The new Friendsville branch of the Ruth Enlow Library is open, the first new library building in Garrett County since 2003, according to a news release from Garrett County Business Development.
The 5,500-square-foot building has 4,000 square feet of library space, 1,000 square feet for town offices and a 500-square-foot meeting room. Inside are computers, new books and dedicated spaces for children and teens. Construction began in 2025 after years of planning.
The Friendsville branch was the first project undertaken through Maryland’s Library Capital Grant Program, according to the release. The release did not give the cost of the building or the amount of state funding.
Officials and community members celebrated the opening on Oct. 9. Garrett County Board of County Commissioners Chairman Paul Edwards and Ruth Enlow Library system Director Thomas Vose were among those at the event, along with Garrett County Business Development Manager Kim Durst, Business Development Specialist Connor Norman, Maryland State Librarian Morgan Lehr Miller and representatives of Congresswoman April McClain Delaney and Senator Angela Alsobrooks. Woodmen Life Chapter 45 of Friendsville presented an American flag, and Boy Scout Troop 1 raised it for the first time.
“In a world full of AI and social networking, the humanity that libraries represent is more important than ever,” Vose said.
