🏢 Nashville Public Library — Nashville, Tennessee

Looby Branch Library

Named for civil rights attorney Z. Alexander Looby, this North Nashville branch pairs a public library with a community theater just steps from Rosa L. Parks Boulevard.

📖 About Looby Branch Library

The Looby Branch opened in 1976 as a tribute to Dr. Z. Alexander Looby, the NAACP attorney and Nashville city councilman who served as chief counsel for the students arrested during the 1960 lunch-counter sit-ins. On April 19, 1960, Looby's North Nashville home was bombed in an assassination attempt he survived; the attack galvanized a silent march of thousands to the courthouse that helped desegregate downtown. Fittingly, the branch that carries his name is more than a reading room: it doubles as a community center anchored by a theater used for performances and public gatherings. Inside, patrons find meeting rooms, public computers, Wi-Fi, and a seed exchange, while public art installations line the building. The branch sits on Rosa L. Parks Boulevard, tying its address to the broader civil rights story it commemorates.

⭐ What makes this branch special

• Named for civil rights attorney and councilman Z. Alexander Looby
• Combines a library with a community theater for performances and events
• Seed exchange, meeting rooms, and public art installations
• On Rosa L. Parks Boulevard in North Nashville

📱 Free with a Nashville Public Library Card

Any Tennessee resident can get an NPL card free and unlock:

📍 More Nashville Public Library branches

← All Nashville libraries  ·  All Tennessee →

❓ Frequently Asked Questions