Patrick Henry Library is one of the busiest community locations in the Fairfax County Public Library system, operating at a level of a small regional.

Patrick Henry Library's New Location

The temporary Patrick Henry Library branch is now open in the Cedar Park Shopping Center, located at 262 Cedar Lane, Unit C, Vienna. 

The site is approximately 2800 square feet and intended as a quick visit and convenient service location. The hours for this location are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Available at the temporary facility are:

     • Small browsing selection    • Ability to pick up holds or return books  

     • Public Wi-Fi     • Chromebooks for onsite use      • Some programming (e.g. storytimes)

Customers are invited to visit a nearby full-service branch to attend programs and events or to browse a larger selection – close options include Oakton Library, City of Fairfax Regional Library and Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library. Materials can be picked up at or returned to any Fairfax County Public Library branch.

Members of the public came out to celebrate the ribbon-cutting and open house of the new temporary location on Wednesday, July 23, complete with cupcakes and ice cream from fellow Cedar Park Shopping Center business tenant, Toby's Handmade Ice Cream.

Video: Ribbon Cutting at Patrick Henry Library | Cable and Consumer Services

Future Vienna-Carter Library

The future Vienna-Carter Library, approved by a bond referendum in 2020, is a joint development project between Fairfax County and the Town of Vienna to renovate the library and provide additional parking structures for the library and the town. The facility will replace the existing Patrick Henry Library with an approximately 19,000 SF one-story library and a 209-space four-level parking structure on the existing site, 101 Maple Avenue East, Vienna. The proposed facility will include a state-of-the-art library space that will support the current and future programmatic and operational needs of the library users and staff, an outdoor reading and gathering space, and a flexible community space that will be open during and after library business hours. The garage will provide 125 parking spaces for the library users and staff, and an additional 84 parking spaces for the public.

The project has a goal to achieve a minimum of LEED Gold certification, 50% energy reduction over current ASHRAE standards, Net Zero energy design and will utilize all electrical systems and equipment. The project also includes a Photovoltaic (PV) panel system and Geothermal heating and cooling to reduce energy consumption and achieve Net Zero energy. Construction is scheduled to begin in late summer 2025 and occupancy of the new library in 2027.

Why the new name? The Fairfax County Public Library Board decided to rename the newly rebuilt facility the Vienna-Carter Library at their meeting in February of 2024. The Carter family as a whole has contributed significantly to the history of the library, the Town of Vienna and Fairfax County. In 1958, Carter and his wife Lillian co-founded the Vienna Friends of the Library in their living room and led a successful community effort to open an FCPL facility, the Patrick Henry Library, in 1962 as an integrated library facility where “Everyone [is] Welcome.”

Celebrating Patrick Henry Library's Former 101 Maple Ave East Location

The last day of service at the 101 Maple Ave. E, Vienna location, which opened in September 1971, was May 9, 2025. A community celebration and open house honoring the old location took place on Saturday, March 29, 2025, featuring remarks from community leaders, history activities, crafts, performances, commemorative giveaways and more, for all ages. The community was also encouraged to share their memories of Patrick Henry Library in short interviews with staff and members of Vienna Historic Inc. “We moved to Vienna before my children were born.  Walking from the picture book area to the early readers and juvenile readers, to teen books is like a walk through our family’s life,” said one celebration visitor. Another shared, “This library has been the living room for the community for so many years.”