James L. Hamner Public Library
🏢 Amelia County Public Library · Amelia Court House, Virginia
James L. Hamner Public Library
Named for a beloved Amelia County physician and rooted in community effort since 1970, the James L. Hamner Public Library is the sole public library for all of Amelia County — offering free books, digital resources, notary and passport services, and lively year-round programming from its purpose-built home on Dunn Street.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–5:30pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–6pm |
| Thursday | 9am–6pm |
| Friday | 9am–6pm |
| Saturday | 9am–1pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 16351 Dunn St, Amelia Court House, VA 23002
Phone: (804) 561-4559
Website: hamnerlibrary.org
Plus Code: 879482QC+G2 (Amelia Court House, VA)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About James L. Hamner Public Library
The James L. Hamner Public Library has served the residents of Amelia County since community members organized a free public library in 1970. The library first opened in rooms of the Amelia County Courthouse on October 12, 1972, and was dedicated on April 29, 1973, in honor of Dr. James Loving Hamner, a beloved community physician who served Amelia County for decades. After successive moves — to a trailer behind the courthouse in 1976, the Beopple Building in 1982, and later the Jackson Building — the library arrived at its present purpose-built home on Dunn Street in 1999. Today it is a single-building, no-branch public library governed by an independent Board of Trustees, with a collection of approximately 67,800 volumes and a $450,000 annual operating budget, serving a rural county of about 13,000 residents with no other public library anywhere in the county.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founded by community volunteers in 1970 and dedicated April 29, 1973, in honor of Dr. James Loving Hamner, a physician who served Amelia County
- Current building on Dunn Street opened in 1999 — the library's fifth home after starting in rooms of the historic county courthouse
- Collection of approximately 67,800 volumes serving a rural county of ~13,000 residents as the sole public library, with no branches
- Free notary service (three certified staff notaries) and official U.S. passport acceptance facility — rare amenities for a rural county library
- Annual Summer Reading Challenge, after-school art studio for teens, chair yoga for adults, and storytime for children
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Hamner library cardholders can learn, research, and read digitally free through statewide and national programs:
📚 Services
- Free public library cards for Amelia County residents
- Book, DVD, CD, and audiobook lending (67,800+ items)
- Free notary service — three certified notaries on staff
- Passport acceptance facility (new, minor, and expired applicants)
- Book-a-Librarian: 30-minute one-on-one research and device-help sessions
- Free document scanning to flash drive
- Black & white and color printing (letter, legal, ledger sizes)
- Faxing (send and receive)
- Laminating (wallet, letter, poster sizes)
- Hamner Room — reservable conference space for community groups
- Study room for 1–2 people (first-come basis)
- Computer and internet access
🎸 Programs
- Summer Reading Challenge — annual themed program for all ages with prizes, camps, and special events
- Storytime for young children
- After-School Art Studio — recurring creative sessions for middle and high school students led by a local art instructor
- Chair Yoga — seated and standing gentle yoga for adults
- Year-round kids, teen, and adult programming calendar updated on the library website
📍 Nearby Libraries in Central Virginia
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Amelia Court House · Browse all Amelia County, Virginia libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Dr. James Loving Hamner, and why is the library named for him?
Dr. James Loving Hamner was a community physician who served Amelia County, Virginia. When the newly founded Amelia County public library was dedicated on April 29, 1973, the community honored him by naming it in his memory. The library traces its roots to 1970, when local citizens organized to create a free public library, and it opened in rooms of the county courthouse on October 12, 1972.
Does the library have branches, or is there just one location?
The James L. Hamner Public Library is a single-building library with no branches — it is the only public library serving all of Amelia County, Virginia. The current building at 16351 Dunn Street, Amelia Court House, has been in use since 1999.
Can I get notary or passport services at the library?
Yes. The library offers free notary services through three certified staff notaries — an unusually valuable amenity in a rural county. It is also an official U.S. passport acceptance facility for new applications, minor applicants, and expired passport renewals. Call ahead to confirm current passport appointment availability.
What free digital resources can I access with my Hamner library card?
Your card unlocks Libby (eBooks and audiobooks via OverDrive), Magzter (4,000+ digital magazines), Universal Class (600+ online courses), Transparent Language Online (140+ languages), and EBSCO Explora and NoveList databases. The statewide Find It Virginia portal (finditva.com), funded by the Library of Virginia, adds tutoring, legal forms, and more — all free to Virginia residents.
✎ Notice something out of date? Suggest a correction and we’ll verify and update it.