About Putnam County Library

The Putnam County Library traces its origins to the 1920s, when the Cookeville Book Lovers Club established the community's first library. In 1939, this collection was consolidated with the Putnam County Board of Education to form the county's first publicly financed library system. Today the system comprises four branches -- Cookeville (Main), Algood, Baxter, and Monterey -- with a combined collection of over 560,000 items, including 63,128 print volumes and 264,173 e-books. The library currently serves the community from its location at 50 East Broad Street while a facility expansion is underway.

Each year the Putnam County Library System runs 1,585 community programs attended by over 11,000 people, spanning children's storytimes, STEM workshops, digital literacy classes, job skills training, and cultural events. Free mobile hotspots are available for checkout at all branches, and digital access includes 45 public internet terminals plus Hoopla, OverDrive, and genealogy platforms. Free Wi-Fi is available at every location.