J. Erik Jonsson Central Library
🏢 Dallas Public Library · Dallas, Texas
J. Erik Jonsson Central Library
The ten-story flagship of Dallas Public Library, built in 1982 across from City Hall, is home to one of only ~25 surviving 1776 Dunlap broadsides of the Declaration of Independence — the only one west of the Mississippi — along with a 1623 Shakespeare First Folio and the nation's foremost JFK assassination research collection outside Dealey Plaza.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 9am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–5pm |
| Thursday | 9am–8pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–4pm |
| Sunday | 9am–4pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Phone: (214) 670-1400
Website: dallaslibrary.org
Plus Code: 8645Q6H3+95 (Dallas, TX)
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📖 About J. Erik Jonsson Central Library
The J. Erik Jonsson Central Library opened in April 1982 as the crown jewel of Dallas's Government District, anchoring a civic campus that J. Erik Jonsson himself envisioned during his tenure as mayor (1964–1971). Jonsson — co-founder of Texas Instruments and author of the transformative Goals for Dallas program — spearheaded a decade-long private fundraising campaign that made construction of a state-of-the-art main library possible; in recognition, the Central Research Library was renamed in his honor in 1986. Designed by Fisher and Spillman Architects to complement the adjacent I.M. Pei-designed City Hall in a deliberate architectural dialogue — City Hall tilts toward Marilla Street; the library's upper floors tilt away from Young Street — the building rises ten stories (eight above grade, two below) clad in concrete with an expansive, daylit interior. Today it is one of 30 branches in the Dallas Public Library system, drawing roughly 500,000 visitors a year to its collections, creative spaces, and free programming, and celebrating DPL's 125th anniversary in 2026.
⭐ What makes this library special
- One of ~25 surviving Dunlap broadsides printed the night of July 4, 1776 — the only original copy of the Declaration of Independence west of the Mississippi River, on permanent free display on the 7th floor
- A 1623 Shakespeare First Folio (one of ~235 in existence), donated by the Dallas Shakespeare Club in 1986, preserving 18 plays otherwise unpublished at the time of Shakespeare's death
- Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck Genealogy Collection (8th floor) — one of the largest genealogy research collections in the Southwest, with Ancestry Library, FamilySearch, Fold3, HeritageQuest, and a Heritage Lab for free digitization of photos, audio, and VHS
- JFK Assassination Collection (7th floor) — second only to the Sixth Floor Museum, with mourning cards, photographs, and periodicals from Dealey Plaza
- Creative Spaces across four floors: Makerspace (3rd), Fiber Arts Workroom with sewing and weaving looms (4th), Pollinator Garden (5th), and a Story Center with podcasting and filmmaking equipment (3rd)
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Dallas cardholders access books, films, genealogy databases, and research tools free through TexShare and DPL's own digital collections:
📚 Services
- Public computers with internet, word processing, and printing
- Free digitization of family photos, slides, negatives, audio tapes, and VHS at the Heritage Lab (8th floor) — no appointment needed
- Notary services
- Meeting and study room reservations (Tue–Sun)
- Seed Library & rooftop Pollinator Garden (5th floor)
- Tax assistance (seasonal)
- Accessibility accommodations — contact (214) 670-7809
- Book drops on Ervay Street (24/7)
- Underground parking garage on Ervay Street (max clearance 7'3")
- Interlibrary loan via TexShare member network
🎸 Programs
- Smart Summer reading program for children and teens
- Youth Discovery Center field trips (supported by Atmos Energy)
- Adult Learning classes — literacy, ESL, and digital skills
- Fairy Tale Closet — costume lending program for children
- Poetry and creative writing workshops
- Fiber Arts Workroom — open access sewing, knitting, and weaving on 4th floor
- Makerspace on 3rd floor — crafting, recording, and digital creation tools
- Docent-led and self-guided audio tours of public art installations and rare collections
📍 Nearby Dallas Public Library Branches
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who was J. Erik Jonsson, and why is the Central Library named after him?
John Erik Jonsson (1901–1995) was a co-founder of Texas Instruments and one of Dallas's most consequential civic leaders. As mayor from 1964 to 1971, he launched Goals for Dallas — a sweeping community planning program — and championed a new civic center including City Hall and a modern central library. Jonsson personally led the decade-long private fundraising drive that made construction of the state-of-the-art library possible. In recognition, the Central Research Library was officially renamed the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library in 1986. His biography, written by Darwin Payne, is titled No Small Dreams: J. Erik Jonsson — Texas Visionary.
Does the library really have an original Declaration of Independence from 1776?
Yes. The 7th floor holds one of the roughly 25 surviving Dunlap broadsides — the copies printed by John Dunlap on the night of July 4, 1776, when Congress first ordered the Declaration published. This copy is the only one located west of the Mississippi River. It was discovered folded in a box at a Philadelphia bookstore in 1968 and donated to Dallas in 1976 by local businessmen; it has been on permanent free display in the library since the building opened in 1982. The 7th floor also holds a 1623 Shakespeare First Folio, donated by the Dallas Shakespeare Club in 1986.
What genealogy resources are available, and do I need a library card to use them?
The 8th floor Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck Genealogy Collection is one of the largest family history research facilities in the Southwest. In-library access includes Ancestry Library Edition, FamilySearch, Fold3, HeritageQuest, Newspapers.com (Texas Edition), and HistoryGeo, plus more than 3,000 vertical-file family research folders, microform holdings, and a dedicated Family Bible Collection. The Heritage Lab on the same floor offers free digitization of photos, slides, negatives, audio tapes, and VHS for anyone who visits. A Dallas Public Library card is required for remote database access but not for in-person use.
What are the current hours, and is the library open on Sundays?
Yes — the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library is open Sunday 9am–4pm. The full regular schedule is: Tuesday and Thursday 9am–8pm; Wednesday and Friday 9am–5pm; Saturday and Sunday 9am–4pm. The library is closed on Mondays. Hours may vary on City of Dallas holidays (the library closes for furlough days and federal holidays such as Labor Day). Always confirm current hours at dallaslibrary.org/about/hours before visiting.
📋 This library offers notary services. See what a library notary can do — what to bring, fees and appointments — and find other libraries with a notary notary services by state.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries 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.
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