Westerville Library joins Central Library Consortium in 2024.

What benefits can I expect?  

• You will gain access to an additional 3.9 million items. (That’s a 2059% increase!) 
• You can pick up and return items owned by other libraries to the Westerville Public Library.  
• You can return items borrowed from the Westerville Public Library at any of the 17 CLC member libraries. 
• On average, you will experience shorter wait times for new and popular items.  
• Your hold and reminder notices will feature upcoming events and popular services. 
• You’ll have more options for managing your library account via phone. 
• Your library will be able to allocate more money and staffing towards high-value projects and services to benefit the community. 
  

Which libraries will I be able to borrow from and return to?  

Starting in late 2024 - Alexandria Public Library, Bexley Public Library, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Delaware County District Library, Fairfield County District Library, Grandview Heights Public Library, Granville Public Library Association, London Public Library, Marysville Public Library, Pataskala Public Library, Pickaway County District Library, Pickerington Public Library, Plain City Public Library, Southwest Public Libraries, Upper Arlington Public Library, Wagnalls Memorial Library, and Worthington Libraries.  

Some exceptions may apply.

Will I have to wait longer to get items? 

No. You will have priority when placing holds on items owned by the Westerville Public Library. If you place a hold on an item owned by another library, the owning library’s patrons will receive priority over you.  

When will this new service be available? 

The new service will be available in early December 2024.

There will be a short period during the transition where you will have limited access to  your account information, the collection, and some services. 

Does this mean the Westerville Public Library is merging with the Columbus Metropolitan Library?

No. The Westerville Public Library will remain an independent library with the same service district and funding structure. The main change is that the Westerville Public Library will share physical collections (books, movies, music) with 17 neighboring libraries via a shared catalog.

What will stay the same? 

The Westerville Public Library will remain fines free. Most services, amenities, digital collections, research tools, and library-hosted events will remain the same. The library’s service district and funding structure will also remain the same. You will still be able to borrow from other Ohio libraries through SearchOhio and OhioLINK.