Webster Groves Public Library
🏢 Municipal Library Consortium (MLC) · Webster Groves, Missouri
Webster Groves Public Library
Founded in 1911 — the oldest public library in St. Louis County — the Webster Groves Public Library stands at the heart of one of St. Louis's most historic inner-ring suburbs, offering extended weeknight hours, passport application service, and the Webster Groves Historical Archive of digitized photographs and documents.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–9pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–9pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–9pm |
| Thursday | 9am–9pm |
| Friday | 9am–4:30pm |
| Saturday | 9am–4:30pm |
| Sunday | 2pm–5pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 301 E Lockwood Ave, Webster Groves, MO 63119
Phone: (314) 961-3784
Website: wgpl.org
Plus Code: 86CFHJRX+RR (Webster Groves, MO)
📱 Scan for directions
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Webster Groves Public Library
The Webster Groves Public Library is the oldest public library in St. Louis County, tracing its origins to a reading room opened by the First Congregational Church in 1884. In 1911, Webster Groves residents William and Jennie Jager donated land to the Monday Club with the condition that it include a public library; architect Lawrence Ewald designed the building at a cost of $6,000, and the library opened on October 12, 1911. Today it serves Webster Groves — a storied inner-ring suburb known for the landmark 1966 documentary '16 in Webster Groves' — as a member of the Municipal Library Consortium (MLC) of St. Louis County, linking patrons to dozens of area libraries through a shared catalog. The collection includes the Webster Groves Historical Archive and the digitized Kate Moody Collection (10,000+ documents), making it an essential local history resource.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Oldest public library in St. Louis County — founded 1911 on land donated by William and Jennie Jager, opened October 12, 1911
- Webster Groves Historical Archive: digitized photographs, documents and the 10,000-item Kate Moody Collection online
- Passport acceptance facility — apply for U.S. passports in-person at the library
- Library of Things lending: borrow specialty equipment alongside books and media
- Municipal Library Consortium (MLC) membership for shared catalog and reciprocal borrowing across St. Louis County
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Webster Groves cardholders access Missouri's statewide and MLC digital collections at no charge:
📚 Services
- Passport acceptance facility — U.S. passport applications processed in-library
- Public computers, mobile printing, scanning, faxing and free Wi-Fi
- Library of Things: specialty equipment lending
- VHS-to-digital conversion service
- Shushbooth privacy pod for phone and video calls
- Book-A-Librarian personal research consultation sessions
- Municipal Library Consortium reciprocal borrowing across St. Louis County
🎸 Programs
- 1000 Books Before Kindergarten early-literacy program
- Storytime and youth programs for children
- Tween and teen programming
- Adult author events, book discussions and community programs
- Summer reading challenge for all ages
- Digital literacy and technology workshops
📍 Nearby Libraries in St. Louis County
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Webster Groves · Browse all Missouri libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How old is the Webster Groves Public Library, and why is it historically significant?
The Webster Groves Public Library dates to 1911, making it the oldest public library in St. Louis County. Its roots go back to 1884, when the First Congregational Church opened a community reading room. In 1911 the Jager family donated land to the Monday Club for a permanent building, which architect Lawrence Ewald designed for $6,000. It opened on October 12, 1911.
Can I apply for a U.S. passport at this library?
Yes. The Webster Groves Public Library is a designated passport acceptance facility. You can apply for a new U.S. passport in person at the library. Contact the main desk at (314) 961-3784 to confirm current appointment availability and what documents to bring.
What is the Webster Groves Historical Archive?
It is the library's collection of digitized photographs, documents and local history materials, including the Kate Moody Collection — more than 10,000 digitized items from the Webster Groves Historical Society archives. The collection is available online and fully searchable, making it a key resource for researching Webster Groves history and family genealogy.
What are the evening and weekend hours at the Webster Groves Public Library?
The library is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., offering the longest weekday hours. Friday and Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On Sunday the library is open from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
🧰 This library lends a “Library of Things.” See what you can borrow besides books and find other libraries with a Library of Things Library of Things by state.
🛂 This library offers U.S. passport services. See how library passport acceptance works — requirements, fees and appointments — and find other passport acceptance libraries by state.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
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