Kodiak Public Library
🏢 A. Holmes Johnson Memorial Library · City of Kodiak, Alaska
Kodiak Public Library
Perched on a Kodiak hillside beside a National Register–listed 1922 barn, this 16,000-square-foot library opened in December 2013 in a LEED-aligned building with spruce columns harvested on-site — carrying forward eight decades of island reading history begun in two borrowed skid shacks in 1946.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–5pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–8pm |
| Thursday | 10am–8pm |
| Friday | 10am–5pm |
| Saturday | 10am–5pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 612 Egan Way, Kodiak, AK 99615
Phone: (907) 486-8686
Website: city.kodiak.ak.us
Plus Code: 9399QJR2+VM (Kodiak, AK)
📱 Scan for directions
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Kodiak Public Library
The Kodiak Public Library — formally the A. Holmes Johnson Memorial Library — has served Alaska’s Kodiak Island since 1946, when a volunteer collection opened near the community center. In 1968 the city dedicated the first purpose-built home, named for Dr. A. Holmes Johnson, a local physician who spent decades championing a permanent public library for the island. Three additions followed (1977, 1984, 1993), and in December 2013 the library relocated to a new 16,000-square-foot building at 612 Egan Way, designed by MRV Architects and built by Cornerstone General Contractors at a cost of approximately $12.4 million with support from the Rasmuson Foundation, the State of Alaska, and the City of Kodiak. The site adjoins the historic 1922 Agricultural Experiment Station Barn, a National Register property, and the building features spruce columns harvested from the hillside, a public fireplace faced with local stone, and high clerestory windows that flood the reading rooms with daylight. With over 66,000 volumes and nearly 99,000 items circulated annually, it is the primary public library for Kodiak Island Borough’s roughly 13,600 residents.
⭐ What makes this library special
- 16,000 sq ft LEED-aligned building opened December 9, 2013 — MRV Architects, spruce columns harvested on-site, local-stone fireplace; IES Illumination Award of Merit for sustainable lighting
- Seed Library stocked with open-pollinated, heirloom varieties suited to Kodiak’s cool marine climate — borrow seeds, grow them, save them, return them
- Tool Library lending a collection of useful household and project tools alongside books and media
- 16 dedicated Little Free Libraries maintained island-wide by the Kodiak Public Library Association (KPLA)
- Over 66,000 volumes; ~99,000 items circulated annually for a borough of roughly 13,600 — one of Alaska’s most heavily used per-capita libraries
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Kodiak cardholders can borrow, stream, and research free through Alaska’s statewide collections:
📚 Services
- Seed Library — open-pollinated seeds suited to Kodiak’s marine climate
- Tool Library — borrow useful household and project tools
- Public computers, in-house laptop and iPad checkout (2-hour limit)
- Free Wi-Fi (in-library and outdoors)
- Black-and-white and color printing, flatbed scanning, copying, and fax
- Video teleconferencing services
- Meeting and event rooms: small study rooms, a conference room, and a large multipurpose room
- Creative Corner — quiet crafts and writing space
🎸 Programs
- Summer Reading Challenge — annual reading incentive for all ages
- Summer Movies — Thursday afternoon film screenings
- Escape Room events — themed puzzle sessions
- Computer Coding Club — youth coding on alternating Tuesdays
- LEGO Drop-In — Fridays 3:30–4:30 PM in the Multipurpose Room, all ages
- STEAM events — science, technology, engineering, art, and math programming
- Children’s storytime and family programming
📍 Nearby Libraries in South-Central Alaska
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the library called the A. Holmes Johnson Memorial Library?
Dr. A. Holmes Johnson was a Kodiak physician who spent decades advocating for a proper public library on the island. When the first purpose-built library was dedicated on December 8, 1968, funded through federal, city, and donated money, the community named it in his honor. The name carries forward even after the 2013 move to the current Egan Way building.
What is the Seed Library, and what kinds of seeds does it carry?
The Seed Library lets you check out open-pollinated, heirloom seeds to plant at home. The collection is curated for Kodiak’s cool, wet marine climate, so varieties are chosen for what actually thrives on the island. After harvest you’re encouraged to save seeds, label them with the plant name and year, and donate them back to keep the collection growing.
Can I use the library’s meeting rooms for a community event?
Yes. The 16,000-square-foot building includes a large multipurpose room, a conference room, small study rooms, and a crafts room. The teen and meeting areas are acoustically separated and can operate independently when the main library is closed, making them available for evening community events. Contact the library at (907) 486-8686 for availability and reservation details.
Does Kodiak Public Library offer free online databases and ebooks from home?
Yes. SLED (Statewide Library Electronic Doorway), funded by the Alaska State Library, gives all Alaskans free access to academic databases, homework help, and reference tools at lam.alaska.gov/sled. The Alaska Digital Library (Libby/OverDrive) lets cardholders borrow ebooks, audiobooks, and digital magazines from home. Streaming films are available through Kanopy. You can also access the statewide catalog at jlc-web.uaa.alaska.edu/client/en_US/kodiak.
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