- Find Books, Movies, Music
- Programs & Events
- Research
- For You
- About the Library
- HCPL Foundation
- Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at 7:00PM in the Council Chamber
- Monday, May 13, 2024 at 7:00PM in the Council Chamber
- Meetings will be live streamed with Video/Audio and archived on the County Council website. For more information, visit
https://www.harfordcountymd.gov/155/County-Council - Thank the Council members for their support.
- Seeking wage parity with county employees. Staff after all are the Library’s most valuable asset.
- Inflation is hitting everyone hard, and the library costs are no exception – funding is needed for rising costs in materials, electricity, technology, and processing of materials to name just a few.
- In the past, the County paid for the infrastructure and upkeep of the buildings. Now the library is absorbing more of the costs in maintaining aging buildings.
- Close with a thank you.
- Enter the average number of times per month you or your family use each service.
- Click "Calculate" to find the estimated retail value of your library use!
- 726,558 customers visited our branches by walking in, or using our convenient drive-through service
- 6,510,843 people made virtual visits to the library, used our website and our new library app
- 3,042,749 items were borrowed from the library
- 401,626 babies through adults attended library programs
- 368,659 questions were answered by Librarians
- 13,327 volunteer hours were donated to support the efforts of the Library
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County Council Budget Hearings
Each spring, the County Executive proposes a budget to fund county operations and capital programs for the upcoming fiscal year that begins on July 1. The County Executive’s recommended budget is based on revenue projections and must be approved by the Harford County Council. Typically, both the County Executive and County Council host budget hearings for citizens to provide input on the next county budget prior to voting on its approval.
Harford County Proposed FY25 Operating Budget
Harford County Proposed FY 25 Capital Budget
Harford County Proposed FY25 Budget-in-Brief
County Council Public Hearings on the FY25 Budget are scheduled as follows:
Some suggested talking points
How much value does the library provide you?
Tell your story about the Harford County Public Library! Leave a comment on Facebook, Twitter, or via e-mail. We want to hear what your library means to you.
FY 2023 Value of Select Library Services*
| Quantity | Library Services | Retail Value | Value of Services |
|---|---|---|---|
| 820,220 | Adult Books Borrowed | $30.00 | $24,606,600 |
| 1,024,490 | Children’s Books Borrowed | $20.25 | $20,745,923 |
| 745,238 | Digital Materials Borrowed | $20.00 | $14,904,760 |
| 200,097 | DVD’s Borrowed | $19.99 | $3,999,939 |
| 30,280 | Music CDs Borrowed | $15.00 | $454,200 |
| 36,524 | Audiobooks on CD Borrowed | $40.00 | $1,460,960 |
| 12,404 | Playaways Borrowed | $65.00 | $806,260 |
| 1,242 | Little Leaper Kits Borrowed | $189.00 | $234,738 |
| 1,668 | LEAP Science Kits Borrowed | $110.00 | $183,480 |
| 741 | LEAP Music Kits Borrowed | $250.00 | $185,250 |
| 1,729 | WiFi Hotspots Borrowed | $50.00 | $86,450 |
| 6,882 | LSC Kits Borrowed | $150.00 | $1,032,300 |
| 16,432 | LSC Toys Borrowed | $25.00 | $410,800 |
| 1,281 | American Girl Dolls Borrowed | $147.00 | $188,307 |
| 566 | Superhero Kits Borrowed | $50.00 | $28,300 |
| 19,598 | Magazines Borrowed | $4.50 | $88,191 |
| 38,835 | Interlibrary Loans | $25.00 | $970,875 |
| 214 | Meeting Room Use | $100.00 | $21,400 |
| 401,626 | Program Attendees | $15.78 | $6,337,658 |
| 71,448 | Online Class Attendees | $144.00 | $10,288,512 |
| 77,387 | Hours of Computer Use | $12.60 | $975,076 |
| 379,664 | Database Searches | $10.00 | $3,796,640 |
| 368,659 | Customer Queries Answered | $7.00 | $2,580,613 |
| 196 | Light Therapy Lamps | $20.00 | $3,920 |
| Total Value | $94,391,152 | ||
*The values above are based on the estimated retail value of the materials or services
Interactive Library Use Value Calculator
What is your library worth to you? How much would you pay out-of-pocket for your library services?
Note: The values used above are based on the estimated retail value of the materials or services, with research from the Maine and Massachusetts State Libraries and HCPL staff.
Some Harford County Public Library Facts (FY23)
Harford County Public Library operates 11 branches located throughout Harford County offering access to ideas that inform, entertain and inspire. Last year the library interacted with its residents more than 12 million times – borrowing free materials, visiting branches and the website, using free WiFi, and attending classes and events. In 2021 Harford County Public Library was named a Star Library by Library Journal.
Harford County Public Library offers customers an array of free resources including books, eBooks, audiobooks, DVDs, CDs, computer use, author presentations and programs for all ages. People searching for jobs are using the Library to complete job applications, fax resumes, submit applications online, create email accounts, and search health information.