Lyons Community Library
🏢 Lyons Regional Library District · Lyons, Colorado
Lyons Community Library
Born from a flood-rebuilt mountain town, the Lyons Community Library opened its solar-powered, sandstone-fireplace home in August 2019 — the culmination of a community that rebuilt its 1977 historic-depot library from scratch after the catastrophic September 2013 flood of the North and South Vrain Creeks.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–7pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–7pm |
| Thursday | 10am–7pm |
| Friday | 10am–5pm |
| Saturday | 10am–2pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 451 4th Avenue, Lyons, CO 80540
Phone: (303) 823-5165
Website: lyons.colibraries.org
Plus Code: 85GP6PFH+GV (Lyons, CO)
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📖 About Lyons Community Library
The Lyons Community Library is the sole public library of the Lyons Regional Library District, an independent special district jointly governed by the Town of Lyons, Boulder County, and Larimer County. The library traces its roots to October 18, 1977, when volunteers opened a 1,500-book collection inside the town's 1885 red-sandstone railroad depot — already listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The September 12, 2013 flood devastated Lyons and severely damaged the depot's interior, forcing the library through two temporary locations before a community-backed capital campaign and the formal creation of the district (July 1, 2015) made a purpose-built home possible. The new 6,500-square-foot Lyons Community Library — solar-powered, with cathedral ceilings, a sandstone-fireplace reading room, a children's garden, a dedicated teen area, and a business hub — opened at 451 4th Avenue on August 1, 2019, funded in part by a $500,000 naming gift from Dale and Christi Katechis.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Purpose-built 6,500 sq ft building opened August 1, 2019 — rebuilt after the September 12, 2013 North and South Vrain Creek flood destroyed the historic 1885 depot library
- Independent special district governed by a seven-trustee board appointed jointly by the Town of Lyons, Boulder County, and Larimer County
- Solar array on-site with public usage statistics; 24/7 outdoor Wi-Fi (network: LibraryPublic)
- Named community spaces: Kathy Ralston Quiet Reading Room (red sandstone fireplace), Effie Banta Conference Room, Brett Family Children's Garden (sand pit + music wall), Gaumer Teen Area, and the Unsinkable Molly Brown Business Hub
- AspenCat union catalog connects patrons to 1 million+ items across 115+ Colorado libraries through interlibrary borrowing
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Lyons Community Library cardholders can borrow and stream free through Colorado's shared digital collections:
📚 Services
- Free library cards for Town of Lyons and surrounding unincorporated Boulder and Larimer County residents; visitor cards (2-item limit) for non-residents
- Eight public computers plus Dell laptops and iPads; printing 10¢ B&W / 50¢ color; scanning available
- 24/7 outdoor Wi-Fi (LibraryPublic network)
- Room reservations: Effie Banta Conference Room and Horizon Drive Neighborhood Study Room (TV, whiteboard, 4-seat)
- Library of Things: craft kits, musical instruments, yard games, and more
- Seed library
- Cultural and educational venue passes
- Unsinkable Molly Brown Business Hub (printing, copying, scanning)
🎸 Programs
- Story times: babies, toddlers, and preschool (Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 10:30 AM)
- LEGO Club
- Ukulele lessons
- Pints & Pages Book Club (adult, drop-in)
- STEM events
- Financial literacy through Common Cents of Colorado
- Homeschool resources and support
- Summer reading program
📍 Nearby Libraries in Boulder & Larimer Counties
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Was the library destroyed in the 2013 flood, and how did the community rebuild it?
Yes. The September 12, 2013 flood of the North and South Vrain Creeks severely damaged the historic 1885 railroad depot that had housed the library since 1977, destroying much of the collection. The library operated temporarily from the Visitor's Center, then from 405 Main Street starting April 2014. Community fundraising and the formal creation of the Lyons Regional Library District (July 1, 2015) funded a new building, which opened at 451 4th Avenue on August 1, 2019, including a $500,000 naming gift from Dale and Christi Katechis.
Is this a city library or an independent district — and who governs it?
The Lyons Regional Library District is an independent Colorado special district, not a department of the Town of Lyons or either county. It is governed by a seven-member Board of Trustees appointed by three entities: the Town of Lyons, Boulder County, and Larimer County, reflecting the district's service area in both counties. Board meetings are open to the public and held at 6:30 PM on the third Tuesday of each month at the library.
Can I use the library if I live outside Lyons town limits?
Yes. The district covers Lyons and the surrounding unincorporated areas of both Boulder and Larimer counties. Residents of that broader district area qualify for a free adult resident card with a photo ID and address verification. Non-residents may obtain a visitor card with a two-item checkout limit and a 14-day loan period.
What makes this small library distinctive compared with larger county systems nearby?
The Lyons Community Library is a community-built institution: the original library was created by volunteers in a 19th-century sandstone railroad depot, and the current solar-powered building was funded through a local capital campaign. Unusual for a town of ~2,000, it offers a Library of Things (instruments, craft kits, yard games), a seed library, a children's outdoor garden with a music wall, a dedicated teen area, and the full EBSCO database suite, plus access to 1 million+ items through the AspenCat consortium.
🧰 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 has study rooms. See how library study rooms work — booking, time limits and quiet vs group rooms — and find other libraries with study rooms libraries with study rooms 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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✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.
