Harrington Public Library
🏢 Delaware Libraries · Harrington, Delaware
Harrington Public Library
Chartered in 1883 and reborn in 2024 as a 15,000-square-foot facility on Little Mastens Corner Road, the Harrington Public Library is southern Kent County's newest hub for books, study rooms, 3D printing and Delaware's statewide digital collection — a short drive from the Delaware State Fairgrounds.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9:00am–4:45pm |
| Tuesday | 11:00am–6:45pm |
| Wednesday | 9:00am–4:45pm |
| Thursday | 11:00am–6:45pm |
| Friday | 9:00am–4:45pm |
| Saturday | 10:00am–1:45pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 101 Little Mastens Corner Road, Harrington, DE 19952
Phone: (302) 398-4647
Website: harrington.lib.de.us
Plus Code: 87C6WCJ8+RQ (Harrington, DE)
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Harrington Public Library
The Harrington Public Library is a member of the Delaware Libraries statewide network, serving the railroad town of Harrington in southern Kent County. Chartered in 1883 — just fourteen years after Harrington was incorporated as a city in 1869 — the library spent decades in a small facility of roughly 2,000 square feet before relocating in the fall of 2024 to a new 15,000-square-foot building at 101 Little Mastens Corner Road. Designed by the Becker Morgan Group and built by EDiS Company for about $12 million (funded through state bonds and federal ARPA funds), the new library was celebrated as the final Delaware public library to receive a modern, purpose-built facility, with a ribbon-cutting held October 7, 2024. The expanded building adds multiple study rooms, a multipurpose community room, an interactive children's section and technology including 3D printing, while cardholders tap into Delaware's shared statewide catalog and digital collection.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Chartered in 1883, fourteen years after Harrington was incorporated as a city in 1869
- Moved in fall 2024 from a ~2,000 sq ft space to a new 15,000 sq ft building at 101 Little Mastens Corner Road (ribbon-cutting Oct 7, 2024)
- New library designed by Becker Morgan Group, built by EDiS Company — about $12 million funded by state bonds and federal ARPA funds
- Part of the Delaware Libraries statewide network — one card unlocks the shared catalog plus Libby, hoopla, Kanopy and Flipster
- Offers study rooms, a multipurpose community room, an interactive children's section, 3D printing and Ancestry Library genealogy access
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Harrington cardholders tap Delaware's shared statewide collections — free with your library card:
📚 Services
- Free Delaware library card giving access to every library in the statewide network
- Study rooms and a multipurpose room for community events, meetings and workshops
- Interactive children's section with play areas and youth programming
- 3D printing (priced by weight) and public technology
- Chromebook and Wi-Fi hotspot borrowing
- Printing, copying, scanning, wireless printing and faxing
- Genealogy and local-history research via Ancestry Library
- Reference help in person and through Ask a Librarian Delaware
- Job, career, small-business and social-services support
- Friends of the Harrington Public Library and the Second Chance Bookstore
🎸 Programs
- Children's story time and youth programs
- Teen programming
- Summer Reading Challenge
- Book Fest community event
- Family and all-ages programs, plus statewide online events through Delaware Libraries
📍 Nearby Libraries in Central Delaware
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Harrington · Browse all Delaware libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Did the Harrington Public Library move to a new building?
Yes. In the fall of 2024 the library moved from its longtime ~2,000-square-foot location to a new 15,000-square-foot building at 101 Little Mastens Corner Road. A soft opening was held September 30 and the official ribbon-cutting on October 7, 2024. Older listings that still show a downtown East Center Street or 2nd Avenue address are out of date.
How old is the Harrington Public Library?
The library was chartered in 1883 — fourteen years after Harrington was incorporated as a city in 1869 — making it one of the older library institutions in Kent County, even though it now operates from a brand-new 2024 building.
Why are the hours different from day to day, and when does the library stay open late?
Harrington runs a split weekly schedule rather than uniform hours. It opens early at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but opens later and stays open until 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday for evening visitors. Saturday is a short morning session (10:00 a.m.–1:45 p.m.), and the library is closed on Sundays.
Is the library close to the Delaware State Fairgrounds?
Yes. Harrington is home to the Delaware State Fair, which began in 1920 as the Kent & Sussex County Fair, and the library sits within the same small city — a convenient stop for residents and fair-season visitors looking for Wi-Fi, cool study space or local information.
📜 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 has a makerspace / 3D printing. See how library makerspaces and 3D printing work and find other libraries with a makerspace makerspaces by state.
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