Branch Location: 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD 21045 | 410.313.7700 (MAP)
Hours: Mon-Thu 10 am – 9 pm | Fri-Sat 10 am – 6 pm | Closed Sundays until September 7
Located on Cradlerock Way in the Village of Owen Brown, the HCLS East Columbia Branch is the recipient of Honor Awards for Architectural Excellence from both the Potomac Valley Chapter and the Maryland Society of the American Institute of Architects. This HCLS branch opened in August 1994, underwent a renovation in 2016, and reopened in February 2018.
The East Columbia Branch features 74 computers available to the public. All computers have Internet and word processing capabilities.
The East Columbia Branch renovations doubled the space for quiet study areas (three rooms to six), and tripled the meeting room capacity. The new teen center includes spaces for Teen Time, HiTech and Homework Club. The teen area also features dedicated tables, complete with project supplies, for students to create and collaborate on assignments and projects.
Centers & Special Collections
- STEM Activity Kits
- Passport Center
- Teen Center
- Community Mural
- Laser Cutter Engraver
- view all HCLS Special Collections
Meeting & Study Rooms
- 2 meeting rooms
- 3 study rooms
Group study rooms may be reserved online.
Classes & Events
View Adult Classes
View Teen Classes
View Children’s classes
View All Classes
Computers and Printing
- Public Access Computers
- Linux OS computers with LibreOffice Suite available (word processing, etc.)
- Wireless in-branch printing
printing & scanning | Free
B&W copies | $0.20
color copies | $0.75
faxing (first page) | $1.50
faxing (additional pages) | $1.00
HCLS Land Acknowledgment:
We want to respectfully honor the Susquehannock Confederation who governed, lived, farmed, and hunted on the land now called Howard County. Their nations conceded into land treaties in 1652 and 1661 after English colonizers ended their generational governance and stewardship of the land Howard County is built upon. This practice of land acknowledgement is to honor and respect the indigenous inhabitants both from the past and the present.
Laser Cutter Engraver Terms and Conditions
Safety procedures specific to designated equipment are posted and must always be followed.
- Equipment and supplies must be used in a safe and proper manner.
- Customers should report to staff any equipment that may appear to not be operating properly
- If you see anyone doing something unsafe, alert staff. If you see a potential safety hazard, alert staff .
- Wearing headphones is prohibited.
- The customer assumes responsibility for the cost of repairing or replacing equipment damaged by improper use.
- If an accident or injury occurs, inform HCLS staff immediately.
- If someone is seriously injured, call 9-1-1 from any phone and alert staff.
- Appropriate eye protection must be worn when operating laser cutters.
- Customers must maintain a safe workspace by keeping it free of clutter and debris.
- Food and drink are prohibited when using the Laser Cutter Engraver.
All safety procedures will be enforced by staff.
HCLS’ Laser Cutter Engraver may only be used for lawful purposes. Users will not be permitted to use the Library’s equipment to create material that is:
- prohibited by local, state or federal law.
- unsafe, harmful, dangerous, and/or poses an immediate threat to the well-being of others. (Such use may also violate the terms of use of the manufacturer.)
- in violation of another’s intellectual property rights. For example, the printers will not be used to reproduce material that is subject to copyright, patent or trademark protection.
- obscene or otherwise inappropriate for the library environment.
- objects larger than specified sizes for each piece of equipment.
HCLS reserves the right to refuse or halt and end production for any reason including prior record of non-payment. HCLS library staff must be present when equipment is in use. Anyone under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian present to use the Laser Cutter Engraver. Customers use all equipment at their own risk. Customers must agree to the HCLS disclaimer.
- Customers are expected to pay for objects printed, engraved, or cut as specified in the submitted design.
- HCLS is responsible for mechanical failure of HCLS equipment and will reprint, re-engrave or recut an object at no additional charge whenever possible should failure occur.
- Customers may not receive a replacement object if dissatisfied with color, scale, quality, design, or other options within the customer’s control. If your object is not as you envisioned, we encourage you to make changes to the design and submit a new print request.
- While HCLS staff make every effort to oversee the use of equipment in the production of an object, the use of the object upon completion is not under the direction or control of the library system.
- HCLS is not responsible for any object created with the use of its Laser Cutter Engraver, including any harm or injury incurred as a result of any usage of the object which was printed.
