Central Library
🏢 Austin Public Library — Austin, Texas
Central Library
Perched where Shoal Creek meets Lady Bird Lake, Austin's Central Library is a light-filled civic landmark that reimagined what a downtown library could be. Opened in 2017, it pairs six floors of collections and reading rooms with reading porches, maker spaces, and a rooftop garden overlooking the water.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9 AM – 8 PM |
| Tuesday | 9 AM – 8 PM |
| Wednesday | 9 AM – 8 PM |
| Thursday | 9 AM – 8 PM |
| Friday | 9 AM – 5 PM |
| Saturday | 10 AM – 5 PM |
| Sunday | 12 PM – 5 PM |
Hours may vary on holidays.
📍 Location & Contact
Address: 710 W. César Chávez Street, Austin, TX 78701
Phone: (512) 974-7400
Website: library.austintexas.gov
📖 About Central Library
Austin Central Library opened in 2017 as the flagship of the Austin Public Library system, replacing the aging Faulk building a few blocks away. It was designed by Lake|Flato Architects together with Shepley Bulfinch, and earned LEED Platinum certification for its sustainable design. The building is organized around a dramatic six-story atrium that brings daylight into more than 80 percent of its regularly occupied spaces. Beyond books, visitors find a technology center, an art gallery, a café, a bookstore, a demonstration kitchen, and a 350-seat event center. A rooftop garden crowns the building, shaded by more than 500 solar panels totaling roughly 180 kilowatts. Its downtown site overlooking Shoal Creek and Lady Bird Lake makes it as much a destination as a library, and Time magazine named it one of the World's Greatest Places.
⭐ What makes this branch special
- Six-story sunlit atrium that daylights more than 80% of occupied spaces
- Rooftop garden with panoramic views, shaded by 500+ solar panels (~180 kW)
- LEED Platinum building by Lake|Flato and Shepley Bulfinch, opened 2017
- Maker spaces, demonstration kitchen, art gallery, café, and a 350-seat event center
📱 Free with an Austin Public Library Card
Any Texas resident can get an APL card free and unlock:
📍 More Austin Public Library branches
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is the rooftop garden at the Central Library open to the public?
Yes. The rooftop garden is one of the library's signature spaces, offering seating and views over Shoal Creek and Lady Bird Lake, and it is open to visitors during regular library hours.
What makes the Central Library different from other Austin branches?
It is the system's flagship. Rather than a neighborhood branch, it is a six-story downtown building with a technology center, maker spaces, a demonstration kitchen, art gallery, café, bookstore, and event center in addition to its collections.
Why is the building considered environmentally sustainable?
It achieved LEED Platinum certification through features like its daylight-filled atrium, which lights most of the interior naturally, and a rooftop array of more than 500 solar panels generating about 180 kilowatts.