The West Chester Library is considered the flagship branch of the MidPointe Library System with circulation of about 1.3 million and nearly half a million visitors each year.
MidPointe serves eight Butler County communities and has physical locations in five. It’s the second highest circulating library system in southwest Ohio behind only the Public Library of Cincinnati in Hamilton County.
Before a physical location was established in West Chester, a bookmobile served our residents beginning July 5, 1938. The Middletown Public Library (now MidPointe Library System) loaded up 1,000 books and visited our area once per week.
A permanent library sprang up in 1967 from humble beginnings inside the Hopewell Elementary building. When it opened on October 23, the lending library consisted of 3,500 books on two banquet tables in the back of a classroom. Hours were limited to three nights a week plus Saturday mornings.
In 1974, the fast-growing library moved out of the school and into the Scott and Bornemann Building through the generosity of the property’s owners. This Pisgah area structure on Route 42, three doors down from Fire Station 72 on John Road, still stands today and has operated as several different businesses in the years since.
The first dedicated home of the Union Township (West Chester) Library opened in October 1983, two years after voters approved a $750,000 levy to fund its creation. The 7900 Cox Road building began with a footprint of 8,500 square feet and doubled in size over 15 years with additions in 1987, 1997 and 2005. The 16,000 square foot facility was later leased by the Township to a local not-for-profit organization for $1 per year, and repurposed for use as a multigenerational activity center for about a decade. Kroger purchased the property in 2022.
West Chester Library moved into its current location in 2009 with much anticipation and excitement. The new 48,000 square foot facility at 9363 Centre Pointe Drive, next to The Square @ Union Centre in the heart of our community, celebrated opening ceremonies on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009. Doors opened to patrons that Monday. The $12 million project was funded by Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds.
For more information, visit www.midpointelibrary.org.
Fun Facts
In 2022, West Chester Library welcomed more than 247,416 visitors and offered 802 programs with attendance of 22,093. Physical circulation for the year was 971,987 items and there were 4,532 meeting room reservations.
A new MidPointe Library bookmobile, carrying more than 2,500 items, debuted in January 2018.
In February 2020, MidPionte Library celebrated the grand opening of Innovation Pointe, a public makerspace for DIYers at its West Chester branch, 9363 Centre Pointe Drive.
Nature Basket meets in the MidPointe Library Storytime Room during the winter months.
West Chester Market sets up shop in the MidPointe Library parking lot in spring and summer.
Library Timeline courtesy of MidPointe Library System
1913 – Middletown opened its first public library on January 2, 1913.
1938 – Bookmobile service begins in Union Township thanks to Ohio Governor Martin L. Davey’s program to spread library service to rural areas and to the Middletown Public Library for heading up the program in Union Township. The bookmobile, which cost $1,460, is filled with 1,000 books and visits the area once a week.
1967 – A public library opens at Hopewell Elementary on October 23, 1967. It is open 3 nights a week and Saturday mornings. 3,500 books are lined up on 2 banquet tables in the back of a classroom. Circulation is 1,907.
1968 – Circulation for the year is 9,446 items.
1969 – Circulation (in one year) has almost doubled to 18,298! The library is open 13 hours a week.
1971 – The cistern at Hopewell Elementary is renovated and bookshelves are added for the library. The library now has 400 square feet of space.
1972 – The library is open 20 hours a week and now houses 10,000 volumes. Two bookmobiles, “The Red Dragon” and “The Blue Angel” service the area. Circulation for the year is 28,531.
1972-1973 – The Friends of The Public Library meet for the first time in 1972. In 1973, the by-laws are adopted and so begins a tradition of support of the library from the volunteers of the community.
1974 – Thanks to a generous donation by the owners of the new Scott and Bornemann Building, the library moves 14,000 items to the building on Route 42 in Pisgah. There is now 2,000 square feet of space and it is open 35 hours a week! Circulation for the year is 43,793.
1976 – Circulation has grown to 96,723!
1977 – Happy 10th Anniversary to the library! A celebration is held in honor of the library, which now houses 20,000 items with 200 new items added monthly! The Summer Reading Program has 600 children join!
1978 – The Library expands by 680 square feet! There are 6,000 “card-carrying” patrons! Circulation is 124,020
1980 – Circulation is 139,509.
1981 – In November, a levy is passed by the citizens of Union Township for $750,000 to use to build a new library.
1983 – A new 8,500 square foot library is built on Cox Road with plenty of room for additions. It opens in October! Circulation reaches 144,722.
1984 – The library becomes computerized! The old card catalog gives way to “Touch Screen Computers.”
1987 – The first expansion of the Cox Road library sees over 5,000 square feet added to the rear of the building! The Library is open over 54 hours a week!
1989 – Circulation is 350,266.
1992 – Circulation is 507,277.
1997 – As the population continues to grow in the area, so does the need for more library space. The second addition to the library is 800 square feet for the Children’s Department!
1998 – Summer Reading Program continues to encourage children to read throughout the summer. Participants from Kindergarten–6th Grade number 1,479!
1999 – Circulation is 839,161.
2000 – The Union Township Library becomes the West Chester Library to coincide with the new township name.
2002 – For the first time, over one million items are checked in and out at the West Chester Library. The official number is 1,090,503!
2004 – Beginning in April, the book-drop area is expanded by 516 square feet. Summer Reading Program attracts 2,175 children (including Preschool, K-6, and Young Adult Programs).
2005 – The final addition to the Cox Road library begins April 2005. A new staff work-room (604 square feet) is built and the old work room is remodeled. The Library is now just shy of 16,000 square feet, almost double the size as when it was built!
2008 – It’s estimated that 322,946 people visited the West Chester Library in 2008! The library owns 183,247 items! Circulation is 1,295,001!
2009 – The West Chester Library builds a new building on Centre Pointe Drive. It is paid for by Township TIF (Tax Increment Finance) funds. The new building is 48,000 square feet! Summer Reading Program has 3,459 participants from Preschool–12th grade!
2013 – Celebrating its centennial anniversary, the system rebrands from the Middletown Public Library to the MidPointe Library System.
“Foundations” is a series of stories recounting momentous occasions in West Chester, Ohio history. Subscribe to the COMMUNITY REPORT e-newsletter and visit www.WestChesterOH.org/200 to learn more about Township history as we celebrate our 200th birthday bicentennial anniversary.