Raleigh County Public Library
🏢 Raleigh County Public Library System · Beckley, West Virginia
Raleigh County Public Library
Serving all of Raleigh County since 1924, this Beckley main branch at 221 North Kanawha Street anchors a four-outlet system with a local-history Heritage Room, two bookmobiles, and free WV READS eBooks — open until 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–7pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–7pm |
| Thursday | 9am–7pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–5pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 221 North Kanawha Street, Beckley, WV 25801
Phone: (304) 255-0511
Website: rcplwv.org
Plus Code: 869WQRH7+V3 (Beckley, WV)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Raleigh County Public Library
The Raleigh County Public Library was established in 1924 and grew into the county's central library system, headquartered at its main branch at 221 North Kanawha Street in downtown Beckley. Owned and operated for Raleigh County's roughly 80,000 residents, the system runs the Beckley main branch alongside two smaller branches — Sophia, opened in 1976, and Shady Spring, opened in 2000 — plus two bookmobiles that carry books and materials to communities across the county. The Beckley building houses the circulation and new-books area, a children's area with a mural, a reference collection, and a dedicated Heritage Room for local-history and genealogy research, and it also holds the system's administrative offices and bookmobile fleet. The library is a member of the West Virginia Library Network, giving cardholders access to a shared statewide catalog and the state's digital collections. Its mission is to assemble, preserve, organize and provide access to educational, recreational and informational materials in a variety of formats and technologies.
⭐ What makes this library special
- County-wide system established in 1924: Beckley main branch plus Sophia (1976) and Shady Spring (2000) branches and two bookmobiles serving all of Raleigh County
- Heritage Room dedicated to Raleigh County local history and genealogy research at the Beckley main branch
- On-site notary service, interlibrary loan, and copy / fax / scan alongside public computers, printing and free Wi-Fi
- Member of the West Virginia Library Network — one card reaches a shared statewide catalog and West Virginia's digital collections
- Open until 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday for after-work and after-school visits, with Friday and Saturday daytime hours
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Raleigh County cardholders can stream, borrow and research free through West Virginia's statewide and library digital services:
📚 Services
- Heritage Room for local-history and genealogy research
- Notary public service
- Interlibrary loan
- Copy, fax and scan services
- Public computers, printing and free Wi-Fi
- Two bookmobiles serving communities across Raleigh County
- Library card registration for Raleigh County residents
🎸 Programs
- Youth storytimes and children's programming
- Teen events and activities
- Adult programs and events
- Dolly Parton's Imagination Library book-gifting program
- Wowbrary weekly new-materials newsletter
📍 Nearby Libraries in West Virginia
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Beckley · Browse all West Virginia libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How many branches does the Raleigh County Public Library have, and where are they?
The system runs three physical libraries plus two bookmobiles. The main branch is in Beckley at 221 North Kanawha Street; the Sophia branch opened in 1976 and the Shady Spring branch opened in 2000. The two bookmobiles carry books and materials out to communities across Raleigh County, and the Beckley building also houses the system's administrative offices and bookmobile fleet.
What is the Heritage Room at the Beckley branch?
The Heritage Room at the main branch is a dedicated space for Raleigh County local history and genealogy research. Staff can assist with research and genealogy questions, making it a starting point for tracing family or community history in southern West Virginia.
When is the Beckley main branch open?
The Beckley main branch is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Sunday. Branch hours in Sophia and Shady Spring differ, so check with each location before visiting.
Can I read eBooks and audiobooks for free with a Raleigh County library card?
Yes. Raleigh County cardholders can use WV READS (the WVDeli statewide OverDrive collection) through the Libby app for eBooks, audiobooks and digital magazines, and hoopla for movies, music, comics and more. Families can also enroll young children in the Imagination Library to receive free books in the mail each month.
📋 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.
✎ Notice something out of date? Suggest a correction and we’ll verify and update it.