Douglass Branch — Chicago Public Library
🏢 Chicago Public Library · Chicago, Illinois
Douglass Branch — Chicago Public Library
Serving the North Lawndale community on Chicago's West Side, the Douglass Branch pairs a Maker Lab with open shop hours alongside a YOUmedia Recording Studio — making it one of the city's most hands-on CPL locations for residents of all ages.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Thursday | 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
| Friday | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Saturday | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Sunday | 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 3353 West 13th Street, CHICAGO, IL 60623
Phone: (312) 747-3725
Website: chipublib.org
Plus Code: 86HJV77R+Q4 (CHICAGO, IL)
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📖 About Douglass Branch — Chicago Public Library
The Douglass Branch serves North Lawndale, a West Side community area at 3353 W. 13th Street. North Lawndale was originally settled by Czech immigrants in the 1890s and grew into the largest Jewish settlement in Chicago by the 1920s, characterized by its distinctive greystone architecture in the K-Town Historic District. By the mid-1950s the neighborhood's demographics shifted, and today it is a predominantly Black community working through revitalization — gun violence dropped 58% between 2021 and 2022 through sustained community efforts. The Douglass Branch is named in honor of abolitionist and statesman Frederick Douglass, reflecting a tradition of civic aspiration. The branch is equipped with a Maker Lab with open shop hours for hands-on creation, a YOUmedia Recording Studio for teen digital media, study rooms, a seed library, fishing pole lending, and mental health and social services access — resources tuned to the practical and creative needs of the neighborhood.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Maker Lab with open shop hours — hands-on creative making and building for all ages
- YOUmedia Recording Studio: free digital media creation space exclusively for teens
- Seed library — borrow vegetable, herb, and flower seeds free with a CPL card
- Fishing poles available for checkout — part of CPL's Library of Things program
- Mental health and social services access on-site
- Accessible building with elevator, ADA workstations, and accessible entrance and restrooms
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
CPL cardholders stream, borrow, and research free 24/7 through these digital platforms:
📚 Services
- Free public computers (close 10 min before building)
- Wi-Fi throughout the building
- Maker Lab with open shop hours
- YOUmedia Recording Studio (teens only)
- Seed library — free seeds with library card
- Fishing poles for checkout
- Internet to Go Wi-Fi hotspot lending
- Mental health and social services access
- Meeting room and study rooms
- After-hours book return
- Scanner
- Bike rack
- Street parking only
- Two ADA computer workstations (24-in monitor, oversized keyboard, trackball, wheelchair-accessible table)
- Accessible elevator, entrance, restrooms, and water fountain
🎸 Programs
- CyberNavigators free one-on-one technology tutoring by appointment
- Digital literacy classes — computer basics, email, job searching
- YOUmedia teen digital media and recording studio program
- Maker Lab open shop hours
📍 Nearby Libraries in Chicago
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Maker Lab at Douglass Branch?
The Maker Lab is a hands-on creative space at the Douglass Branch where patrons can build, design, and create during open shop hours. It is part of CPL's commitment to making tools for creation — not just consumption — available free to Chicago residents.
Does Douglass Branch have a teen recording studio?
Yes. The branch has a YOUmedia Recording Studio, exclusively for teens, offering access to digital media creation tools and creative programming as part of CPL's YOUmedia initiative.
Can I borrow unusual items like fishing poles at Douglass Branch?
Yes. Douglass Branch offers fishing pole checkout as part of CPL's Library of Things program. The branch also has a seed library where cardholders can borrow vegetable, herb, and flower seeds at no charge.
What neighborhood does the Douglass Branch serve?
The Douglass Branch is located in North Lawndale on Chicago's West Side. The neighborhood contains the K-Town Historic District, known for its greystone architecture, and is undergoing active revitalization, with gun violence reduced by 58% between 2021 and 2022 through sustained community initiatives.
🧰 This library lends a “Library of Things.” See what you can borrow besides books and find other libraries with a Library of Things Library of Things by state.
🔨 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 has study rooms. See how library study rooms work — booking, time limits and quiet vs group rooms — and find other libraries with study rooms libraries with study rooms 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.
✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.
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