Catawba County Library
🏢 Catawba County Library System · Newton, North Carolina
Catawba County Library
Catawba County Library in Newton is the main branch of a seven-location county system founded in 1936 — sparked by a $25 fund and a $1 donation from American Legion Auxiliary president Challie Brandon Hall — and it now houses a TechConnect makerspace, the Evelyn D. Rhodes Room for genealogy, and extended evening hours.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–8pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–8pm |
| Thursday | 9am–8pm |
| Friday | 9am–6pm |
| Saturday | 9am–6pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 115 West C Street, NEWTON, NC 28658
Phone: (828) 465-8664
Website: catawbacountync.gov
Plus Code: 867WMQ6G+P4 (NEWTON, NC)
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Catawba County Library
Catawba County Library traces its origin to March 17, 1932, when Challie Brandon Hall, president of Newton's Unit 16 of the American Legion Auxiliary, established a special $25 fund toward the county's first public library and contributed $1 of her own. Four years later, on March 20, 1936 (the formal opening date, delayed two days by ice), the library opened in two rooms of the old McCorkle home on Court Square in Newton, with Hall as first librarian until 1948. A school bus converted to a bookmobile made its first trip on February 18, 1938, beginning rural outreach that continues today. The library system has grown to seven locations and one Library to Go mobile unit serving all of Catawba County. The Newton main branch at 115 West C Street is the system headquarters and offers the county's deepest collection alongside the Evelyn D. Rhodes Room — the dedicated genealogy and local history wing named for a staff member who served for nearly 50 years and was named Catawba County Employee of the Year in 1994. The TechConnect space equips patrons with a 3D printer, digital cutter, large-format printer, sewing machine, GoPro cameras and high-powered computers. Through NC LIVE, all cardholders access statewide research databases, Libby eBooks and hoopla movies and music.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founded March 20, 1936 — sparked by a $25 fund and a $1 personal donation from Challie Brandon Hall
- Evelyn D. Rhodes Room: county genealogy & local history collection, named for a 50-year staff veteran
- TechConnect makerspace: 3D printer, digital cutter, large-format printer, sewing machine & GoPro cameras
- System headquarters for Catawba County Library System's seven locations & Library to Go mobile unit
- Extended evening hours: open until 8 pm Monday through Thursday
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Catawba County cardholders get free digital access through NC LIVE and the library's statewide partners:
📚 Services
- TechConnect makerspace (3D printer, digital cutter, large-format printer, sewing machine, GoPro cameras)
- Evelyn D. Rhodes Room for genealogy & local history research
- Public computers, printing & free Wi-Fi
- Libby / OverDrive digital borrowing
- hoopla streaming (movies, music, comics, audiobooks)
- Interlibrary loan through Catawba County Library System
- Reference and reader's advisory
- Book clubs and community meeting rooms
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytimes and youth programming
- Summer reading program
- TechConnect classes and digital literacy workshops
- Genealogy research assistance in the Rhodes Room
- Author events and community programs
- Library to Go mobile unit for rural Catawba County
📍 Nearby Libraries in the Catawba Valley
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in NEWTON · Browse all North Carolina libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How did the Catawba County Library get started in 1936?
It began on March 17, 1932, when Challie Brandon Hall, president of Newton's American Legion Auxiliary Unit 16, created a special $25 fund for a county library and donated $1 herself. Four years of planning and book drives followed, and the library opened on March 20, 1936 in two rooms of the old McCorkle home on Court Square — with Hall as the first librarian.
What is the Evelyn D. Rhodes Room?
The Evelyn D. Rhodes Room is the library's dedicated genealogy and local history collection, named in honor of Evelyn D. Rhodes, a library staff member who served for nearly 50 years before retiring in 2000 at age 90. She was named Catawba County Employee of the Year in 1994. The room holds family and county histories, NC census and cemetery records, and resources from 20 other states, and is open Tuesday through Saturday 9 am–6 pm.
What equipment does the TechConnect makerspace have?
TechConnect at the Newton main library includes a 3D printer, digital cutter (for vinyl and paper crafts), large-format printer, sewing machine, GoPro cameras and high-powered desktop computers. It's available to library cardholders and is a great resource for creative projects, small-business needs and digital learning.
Are the library's extended evening hours available every weeknight?
Yes — the main library in Newton is open Monday through Thursday until 8 pm (9 am–8 pm). Friday and Saturday hours are 9 am–6 pm. The library is closed on Sundays.
📜 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 has a makerspace / 3D printing. See how library makerspaces and 3D printing work and find other libraries with a makerspace makerspaces 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.
📅 This library has meeting & community rooms. See how library meeting rooms work — booking, policies and fees — and find other libraries with meeting or community rooms meeting rooms by state.
✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.
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