L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library
🏢 MORE / IFLS Library System · Eau Claire, Wisconsin
L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library
Eau Claire's downtown library at 400 Eau Claire Street reopened in 2022 after a full remodel that raised its ceilings, poured in daylight and added the Dabble Box makerspace — and as of September 8, 2026 it keeps new hours, open until 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–8pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–8pm |
| Thursday | 10am–8pm |
| Friday | 10am–6pm |
| Saturday | 10am–5pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 400 Eau Claire Street, Eau Claire, WI 54701
Phone: (715) 839-1648
Website: ecpubliclibrary.info
Plus Code: 86PCRG72+37 (Eau Claire, WI)
📱 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
400 Eau Claire St, Eau Claire, WI 54701. Get transit & driving directions → (live subway, bus & car routes).
🚘 Parking
Free parking lot, free street parking nearby.
♿ Accessibility
Includes assistive hearing loop, wheelchair-accessible entrance, accessible parking.
🛀 Amenities
Baby changing table.
⭐ Visitor rating
4.6 / 5 from 272 Google reviews.
🕑 Best time to go
Usually calmest soon after opening; busiest around 4 pm.
Visit details from the library’s Google Business Profile, verified October 2026 — confirm on official page before a special-date trip.
📖 About L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library
The L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library is the public library of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, serving the city and the surrounding Chippewa Valley. Its current building opened November 15, 1976, replacing the old Carnegie library, and took its name from the L.E. Phillips Charities, which gave $302,000 toward the original construction. Between 2020 and 2022 the library completed a roughly $18 million remodel led by MSR Design — reworking about 62,050 square feet with a 6,800-square-foot addition, raising ceiling heights, lowering shelving and adding windows and skylights, plus a 200-seat program space, expanded children's area, a dedicated tweens-and-teens zone, quiet study rooms and a learning lab; the project earned an AIA Minnesota Honor Award. The library shares the MORE consortium catalog through the Indianhead Federated Library System (IFLS), so one card borrows across dozens of western-Wisconsin libraries.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Fully remodeled 2020–2022 by MSR Design — raised ceilings, added daylight, a 200-seat program space and a learning lab (AIA Minnesota Honor Award)
- Dabble Box Makerspace for hands-on creating — 'Play. Make. Share.'
- Part of the MORE shared catalog through the Indianhead Federated Library System (IFLS) — one card borrows across dozens of western-Wisconsin libraries
- Outreach that comes to you: the BookBike, Books on Buses and home delivery bring materials beyond the building
- New hours as of September 8, 2026 — open until 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Eau Claire cardholders can stream, download and research free through Wisconsin's shared collections:
📚 Services
- Dabble Box Makerspace for hands-on creating
- BookBike, Books on Buses & home delivery outreach
- Meeting rooms & study spaces you can reserve
- Braille printing & interlibrary loan
- 200-seat program space for community events
- Public computers, printing & free Wi-Fi
- MORE shared catalog through IFLS
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytimes & early-literacy programs
- Tweens & teens programming in a dedicated area
- School-break activity weeks
- Book clubs & reading programs
- Art exhibitions & author events
📍 Nearby Libraries in Western Wisconsin
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Eau Claire · Browse all Wisconsin libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Does the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library offer a Braille printing service?
Yes. The library runs a free Braille Printing Service where patrons can submit a text or word-processing file to be transcribed, with documents generally limited to about 10 pages and one request per week. It is one of several accessibility and outreach programs the library provides.
Can the Eau Claire library deliver books to my home?
Yes. Through its Home Delivery Service the library brings materials to residents of the City of Eau Claire and Eau Claire County who cannot easily visit in person, including people in homes, apartments, assisted-living facilities and nursing homes, with pickups and deliveries every three weeks. The volunteer-driven program serves close to 200 qualifying patrons.
What are the L.E. Phillips library's new hours starting September 8, 2026?
As of September 8, 2026 the library is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Sundays. The library board adjusted the schedule to line up staffing with the busiest times of day.
Is the library the same building after the big remodel?
Yes — the library stayed at 400 Eau Claire Street. Between 2020 and 2022 it completed a roughly $18 million renovation led by MSR Design, reopening in 2022 with raised ceilings, far more natural light, a 200-seat program space, an expanded children's area, a tweens-and-teens zone and a learning lab. The project won an AIA Minnesota Honor Award.
What is the Dabble Box Makerspace?
The Dabble Box is the library's makerspace — its motto is 'Play. Make. Share.' It's a hands-on space in the library where visitors can experiment and create, and it hosts events where you can make your own crafts and projects.
My library card is from L.E. Phillips — where else can I use it?
The library belongs to the MORE consortium through the Indianhead Federated Library System (IFLS), a shared catalog covering dozens of libraries across western Wisconsin. A single MORE card lets you borrow, place holds and pick up materials at any member library, and reach the whole shared collection online.
🔨 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.
📅 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.