Written by Liz Foreman, Brand Coordinator, Downtown Main Library
Beat the heat by staying cool with the Library. All are welcome at any of the Library’s 41 locations during open hours.
When the Library is closed, people in Hamilton County are encouraged to seek shelter at:
- An open Cincinnati Recreation Center (during normal business hours)
- Select YMCA of Greater Cincinnati locations, opens a new window: Blue Ash, Campbell, Clermont, Clippard, Gamble, Highland, Powel Crosley, ME Lyons, RC Durr (during normal business hours)
- The Village of St, Bernard Municipal Building (Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.)
- For more information, visit Hamilton County's Emergency Management page, opens a new window, call the City of Cincinnati at 311, or call the United Way at 211.
Try a Cool Library Event
There are 121 CHPL events planned for Monday, June 23 and Tuesday, June 24.
Find an indoor event that suits your interests, such as adult education, arts and culture, author visits, life skills, or STEM:
Here are some top picks:
- Monday, June 23: Anniversary Celebrations at the Reading Branch and St. Bernard Branch
- Monday, June 23: Drop-In Tech Help, 1-3 p.m. at the Norwood Branch
- Tuesday, June 24: P. Ann Everson Price Presents Jazz to Motown, 2-3 p.m. at the Monfort Heights Branch
- Tuesday: June 24: Meet Birds of Prey, 1-2 p.m. at the Covedale Branch
More Tips for Staying Cool at the Library
The Library isn’t just a welcoming space to cool off — it’s a place with useful resources for limitless learning that can keep you engaged for hours. This is true for all ages, and it’s especially helpful for people who are most vulnerable to heat, like kids and older adults.
Here are a few more ideas to get you through the hottest days:
- Catch up on your reading, either in print or via the Library’s free WiFi.
- Many of the Library’s Discovery Pass partner locations are air-conditioned — and all are educational!
- Stop by one of the Library’s indoor play areas.
- Cool down at Library events for all ages across all 41 locations.
- Kids and teens can earn a prize in Summer Reading through July 31.
- Summer meals and snacks are available at select CHPL locations for youth up to age 18.
- Are you a budding author? Stop by a Writer-in-Residence event for free, expert advice.
- Many Library locations have gaming equipment available for anyone to drop in and use.
- Holds lockers are available 24/7. Reserve your books and pick them up in the mornings or evenings when it’s cooler outside.
Recommended Reading from CHPL’s Librarians
Does reading about cold things really cool you down? It's worth a try!
These covers are so cold, they may make you shiver.Trapped
See tips and resources for staying safe in extreme heat from Hamilton County office of Emergency Management.
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