Bridgeport Public Library
🏢 WV LibShare Consortium · Bridgeport, West Virginia
Bridgeport Public Library
Established in 1956 through a donation from the Michael Late Benedum family, the Bridgeport Public Library moved to its current 1200 Johnson Avenue home in 1994 when residents and businesses raised more than $1.3 million to renovate a former insurance building — and today it is one of the few public libraries in Harrison County offering U.S. passport acceptance, free notary service, and a makerspace.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 11am–7pm |
| Tuesday | 11am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 11am–7pm |
| Thursday | 11am–7pm |
| Friday | 10am–5pm |
| Saturday | 10am–3pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 1200 Johnson Avenue, Bridgeport, WV 26330
Phone: (304) 842-8248
Website: bplwv.org
Plus Code: 86FX7PXF+VX (Bridgeport, 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 Bridgeport Public Library
The Bridgeport Public Library has served Harrison County since 1956, when oil wildcatter and philanthropist Michael Late Benedum and the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation provided the founding gift. The library occupied the Benedum Civic Center for decades, with the City of Bridgeport assuming financial support in the mid-1970s. In 1994, a community fundraising campaign raised more than $1.3 million to purchase and renovate a former insurance building on Johnson Avenue, creating the library's permanent home. Today it serves approximately 7,300 residents and is a member of WV LibShare, a north-central West Virginia consortium that shares an online catalog with the Marion County Public Library System and the Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library. Programs span all ages — from weekly storytimes and STEM crafts for children to book clubs, author events, and gaming competitions for adults. The library also provides practical civic services including U.S. passport acceptance by appointment and free notary service.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founded in 1956 through a gift from oil philanthopist Michael Late Benedum and the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation — one of Harrison County's oldest civic institutions
- Moved to 1200 Johnson Avenue in 1994 after a community campaign raised more than $1.3 million to renovate the building
- U.S. passport acceptance by appointment — $35 acceptance fee plus optional $15 photo; requires proof of citizenship and ID
- Free notary service available (call ahead to confirm a notary is on duty: ext. 2 or email slantz@bridgeportwv.gov)
- WV LibShare consortium catalog: place holds from Bridgeport, Clarksburg-Harrison, and Marion County collections in one search
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Bridgeport cardholders have free access to e-books, streaming, and research databases through West Virginia's statewide and consortium digital collections:
📚 Services
- U.S. passport acceptance by appointment ($35 acceptance fee; optional $15 photo service)
- Free notary service (call ahead to confirm availability)
- Public computers (1-hour daily limit) and free Wi-Fi
- Printing ($0.25 B&W, $0.50 color), faxing ($1.00/page), and copying
- Study pod reservations for quiet individual work
- Makerspace and STEM kit checkout
- Interlibrary loan through WV LibShare
🎸 Programs
- Weekly storytimes and children's STEM crafts (ages 0–12)
- Teen programs: educational and creative activities (ages 13–18)
- Adult book clubs, gaming competitions, author talks, and writing workshops
- Summer Reading Program for all ages
- Library2Go outreach services for homebound patrons
📍 Nearby Libraries in North-Central West Virginia
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Bridgeport · Browse all West Virginia libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded the Bridgeport Public Library, and when did it move to Johnson Avenue?
The library was established in 1956 with a founding gift from oil wildcatter and philanthropist Michael Late Benedum and the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation. After spending decades in the Benedum Civic Center, the library moved to 1200 Johnson Avenue in 1994 when a community campaign raised more than $1.3 million to purchase and renovate a former insurance building for use as its permanent home.
Does the Bridgeport Public Library offer U.S. passport services?
Yes. The library is a U.S. Department of State passport acceptance facility. Appointments are required; a $35 acceptance fee is charged by the library, and an optional $15 photo service is available. You will also need to pay the State Department fee separately by check or money order. Visit bplwv.org/passport or call 304-842-8248 to schedule.
Can I get a document notarized at the Bridgeport Public Library?
Yes, the library offers free notary service. Because notary availability varies by day, it is best to call ahead (304-842-8248 ext. 2) or email slantz@bridgeportwv.gov to confirm a notary is on duty before visiting.
What is WV LibShare, and can I pick up holds from other member libraries?
WV LibShare is a north-central West Virginia library consortium whose shared catalog links the Bridgeport Public Library, the Marion County Public Library System, and the Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library. You can search all three collections at once and place holds to pick up at your home branch.
🛂 This library offers U.S. passport services. See how library passport acceptance works — requirements, fees and appointments — and find other passport acceptance libraries by state.
📋 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 a makerspace / 3D printing. See how library makerspaces and 3D printing work and find other libraries with a makerspace makerspaces by state.
✎ Notice something out of date? Suggest a correction and we’ll verify and update it.