KCPL Homes

KCPL is founded by the Women's Kanawha Literary Club in 1908. During the Library's early years, it calls several sites its home - the former Manse of the First Presbyterian Church on Quarrier Street in 1912, the basement of YWCA on Virginia Street in 1913, a building on McFarland and Kanawha Streets in 1914, and the Red Cross building on the levee in 1921. KCPL finds its first permanent home in 1926, establishing itself in the old Capitol Annex building on Lee Street. Bookmobile service begins in 1934, and the development of branch libraries begins with the addition of St. Albans to KCPL in 1963. Other branches follow:  Cross Lanes - 1976; Glasgow - 1976; Dunbar - 1977; Elk Valley - 1977; Sissonville - 1979; Marmet - 1980; Clendenin - 1988; and Riverside - 1999. After more than 40 years on Lee Street, KCPL moved to a new home in 1967 - Charleston's landmark downtown federal building on Capitol Street. In 2020, construction began on a $32 million renovation project on the iconic Capitol Street location. Construction is expected to be completed in early 2022.