Craig Public Library
🏢 City of Craig · Craig, Alaska
Craig Public Library
Founded in 1935 from a book donation by Tokeen Quarry workers on Marble Island, the Craig Public Library has served Prince of Wales Island for nearly ninety years — and today stays open until 7:30 p.m. on weeknights so every working family on the island can drop in.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 12:15pm–7:30pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–7:30pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–7:30pm |
| Thursday | 10am–7:30pm |
| Friday | 10am–7:30pm |
| Saturday | 11am–3pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 504 Third Street, CRAIG, AK 99921
Phone: (907) 826-3281
Website: craigak.com
Plus Code: 9478FRGX+CC (CRAIG, AK)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Craig Public Library
The Craig Public Library traces its roots to 1935, when workers at the Tokeen Marble Quarry on Marble Island donated a collection of books to start a community library. The collection was first housed in a school storeroom, then spent decades in a 12-by-15-foot storage shed, before the City of Craig completed the current permanent building at 504 Third Street in 1978. Today the library holds over 15,000 print volumes alongside DVDs, magazines and audiobooks, and serves the roughly 1,200 residents of Craig as well as visitors arriving by ferry or float plane to Prince of Wales Island — the fourth-largest island in the United States. The library participates in the AlaskaOWL Video Conferencing Network, which allows it to deliver programs to remote island communities without requiring a long drive over logging roads, and it offers dedicated Homebound Senior Library Access Services for residents who cannot visit in person.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founded 1935 — one of Prince of Wales Island's oldest public institutions, born from a Tokeen Marble Quarry book donation
- Permanent building opened 1978 at 504 Third Street; collection exceeds 15,000 print volumes plus DVDs and audiobooks
- AlaskaOWL Video Conferencing Network participant, extending programs to remote communities across the island
- Homebound Senior Library Access Services delivers materials to residents unable to visit in person
- Open weeknights until 7:30 p.m. Mon–Fri; evening hours from 5:30 p.m. staffed by dedicated community volunteers
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Craig cardholders can access Alaska's statewide digital resources at no cost:
📚 Services
- Public computers and free Wi-Fi throughout the building
- Copying, printing and scanning services
- Homebound Senior Library Access Services — home delivery for residents unable to visit
- Interlibrary loan through Alaska's statewide library network
- Free paperback exchange
- DVDs, magazines, audiobooks and downloadable eBooks via Alaska Digital Library
- Temporary library cards for visitors to Prince of Wales Island
🎸 Programs
- Preschool Storytime for young children
- Summer reading programs for youth
- AlaskaOWL video-conference programming for the island community
- Community events and informational programs year-round
📍 Nearby Libraries in Southeast Alaska
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How did the Craig Public Library get started, and when did it move to its permanent home?
The library began in 1935 when workers at the Tokeen Marble Quarry on Marble Island donated books to the community. It was initially kept in a school storeroom, then operated from a 12-by-15-foot storage shed for decades, before the City of Craig constructed the current permanent building at 504 Third Street in 1978.
Is Craig Public Library the only library on Prince of Wales Island?
Craig Public Library is the largest municipally operated public library on Prince of Wales Island. Thorne Bay has its own small public library about 28 miles to the northeast, but Craig's collection of over 15,000 volumes is the primary public library resource on the island.
What is the Homebound Senior Library Access Service and how does it work?
The Homebound Senior Library Access Service delivers library materials directly to residents of Craig and the surrounding area who are unable to visit the library in person due to age, illness or mobility limitations. Contact the library at (907) 826-3281 to enroll or learn more.
Why do the evening hours list volunteers — does the library close at 5:30 p.m.?
No, the library stays open until 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The note about volunteers means that the evening shift from 5:30 p.m. until closing is staffed by community volunteers rather than paid library staff. The building and services remain fully available during all posted hours.
🖨 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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