The Nelsonville Public Library

The Athens County Libraries will be closed on May 26, 2008

95 W. Washington
Nelsonville, OH 45764-1177

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Phone: (740) 753-2118
Fax: (740) 753-3543

Branch Hours

Wireless Internet Available

Public Computers: 14

Meeting Room Capacity: 70

Branch Manager:
James Hill

Children's Librarian:
Mary Van Doren

Upcoming Events at the Nelsonville Public Library

For Adults:
For Kids:
For Book Camp:
For Young Adults:

The Nelsonville Public Library has a friendly, knowledgable staff able to help you find a good book to read, answer a reference question, or to just get to know the area. Nelsonville library is the main branch of the Athens County Public Library system and houses the administrative offices, the Bookmobile and the cataloging department. The library provides public library services to the city of Nelsonville, Hocking College and the surrounding communities.

The Nelsonville library plays an active role in the community and partners with many local organizations, including the Nelsonville Area Chamber of Commerce, Stuart's Opera House, and Nelsonville-York Schools. The library participates in monthly Final Friday events and the annual Parade of the Hills festival. The library also organizes its own programs, including weekly storytimes, summer Book Camp, and a number of adult and young adult programs.

History Civic leaders in Nelsonville founded Nelsonville Public Library on July 5, 1935 as a school district library. The books were borrowed from the state; a room was borrowed from Central School; and, a librarian was borrowed through the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Today the Athens County Library continues as a school-sponsored public library. Though library funding comes almost entirely from the state, library board members are still appointed by the Nelsonville-York School Board.

The Nelsonville branch has had many homes since 1935, including a storefront in the historic Stuarts Opera House building on the Public Square. When the Opera House burned in 1980, the collection survived but with substantial water damage. The fire necessitated a move to our current building at 95 W. Washington Street.

Services Besides the normal offerings of books, magazines and newspapers, books, music, DVDs and videos, and public computers with Internet access, the Nelsonville branch offers an extensive Local History/Genealogy Collection (with a local historian on staff), rotating Art in the Library displays, and a Homework Help tutoring program.

Other services include: