About the Library

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Howard County Library ranks first in the nation among great public libraries according to Hennen's American Public Library Ratings 2008 and was named the Howard County Chamber of Commerce's Non-Profit Business of the Year in 2003.

The Library welcomes customers at six locations and online. Customers can access the catalog, live online reference services, and subscription databases in the branches or online. These resources are available to anyone with a library card 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Partners in Education
The Library is committed to serving as Howard County's partner in education. The A+ Partners in Education^SM initiative between Howard County Library, the Howard County Public School System, and Howard Community College promotes scholarship, assists with eliminating student achievement gaps, and expands the academic opportunities for Howard County students. Through this web site, students receive homework help through a variety of online resources, including access to thousands of full-text journal, magazine, and newspaper articles and free online tutors. Students also can ask questions 24 hours a day, seven days a week through AskUsNow!.

Services for Customers with Special Needs
Recognizing the changing and diverse needs of Howard County residents, the Library offers large print books, TTY numbers, ASL videos, and services for homebound customers. In October 2003, Howard County Library was honored with the Accessibility Award for Programs by the Commission on Disability Issues.

Foreign Language Materials and Services
As Howard County becomes home to an increasingly international community, the collection has expanded to include a greater number of foreign language materials. In addition, the Library's Project Literacy teaches adults reading, writing, and basic math skills.

Wireless Internet
Howard County Library offers state-of-the-art wireless network service at all six branches, the kind of wireless connections found at some coffeehouses, airports, and hotels across the country. Commonly known as Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity), this service - the first in a Maryland public library - allows customers to turn on their laptops, PDAs, or other handheld device from any location in the branch and access the Library's Public Access Catalog or surf the Internet, at very high speeds.