Salina Public Library
🏢 Saline County · Salina, Kansas
Salina Public Library
Salina Public Library at 301 W. Elm Street is the anchor cultural institution of Salina, the county seat of Saline County and Kansas's fourth-largest city with nearly 47,000 residents. Tracing its roots to an 1868 petition and a free reading room opened in 1893, the library has occupied its 50,000-square-foot main building since 1968 and offers everything from a Makerspace to free notary service, plus evening and Sunday hours that make it one of the most accessible libraries in central Kansas.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–8pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–8pm |
| Thursday | 9am–8pm |
| Friday | 10am–6pm |
| Saturday | 10am–5pm |
| Sunday | Noon–5pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 301 West Elm Street, Salina, KS 67401
Phone: 785-825-4624
Website: salinapubliclibrary.org
Plus Code: 86C4R9VQ+RF (Salina, KS)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📍 Plan your visit
🚉 Getting there
301 W Elm St, Salina, KS 67401. Get transit & driving directions → (live subway, bus & car routes).
♿ Accessibility
Includes wheelchair-accessible entrance, accessible parking.
🛀 Amenities
Baby changing table.
⭐ Visitor rating
4.7 / 5 from 199 Google reviews.
🕑 Best time to go
Usually calmest soon after opening; busiest around 3 pm.
Visit details from the library’s Google Business Profile, verified October 2026 — confirm on official page before a special-date trip.
📖 About Salina Public Library
Salina Public Library has served the Saline County seat since its formal organization on April 27, 1899, with a mill levy for public support. Its origins trace to 1868, when residents petitioned for a charter for the Salina Library Association, and to an 1893 free reading room. The city previously held a Carnegie library (1903–1968) at Eighth and Iron, funded by a $15,000 Andrew Carnegie grant, before opening its current 50,000-square-foot main building at 301 W. Elm Street in 1968 at a cost of $928,000 funded by federal grants and city bonds. A major renovation in 1996 relocated the children's department, and a 2005 Technology Center expansion added 7,000 square feet. A separate McKenzie Center across Elm Street (named for long-serving director Joe McKenzie in 2017) houses additional meeting rooms and staff offices. The library is open seven days a week, hosts a Makerspace, offers free notary services to cardholders, and provides an extensive suite of digital resources including Sunflower eLibrary/OverDrive, Hoopla, Kanopy, Ancestry.com Library Edition, Consumer Reports, Mango Languages, and the Kansas Library eCard.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founded in 1899 (roots to 1868) — previously housed in an 1903 Andrew Carnegie building funded by a $15,000 grant
- Current 50,000-square-foot main building at 301 W. Elm St (1968) plus the McKenzie Center across the street for meeting and staff space
- Makerspace for hands-on technology, crafting, and DIY projects
- Free notary service for cardholders (by appointment)
- Open seven days a week including evenings Monday–Thursday until 8 p.m. and Sundays noon–5 p.m.
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Salina cardholders can borrow, stream, and research free with an extensive digital collection:
📚 Services
- Free notary service for cardholders (limited; by appointment with valid photo ID)
- Makerspace for technology, crafting, and creative projects
- Public computers, free Wi-Fi, and "Print from Anywhere" remote printing
- Ancestry.com Library Edition, Consumer Reports, Newspaper Archive, and Auto Repair Source databases
- Interlibrary loan and book delivery / outreach programs
- Test proctoring, room reservations, and meeting space at the main building and McKenzie Center
- Little Library neighborhood network and Library on the Go outreach
🎸 Programs
- 1000 Books Before Kindergarten early literacy initiative
- DIY Storytime, LEGO Club, and youth programs
- Anime Club and teen programming
- Book discussions, Salina Reads community read, and virtual author events
- Artists & Authors programming with gallery exhibits and book signings
- Summer Reading Program and Summer VolunTEEN
- Mango Languages, Universal Class online courses, Creativebug, and JobNow / HelpNow
📍 Nearby Libraries in Central Kansas
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Technology Center at Salina Public Library?
The Technology Center is a 7,000-square-foot addition that opened in 2005 as part of a roughly $1 million expansion, adding internet stations, a computer classroom and a digital design studio to the main building, complementing the library's Makerspace.
Why is the McKenzie Center across Elm Street named that way?
The McKenzie Center is a separate library building across Elm Street that the library acquired in 2007. It was renamed in 2017 in honor of Joe McKenzie, a longtime library director, and today serves as additional meeting and program space.
Does Salina Public Library have a Carnegie building?
The original Salina Carnegie library was built in 1903 at the southwest corner of Eighth Street and Iron Avenue, funded by a $15,000 Andrew Carnegie grant. It served the community until 1968, when the current 50,000-square-foot main building at 301 W. Elm Street opened. The 1903 Carnegie structure is no longer the library, but its legacy is part of Salina's history.
Does Salina Public Library offer notary services?
Yes — the library provides limited, free notary services to cardholders by appointment. Bring your unsigned documents and valid government-issued photo ID (such as a driver's license or passport). The service cannot handle wills, trusts, power of attorney, or I-9 forms. Contact the library to schedule.
What is the Makerspace at Salina Public Library?
The Salina Public Library Makerspace is a hands-on creative and technology space where cardholders can work on DIY projects, learn new skills, and use specialized equipment. It is part of the library's 2005 Technology Center expansion.
Is Salina Public Library open on Sundays and evenings?
Yes. The library offers some of the most generous hours in central Kansas: Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. — open every day of the week.
📋 This library offers notary services. See what a library notary can do — what to bring, fees and appointments — and find other libraries with a notary notary services by state.
🔨 This library has a makerspace / 3D printing. See how library makerspaces and 3D printing work and find other libraries with a makerspace makerspaces 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.
