B altimore County Public Library History
The Baltimore County Public Library came into being as a library system in 1948. Before
then, library service in the county was provided by a growing number of independent
libraries run by woman's clubs and other civic organizations in the community. At times
these independents received small grants from the County Commissioners.
Reisterstown
The first public library in Baltimore County was started in 1915 in Reisterstown with
money from the Algernon Tillard endowment fund. Named the Tillard Memorial Library, it was
located in the Franklin High School.
Relay
Next to open was the Relay Community Library established in 1929 by the Baltimore District
of the Federated Woman's Clubs.
Sparrows Point
The Sparrows Point Library opened on February 1, in quarters provided by the Bethlehem
Steel Corporation. It received a $1,000 grant from the county in 1943.
Towson
The library at Towson was sponsored by the Woman's Club of Towson. It opened on May 1,
1936 and received its first appropriation from the county that year. The grand total was
$300. (The first librarian was born and raised on the site of the current Towson Library).
Dundalk
Friends of the Dundalk Library organized in 1940 and opened a one-room library in the
Dunkirk Building. the Towson Library donated shelving and 600 books. It received a $1,000
county appropriation in 1941.
Catonsville
The Catonsville Library, also a woman's club project, was incorporated in 1941 and
received a $1,000 appropriation from the county. It was located at the Banneker High
School.
Middle River
The Middle River Library was started in December 1944 under the sponsorship of the Vil-gar
Community Club. The first public funds, $800, were received in 1945. The library was
located in the Community Building, a center for community activities owned by the federal
government.
Pikesville
The Pikesville Library began operation in 1946 under the sponsorship of the Memorial
Library Association, Inc. Known as the Pikesville Memorial Library, it was established in
honor of men and women from the area who served in the armed forces during World War II.
The County Commissioners gave the new library a $3500 grant.
Essex
In 1947, citizens led by Frances Bourn organized the Friends of the Essex Public Library.
Books were gathered in a drive and a library was opened on July 1, in a room of the Essex
School. In September, it moved to an apartment that was donated rent free for one year. In
January 1948, after six months of successful operation the Essex Public Library was
granted public funds totaling $3,423.
Cockeysville
In May 1947, the Homemakers Club established a library in Cockeysville. It was run by
volunteers directed by staff from the Towson Library. In 1948, sufficient funds were
raised by the Homemakers and others in the community to pay for a local librarian. Public
funds in the amount of $873 were administered through the Towson Library in 1948.
Arbutus-Halethorpe
The Arbutus-Halethorpe Library was sponsored by the Kiwanis Club and received public
funding during 1948.
Turner Station
Prior to 1948, a library was also established in Turner Station, which together with the
Dundalk Library was circulating 66,117 books annually by 1948.
These independent efforts proved to the County Commissioners that there was a demand
for library service. The need to consolidate, to provide uniformity and economy was also
evident. Although the state library law passed in 1945 had authorized counties to
establish a public library, no steps had been taken in Baltimore County to qualify for
state aid under the law.
In 1948 the County Commissioners appointed a six-member Advisory Committee to recommend
a course of action. Acting with lightning speed, in February 1948 the committee
unanimously recommended the establishment of a single library system under the provisions
of the state law. In March 1948, Christian Kahl, president of the County Commissioners,
announced to all independent libraries receiving county funds that the recommendation had
been adopted, and the governor, William Preston Lane, had been requested to appoint a
Board of Library Trustees for Baltimore County. The members of the first board were:
G. Clyde Andrew, James E. Codey, Albert D. Hutzler,
J.B. Myers, Mrs. G. Wm. Sattler, Giles Sydnor, Irwin P. Trail
The board's first challenge was to consolidate the 12 independent libraries into one
operating system. In accordance with the library law which called for a County Librarian
to administer the system, the board began the search and hired Richard D. Minnich in
January 1949.
Written by Lynn Wheeler, Assistant Director BCPL
Material for this article was found in The Public Library, Baltimore County,
Maryland, Annual Report, 1948
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