Concord Public Library
🏢 City of Concord · Concord, New Hampshire
Concord Public Library
Concord's city library since 1855, the Concord Public Library serves New Hampshire's capital from 45 Green Street with a downtown main library open until 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, a Penacook branch, a Library of Things and the Concord Room local-history archive.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–8pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–8pm |
| Thursday | 9am–5pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–5pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 45 Green Street, Concord, NH 03301
Phone: (603) 225-8670
Website: concordnh.gov
Plus Code: 87MC6F45+JX (Concord, NH)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📍 Plan your visit
🚉 Getting there
45 Green St, Concord, NH 03301. Get transit & driving directions → (live subway, bus & car routes).
♿ Accessibility
Includes wheelchair-accessible entrance, accessible parking.
⭐ Visitor rating
4.5 / 5 from 98 Google reviews.
🕑 Best time to go
Usually calmest soon after opening; busiest around 12 pm.
Visit details from the library’s Google Business Profile, verified October 2026 — confirm on official page before a special-date trip.
📖 About Concord Public Library
The Concord Public Library is the free public library of Concord, New Hampshire's state capital. The city authorized a library by ordinance on August 25, 1855, and hired its first librarian, Andrew Capen, in 1856 to run a reading room on the second floor of City Hall. The collection later moved to the Board of Trade Building and then, in 1888, into the Fowler Library Building given to the city by William and Clara Fowler; today the main library operates from 45 Green Street downtown. Owned and run by the City of Concord, the system also includes the Penacook Library & Activity Center, which opened at its new Community Drive home in December 2024. Alongside its collections, the library is known for the Concord Room local-history archive, a Library of Things, Friends-funded museum passes and Memory Care Kits for patrons living with dementia and their caregivers.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Main library open late until 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, plus Thursday-Saturday daytime hours, in downtown Concord
- Penacook Library & Activity Center branch, reopened December 2024 in a new Community Drive facility shared with Parks & Recreation programming
- The Concord Room and CPL Digital Collections preserve 1,500-plus photographs and documents covering 200-plus years of Concord history
- A Library of Things lends tools, instruments, electronics and other non-book items to cardholders
- Museum & attraction passes funded by the Friends of the Concord Public Library, plus Memory Care Kits for patrons with Alzheimer's, dementia and memory loss
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Concord cardholders can stream, download and research free through New Hampshire's shared collections:
📚 Services
- Library of Things (tools, instruments, electronics & more) for cardholders
- Friends-funded museum & attraction passes
- Memory Care Kits for patrons with Alzheimer's, dementia & memory loss
- Concord Room local-history & genealogy collection
- Public computers, printing & free Wi-Fi
- Penacook Library & Activity Center branch services
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytimes & early-literacy programs
- Summer reading challenges
- Teen programs & activities
- Adult author talks & community events
- SPARC youth activities at the Penacook Activity Center
📍 Nearby Libraries in the Concord Area
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Concord · Browse all New Hampshire libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What museum passes can I reserve with a Concord Public Library card?
Cardholders can reserve discounted passes and coupons to more than 20 museums and local attractions, bookable up to 30 days in advance through the library's online reservation service (limit one pass per day and two per week). See how museum passes work across libraries in our guide to museum passes at the library.
What can I borrow from the Library of Things in Concord?
The Library of Things lets you try a musical instrument such as an acoustic guitar or ukulele, or borrow a tool or gadget before buying one. Borrowers must be 18 or older, may check out up to two items at a time for one week (renewable once), and must return items to a staff member rather than the book drop. See more ideas in our guide to what you can borrow besides books.
Which nights is the Concord Public Library open late, and is it open on weekends?
The main library at 45 Green Street stays open until 8 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, then runs 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It is closed on Sunday. The separate Penacook branch keeps its own limited weekday schedule.
Where is the Penacook branch, and did it move?
Yes. The old Penacook library on Merrimack Street closed on November 18, 2024, and the Penacook Library & Activity Center reopened on December 5, 2024, in a new Community Drive building shared with Concord Parks & Recreation. It keeps limited weekday hours, so call ahead before visiting.
What is the Concord Room, and can I research local history there?
The Concord Room is the library's local-history and genealogy collection documenting the people, businesses, churches and institutions of Concord, New Hampshire. Many of its photographs and paper records have been digitized in CPL Digital Collections, with more than 1,500 files spanning over 200 years available online.
Does the library still offer hoopla for streaming?
No. Concord Public Library ended its hoopla subscription in 2026 after a budget cut. Cardholders can still borrow eBooks, audiobooks and digital magazines for free through Libby via the statewide NH Downloadable Books Consortium, and use the NH State Library's EBSCO research databases.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes 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 lends a “Library of Things.” See what you can borrow besides books and find other libraries with a Library of Things Library of Things 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.
✎ Notice something out of date? Suggest a correction and we’ll verify and update it.
✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.
