Worthington Libraries
Main Branch:
The Old Worthington Library
820 High Street
Worthington, OH
(614) 807-2626 (librarian)
(614) 807-2620 (renewals and problems)
Worthington loves its library. And it should. Worthington Libraries is one of the best systems in the United States. In 2007, Library Journal named it the “Library of the Year” because of its:
- Service to the community;
- Creativity and innovation in community programs;
- Increase in library use;
- Leadership in creating programs that can be copied by other libraries.
And, in 2009, Library Journal rated Worthington Libraries five-stars. Only 84 libraries nationwide scored that highly.
Of course, the library’s had a lot of time to get it right. It’s been around since the early 1800s. In fact, Worthington’s original settlers brought the library’s first books with them from Connecticut.
The library was first housed wherever it could be shoe-horned in – in the post office, the school, the Masonic Lodge. Then, in 1927, Elizabeth Jones Deshler, granddaughter of Worthington founder James Kilbourne, stepped in. She donated sufficient money to build a library on the northeast corner of the Village Green.
Today, that original library has grown to three. The main library, AKA the Old Worthington Library, the Northwest Library on Hard Rd., and the Worthington Park Library in Worthington Park Shopping Center.