Harris County Public Library

Harris County Public Library (HCPL) is a public library system serving Harris County, Texas, United States.

Freeman Public Library in Clear Lake City
The loading dock of the previous Harris County Public Library headquarters in Houston
Former Harris County Public Library Administrative Offices in Houston

Since its inception in 1921, HCPL has grown from a system of small book stations in homes, stores and post offices to 26 branch libraries serving a population of over 1.3 million users in unincorporated areas countywide. HCPL has a collection of over 2.5 million items and circulated over 9.7 million items in fiscal year 2014.[1] Edward Melton is the director of the library system.

HCPL operates branches in several cities which do not have library systems of their own and in unincorporated parts of Harris County. Three branches are located within the city limits of Houston, in sections that have been annexed since the branches opened. Most of Houston itself is served by the Houston Public Library.

Administration

The county library system is headquartered on the property of 5749 South Loop East.[2] It is in a 83,385-square-foot (7,746.7 m2) one story building.[3]

It was formerly headquartered at 8080 El Rio Street.[4] At a later time it was headquartered at 9220 Kirby Drive,[5] within the Corporate Centre Kirby in Houston.[6]

Branches
West University Library in West University Place
Spring Branch Memorial Library in Hedwig Village
  • Aldine Library - Houston
    • The branch serves Greenspoint. An expansion and renovation was scheduled to be completed in January 2001.[7]
  • Atascocita Library - Atascocita CDP, unincorporated area[8]
  • Baldwin Boettcher Library @ Mercer Park - Unincorporated area
    • Some areas near Humble are served by this branch.[7] It was constructed on donated land. It was named after Baldwin Boettcher, a German settler. His descendants deeded the homestead to Harris County. The plans stated that the Boettcher staff would assist the Mercer Park staff in finding any botanical reference books that they or the public need.[9] This library is closed until further notice due to flood damage during Hurricane Harvey.[10]
  • Barbara Bush Library @ Cypress Creek - Unincorporated area
    • The branch serves areas with Spring postal addresses. Construction began in the northern hemisphere summer of 2000.[7] This branch is currently closed until further notice due to flood damage during Hurricane Harvey.[11]
  • Clear Lake City-County Freeman Branch Library - Houston
  • Crosby Library - Unincorporated area
  • LSC Cy-Fair Branch Library (on the Lone Star College–CyFair Campus) - Unincorporated area
  • Evelyn Meador Library - Seabrook
  • Fairbanks Library - Unincorporated Harris County (Houston address)
  • Galena Park Library - Galena Park
  • High Meadows - Unincorporated Harris County (Houston address)
  • Jacinto City Library - Jacinto City
  • Katherine Tyra Library @ Bear Creek - Unincorporated Harris County (Houston address)
  • Katy Library - Katy[12]
  • Kingwood Library - Houston
  • La Porte Library - La Porte
  • Maud Smith Marks Library - Unincorporated Harris County (Katy address) [13]
  • North Channel Library - Unincorporated Harris County (Houston address)
  • Northwest Library - Unincorporated Harris County Cypress, Texas
  • Octavia Fields Library - Humble
  • Parker Williams Library - Unincorporated Harris County (Houston address)
  • South Houston Library - South Houston
  • Spring Branch Memorial Library - Hedwig Village (Houston address)
  • Stratford Library - Unincorporated Harris County (Highlands address)
  • LSC Tomball Branch Library (on the Lone Star College-Tomball Campus) - Tomball[14]
  • West University Library - West University Place (Houston address)

See also

References
  1. "HCPL by the Numbers" (PDF). Harris County Public Library. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 21, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  2. "All Locations". Harris County Public Library. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  3. "Harris County Capital Improvement Program Fiscal Year 2014-2015" (PDF). Government of Harris County. p. 15 (PDF p. 26/47). Retrieved 2017-05-01.
  4. "About HCPL" (Archive). Harris County Public Library. Retrieved on June 1, 2010. "Location: Library Administration 8080 El Rio Street Houston, TX 77054"
  5. "Locations." Harris County Public Library. Retrieved on January 31, 2016. " Library Administration 9220 Kirby Drive Suite 100 Houston Texas 77054 "
  6. "Supplemental Notice of a Public Meeting Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine" (Archive). Government of Harris County. March 10, 2015. Retrieved on February 20, 2016. p. 11/32: "Request for approval of an agreement with Warehouse Associates Corporate Centre Kirby II, Ltd., for lease of space at 9220 Kirby Drive for the Harris County Public Library for the period of June 1, 2015-May 31, 2016 at an annual cost of 486,000,[...]"
  7. "WORTH READING ABOUT / Construction work under way on Barbara Bush branch library." Houston Chronicle. Wednesday September 20, 2000. ThisWeek 1. Retrieved on December 9, 2011.
  8. "Atascocita Branch Library". Harris County Public Library. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  9. Beust, Brenda. "The Dirt On Houston's BLOOMS." Houston Chronicle. Thursday March 6, 1986. Weekend Preview 1. Retrieved on December 9, 2011.
  10. "." Baldwin Boettcher Branch Library. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  11. "." Barbara Bush Branch Library. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  12. "." Katy Library. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  13. "" Maud Smith Marks Branch Library. Retrieved on March 9, 2018.
  14. "." LSC - Tomball Community Library. Retrieved on March 9, 2018.
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