Washington County Library
🏢 Washington County Library · Potosi, Missouri
Washington County Library
The Washington County Library has served the lead-mining country of southeastern Missouri since 1938, growing from a free public reading room to a county-wide institution at 235 East High Street in Potosi — the county seat — with extended Monday hours and a bookmobile that reaches rural communities throughout Washington County.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–7pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–5pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–5pm |
| Thursday | 9am–5pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–1pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 235 E High St, Potosi, MO 63664
Phone: (573) 438-4691
Website: thewashingtoncountylibrary.com
Plus Code: 869FW6M8+Q3 (Potosi, MO)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Washington County Library
The Washington County Library began in 1938 as a free public library and in 1946 was reorganized as a formal county library to serve all of Washington County's approximately 25,000 residents. Its home at 235 East High Street sits in Potosi, the county seat and the oldest settlement in what is now Missouri, known historically as the center of the Missouri lead-mining district. The library holds a collection of roughly 67,000 volumes and logs nearly 38,000 visits per year. In addition to books and media, the library offers OverDrive eBooks, a genealogy collection with Ancestry and HeritageQuest databases, in-library computer access, and county-wide bookmobile service that brings materials to residents who cannot easily reach the main branch. The library has been active on Facebook since at least 2014 and maintains a website at thewashingtoncountylibrary.com.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Established 1938 as a free public library; reorganized as Washington County Library in 1946
- Located in Potosi, Missouri's oldest European settlement and historic center of the lead-mining district
- Extended Monday hours until 7 p.m. — only evening access available during the week
- County-wide bookmobile service bringing library materials to rural Washington County communities
- Genealogy collection with Ancestry and HeritageQuest databases for family history research
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Washington County Library cardholders can access digital books and research databases at no cost:
📚 Services
- Public computers with internet access, printing (black/white and color), copying and free Wi-Fi
- County-wide bookmobile service to rural Washington County communities
- Genealogy collection including Ancestry and HeritageQuest databases (in-library)
- Meeting room available by reservation
- Interlibrary loan
- Reference assistance for adults and children
🎸 Programs
- Children's and youth programming
- Adult programs and community events
- Summer reading
📍 Nearby Libraries in South-Central Missouri
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How long has the Washington County Library been in operation?
The library began in 1938 as a free public library and in 1946 became the Washington County Library, serving all residents of the county. That gives the library a history of more than 85 years of public service in Potosi and Washington County.
Does the library have a bookmobile, and which communities does it serve?
Yes. The Washington County Library operates a bookmobile that travels to rural communities throughout Washington County, bringing books and materials to residents who live at a distance from the main branch in Potosi. Contact the library at (573) 438-4691 for the current bookmobile schedule and stops.
What genealogy resources are available at the Washington County Library?
The library offers in-library access to Ancestry genealogy databases and HeritageQuest, which together cover census records, vital records, military records and historical newspapers. The library's own genealogy collection also includes Washington County-specific local history materials. Both Ancestry and HeritageQuest are available on library computers during open hours.
What are the library's evening hours, and when is it open on Saturdays?
Monday is the only evening with extended hours: the library is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The library is closed on Sunday.
📜 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 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.