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The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library plans an $18 million replacement for its Delhi Township Branch on Foley Road. The current branch will close Aug. 29, 2026, before library services move to a temporary location nearby. The new facility will add study rooms, community space, a MakerSpace, an expanded children’s area and other features.
The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library plans to replace its aging Delhi Township Branch with a larger facility.
The current branch at 5095 Foley Road has served the community since 1968.
The project has an estimated investment of $18 million. Library officials expect construction to begin in late 2026 and finish before the end of 2027, according to the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library.
Cincinnati library plans move toward construction
The existing Delhi Township Branch will close at the end of the day Saturday, Aug. 29. Library services will then move to a temporary location at 5125 Foley Road.
The library announced the move Aug. 6 as construction preparations advanced. Officials said the temporary branch should open within seven to 10 working days after the move.
The library has not yet announced the exact opening date for the temporary location. Customers can continue using the current branch until its scheduled closure.
The library also plans a customer appreciation and farewell event for Saturday, Aug. 22. The event will include renderings of the future branch and activities for families.
According to the library, the future building will provide several services that the existing facility lacks.
Planned features include:
- A drive-thru service window
- A community room
- Community gathering space
- Study rooms
- A MakerSpace
- An expanded children’s area
- A reading area overlooking Delhi Park
- A parking connection to the park
The Cincinnati Business Courier also reported that the demolition and replacement project is approaching its construction phase. The report identified the project as an $18 million investment for the West Side-area branch.
Cincinnati library plans replace a 1968 building
The replacement project will address the age and layout of the current library building.
The Delhi Township Branch opened on Foley Road in January 1968. The library later added nearly 5,000 square feet during a 1999 renovation.
The renovation expanded the children’s area and collection. It also added a glass reading room and improved the property’s landscaping.
The current facility now has about 13,800 square feet, according to materials presented by the library during its community engagement process.
Library planning documents call fowr a substantially larger facility. The proposed building could measure between 22,500 and 27,500 square feet.
The library said the project will create more space for studying, meetings, technology and community programs. The new layout will also improve the connection between the library and neighboring Delhi Park.
The library’s project information page says the existing building will be demolished and replaced with a larger Next Generation Library.
The library has classified the Delhi Township project as part of its broader Building the Next Generation Library initiative. That program guides a multiyear effort to improve library facilities throughout Hamilton County.
New Delhi branch will add community space
The new branch will expand the types of spaces available to residents.
The current branch does not have dedicated meeting rooms, a technology lab, MakerSpace or study rooms, according to the library’s facility planning documents.
Those spaces will become part of the replacement branch. The plan also calls for a larger children’s area and additional gathering space.
The new facility will also retain a drive-thru service feature. The existing branch currently offers a drive-thru service window and a drive-up book drop.
The library expects the new design to improve access to technology and provide more flexible spaces. The building will also have a reading area positioned to overlook Delhi Park.
The planned parking connection to the park represents another change at the site. Library planning documents have previously identified opportunities to improve connections between the branch and the adjacent park.
The library said the project is designed to create a more accessible and functional space for the community. The investment also reflects the library system’s long-term facilities plan.
Cincinnati library plans include temporary services
Library users will not lose access to Delhi Township services during construction.
Services will move to 5125 Foley Road after the current branch closes. The library said it expects the transition to take about seven to 10 working days.
The temporary location will allow library services to continue while crews work on the replacement building.
The move comes as the library prepares for the demolition of the existing branch. Customers should expect the current building to close before construction activity begins.
The library has encouraged residents to attend its Aug. 22 farewell event before the building closes. The event will provide an opportunity to see the proposed designs and learn more about the project.
The library has also invited residents to provide ideas for a children’s playscape. The event will include activities tied to the transition from the existing branch to the new facility.
For residents who use the branch regularly, the temporary location will become the primary access point during construction.
Why the Delhi library project matters to Cincinnati
The Delhi Township Branch serves a large West Side-area population and functions as a regional library destination.
Library planning documents say the branch’s area of dominant influence includes about 13,840 residents. Visitor and customer mapping also showed that the location draws users from beyond the immediate area.
The branch sits next to the more than 50-acre Delhi Park. The future design aims to strengthen the relationship between the library and the park.
The project also comes as the library system continues its broader facility improvement program.
The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library’s Next Generation program lists Delhi Township among its current projects. Other current projects include branches in Avondale, College Hill and Cleves.
The Delhi project has been in development for several years. Library officials began discussing options for the site and potential improvements before the current construction schedule took shape.
In 2025, the library held a community engagement session to discuss the replacement project. The presentation outlined a larger building and identified study space, meeting space, technology access and a drive-thru window as priorities.
The library’s current plan now moves those concepts toward construction.
Cincinnati library plans target completion by 2027
The library expects construction to continue through 2027.
Library project updates published earlier this year said construction should begin in late 2026 and finish before the end of 2027. The library’s current project page lists an estimated completion date of late 2026, but its detailed project updates provide the more specific construction timeline.
The project budget remains $18 million.
The replacement will take place on the existing library site rather than moving the branch to a different community. That approach will allow the library to retain its established location on Foley Road.
The new building will provide substantially more space than the current branch. It also will add rooms and services that library planning documents identified as needs for the community.
The project is funded as part of the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library’s facilities investment program. The library said the project is made possible by Hamilton County taxpayers.
For local residents, the next major milestone will be the Aug. 29 closure of the existing branch. Temporary library services will follow while the existing building gives way to the new facility.
FAQs
When will the Delhi Township Branch Library close?
The current Delhi Township Branch Library is scheduled to close at the end of the day on Aug. 29, 2026. Library services will move to a temporary location at 5125 Foley Road.
How much will the new Delhi Township library cost?
The replacement project has an estimated investment of $18 million. The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library has maintained that project budget in its recent planning updates.
What will the new Delhi library include?
The new branch will include study rooms, community space, a MakerSpace, an expanded children’s area and a drive-thru service window. The design also includes a reading area overlooking Delhi Park and a parking connection to the park.
When will the new Delhi Township library open?
Library planning documents say construction should begin in late 2026 and finish before the end of 2027. The library has not announced a specific public opening date for the completed building.
