Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch Library
🏢 Dallas Public Library · Dallas, Texas
Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch Library
Opened November 20, 1974 on the 10.5-acre Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center campus in South Dallas, this branch anchors a multi-service hub serving more than 300,000 residents a year — and houses one of Dallas Public Library's most distinguished African-American History collections.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–5pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–5pm |
| Thursday | 9am–8pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–4pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 2922 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Dallas, TX 75215
Phone: (214) 670-0344
Website: dallaslibrary.org
Plus Code: 8645Q6CM+6H (Dallas, TX)
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📖 About Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch Library
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch Library is one of five free-standing buildings on the City of Dallas's historic 10.5-acre MLK Community Center campus near Fair Park in South Dallas, a campus conceived in 1966 as a comprehensive multi-service community center. The branch building opened on November 20, 1974 and was formally named with the campus when the center was rededicated in January 1975. Its auditorium — the Lisa Kilolo Todd Auditorium, a 60-seat space with theater lighting — hosts community events, book clubs, and cultural programs coordinated with partners such as the Dallas Museum of Art. The library is a proud member of TexShare, the statewide resource-sharing network of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, giving cardholders access to shared databases, interlibrary loan, and a rich suite of digital resources. Branch Manager Nadia Ysasi leads the team that makes this a living community anchor for the neighborhoods of South Dallas.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Houses an outstanding African-American History Collection — one of the most focused collections in the Dallas Public Library system
- Part of the historic MLK Community Center campus (est. 1966), a 10.5-acre City of Dallas facility serving 300,000+ residents per year
- The Lisa Kilolo Todd Auditorium (60 seats, theater lighting) is available for community events, book clubs, and cultural programs
- Meeting rooms, study room, and board games available for in-library use; meeting spaces rentable for nonprofits and individuals
- TexShare member: free access to OverDrive/Libby eBooks, hoopla streaming, Kanopy films, and statewide research databases
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Dallas cardholders access books, streaming, and research databases free through the Dallas Public Library's digital collection and the statewide TexShare program:
📚 Services
- Public computers with internet access and word processing
- Homework help for K–12 students
- African-American History Collection — circulating and reference materials
- Meeting rooms (Classroom 1 & 2) and study room available for reservation
- Lisa Kilolo Todd Auditorium (60-seat, theater lighting) — reservable for $30/session (nonprofits, individuals, for-profit)
- Notary services
- Job and technology help
- Tax assistance programs
- Board games for in-library play
- Free library card for Dallas residents and TexShare card eligibility
- Interlibrary loan via TexShare member network
- Extreme weather relief location (City of Dallas)
🎸 Programs
- Children and teens programming — storytimes, educational activities, and homework support
- Book club discussions in the Lisa Kilolo Todd Auditorium
- Beyond Words with the DMA — partnership programming with the Dallas Museum of Art
- Job and career workshops
- Tax assistance (seasonal, coordinated with community partners)
- Creative spaces and community events
📍 Nearby Dallas Public Library Branches
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the African-American History Collection at the MLK Branch, and who is it for?
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch Library maintains one of Dallas Public Library's most focused African-American History collections — a curated body of circulating and reference materials covering Black history, culture, literature, and biography. It is free to use by anyone with a Dallas library card and reflects the branch's deep roots in South Dallas's historically Black neighborhoods around Fair Park.
What is the Lisa Kilolo Todd Auditorium, and can the public use it?
The Lisa Kilolo Todd Auditorium is a 60-seat event space inside the MLK Branch Library, equipped with theater lighting and adjustable climate control. It is available to the public — nonprofits, individuals, and for-profit groups may reserve it for $30 per session (certificates of insurance required for for-profit groups holding public events). The space hosts community events, book clubs, and cultural programs including partnerships with the Dallas Museum of Art.
What is the MLK Community Center campus and how does the library fit into it?
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center is a 10.5-acre City of Dallas campus near Fair Park in South Dallas, established in 1966 and rededicated in January 1975. It comprises five free-standing buildings: the Administration Building (social services and Dallas 311), Foremost Family Health Center (medical and dental care), the MLK Branch Library, ChildCareGroup/Head Start, and the MLK Recreation Center. Together they serve more than 300,000 residents per year, making the campus one of the city's most comprehensive multi-service hubs.
What digital resources can I access free with a Dallas library card from home?
With a Dallas Public Library card you can borrow eBooks and audiobooks through OverDrive/Libby, stream films on Kanopy, instantly access eBooks, audiobooks, comics, and music via hoopla (up to 8 titles/month, no holds), and search the full TexShare database suite — magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias, and subject databases — all from home, free of charge.
📋 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 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.
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