ASHLAND, Ky. — Library patrons who use Boyd County Public Library’s website will find a new, easier-to-navigate website as the library’s site launched a new look and enhanced functionality.

A project that’s been a long time in the making, the new site also paves the way for the library’s new app launch for patrons that access the online tools on mobile devices.

“The old website was pretty good in its day, but it had become old, tired and stagnate,” said Library Director Debbie Cosper. “There came a point that it was too hard to maintain and we needed a fresh start, which has been even more apparent as we’ve pushed more digital content during the pandemic.”

BCPL has been working with LibraryMarket to design and develop the new site. Cosper said they like the company because its staff is former librarians and their emphasis is on designing with the library user in mind. The new site will offer intuitive navigation and user-friendly search functionality among other new features.

“As with any change, we know that some patrons will really like the new site, some will dislike it, and some will miss the old one,” Cosper said. “We hope that users will ultimately find the new thebookplace.org fresh and easier to use, and possibly find things they didn’t even know the library offered.”

Boyd County Public Library is the largest public library in Eastern Kentucky with more than 40,000 patrons and locations in Ashland (1740 Central Ave.), Catlettsburg (2704 Louisa Street) as well as an online branch at www.thebookplace.org, with the new Midland Branch coming soon. For more information, contact the Boyd County Public Library at 606-329-0090.