Potomac Library, Second-Oldest County Library Celebrates 50th Anniversary

WOODBRIDGE, VA — Prince William County's second-oldest library will celebrate its 50th anniversary with an event Saturday.

The Potomac Library, located at 2201 Opitz Blvd. in Woodbridge, will have its 50th anniversary celebration from 12 p.m .to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Festivities include real alpacas and bunnies, games, food from local restaurants, cake and more.

Attendees can pet and take selfies with live alpacas and bunnies from MyPetAlpaca. Classic birthday games will be set up in the youth room, including a library twist on Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Restaurants like Texas Roadhouse, Silver Diner and more will provide food while supplies last.

All attendees present at 2:30 p.m. Saturday will receive a raffle ticket for a chance to win prizes in a raffle drawing. A few of the prizes include tickets to Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, free Crumbl Cookie vouchers and Whitehorse Autowash gift cards.

The schedule is as follows:

12 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Games available to play
1 p.m.: Opening Message
1:30 p.m.: Cake and food (while supplies last)
2 p.m.-4 p.m.: Alpacas and bunnies available for petting
2:30 p.m.: Raffle drawing (winners must be present)

Library services in Prince William County and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park launched in 1952, but it wasn't until 1967 that a bond referendum for a permanent location passed. Central Library was the first Prince William County library with a 1971 opening.

Potomac Library opened on Jan. 25, 1975, 10 years after library service for eastern Prince William County was launched in September 1965 with the opening of the Leesylvania Branch Library in the Prince William County Administration Building.

As today's James McCoart Administration Building is not a library branch location, Potomac Library is the county's second oldest library, only after the Central Library. In 1972, a voter referendum passed to provide $625,000 for construction of the Potomac Community Library on the Potomac Hospital grounds, according to Prince William County Library's website.

Today, Potomac Library has a 125-seat community room, 25 public computers, an AWE literacy station, two copiers with scanning capabilities, study tables, children’s and young adult area, U.S. Passport Services and proctoring services.

Along with Potomac Library, there are 11 Prince William County library locations. The newest library, Manassas City Library, opened in 2021. The city of Manassas Park maintains its own independent library.