Thanks for helping us have an incredible year at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. Take a look back at everything that happened in 2015.

1. 2015
Year In Review
Public Library of Cincinnati
and Hamilton County

2. Record-breaking Year
O 2015 was an incredible
year at the Library with
new locations, services
and added benefits to
cardholders.

3. MakerSpace Opens
O In January, the Main Library’s MakerSpace
opened, giving customers access to 3D printers, a
laser engraver, vinyl cutter/printer, recording booth,
photography station, media conversion equipment,
button makers, sewing machines, and more.

4. Three New Branches
O The new Clifton Branch Library opened in May.
The historic 10,000-square-foot building replaced a
2,500-square-foot storefront location and includes
RFID check-in, after-hours holds lockers, a dog
water fountain, and a bike rack with an air pump.

5. Three New Branches
O The new St. Bernard and Reading branch libraries
opened in June. The new Reading Branch Library
is a 12,000-square-foot facility and the St. Bernard
Branch Library spans 8,000 square feet. Both
include RFID check-in, more public computers,
Smart Boards and MakerSpaces.

6. Surpassed 600,000 cardholders
O In July, the Library surpassed
the 600,000 cardholder mark.
O Approximately 82 percent of
Hamilton County residents
have a Library card.
O Downtown resident Stanford
Grantham became the lucky
600,000th cardholder.

7. 5th Busiest Library System
O According to data in the Public Library Data
Services (PLDS) statistical report, Library
cardholders checked out more than 18 million
items, making the Library the fifth busiest library
system in the country.

8. 5-Star Library Recognition
O The Library Journal, our field's leading professional
publication, designated the Library — for the third
year in a row — as a Five-Star Library.
O The Library is one of only five libraries nationwide
in its category to receive a Five-Star Library rating.

9. Expanded Homework Help
O In September, The Library
Foundation received a
donation from the Marge &
Charles J. Schott
Foundation to help support
our Homework Help
service for K-8 students.
O It was expanded to include
16 Library locations for the
2015-2016 school year.

10. More Cards to Students
O The Library increased the
percentage of children
with a Library card to 98
percent in response to the
ConnectEd Library
Challenge to improve
access to digital content
and public libraries.

11. Added Personalized Services
O A new online tool for providing book
recommendations, called “Book Hookup,” was
launched in October. This service asks customers
for their reading preferences. Then, the Library
selects three related items which customers can pick
up at their convenience.

12. Added Personalized Services
O The Library also launched
My Librarian, a new
personalized reference
service. Customers may call
their requests in to the
Library or submit their
request online. Requests
are available for pick up
from the Express Holds
shelves or Main Library
drive-through within a day.

13. Rare Exhibit Gets New Cases
O Thanks to support from donors,
all volumes of the Library’s rare
Birds of America books by John
James Audubon are now on
display.
O The library is one of only 120
organizations in the world to
have a complete set.

14. What will
we do in 2016?
Stay tuned!
CincinnatiLibrary.org