Chillicothe & Ross County Public Library
🏢 Chillicothe & Ross County Public Library · Chillicothe, Ohio
Chillicothe & Ross County Public Library
The Chillicothe & Ross County Public Library anchors a Carnegie-built Main Library that opened in 1907 with a $30,000 Carnegie gift, and today serves Ross County through 8 branches, a mobile Bee library, and 24/7 BookHive lockers.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9 AM – 9 PM |
| Tuesday | 9 AM – 9 PM |
| Wednesday | 9 AM – 9 PM |
| Thursday | 9 AM – 9 PM |
| Friday | 9 AM – 5:30 PM |
| Saturday | 9 AM – 5:30 PM |
| Sunday | 1 PM – 5 PM |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 140 S PAINT ST, CHILLICOTHE, OH 45601
Phone: +1-740-702-4145
Website: crcpl.org
Plus Code: 86FV82H9+WF (CHILLICOTHE, OH)
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Chillicothe & Ross County Public Library
Library service in Chillicothe reaches back to 1866, when Judge B. F. Stone proposed consolidating three embryo collections into a single public organization. The Carnegie-funded Main Library at 140 S. Paint Street opened in September 1907 with 26,000 volumes — its exterior crowned by an eagle weathervane installed in 1876 that still stands today. Burton E. Stevenson, who began his legendary 58-year tenure as librarian in 1899, transformed the institution into a nationally recognized model; the Ohio Historical Society installed a marker in his honor in 2003. City and county libraries merged in 1968 to form the current CRCPL system. In 2017 the library went fine-free, in 2021 director James Hill was named Ohio's Librarian of the Year, and in 2022 CRCPL launched "The Bee" — a mobile library that reaches underserved neighborhoods — along with BookHive 24/7 self-service lockers.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Carnegie Main Library opened 1907 with its iconic 1876 eagle weathervane still atop the building
- Burton E. Stevenson served 58 years as librarian (1899–1957); Ohio Historical Society marker honors his legacy
- Fine-free since 2017; director James Hill named Ohio's Librarian of the Year in 2021
- "The Bee" mobile library (launched 2022) extends service across Ross County
- BookHive 24/7 hold-pickup lockers and a Dolly Parton Imagination Library partnership for children
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Your free CRCPL card unlocks the Ohio Digital Library, streaming video, genealogy databases, and dozens of e-learning platforms.
📚 Services
- Notary public services
- Remote printing & public computers
- Meeting room reservations
- Wi-Fi hotspot lending
- Chromebook lending
- Genealogy & research assistance
- Seed library
- Adventure passes (museum & attraction admission)
- Voter registration assistance
- Drive-thru service (Northside Branch)
- Interlibrary loan
🎸 Programs
- Storytime (multiple age groups)
- Tai Chi classes
- Discovery Garden Family Playgroup
- Workforce Hub job-readiness sessions
- Book Match personalized reading recommendations
- Dolly Parton Imagination Library (free books for children birth–5)
- Summer Reading Program
- Book clubs for adults & teens
📍 Nearby Libraries in South-Central Ohio
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Chillicothe library have open hours on Sundays?
Yes — the Main Library is open Sunday from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, making it one of the few Ross County locations with Sunday access. Monday through Thursday the Main Library stays open until 9:00 PM for extended evening service.
What is the Bee mobile library and where does it go?
The Bee is CRCPL's mobile library, launched in 2022, that brings books, programs, and library services directly to neighborhoods and communities across Ross County that may not have easy access to a branch. Check crcpl.org for current stops and schedules.
What genealogy resources does the Chillicothe library offer in-person?
The Main Library provides in-house access to Ancestry Online, Fold3 Military Records, HeritageQuest, the Ohio Obituary Index, Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, African American Heritage databases, and the CRCPL's own digital collection of Frankfort Sun newspapers from the 1920s.
Is the Chillicothe library fine-free?
Yes. CRCPL went fine-free in 2017 — you will never be charged a late fine on standard borrowed materials. Items not returned may still be billed as lost, but day-by-day overdue fees are eliminated.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes by state.
📋 This library offers notary services. See what a library notary can do — what to bring, fees and appointments — and find other libraries with a notary notary services by state.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
📅 This library has meeting & community rooms. See how library meeting rooms work — booking, policies and fees — and find other libraries with meeting or community rooms meeting rooms by state.
🌱 This library has a seed library. See how library seed libraries work — borrow free seeds, grow them, and save some to return — and find other libraries with a seed library seed libraries by state.
✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.
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