The South Branch Library is a publicly funded and managed library that serves nearly 8,000 residents in the city of Corbin in Whitley, Knox, and Laurel counties in the southeastern portion of Kentucky. It is an affiliate branch of the Laurel County Public Library, which started as a circulating library by the First Christian Church Ladies as early as 1916 and, through its dedication, built a library in 1932. The Laurel County Library Association was formed sometime in the 1940s. In response to the growing need for library services, the South Branch Library was opened in 2006, which contributes to the overall collection and services of the county library system and includes more than 136,000 books and serial volumes, more than 73,000 e-books, more than 10,000 audio files, and more than 16,000 video files. Additionally, the library system hosts over 181,000 visitors a year, circulates over 431,000 items, and has over 54,000 registered borrowers.