Fayetteville Public Library
🏢 City of Fayetteville · Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville Public Library
Born in a courthouse basement in 1916 and reborn as a 190,000-square-foot civic landmark in downtown Fayetteville, the Fayetteville Public Library is Arkansas's most awarded public library — a LEED-Silver, Library Journal Library of the Year destination where a fabrication lab, a teaching kitchen, a 700-seat auditorium, and a genealogy floor with a century of Washington County records share one roof.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–8pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–8pm |
| Thursday | 9am–8pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–5pm |
| Sunday | 1pm–5pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 401 W. Mountain Street, Fayetteville, AR 72701
Phone: (479) 856-7000
Website: faylib.org
Plus Code: 86873R6P+J2 (Fayetteville, AR)
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Fayetteville Public Library
Fayetteville Public Library (FPL) traces its roots to 1916, when University of Arkansas librarian Julia Vaulx rallied local citizens to found the library with a budget of just $840.15. The current downtown home — officially named Blair Library in honor of a $3 million founding gift — was designed by Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle of Minneapolis and opened October 8, 2004. At 88,000 square feet it earned LEED-Silver certification in 2006, making it the first building in Arkansas to register with the U.S. Green Building Council, and it was named Library of the Year 2005 by Library Journal. A $50 million expansion completed in January 2021 grew the footprint to 190,000 square feet, adding a 700-seat event center, the Koenig Family Fabrication & Robotics Lab, a commercial teaching kitchen, audio and video recording studios, a photography studio, simulation labs, and an Art & Movement Room — making FPL one of the largest and most amenity-rich public libraries in the American South. FPL became an independent city library on January 1, 2004, and is separately governed from the Washington County Library System.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Named Library of the Year 2005 by Library Journal — the first and only Arkansas library to receive the honor
- 190,000-square-foot Blair Library campus (2021 expansion, $50 million) with 700-seat event center and commercial teaching kitchen
- LEED-Silver certified — first building in Arkansas to register with the U.S. Green Building Council; green roof and rainwater harvesting
- Koenig Family Fabrication & Robotics Lab: FDM and resin 3D printers, Epilog and Glowforge laser cutters, CNC, vacuum forming, vinyl cutter, and heat press — free with training badge
- 4th-floor Genealogy Library: 14,000+ items, Washington County records from the 1830s, in-library Ancestry.com, and DAR volunteer research assistance
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
FPL cardholders can stream, download, and research free through these digital collections:
📚 Services
- Koenig Family Fabrication & Robotics Lab: 3D printing (FDM & resin), laser cutting, CNC, vinyl cutting, heat press, soldering — open lab days Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun
- 4th-Floor Genealogy Library: 14,000+ items, microfilm/microfiche scanners, Washington County birth/death/marriage/court/land records from the 1830s, DAR volunteer assistance
- Nonprofit & Small Business Resource Center: Candid (Foundation Directory + GuideStar), Gale Legal Forms, LinkedIn Learning, grant research consultations
- 700-seat event center and 8,700 sq ft event space for community rental
- FPL on Wheels bookmobile: free mobile library serving neighborhoods, schools, senior centers (Wed–Sat)
- Test proctoring (Mon–Fri, 9am; valid photo ID + FPL card required)
- Audio and video recording studios, photography studio, simulation labs (Center for Innovation)
- Commercial teaching kitchen for culinary programming
- 21 on-site study rooms
- Remote book drops at three Bank of Fayetteville ATM lanes
- Teen Gaming Room and Art & Movement Room
🎸 Programs
- Center for Innovation Learning Labs: monthly certification classes for 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC, and heat press
- Genealogy programs: workshops, Introduction to Newspapers.com classes, DAR volunteer drop-in sessions
- Nonprofit & Small Business workshops: entrepreneurship, branding, business law, professional headshots
- Children's and teen programming (expanded post-2021 youth department)
- Cooking classes and food demonstrations in the commercial teaching kitchen
- Art exhibitions and visiting artist residencies
- Banned Books Week programming and author events
📍 Nearby Libraries in Washington County & Northwest Arkansas
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Fayetteville · Browse all Arkansas libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What equipment can I use in the Koenig Family Fabrication & Robotics Lab, and do I need training first?
The Fab Lab houses FDM 3D printers (Fusion 3 F410, Pulse XE), resin 3D printers (Formlabs Form 3L, Phrozen Sonic Mega 8K), laser cutters (Epilog Zing 24, Glowforge Pro), a Cricut vinyl cutter, SnapMaker CNC, vacuum former, heat press, and soldering stations. Every user must complete a Learning Lab training session before booking equipment independently. Open Lab Days run on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
Does FPL hold Washington County historical records, and can I get help with family history research?
Yes. The 4th-floor Genealogy Library holds 14,000+ items — including microfilm, microfiche, and digital archives — with original Washington County records spanning birth and death records from 1914, marriage records from 1845, and land and court records from the 1830s. In-library computers provide free access to Ancestry.com; HeritageQuest and Newspapers.com (4,000+ papers) are available remotely with your card. DAR volunteers offer drop-in research assistance; fee-based remote research requests go to genealogy@faylib.org.
Can I use the event center or recording studios for a community event or project?
Yes. The Blair Library campus includes a flexible 8,700-square-foot event center that seats up to 700, plus audio recording studios, video recording studios with editing suites, a photography studio, and simulation labs — all available to the public. Event space rental inquiries go to fplevents@faylib.org. Center for Innovation studios are bookable through the CFI reservation system on Open Lab Days.
Is the Fayetteville Public Library the same as the Washington County Library System?
No — they are two completely separate institutions. FPL (401 W. Mountain St., faylib.org) became an independent city library on January 1, 2004, and is funded by the City of Fayetteville. The Washington County Library System is the separate county-funded network headquartered at 1080 W. Clydesdale Drive, with nine branches across the county. They maintain separate catalogs and library cards.
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