Who We Are

West Virginia Culture Center in Charleston

Since 1929, the Library Section of the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture & History (formerly known as the West Virginia Library Commission) has helped public, academic, and school libraries across the state develop into personable and inviting hubs for local communities. We proudly serve 170 West Virginia public libraries through a variety of services and programs.

Our Mission

We serve the people of West Virginia by assisting and empowering West Virginia public libraries to cater to the needs and interests of their local communities. We work hard to ensure that every West Virginian has free and fair access to information, because the freedom to read, think, and learn should not be hindered by inaccessibility.

How We Help

With the assistance of our resources and services, West Virginia libraries are havens for reading, educating, and connecting, from book clubs to read-alouds for children to fun family programs and activities.

We assist public libraries across the state financially and technologically through adminstering grants, E-Rate, and providing access to internet, telecommunications, and technology resources and services. We collect and analyze statistics, provide Continuing Education to West Virginia librarians, and provide materials to assist libraries in developing programs that sustain lifelong learning, help children develop early childhood literacy skills, and promote reading.

State Library

With our State Library, we offer a large variety of online resources, databases, and educational programs electronically to West Virginians across the state. Libby and Hoopla are our most popular resources available to patrons who request a West Virginia State Library Card with us. TutorWV and WVInfoDepot are educational resources beloved by West Virginians, and we are proud to offer many more databases that focus on fields such as childrens’ literacy, academic research, and professional development. If you live in West Virginia, you can gain access to any of the above resources and more. Just sign up for our State Library Card.

The State Library’s home is in the Culture Center in Charleston, West Virginia. There, we provide both residents and government employees with research assistance, access to print and online collections, printing and copying services, desktop computers, and Wi-Fi access. Our collections include a large West Virginia collection, audiobooks, print books in genres such as fiction, nonfiction, childrens’ and young adult, reference textbooks, and DVDs. We also house over 360 Book Discussion Group Kits that are available for checkout by libraries all over the state for their book clubs. We also offer Interlibrary Loans and Deposit Collections.

Special Services and Library for the Blind and Print Disabled

Our Special Services Division serves as the state’s regional library of the National Library Services for the Blind and Print Disabled, a division of the Library of Congress. Our Library for the Blind and Print Disabled loans recorded materials, Braille materials, and large print books to state residents who are unable to read or use standard print due to impairment, visual or physical, or reading disability. The Library provides direct library services to more than 2,500 West Virginians who cannot utilize standard size print.

Annual Programs

The West Virginia Center for the Book was established in 2001 as an affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. We host the Center for the Book in partnership with the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History. The center celebrates West Virginia writers and books related to the state, with the goal of highlighting the state’s unique literary heritage. Our other programs such as One Book One West Virginia and the Appalachian Heritage Writer-in-Residence Program also promote our important and fascinating literary scene, and are made possible in collaboration with Shepherd University and the West Virginia Humanities Council. We also host West Virginia Family Read Week every year in November to promote reading and connecting amongst West Virginia families.

Laws and Regulations

West Virginia Code; Chapter 29, Library Section under WV Department of Arts, Culture & History

Title 173-01 As passed by the Legislature March 5, 2007

West Virginia Code; Chapter 10, Public Libraries

West Virginia Code; Chapter 6, Articles 9A; “Sunshine Law”

LSTA Plans

LSTA Five-Year Strategic Plan 2023-2027.pdf

LSTA Five-Year Strategic Plan 2018-2022

FAQs

How do I find a library in my area?

To find contact information for your local library, click here.

How do I place an Interlibrary Loan?

The West Virginia Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Request System allows public libraries within the state to borrow library materials from other public libraries and from the West Virginia Library Commission. For information on how the process works, click here.

How do I get a State Library card?

State Library cards are free and available to any West Virginia resident. To apply for a state library card, complete this form or call 304-558-2045.