Kendall Neighborhood Library
🏢 Houston Public Library · Houston, Texas
Kendall Neighborhood Library
Named for the Woman's Club president who persuaded Andrew Carnegie to fund Houston's first public library, the Kendall Neighborhood Library serves the Energy Corridor from a 28,600-square-foot LEED Silver building that also hosts a Parks Department community center — the first of its kind in Houston.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 12pm–8pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–6pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–6pm |
| Thursday | 12pm–8pm |
| Friday | 1pm–5pm |
| Saturday | 10am–5pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 609 N. Eldridge Parkway, Houston, TX 77079
Phone: (832) 393-1880
Website: houstonlibrary.org
Plus Code: 76X6Q9FH+6Q (Houston, TX)
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📖 About Kendall Neighborhood Library
The Kendall Neighborhood Library traces its name to Belle Sherman Kendall, who in 1898 and 1899 served as president of Houston's Woman's Club and personally wrote to Andrew Carnegie soliciting the $50,000 gift that made Houston's first central public library possible. The branch bearing her name first opened in 1969 to serve the west-Houston community that would later become the Energy Corridor — one of the nation's largest concentrations of energy-industry offices. A purpose-built replacement facility opened in 2010 on a 2.831-acre site adjacent to a major bayou and linear park, combining a 28,600-square-foot public library with a City Parks Department community center — Houston's first integrated library-and-community-center building. The new structure earned LEED Silver certification in March 2011 from the U.S. Green Building Council, featuring abundant natural daylighting, an underground 325,000-gallon stormwater detention system under the parking lot, native-plant bioswales (the first HPL location to forgo traditional turf), and passive automatic flood barriers. Hurricane Harvey caused catastrophic flooding in August 2017, with nearly four feet of water inundating the entire first floor for up to two weeks. Following a $4.7 million reconstruction — partly funded by FEMA — the library reopened on October 15, 2022, now protected by FloodBreak automatic barriers at every entrance that deploy without power or human intervention.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Named for Belle Sherman Kendall, Woman's Club president who negotiated Andrew Carnegie's $50,000 donation that founded Houston's first public library in 1904
- Houston's first combined library and community center — the 28,600-sq-ft, three-story 2010 facility pairs HPL services with a Parks Department gym and craft room on a bayou-side site
- LEED Silver certified (March 2011) — features daylighting, native-plant bioswales, and a 325,000-gallon underground stormwater retention system under the parking lot
- Reopened October 15, 2022 after a $4.7 million post-Hurricane Harvey reconstruction that added FloodBreak passive automatic flood barriers — no power or staff needed to deploy
- TexShare member: Libby eBooks & audiobooks, hoopla streaming, Kanopy films, PressReader newspapers — all free with an HPL MYLink card
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Kendall cardholders access books, films, and research databases free through TexShare and HPL's digital collection:
📚 Services
- Public computers with internet access and word processing
- Mobile printing (send to printer from your phone via HPL app)
- Meeting rooms and study rooms bookable online via the HPL calendar
- Community center amenity: half-court gym and craft room (Parks Department, same building)
- Free HPL MYLink card for Houston / Harris County residents (digital card available same-day)
- Interlibrary loan via TexShare statewide network
- Library app for catalog browsing, holds, and digital library card (Android & iOS)
🎸 Programs
- Baby storytime — songs, rhymes, and early-literacy activities for infants and toddlers
- Kids' crafts — hands-on art projects for school-age children
- One-on-one computer assistance — tech help for adults at any skill level
- Tabletop games — board games and card games for teens and adults
- Technology programs — digital literacy and device workshops for community members
📍 Nearby Libraries in the Houston Metro
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Belle Sherman Kendall, and why is this library named for her?
Belle Sherman Kendall served as president of Houston's Woman's Club in 1898 and 1899 and personally led the negotiations with Andrew Carnegie that resulted in his $50,000 donation to build Houston's first central public library, which opened in 1904. In recognition of her pivotal role in bringing public library service to the city, the Kendall Neighborhood Library — established in 1969 in west Houston — was named in her honor.
What makes the 2010 building at 609 N. Eldridge architecturally and environmentally distinctive?
The three-story, 28,600-square-foot facility earned LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council in March 2011 — among the first public buildings in Houston to achieve that standard. Notable features include abundant natural daylighting, a 325,000-gallon underground stormwater detention system made of plastic 'egg-crate' modules under the parking lot, and native-plant bioswales (Louisiana iris, corkscrew rush, Indiangrass, and Gulf Coast Muhly grass) that replaced traditional turf — a first for Houston Public Library. The design also integrates a Parks Department community center — making Kendall Houston's first combined library-and-community-center building.
Was the library really closed for five years after Hurricane Harvey?
Yes. Hurricane Harvey struck Houston in August 2017 and flooded the entire first floor of the Kendall building with nearly four feet of water, which remained for up to two weeks without power or air conditioning, destroying the structure, fixtures, and contents. The rebuilding required FEMA funding approval, architectural design, and a full construction phase — a $4.7 million project by Gadberry Construction (architect: Robert Adams, Inc.). The library officially reopened on October 15, 2022, after five years of closure.
What flood protection does the building have now?
Following the Harvey disaster, the City of Houston installed FloodBreak passive automatic flood barriers at the main entrance, meeting room window, and book drop. These barriers are concealed beneath the sidewalk and rise automatically when floodwater reaches a trigger level — requiring no electrical power and no staff intervention. The main entrance uses a 20-by-5-foot flip-up barrier; the book drop has a custom slide-plate design that allows materials to be returned while maintaining the flood wall. The system means the library can be protected even if staff evacuate during a storm.
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