Grace R. Moore Branch Library
🏢 Tacoma Public Library · Tacoma, Washington
Grace R. Moore Branch Library
Dedicated on June 16, 1950, the Grace R. Moore Branch honors the Tacoma pioneer who in 1886 gathered 18 women in her South Tacoma home to create the Puget Sound area's first circulating library. Today the branch at 215 South 56th Street serves East Tacoma with a Memory Lab for hands-on maker activities, study rooms, a meeting room, and a full slate of programs for all ages.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 12pm–8pm |
| Wednesday | 12pm–8pm |
| Thursday | 10am–6pm |
| Friday | 10am–6pm |
| Saturday | 10am–6pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 215 South 56th Street, Tacoma, WA 98408
Phone: (253) 280-2930
Website: tacomalibrary.org
Plus Code: 84VV6H47+MM (Tacoma, WA)
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📖 About Grace R. Moore Branch Library
The Grace R. Moore Branch Library is a neighborhood branch of the Tacoma Public Library, located at 215 South 56th Street in East Tacoma. It was dedicated on June 16, 1950, and named for Grace R. Moore, who came to Tacoma in 1884 and in 1886 organized a circulating library in her South Tacoma home with 18 fellow women — charging 25 cents per borrowing privilege and creating what is considered the Puget Sound region's first circulating library. Tacoma Public Library was formally established by the city in 1894 and the first Carnegie-funded main library in Washington State opened here in 1903. The Moore Branch is part of a system that now serves more than 225,100 residents across eight locations. The branch features a Memory Lab for makerspace and creative projects, new study rooms, and a meeting room for community events. Digital resources accessible with a Tacoma card include Libby for eBooks and audiobooks, hoopla, and the Washington Anytime Library — a statewide OverDrive consortium that gives Washington cardholders access to an expanded collection of eBooks, audiobooks, and magazines.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Named for Grace R. Moore, who founded Tacoma's — and the Puget Sound region's — first circulating library in 1886
- Dedicated June 16, 1950; part of a system that opened Washington State's first Carnegie main library in 1903
- Memory Lab for hands-on maker activities including creative tech, crafts, and media projects
- Newly opened study rooms for focused work and small-group collaboration
- Open Tuesday–Saturday with late evening hours until 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
A Tacoma Public Library card unlocks Washington State's digital collections and a broad array of streaming and downloadable media:
📚 Services
- Public computers with internet access
- Free Wi-Fi throughout the branch
- Copying, printing, and scanning
- Memory Lab for makerspace and creative projects
- Study rooms (recently opened)
- Meeting room available for reservation
- Book drop open 24/7 for after-hours returns
- Holds pickup from any Tacoma Public Library branch
- Interlibrary loan through the Tacoma Public Library system
🎸 Programs
- Baby Storytime for infants and toddlers
- Children's storytimes and STEAM activities
- D&D Adventure Campaign for teens and adults
- Book clubs and book swap events
- Housing Justice Project community programming
- Tacoma Reads Together community reading events
- Summer reading club for all ages
📍 Nearby Libraries in the Tacoma–Puyallup Area
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Grace R. Moore, and why is this branch named after her?
Grace Moore came to Tacoma in 1884 and, missing the ready access to books she had known in San Francisco, organized Tacoma's first circulating library in 1886. She gathered 18 women at her South Tacoma home, had members donate their personal collections, and charged patrons 25 cents to borrow — making it the Puget Sound region's earliest circulating library. The branch was dedicated on June 16, 1950, in her honor.
What days and hours is the Moore Branch open?
The branch is open Tuesday and Wednesday from noon to 8 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is closed Monday and Sunday. A 24-hour book drop at the entrance is available for returns any time.
What is the Memory Lab at the Moore Branch?
The Memory Lab is a dedicated makerspace at the Moore Branch where patrons can engage in hands-on creative and technology projects. It supports a range of activities from crafts to digital media work, and the branch regularly schedules programs around it including STEAM activities and maker events.
Can I access eBooks and audiobooks from home with a Tacoma library card?
Yes. Tacoma cardholders have access to Libby (the OverDrive app) for eBooks, audiobooks, and magazines, hoopla for streaming movies and music with no waitlists, and the Washington Anytime Library — a Washington State-subsidized consortium that significantly expands the digital collection available to all Washington public library cardholders.
🔨 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 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.