Salt Lake City Public Library — Main Library

🏢 Salt Lake City Public Library · Salt Lake City, Utah

Salt Lake City Public Library — Main Library

One of the most acclaimed public library buildings in the United States, the Salt Lake City Public Library's Main Library opened February 8, 2003 — a five-story, 240,000-square-foot landmark designed by Moshe Safdie and VCBO Architecture with a sweeping curved glass facade, fireplaces on four floors, a rooftop garden with beehives, and a collection of more than 500,000 items open seven days a week in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City.

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📖 About Salt Lake City Public Library — Main Library

The Salt Lake City Public Library traces its roots to 1898, when the city's first public library opened in the Salt Lake City and County Building. A land and monetary donation by John Quackenbos Packard in 1900 made a dedicated library building possible, and the system grew for over a century until an $84 million bond allowed a dramatic new flagship. Designed by Moshe Safdie and Associates with local firm VCBO Architecture, the current Main Library opened February 8, 2003, and immediately transformed downtown Salt Lake City. The building covers 240,000 square feet and incorporates 44,960 cubic yards of concrete and 176,368 square feet of glass in a five-story curved outer wall whose arrowhead footprint points toward the nearby Salt Lake Temple. Inside, fireplaces on four floors create warm reading alcoves, a rooftop garden hosts beehives, and the collection holds more than 500,000 books plus subscriptions to over 60 newspapers and magazines. Notable holdings include a 19th-century edition of John James Audubon's Birds of America. Library Journal named it Library of the Year in 2006. The Main Library is also the system's sole U.S. passport acceptance facility, operating a walk-in passport office on Level 3. In 2025, SLCPL workers voted 92% to unionize under AFSCME Local 1004, becoming the first unionized library in Utah history.

⭐ What makes this library special

• Moshe Safdie landmark opened February 8, 2003 — 240,000 sq ft, five stories, curved glass facade with arrowhead footprint
• Over 500,000 items plus 60+ newspaper and magazine subscriptions; rare Audubon Birds of America (19th century) in the collection
• Named Library of the Year by Library Journal in 2006
• U.S. passport acceptance office on Level 3 — the only SLCPL location offering passport services (walk-in, no appointment)
• Open seven days a week including Sundays 11am–5pm; fireplaces on 4 floors and a rooftop garden with beehives

📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card

SLCPL cardholders can borrow, stream, and research free through the library's digital and statewide collections:

📍 Nearby SLCPL Branches

Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.

All libraries in Salt Lake City  ·  Browse all Utah libraries →

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

🛂 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.

📅 This library has meeting & community rooms. See how library meeting rooms work — booking, policies and fees — and find other libraries with meeting or community rooms meeting rooms by state.

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✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.