Southwest Library
🏢 DC Public Library · Washington, D.C.
Southwest Library
Opened May 2021 at 900 Wesley Place SW, the Southwest Library is DC's first LEED Platinum branch — a mass-timber, glass and brick landmark by Perkins&Will with an outdoor porch, a 3D-printing innovation lab and open hours until 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–8pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–8pm |
| Thursday | 12pm–8pm |
| Friday | 10am–6pm |
| Saturday | 10am–6pm |
| Sunday | 1pm–5pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 900 Wesley Place SW, Washington, DC 20024
Phone: (202) 724-4298
Website: dclibrary.org
Plus Code: 87C4VXHM+FM (Washington, DC)
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📖 About Southwest Library
The Southwest Library is a neighborhood branch of the DC Public Library serving Southwest Washington and the Southwest Waterfront. Library service in the community dates to 1940, when a branch opened inside the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Junior High School at 701 7th Street SW in a Georgian Revival building designed by Nathan C. Wyeth; a stand-alone mid-century branch followed in 1965 and served the neighborhood until it closed in June 2019. The current 20,000-square-foot building opened in May 2021 at 900 Wesley Place SW, an $18 million project designed by Perkins&Will and built by Turner Construction. Built primarily from mass timber and glass — with structural components manufactured in Vancouver and shipped to Washington for assembly — it became the first DC Public Library branch to earn LEED Platinum certification and the District's first public building to use dowel-laminated timber. Solar panels supply roughly half the building's energy, and its warm-wood interior, folded-plate roof and outdoor porch were designed to echo the mid-century modern character of the surrounding Southwest neighborhood.
⭐ What makes this library special
- DC Public Library's first LEED Platinum branch — a mass-timber, glass and brick building that opened May 2021 and won a 2022 climate champion award
- The District's first public building constructed with dowel-laminated timber (DLT); its wood structure was fabricated in Vancouver and shipped in for assembly
- $18 million, 20,000-square-foot design by Perkins&Will (builder Turner Construction) with a folded-plate roof and an outdoor reading porch
- Innovation lab equipped with 3D printers, plus a large meeting room, three conference rooms and four study rooms
- Solar panels provide about half the building's energy, and an adjacent playground was upgraded with DC Parks and Recreation
- On-site parking lot — a rarity among DC branches — and open until 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
DC Public Library cardholders access an extensive digital catalog free:
📚 Services
- Innovation lab with 3D printers
- Large meeting room, three conference rooms and four study rooms
- Public computers with printing and scanning
- Free Wi-Fi throughout the building
- Assistive technology — Audio Loops, JAWS/ZoomText, Pocketalker and Ubiduo
- On-site parking lot
- Mail-in ballot drop box and voter registration assistance
- Seasonal tax-preparation help and tax forms
- DC Talking Book and Braille Program (NLS affiliate)
- Books from Birth — free monthly book by mail for DC children birth through age 5
🎸 Programs
- Family Story Time for young children and caregivers
- Yoga classes
- Books from Birth monthly book mailings for registered DC children
- All-ages programming in the meeting and innovation-lab spaces
📍 Nearby DC Public Library Branches
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Washington · Browse all District of Columbia libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What makes the Southwest Library building so unusual?
The branch that opened in May 2021 is built primarily from mass timber and glass, and it is the first public building in the District of Columbia to use dowel-laminated timber (DLT). Its wood structure was manufactured in Vancouver and shipped to Washington for assembly. Paired with solar panels that supply about half its energy, the design earned the first LEED Platinum certification of any DC Public Library branch and a 2022 climate champion award.
How long was the Southwest Library closed before the new building opened?
The previous mid-century branch closed in June 2019, and the new $18 million building at 900 Wesley Place SW opened in May 2021 — a gap of nearly two years. The 20,000-square-foot replacement, designed by Perkins&Will and built by Turner Construction, sits near the site of the branch it replaced in Southwest DC.
Does the Southwest Library have parking and a 3D-printing lab?
Yes. Unlike most DC branches, the Southwest Library has its own on-site parking lot. Inside, an innovation lab is equipped with 3D printers, and the building also offers a large meeting room, three conference rooms and four study rooms for community use.
When did library service first begin in Southwest Washington?
Library service in Southwest dates to 1940, when a branch opened inside the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Junior High School at 701 7th Street SW, in a Georgian Revival building designed by Nathan C. Wyeth. A stand-alone mid-century library followed in 1965 and served the neighborhood until it closed in 2019, and the current building opened in 2021.
🔨 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.
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