- Find Books, Movies, Music
- Programs & Events
- Research
- For You
- About the Library
- HCPL Foundation
- Thursday, February 6, 2025 at 6:00PM at Edgewood Recreation Center, 1980 Brookside Drive, Edgewood, MD 21040.
- The meeting will be live streamed on the County website. For more information, visit https://www.harfordcountymd.gov/1779/7908/Budget-Town-Hall.
- Please send your input at any time via email to igovharford@harfordcountymd.gov, or mail your comments to the county executive at 220 S. Main Street, Bel Air, MD, 21014.
- Date and time to be determined
- 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!
- 776,298 customers visited our branches by walking in, or using our convenient drive-through service
- 6,236,873 people made virtual visits to the library, used our website and our Library app
- 3,147,447 items were borrowed from the library
- 483,519 babies through adults attended library programs
- 379,318 questions were answered by Librarians
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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.
County Executive Town Hall Budget Meeting on the FY26 Budget is scheduled as follows:
County Council Public Hearings on the FY2FY26 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 2024 Value of Selected Library Services*
| Quantity | Library Services | Retail Value | Value of Services |
|---|---|---|---|
| 819,550 | Adult Books Borrowed | $32.50 | $26,635,375 |
| 1,020,990 | Children's Books Borrowed | $20.25 | $20,675,048 |
| 838,855 | Digital Materials Borrowed | $25.00 | $20,971,375 |
| 184,730 | DVDs/Blu-Rays Borrowed | $19.99 | $3,692,753 |
| 26,647 | Music CDs Borrowed | $15.00 | $399,705 |
| 30,121 | Audiobooks on CD Borrowed | $40.00 | $1,204,840 |
| 12,500 | Playaways Borrowed | $65.00 | $812,500 |
| 1,151 | Little Leapers Kits Borrowed | $280.00 | $322,280 |
| 1,453 | LEAP Science Kits Borrowed | $110.00 | $159,830 |
| 938 | LEAP Music Kits Borrowed | $250.00 | $234,500 |
| 1,367 | WiFi Hotspots Borrowed | $50.00 | $68,350 |
| 7,119 | LSC Kits Borrowed | $150.00 | $1,067,850 |
| 15,330 | Play & Learn Materials Borrowed | $25.00 | $383,250 |
| 1,285 | American Girl Dolls Borrowed | $150.00 | $192,750 |
| 411 | Superhero Kits Borrowed | $50.00 | $20,550 |
| 18,569 | Magazines Borrowed | $5.00 | $92,845 |
| 38,216 | Interlibrary Loans | $25.00 | $955,400 |
| 169 | Meeting Room Use | $100.00 | $16,900 |
| 483,519 | Program Attendees | $20.00 | $9,670,380 |
| 63,905 | Online Class Attendees | $144.00 | $9,202,320 |
| 418,224 | Database Searches | $10.00 | $4,182,240 |
| 379,318 | Customer Queries Answered | $7.00 | $2,655,226 |
| 254 | Light Therapy Lamps Borrowed | $20.00 | $5,080 |
| Total Value on Selected Items | $103,621,346 | ||
*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 (FY24)
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.