Branch History

The Havre de Grace Branch began 50 years ago as a volunteer based library in the old Opera House along with a second volunteer library. Eventually, as Harford County Library was established, they asked the Havre de Grace libraries to merge with them. Although there was resistance, eventually, the libraries did become affiliated with the county library and moved into a building on Pennington Avenue (1960) that has since become the Havre de Grace Tourism Office (408 Pennington Avenue). In 1987, a new building was erected on the branch’s current site at 120 N. Union Avenue. This 8,520 square foot building (designed by Frederick Ward Associates, Inc.) served the community very well but local population increases outgrew the library quickly. In 2003, the building was renovated again to accommodate ADA mandates as well as an interior spruce-up which moved the service areas (Reference closer to the Union Side of the building and Circulation or Customer Service to the parking lot side). The Havre de Grace Branch is situated in the Havre de Grace National Register Historic and the Havre de Grace Main Street Districts.