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Locations

Cold Spring Branch
3920 Alexandria Pike
Cold Spring, KY 41076
859-781-6166

Carrico/Fort Thomas Branch
1000 Highland Ave.
Fort Thomas, KY 41075
859-572-5033

Newport Branch
901 East 6th Street
Newport, KY 41071
859-572-5035

Library Hours

All branches of the Campbell County Public Library observe the following hours:

Mon-Thu	9-9
Friday	9-7
Saturday	9-5
Sunday	1-5

24 Hour Services

Circulation:

859-572-5041

Reference:

www.askwhyky.org

Storytelling:

859-572-5039

Library History

Prior to the establishment of the Campbell County Public Library District, library service was provided by the City of Newport through the Newport Public Library on Monmouth Street. This building, opened in 1902 using funds from the Carnegie Foundation, provided free public library service to the citizens of Newport. The residents of other cities in Campbell County could use this facility for a fee.

A subscription library was established by Betty Daniels and a group of volunteers for the citizens of Fort Thomas in 1971. This library operated out of the Erschell Funeral Home building on North Fort Thomas Avenue.

First Petition Drive
Attempts to create a county wide library system began in 1968. At that time, a petition was circulated by the Campbell County Chamber of Commerce requesting the voter’s approval for the establishment of a special local taxing district for county library service. The petition failed.

After this disappointment, the Chamber of Commerce and the Campbell County Fiscal Court made arrangements for citizens to use the Public Library of Cincinnati-Hamilton County for a fee of $15 per user. Half of this cost was paid by the Fiscal Court and half was paid by the individual.

Demonstration Period
Betty Daniels was the driving force behind establishing county wide service after 1968. In 1975, Daniels and the Northern Kentucky Regional Librarian, Phil Carrico, obtained a grant for a “demonstration” library system. During the demonstration period, the State Library and Fiscal Court cooperated to provide county wide library service.

Three facilities and two bookmobiles (serving the north and south ends of the county) were maintained. A mobile home was leased and moved to the Newport Shopping Center. In Fort Thomas, the library on North Fort Thomas Avenue was used as the demonstration headquarters. The basement of the Alexandria City Building was renovated to accommodate a library. Books during the demonstration period were donated from libraries across the state. The State Library also purchased some new materials.

Second Petition Drive
Daniels and a team of volunteers were successful in placing a voter referendum on the November 1977 ballot for a county wide library system. By a margin of 136 votes, the effort failed.

Undaunted, Daniels and her group of supporters circulated another petition for a special taxing district for library service in 1978. The petition proved successful yielding 12,352 signatures. Judge-Executive Lambert Hehl signed the resolution establishing the Library and appointing its first Board of Trustees on October 13, 1978.

The Library Begins
On October 17, 1978, the first meeting of the Board of Trustees for the Campbell County Public Library was held. Betty Daniels was appointed as president. The first Director was Beverly Bury. The demonstration facilities in Alexandria and Fort Thomas became parts of the county system. Within months, the Library purchased and took over the operation of the Newport Public Library. One bookmobile continued to serve the county.

The Friends of the Library was organized in 1977 as a support and fundraising organization for the Library. Always dependent on staff support, the organization was dissolved in 1989. In 1991, the Friends of the Library was re-established as a self supporting volunteer organization.

Facilities
Since its beginning, the Library has sought to provide attractive facilities for its patrons and materials. The Library opened an 8,000 square foot facility in 1984 in Cold Spring. With its completion, the branch in the Alexandria City Building was closed. An additional 6,500 square feet was added in 1996.

The Philip N. Carrico Branch, on Highland Avenue in Fort Thomas, opened in 1995 with 8,800 square feet. At that time, the library on North Fort Thomas Avenue closed. An additional 6,200 square feet was added in 2001.

The Newport Branch on Monmouth Street was remodeled in 1987, moving children’s services to the top level. This building was sold to the City of Newport in 2004, ending 102 years of Library service there. In 2004, the Library opened a new 27,000 square foot facility on Sixth Street in Newport.

Collections
The Library has always sought to improve the service to its patrons through improved access to materials. In 1988, the Library’s catalog became available on microfiche. In 1991, the Library entered into a cooperative agreement with southeastern libraries to offer computerized access for obtaining interlibrary loan materials. At present, materials can be borrowed from libraries nationwide. Library circulation became fully computerized in 1996. Access to the catalog via a modem was allowed in 1996.

In 1997, the Library began offering Internet access. The Internet has proven to be a very popular service. With this demand, the Library’s provision of public access computers has also increased dramatically. Over 70,000 patrons used the Library’s computers in 2005.

The Library’s first web site was created in 1998 offering information through the Internet on programs and services. Soon after, the Library began offering access to its catalog through the Internet. An upgrade to the Library’s automation system in 2005 allowed notification of overdue and held materials through email for the first time.

The Library has also kept pace with new formats. Audiocassettes were added in the early 1980s. The Library began offering videocassettes in 1986. DVD formats were added in 2000. Computer software began circulating in 2001.

Success
The citizens of Campbell County have responded warmly to library service. From 1985 to 2005, registered borrowers increased from 2,625 to 56,000. Over 500,000 people visited the Library in 2005. Library programs include children’s story times, book discussions, computer classes and craft making. Over 25,000 patrons came to Library programs in 2005.

Directors provide for the daily operations of the Library. Directors of the past include Beverly Bury (1978-1984), Rebecca Callendar (1984-1989), Paul Wright (1989-1990), Philip Carrico (1990-1999), and Michael Doellman (1999-2002). JC Morgan is presently Director.

Long range plans for the Library in 2005 included an additional branch near Alexandria, electronic formats available through the Internet, children’s outreach services, and wireless Internet access at all facilities.