Renton Library
🏢 King County Library System · Renton, Washington
Renton Library
Designed by Miller Hull Architects and opened in August 2015, the Renton Library is a bright 19,500-square-foot building on the banks of the Cedar River — on the same site where a beloved 1966 library cantilevered 80 feet across the water. It serves the city's growing, multilingual community with evening hours Tuesday and Wednesday, weekend hours seven days a week, and a Pacific Northwest Collection that reflects the region's deep history.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–6pm |
| Tuesday | 12pm–8pm |
| Wednesday | 12pm–8pm |
| Thursday | 10am–6pm |
| Friday | 10am–6pm |
| Saturday | 11am–6pm |
| Sunday | 11am–6pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 100 Mill Avenue S, Renton, WA 98057
Phone: (425) 226-6043
Website: kcls.org
Plus Code: 84VVFQJX+P5 (Renton, WA)
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Renton Library
The Renton Library is the flagship branch of the King County Library System in Renton, a city of roughly 110,000 at the southern end of Lake Washington. Library service in Renton dates to 1903, when miners gathered books at Brendel's Drug Store. In 1913, civic advocate Neva Bostwick Douglas secured a $10,000 Carnegie Foundation grant, and Renton's first dedicated Carnegie library opened in 1914. A dramatic successor opened in 1966, stretching 80 feet across the Cedar River — one of the few libraries in the United States built over a waterway. After KCLS annexed the city's independent library system in 2010, the current 19,500-square-foot building opened on August 22, 2015, designed by Miller Hull Architects. Today it holds bilingual story times in Spanish, a strong Pacific Northwest Collection, a meeting room, study rooms, a fax machine, and a full suite of digital services through KCLS.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Open seven days a week — evening hours until 8pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
- Current building opened August 22, 2015, designed by Miller Hull Architects (19,500 sq ft), on the same site as the iconic 1966 library that spanned 80 feet across the Cedar River
- Library history in Renton goes back to 1903; Carnegie-funded public library opened 1914
- Pacific Northwest Collection and world-language materials in multiple languages
- LGBTQIA+ community events and regular social-services resource days on site
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Renton Library cardholders access thousands of digital titles and services free through KCLS:
📚 Services
- Public computers, printing, scanning, photocopying & fax machine
- Reservable meeting room and study rooms
- Microfilm/microfiche reader
- Self-checkout kiosks and 24-hour book drop
- Free Wi-Fi throughout the building
- Wheelchair recharging station and full accessibility features
- Spoken and sign language interpreter services by request
- Interlibrary loan through KCLS's 49-branch system
🎸 Programs
- Hora de cuentos en español / Spanish Story Time
- Cozy Crafting hosted by the Renton LGBTQIA+ Community
- A River Runs Under It Book Group
- Mystery Book Club
- WorkSource job and resume assistance pop-ups
- Tech Help Mondays for digital skills
- Renton Library Resource Days (social services fair)
- Summer reading for all ages
📍 Nearby Libraries in King County
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the history of the Renton Library and the building over the Cedar River?
Library service in Renton started in 1903 at a drug store and moved to a Carnegie-funded building in 1914. In 1966, a celebrated new library opened that stretched 80 feet across the Cedar River — one of very few public libraries in the US built over a river. After KCLS annexed Renton's system in 2010, that riverside building gave way to the current facility, designed by Miller Hull Architects and opened on August 22, 2015, on the same downtown site.
Is the Renton Library open on weekends and evenings?
Yes. The library is open every day of the week. Weekend hours are Saturday and Sunday 11am–6pm. Evening hours run until 8pm on Tuesday and Wednesday; Monday, Thursday and Friday close at 6pm.
What languages and communities does the Renton Library serve?
The library offers Spanish-language story time, world-language materials in multiple languages, and hosts community events for the local LGBTQIA+ community. KCLS can also arrange spoken and sign language interpreters for library programs or reference assistance with at least 7 days notice.
Can I use the Renton Library for a meeting or study session?
Yes. The library has a reservable meeting room and study rooms. Computers, a fax machine, scanner, copier, and free Wi-Fi are also available on-site. Reserve rooms online at rooms.kcls.org or by calling the branch at (425) 226-6043.
📚 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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