Richardson Public Library
🏢 City of Richardson · Richardson, Texas
Richardson Public Library
Richardson Public Library anchors the city's civic campus in a bold 1970 Brutalist building by JPJ Architects — now freshly renovated and expanded to 83,576 sq ft — serving Collin and Dallas County residents with 281,000 volumes, a Seed Library, a 3D printer, and Texas Instruments–era local-history photographs.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–9pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–9pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–9pm |
| Thursday | 10am–9pm |
| Friday | 10am–6pm |
| Saturday | 10am–6pm |
| Sunday | 2pm–6pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 900 Civic Center Drive, Richardson, TX 75080
Phone: (972) 744-4350
Website: cor.net
Plus Code: 8645X769+35 (Richardson, TX)
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Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Richardson Public Library
Richardson's first public library opened November 22, 1959, when citizens literally carried books from the Cash Dry Goods store to a two-room, 5,800-square-foot red-brick building at 310 East Tyler. Within a decade the collection had outgrown the space, and voters approved bonds in 1965 to fund a new home. The current building at 900 Civic Center Drive opened December 1, 1970, designed by JPJ Architects in a complex Brutalist scheme with a heavy cantilevered second story — a style the Society of Architectural Historians has catalogued as one of Richardson's defining civic landmarks. Between 1970 and 1995 the library expanded to all four floors and added a basement reference department, growing into the city's primary cultural anchor. In 2021 Richardson voters approved a bond to fully renovate and expand the facility from 71,583 to 83,576 square feet; after operating from a temporary location on Campbell Creek Boulevard since October 2023, the library reopened in the renovated building in late 2026 with a new Tech Logic automated materials handler, 24/7 outdoor hold lockers, floor-coded wayfinding, and a series-based collection organization that makes browsing simpler. The library also contributes 306 historical photographs and maps — including images of early Texas Instruments operations — to The Portal to Texas History.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founded in 1959 and occupying its landmark 1970 Brutalist building by JPJ Architects since December 1 of that year — one of Collin/Dallas County's most distinctive civic structures
- Freshly renovated (2021 bond, $48+ million) and expanded to 83,576 sq ft with Tech Logic automated sorting, 24/7 outdoor hold lockers, and floor-coded color identity
- Seed Library: residents checked out nearly 4,000 seed packets in a single fiscal year — one of the most active free seed exchanges in North Texas
- C-Tech (Creative Technology) center with a public 3D printer, laptop checkout, and business resources — free with a library card in good standing
- Rover outreach van attended 57 community events and reached more than 15,000 people in one year, extending library services across Richardson neighborhoods
- Contributes 306 historic photographs and maps to The Portal to Texas History, including images of early Texas Instruments operations that helped shape Richardson's identity as the Telecom Corridor
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Richardson cardholders access books, films, research databases, and learning platforms free — 24/7 — through TexShare and the library's own digital collection:
📚 Services
- 281,000-volume circulating collection (roughly 1.2 million items circulated per year)
- C-Tech creative technology center: public 3D printer, laptops available for checkout
- Public computers with internet, word processing, and printing
- Notary public services
- Free Wi-Fi throughout the building
- Curbside pickup for holds
- 24/7 outdoor hold lockers for after-hours pickup
- Interlibrary loan via TexShare member network
- Local history and photographs collection (Texas Instruments era, early Richardson)
- Meeting and study rooms available for reservation
🎸 Programs
- Seed Library — borrow seeds for vegetables, herbs, and flowers; return seeds at harvest for others
- Rover Outreach Van — mobile library events at schools, community centers, and festivals across Richardson
- Storytime for children — weekly read-alouds, songs, and crafts for preschool and early-reader ages
- Teen programs — including coding workshops and maker demonstrations by TheLab.ms makerspace
- Adult book clubs and author events
- Summer Reading Program — for children, teens, and adults
📍 Nearby Libraries in North Texas
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Seed Library and how does it work at Richardson Public Library?
The Seed Library is a free program that lets any cardholder check out packets of vegetable, herb, and flower seeds to grow at home — no purchase necessary. Residents are encouraged (but not required) to return seeds from their harvest so others can benefit. In one recent fiscal year, Richardson cardholders checked out nearly 4,000 seed packets, making it one of the most active seed exchanges in North Texas. Seeds are available at the library's service desk during regular hours.
Is the 1970 Brutalist building significant architecturally?
Yes. The Richardson Public Library at 900 Civic Center Drive was designed by JPJ Architects and opened December 1, 1970. The Society of Architectural Historians (SAH Archipedia) documents it as a 'complex Brutalist scheme with a heavy overhanging second story' — one of Richardson's defining civic landmarks. The 2021 bond renovation preserved and expanded the original structure, growing it from 71,583 to 83,576 square feet, while adding modern amenities including floor-coded color wayfinding, a Tech Logic automated materials handler with a public viewing window, and 24/7 outdoor hold lockers.
Does Richardson Public Library hold historical materials about the Telecom Corridor?
Yes. The library contributes 306 items — primarily photographs and maps spanning the 1850s through the 2000s — to The Portal to Texas History (a University of North Texas digital archive). The collection includes images of early Texas Instruments operations and portraits of the families and businesses that built Richardson into the Telecom Corridor, one of the highest concentrations of technology companies in the United States. These materials are freely accessible online through texashistory.unt.edu.
What is the Rover outreach van, and where does it go?
The Rover is Richardson Public Library's mobile outreach vehicle. Library staff take it to schools, community events, neighborhood festivals, and partner organizations across Richardson — attending 57 events and reaching more than 15,000 people in a single year. At each stop, staff can register new cardholders, distribute holds, promote programs, and help residents connect with library resources without visiting a physical branch.
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