The Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML), located in the capital city of Ohio, opened its doors in 1873 in the New City Hall in downtown Columbus. This library is one of the most-used library systems in the country and is consistently among the top-ranked large city libraries according to "Hennen’s American Public Library Ratings." Led by Larry D. Black from 1984 to 2002, the redeveloped CML was formally reopened in 1991 by U.S. First Lady Barbara Bush. Excellent customer service was Black's continual objective. CML was rated the No. 1 library system in the nation in 1999, 2005, 2008, and 2010. It has been in the top four every year since 1999 when the rankings were first published in American Libraries magazine, often challenging up-state neighbor Cuyahoga County Public Library for the top spot. CML was named Library of the Year by the Library Journal in 2010. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in fiscal year 2005 CML patrons borrowed more than 16.5 million items, made 8.4 million visits to the library and asked nearly 1.2 million reference questions.
The library serves an area of more than 870,000 residents and has a collection of 2,500,000 books and periodicals. In addition, there are 260,000 CDs, records, cassettes, and other audio materials, as well as 176,000 video items, such as DVDs and VHS tapes. In 2006, the library was ranked by Hennen's American Public Library Rating Index as #3 for libraries serving populations of 500,000 or greater. The library is state funded and strongly supported by the citizens of Franklin County which has been shown by their repeated passing of a 2.2-mill property levy which has been in place since 1986. This levy was approved again in 2010 at the increased rate of 2.8-mill, the additional 0.6 mill being needed to replace lost state funding.
The library consists of the Main Library and 21 branches conveniently located in neighborhoods throughout Franklin County. The branches are Driving Park, Dublin, Franklinton, Gahanna, Hilliard, Hilltop, Karl Rd, Linden, Livingston, Martin Luther King, New Albany, Northern Lights, Northside, Northwest, Parsons, Reynoldsburg, Shepard, South High, Southeast, Whetstone and Whitehall. CML also jointly operates the Northwest Library in cooperation with Worthington Libraries. Southwest Public Libraries and Worthington Libraries also share resources and a combined catalog with CML.
Read more about Columbus Metropolitan Library: Staffing, Services, Innovation, Gallery
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—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
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—Carolyn Wells (1862–1942)