18 years of age and under.

Our Adult Summer Reading Program starts TODAY! With chances to win all summer just for turning in trivia slips or book r...
06/01/2026

Our Adult Summer Reading Program starts TODAY! With chances to win all summer just for turning in trivia slips or book reviews, you won't want to miss out.

You have until June 20 to get your first round of Book Review slips and Name that Plant trivia sheets turned in to be entered in our first prize drawing!

***Don't give the answers away! Stop by the front desk and fill out one of the trivia forms or Book Reviews and drop it in the box to get yourself entered into the drawing.

Today is the first day to start recording your books/hours and start earning prizes for the Youth and Teen Summer Readin...
06/01/2026

Today is the first day to start recording your books/hours and start earning prizes for the Youth and Teen Summer Reading Program! ⭐️

The Book Log for newborns through 12 year olds can be found in your registration bag, and the Teen Book Log and Teen Unearth Bingo can be found in the teen registration tumbler.

05/31/2026
Happy June! ☀ Here is what's happening at the library this month.
05/30/2026

Happy June! ☀ Here is what's happening at the library this month.

Join us at Storytimes this summer! Children will have fun with an activity or craft to take home after a few stories, so...
05/30/2026

Join us at Storytimes this summer! Children will have fun with an activity or craft to take home after a few stories, songs, and a snack.

Summer is finally here, and we are ready to kick it off! 🦕 Join us anytime between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. today for dinosaurs...
05/29/2026

Summer is finally here, and we are ready to kick it off! 🦕 Join us anytime between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. today for dinosaurs, outdoor garden fun, Summer Reading sign-up and more party activities. Don’t forget to pick up your Youth Summer Reading registration bag while you’re here!

Address

110 N Broadway Street
Blanchester, OH
45107

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 7pm
Tuesday 10am - 7pm
Wednesday 10am - 7pm
Thursday 10am - 7pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 3pm

Telephone

(937) 783-3585

Website

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