Haines Borough Public Library

🏢 Haines Borough Public Library · Haines, Alaska

Haines Borough Public Library

Named Best Small Library in America in 2005 and winner of the 2026 National Medal for Museum and Library Services, the Haines Borough Public Library punches far above its weight for a town of 2,600 accessible only by ferry and plane. The current 7,300-square-foot building — designed by MRV Architects of Juneau with windows framing the Chilkat Range — was erected in 2003 largely by community volunteers, earning it the nickname "The Library Haines Built."

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📖 About Haines Borough Public Library

The Haines Borough Public Library traces its roots to 1928, when the Haines Women's Club opened a reading room in a 12-by-12-foot building at the Alaska Steamship Office. Three years later, the Club formally incorporated as "The Haines Library Association" and moved into a larger frame house on Main Street — a structure now preserved at the Chilkoot Cultural Camp. A volunteer-built facility followed in 1958, and the Borough assumed governance in the early 1970s. After two grant-funded additions in 1979 and 1987, the community voted a bond in the late 1990s, then broke ground in 2002 on the current building: 7,300 square feet designed by Juneau's MRV Architects, constructed over eight months with an enormous share of volunteer labor, and opened in January 2003. The library holds more than 40,000 books, DVDs, CDs and audiobooks and serves roughly 67,000 annual visits from locals and visitors alike. About 20 percent of the community are members of the Chilkoot Indian Association or Chilkat Indian Village, both Tlingit tribes, and the library honors that heritage through the Lḵóot – Jilḵáat Storyboard, Native cultural programming, and an ever-growing collection of works by Tlingit authors.

⭐ What makes this library special

• Named Best Small Library in America 2005 by Library Journal, cosponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — one of the first two libraries to receive the inaugural award
• Won the 2026 National Medal for Museum and Library Services from IMLS, nominated by Senator Lisa Murkowski and recognized for its partnership with the Chilkoot Indian Association
• Built by the community — the current 7,300 sq ft building opened January 2003 after community members voted the bond and contributed large amounts of volunteer labor
• Hosts the Lḵóot – Jilḵáat Storyboard, a collaborative cultural resource co-created with the Chilkoot Indian Association with IMLS grant funding, on display during open hours
• Twice-weekly piano lessons on nine pianos, a hiking program that progresses from town walks to climbing Mount Ripinski, and an intergenerational technology mentorship program (Dragonfly Project) for at-risk youth

📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card

Haines cardholders can borrow eBooks, audiobooks and stream research databases free through Alaska's statewide digital collections:

📍 Nearby Libraries in Southeast Alaska

Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

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