Louis Bennett Public Library
🏢 West Virginia Library Network · Weston, West Virginia
Louis Bennett Public Library
Weston's public library since 1923, the Louis Bennett Public Library occupies a 17-room High Victorian Italianate mansion built in 1874–1875 by Jonathan M. Bennett and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Donated to Lewis County by the Bennett family as a memorial to WWI flying ace Louis Bennett Jr., it stands at 148 Court Avenue and opens Monday through Saturday.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–5pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–5pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–4pm |
| Thursday | 9am–4pm |
| Friday | 9am–4pm |
| Saturday | 10am–2pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 148 Court Avenue, Weston, WV 26452
Phone: (304) 269-5151
Website: lbpubliclibrary.com
Plus Code: 86FX2GPM+JW (Weston, WV)
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📖 About Louis Bennett Public Library
The Louis Bennett Public Library is the public library of Weston, Lewis County, West Virginia, serving roughly 17,000 residents. The building itself is a piece of history: Jonathan M. Bennett — lawyer, legislator and former state auditor — constructed the 17-room Victorian mansion at 148 Court Avenue in 1874–1875. Designed in the High Victorian Italianate style, it features a 4½-story entrance tower with a mansard roof, ornate wooden brackets and plaster ceiling moldings, and was the first home in Weston to have gas lighting. In 1922 Mrs. Louis Bennett donated the estate to the citizens of Lewis County in memory of her husband, Louis Bennett Sr. — who had served as Lewis County prosecuting attorney and Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates — and their son, Louis Bennett Jr. (1894–1918), West Virginia's only World War I fighter ace. Bennett Jr. flew 25 combat sorties in just nine days, shooting down nine balloons and three aircraft before his plane was hit by ground fire on 24 August 1918. The library opened in 1923, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and became part of the Weston Downtown Historic District in 1985. Today it holds about 16,000 volumes, eBooks, audiobooks and digital resources through the West Virginia Library Network.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Housed in a 17-room High Victorian Italianate mansion built in 1874–1875 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978
- Donated in 1922 as a memorial to Lewis County's own WWI flying ace, Louis Bennett Jr., who scored 12 kills in just 9 combat days
- Public library since 1923 — over a century of continuous service to Weston and Lewis County
- Part of the West Virginia Library Network, giving cardholders access to WV-READS (Libby), hoopla and WVInfoDepot databases
- Open Monday through Saturday, including Saturday morning hours, with no appointment needed
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Louis Bennett cardholders unlock free digital reading, streaming and research through West Virginia's statewide collections:
📚 Services
- Public computers and free Wi-Fi
- Printing, copying and scanning
- Physical collection of approximately 16,000 volumes including large print
- Interlibrary loan through the West Virginia Library Network
- eBooks and audiobooks via WV-READS / Libby and hoopla
- Reference and readers advisory assistance
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytime and youth programming (Kid's Corner)
- Summer reading program
- Adult programming and community events
- Local history and genealogy support
📍 Nearby Libraries in North-Central West Virginia
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Weston · Browse all West Virginia libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Louis Bennett Jr., and why is the library named after him?
Louis Bennett Jr. (1894–1918) was a Weston native and West Virginia's only World War I fighter ace. Flying an S.E.5a for the Royal Flying Corps, he shot down nine observation balloons and three aircraft in just nine days of combat before his plane was hit by ground fire on 24 August 1918. His mother, Mrs. Louis Bennett, donated the family's historic 17-room Victorian mansion to Lewis County in 1922 in his memory, and the library that opened there in 1923 bears his name.
Is the library building really on the National Register of Historic Places?
Yes. The Jonathan M. Bennett House — the Victorian mansion that houses the library — was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 9, 1978, and became part of the Weston Downtown Historic District in 1985. Built in 1874–1875 by Jonathan M. Bennett in the High Victorian Italianate style, it features a 4½-story entrance tower with a mansard roof, ornate brackets and original plaster ceiling moldings.
What are the library's current hours?
The Louis Bennett Public Library is open Monday and Tuesday 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Wednesday through Friday 9 a.m.–4 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m.–2 p.m. The library is closed on Sunday. Call (304) 269-5151 for holiday closings.
Can I borrow eBooks or digital materials with my library card?
Yes. Lewis County library cardholders can access WV-READS through the Libby app (thousands of eBooks, audiobooks and digital magazines via OverDrive) and hoopla (movies, music, comics and more with no waitlists). West Virginia residents also have free access to WVInfoDepot — a state-funded portal of online databases — without needing a library card.
🖨 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.
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✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.
