Our Library History  

The Culpeper Library was organized in 1926 through the efforts of Lucille Nelson Penniman and Mary Williams Tucker. Miss Crimora Waite was appointed the first official librarian and served in that capacity for over 50 years. In 1963 the first library building was constructed and served as home to the Culpeper Town and County Library. In 1996 the library became an agency of the County of Culpeper and plans were made to construct a new library. Our present fully-automated facility opened to the public on March 25, 1998.

Culpeper County Library Board (click for photos)

For a full copy of the Culpeper County Library Board Bylaws, click here (PDF)

2023 Culpeper County Library Board meeting dates:  Meetings open to the public and are held at 7 pm in the Library's Meeting Room. To view past Library Board meeting minutes, click here. 

Our Mission

The Culpeper County Library Board and staff improve the quality of life in the community by supporting educational, informational, and leisure needs and by making cultural opportunities available for every individual in the community.

Our Vision

We support a future in which a friendly and knowledgeable staff is available to help patrons find information and recreational materials with ease. The Library wil be recognized and valued by all community members as a significant resource. The Library will continue to be a place to gather for meetings, socializing, and recreational activities. Further, the Library staff will act as advocates for the healthy growth and development of youth as they progress from pre-readers to early readers to contributing members of our community.

Our Circulation Policies:

Library Cards: Library cards may be issued free to residents or property owners of Culpeper County and counties with whom we have a reciprocal agreement.* Proof of address is requested at the time of registration. If proof of address cannot be supplied, the library card will be mailed to the applicant. Forms for proof af address include: State ID card, Driver's License, Printed Checkbook verification, IDENT-A-KID card, Pictured School ID's, Any piece of mail that has been mailed and postmarked to their address. Applications for children under 18 must be signed by a parent or legal guardian. Children ten years of age and under are designated as Juvenile. At eleven years of age, the juvenile is changed to a Young Adult status. Names of an item(s) on a Young Adult's card is only given to the parent once the item(s) is overdue. At eighteen years of age, the account will be upgraded to an Adult status. Optional plastic cards are available for $1.00, with proceeds going to the Friends of the Library. If your library card is lost or stolen, report this to the library immediately.

*Fauquier, Madison, Rappahannock, Orange, Albemarle, Greene, Nelson, Louisa, Spotsylvania, Stafford, and Westmoreland Counties and the Cities of Charlottesville and Fredericksburg. Some systems may require an additional fee for non-residents.

Confidentiality of Library Records:  The Culpeper County Library makes available a collection of materials for the free and unrestricted use of the public. The use of the public library, the choice of materials, and the use of informational sources is properly the concern of the individual library patron. The Culpeper County Library will make every effort to see that this information remains confidential.

A parent/legal guardian may inquire about the items on a juvenile's card up until the age of 10.  At age 10, the patron is changed to a Young Adult status and the items of the card are confidential unless overdue, at which time the parent/legal guardian will be made aware of the titles of the items.

The Culpeper County Library will cooperate with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies investigating crimes for the purpose of criminal prosecution. The library patron's name, address, and telephone number will be provided when requested in regard to a particular item which is presented as evidence in prosecution. All information regarding use of library materials wil be supplied only upon proper subpoena or court order.

The Culpeper County Library will not provide individual patron information requested by any other citizens, organizations, or groups in regard to : 1) a particular item circulated by the library system, 2) circulation of materials in a general subject area, 3) patron requests for general information available in library resource materials, or 4) library patron registration.

All requests for information will be reported to the office of the County Attorney, Culpeper County, Virginia. Cite: Virginia Code, Privacy Act of 1976.

All library cards are considered the property of the Culpeper County Library. 

Fines: Culpeper County Library is overdue fine free except for high value items like Verizon Jetpack WiFi units or Inter-Library Loan, which are $1/day.  Lost or damaged items are charged the replacement value. The Library employs a Collection Agency for items overdue more than fifty (50) days. Balances over $8.00 will prevent a patron from checking out, renewing, or using the Internet computers.

Phone Usage:  Except in an emergency, the Library's phones are for business use only.  Cell phones usage is permitted in the lobby or the rear porch of the Library.

Lost and Found:   All items that are lost in the Library will be held for one month.  Please inquire at the Circulation Desk if you are looking for a lost item.

Updated 6/17/2024