New Straitsville Public Library
🏢 Perry County · New Straitsville, Ohio
New Straitsville Public Library
New Straitsville Public Library, open since its 1927 building on East Main Street, serves the coal-country community of New Straitsville in southern Perry County. One of the smaller independent public libraries in Ohio, it holds about 14,000 volumes and offers public computers, meeting space, and free internet access to the residents of Coal Township and surrounding communities. New Straitsville is home to the legendary underground mine fire that has burned beneath the town since 1884 — and the library is the community's anchor for local history and genealogy resources in the Little Cities of Black Diamonds region.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–3pm |
| Tuesday | 1pm–6pm |
| Wednesday | 1pm–6pm |
| Thursday | 1pm–6pm |
| Friday | Closed |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 102 East Main Street, New Straitsville, OH 43766
Phone: (740) 394-2717
Website: new-straitsville.lib.oh.us
Plus Code: 86FVHQH7+47 (New Straitsville, OH)
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📖 About New Straitsville Public Library
New Straitsville was founded in 1870 by the New Straitsville Mining Company as a coal town, and it grew rapidly — exceeding 4,000 residents by 1880 as the mines drew workers from across Appalachia and Europe. In 1884, a labor dispute ended with striking miners sending a burning coal car deep into the mine, igniting a seam fire that has never been extinguished and still smolders underground to this day, making New Straitsville's mine fire one of the most famous in American history. The New Straitsville Public Library building dates to 1927 and has been the community's free public library ever since. With about 14,000 volumes, it is one of Ohio's smaller independent public libraries — but serves a vital role in southern Perry County, providing internet access, computers, a meeting room, and a collection that includes local history photographs and genealogy index records related to the Little Cities of Black Diamonds region. The library is part of OPLIN (Ohio Public Library Information Network), which provides statewide broadband connectivity and free database access to all Ohio public libraries. A close community partner is the Little Cities of Black Diamonds organization, which preserves the coal-mining heritage of southern Perry County through archives, bus tours, and heritage events.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Housed in a 1927 building on East Main Street — the community anchor for New Straitsville, a coal-mining town founded in 1870
- Home to local history photographs and genealogy index records documenting the Little Cities of Black Diamonds region of southern Perry County
- Public computers, free Wi-Fi, and five high-speed internet stations serving a rural community with limited broadband access
- Meeting room available for community events, groups, and local organizations
- Collection spans books, magazines, videos, audiobooks, board games, bakeware, sporting equipment, sewing machines, and video games
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
New Straitsville cardholders have free access to Ohio's statewide digital resources through OPLIN:
📚 Services
- Collection of ~14,000 books, magazines, videos, audiobooks, and audio CDs
- Five public computers with Windows 10 and high-speed internet access, free Wi-Fi
- Circulating library of things: board games, bakeware, sporting equipment, sewing machines, video games
- Local history photographs and genealogy index records for New Straitsville and southern Perry County
- Meeting room available for community use
- OPLIN statewide database access through the Ohio Web Library
- Online catalog via the Alexandria automation system
🎸 Programs
- Children's reading and activity programs
- Community events in the library's meeting room
- Summer reading program
- Genealogy and local history research assistance
- Digital access and computer help for community members
📍 Nearby Libraries in Southeast Ohio
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in New Straitsville · Browse all Ohio libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the underground mine fire under New Straitsville, and how does it connect to the library?
In 1884, striking miners at the New Straitsville Mining Company sent a burning coal car into the mine, igniting a seam fire that has burned continuously for over 140 years. The fire is one of the most famous mine fires in U.S. history. The New Straitsville Public Library holds local history photographs and genealogy index records related to the town and the broader Little Cities of Black Diamonds region of southern Perry County — making it an important first stop for researchers interested in the area's coal-mining past.
What are New Straitsville Public Library's hours?
The library is open Monday 10am–3pm and Tuesday through Thursday 1pm–6pm. It is closed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Hours may vary for holidays — call (740) 394-2717 before visiting.
Does the library lend anything besides books?
Yes — New Straitsville Public Library has a circulating collection that includes board games, bakeware, sporting equipment, sewing machines, video games, audiobooks, music CDs, and videos, in addition to its 14,000-volume book collection. It is also one of the few places in the community with free public computer access and high-speed Wi-Fi.
Can I access statewide Ohio databases with a New Straitsville library card?
Yes. As an OPLIN-connected Ohio public library, New Straitsville provides free access to the Ohio Web Library — more than 280 subscription databases including newspapers, genealogy records, health information, legal resources, and career tools. The Ohio Digital Library through Libby also lets you borrow eBooks and audiobooks statewide. Both are accessible online with your library card.
📜 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.
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✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.