Baltimore County Public Library (BCPL) has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to partner with the developers of the Greenleigh community in Middle River to build a new, 21st Century Library. The proposal includes a 25,810-square-foot library branch and adjacent 116-space parking lot in the midst of a growing mixed-use community. Baltimore County has until June 30th, 2025, to decide to move forward with this project.

Why Build a New Library?

Libraries benefit everyone! A 21st-century library is more than just a repository for books; it's a dynamic, evolving space that fosters learning, collaboration, and community engagement, offers enriching programing for children and adults, and embraces digital tools and resources while retaining the value of physical spaces. The creation of a new branch in Middle River will serve to extend these resources to even more residents in Baltimore County. Census tracts in the Middle River area have some of the lowest rates of library card holders in the county despite increases in population over the last decade.

What Is the Library Proposal?

 Greenleigh is a master-planned, 1000-acre mixed-use community with over 3,000 planned residential units located off of Route 43 in Middle River, Maryland. The developer of the Greenleigh neighborhood will build and maintain the library if Baltimore County will agree to lease the library for 25 years. The land had originally been designated for an apartment building but now has the potential to serve so many more Baltimore County residents, welcoming those within Greenleigh and nearby neighborhoods too. The library lease, if accepted, would be an operating budget expenditure for the County, so this project is not in competition with other library projects being pursued through the capital budget process in other neighborhoods. The developer has given the County a June 30, 2025, deadline to partner together on the library project. 

Who Supports this Proposal?

This project has bipartisan support. The Baltimore County Library Foundation has received public endorsements of this project from:

Councilman David Marks, Council District 5

Senator J.B. Jennings, State Legislative District 7

Delegates Kathy Szeliga and Ryan Nawrocki, State Legislative District 7A

Delegates Nick Allen, Harry Bhandari and Carl Jackson, State Legislative District 8

The Greenleigh Neighborhood Advisory Board

Support the Library Project

I ask Baltimore County Government to invest in the future of our community by supporting the development of a new public library branch in Middle River. Allow us to cultivate an informed, connected, and empowered community. Please sign and show your support for this important project.