Arabian Library
🏢 Scottsdale Public Library · North Scottsdale, Arizona
Arabian Library
Tucked against the McDowell Mountains in North Scottsdale, the award-winning Arabian Library rises from the desert in weathered-steel walls inspired by Arizona's slot canyons — a 20,875-square-foot LEED Silver branch of Scottsdale Public Library that has served the community since September 2007.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–7pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–7pm |
| Thursday | 9am–7pm |
| Friday | 10am–6pm |
| Saturday | 10am–5pm |
| Sunday | 1pm–5pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 10215 E. McDowell Mountain Ranch Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85255
Phone: (480) 312-7323
Website: scottsdalelibrary.org
Plus Code: 855CJ4HP+2P (Scottsdale, AZ)
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📖 About Arabian Library
Arabian Library is a branch of Scottsdale Public Library, one of four locations serving the City of Scottsdale (Maricopa County). The branch traces its roots to 1996, when it first opened as a shared-use facility on the campus of Desert Canyon Elementary and Middle Schools. In 2007 it relocated into a purpose-built building designed by Richärd Kennedy Architects — a LEED Silver structure whose rusted-steel exterior, courtyard water channel, and full-length windows evoke northern Arizona slot canyons. The building won the 2009 AIA/ALA National Library Building Honor Award and the 2008 IIDA/Metropolis Smart Environments Award. Scottsdale Public Library names all its branches after horse breeds to reflect the city's western heritage — the others are Civic Center, Mustang, and Appaloosa — and the Arabian horse's ancient desert origins make it a fitting name for this striking desert-architecture building. A drive-through pickup window contributed to a 25% circulation increase in the library's first year of operation.
⭐ What makes this library special
- LEED Silver–certified building (2007) by Richärd Kennedy Architects, winner of the 2009 AIA/ALA National Library Building Honor Award and the 2008 IIDA/Metropolis Smart Environments Award
- Pre-rusted Arizona steel exterior, courtyard water channel, and full-length glass — all inspired by the narrow sandstone slot canyons of northern Arizona; primary materials sourced regionally
- Permanent public artwork 'Desert Tracery' by Norie Sato — cut steel, stainless steel, and glass panels up to 20 ft tall etched with Braille, Greek script, and genetic code in a prickly-pear form
- Drive-through book pickup window — its addition in 2007 helped deliver a 25% circulation increase in the library's first year in the new building
- Named 'Arabian' following Scottsdale Public Library's horse-breed naming tradition; community campus adjacent to Desert Canyon schools with the McDowell Mountains as a backdrop
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Scottsdale cardholders can stream, download, and research free through the Greater Phoenix Digital Library and Arizona's statewide collections:
📚 Services
- 35 public computers with high-speed internet and free Wi-Fi
- Printing, copying, and scanning
- Drive-through book and hold pickup window
- Two multipurpose meeting rooms for community use
- Children's dedicated program room
- Study areas and quiet reading spaces
- Interlibrary loan (ILL) via MAX statewide sharing network
- Culture Pass — free general-admission passes to Arizona museums
- Self-checkout stations
- Seed Library
🎸 Programs
- Story Time for children
- Summer Reading Challenge (all ages)
- Computer and digital skills classes
- Arabian Nights Book Discussion (first Tuesday of the month)
- Special events and recreational programs for all ages
📍 Nearby Libraries in Metro Phoenix
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Scottsdale · Browse all Arizona libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the library called 'Arabian'?
Scottsdale Public Library names its branches after horse breeds to reflect the city's western ranching heritage — the four locations are Civic Center, Mustang, Arabian, and Appaloosa. The Arabian horse, a breed with ancient desert origins, is a fitting name for a North Scottsdale branch whose building evokes the Arizona desert through its rusted-steel slot-canyon design.
When did the current Arabian Library building open, and what makes its architecture distinctive?
The current 20,875-square-foot building opened in September 2007. The branch is older — it first operated from 1996 in a shared space on the Desert Canyon school campus — but moved into this purpose-built facility designed by Phoenix firm Richärd Kennedy Architects. The LEED Silver–certified building features a pre-rusted steel exterior, a courtyard water channel, and full-length windows all inspired by the narrow sandstone slot canyons of northern Arizona. It won the 2009 AIA/ALA National Library Building Honor Award.
What is the 'Desert Tracery' artwork at Arabian Library?
'Desert Tracery' is a permanent public artwork by Seattle-based artist Norie Sato, integrated into the library's glass walls and exterior panels. Made of cut steel, stainless steel, and silkscreened glass up to 20 feet tall, it depicts the skeletal structure of a prickly-pear cactus, with Braille, Greek script, and genetic code embedded in the imagery — drawing an analogy between the plant's circulatory network and the library as a network of knowledge.
Does Arabian Library have a drive-through pickup window?
Yes. Arabian Library has a drive-through book and hold pickup window — one of the early drive-through library services in the greater Phoenix area. Place holds online through the Scottsdale catalog (scottsdale.polarislibrary.com) and pick them up without leaving your car during library operating hours.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes 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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