West Loop Branch
🏢 Chicago Public Library · Chicago, Illinois
West Loop Branch
The first public library ever built for Chicago's booming West Loop and Fulton Market district, the West Loop Branch opened January 17, 2019 inside a warehouse shell donated by developer Sterling Bay and redesigned by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill — exposed bow-truss ceilings, soaring skylights, a Library of Things and a YOUmedia Recording Studio for teens.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–6pm |
| Tuesday | 12pm–8pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–6pm |
| Thursday | 12pm–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: 122 N. Aberdeen Street, Chicago, IL 60607
Phone: (312) 744-2995
Website: chipublib.org
Plus Code: 86HJV8MW+G3 (Chicago, IL)
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📖 About West Loop Branch
The West Loop Branch of the Chicago Public Library at 122 North Aberdeen Street opened on January 17, 2019, as the first public library built specifically for Chicago's rapidly transforming West Loop and Fulton Market neighborhood. The building is an adaptive reuse of an existing warehouse-style structure that developer Sterling Bay donated to the City of Chicago. Architects at the global firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) chose not to mask the building's industrial past: instead, their renovation stripped the interior back to expose the original bow-truss wood ceilings and allowed natural light to pour in through large skylights, creating a roughly 16,500-square-foot, two-story loft-like library whose look echoes the converted warehouses that define the surrounding streetscape. The Fulton Market district transformed from a meatpacking and cold-storage hub into one of Chicago's hottest restaurant rows and tech-office corridors beginning in the 2000s — the former Blommer Chocolate Company site, whose aroma once drifted across the West Loop, and Harpo Studios (later acquired by McDonald's) are nearby landmarks. Inside the branch, patrons can borrow from a Library of Things collection, reserve study rooms and a meeting room, pay city bills at an on-site kiosk, and access a West Loop YOUmedia space with a teens-only recording studio. It was one of the eight YOUmedia locations that expanded across CPL in 2019.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Opened January 17, 2019 — the first-ever public library serving Chicago's West Loop and Fulton Market district
- Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) as an adaptive reuse of a Sterling Bay-donated warehouse with exposed bow-truss ceilings and skylights
- Roughly 16,500 square feet across two floors — a loft-like industrial aesthetic matching the surrounding Fulton Market streetscape
- Library of Things: borrow household items, tools and electronics beyond books
- West Loop YOUmedia including a teens-only recording studio, plus bookable study rooms and a meeting room
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
West Loop Branch cardholders can stream, download, research and learn for free through CPL's digital collections:
📚 Services
- Library of Things — borrow tools, kitchen equipment, musical instruments and more
- West Loop YOUmedia teen recording studio
- Study rooms and community meeting room available for reservation
- City Bill Payment Kiosk on site
- Homework help and digital literacy programming
- Large-print circulating collection
- Public computers, printing, scanning & free Wi-Fi
- After-hours book return
- ADA-accessible entrance, elevator, and workstations with 24-inch monitors, oversize keyboards & trackball mice
- Kids Museum Passport — reserve free passes to 15+ Chicago-area museums and cultural institutions
🎸 Programs
- West Loop YOUmedia teen programming and recording studio sessions
- Spanish conversation groups
- Tinkering activities for children
- Embroidery classes and craft workshops
- Chess club
- Homework help and digital literacy classes
- Summer Reading Program
📍 Nearby Libraries in Chicago
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What building does the West Loop Branch occupy, and who designed it?
The branch is an adaptive reuse of a warehouse-style building in the Fulton Market district that developer Sterling Bay donated to the City of Chicago. Architects at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) preserved the industrial character by leaving the original bow-truss wood ceilings exposed and opening up large skylights, rather than covering them over. The result is a roughly 16,500-square-foot, two-story library with a loft aesthetic that matches the neighborhood's converted-warehouse character.
When did the West Loop Branch open, and why was it significant for the neighborhood?
It opened on January 17, 2019. Before that date, the West Loop and Fulton Market district — which has grown into one of Chicago's most densely populated and commercially active neighborhoods — had never had a dedicated public library branch. The opening filled a decades-long gap for a community that had exploded with new residents, restaurants and tech offices.
What is the Library of Things at the West Loop Branch?
The Library of Things is a lending collection of non-book items available to cardholders — including things like KitchenAid stand mixers, garden tools, paper shredders and musical instruments. Items must be returned to the West Loop Branch during business hours. For the current inventory or to ask about availability, contact the branch at (312) 744-2995 or westloop@chipublib.org.
Is there a recording studio at the West Loop Branch, and who can use it?
Yes. The branch houses a West Loop YOUmedia Recording Studio reserved for teen patrons. It is part of the YOUmedia network that expanded to eight CPL locations in 2019. The branch also has bookable study rooms and a meeting room open to patrons of all ages.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes by state.
🧰 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 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.
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✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.