Central Library — San Antonio Public Library
🏢 San Antonio Public Library · San Antonio, Texas
Central Library — San Antonio Public Library
Known citywide as the 'Enchilada Red' library, Ricardo Legorreta's 240,000-square-foot downtown landmark opened in May 1995 and houses Dale Chihuly's soaring Fiesta Tower glass sculpture, the Texana & Genealogy Department's 60,000 microforms, and the Latino Collection & Resource Center — all free with a San Antonio Public Library card.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 12pm–8pm |
| Tuesday | 12pm–8pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–6pm |
| Thursday | 10am–6pm |
| Friday | 10am–6pm |
| Saturday | 10am–6pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 600 Soledad Street, San Antonio, TX 78205
Phone: (210) 207-2500
Website: mysapl.org
Plus Code: 76X3CGJ4+XV (San Antonio, TX)
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📖 About Central Library — San Antonio Public Library
The Central Library at 600 Soledad Street is the flagship of the San Antonio Public Library's 30-location system serving 1.9 million residents of San Antonio and Bexar County. Funded by a $28 million bond approved by San Antonio voters in 1989 and supplemented by $10 million from the SAPL Foundation, the six-story, 240,000-square-foot building opened on May 20, 1995 — the first major city-sponsored civic investment since HemisFair '68. Its internationally renowned design was created by Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta, in partnership with San Antonio firms Sprinkle Robey Architects and Johnson-Dempsey & Associates; Legorreta's signature bold orange-red exterior — christened 'Enchilada Red' in a reader contest by the San Antonio Express-News — quickly made the building one of the most recognizable libraries in the United States and earned it the Texas Society of Architects 25-Year Award in 2025. Inside, a multi-story yellow atrium anchors floor after floor of collections, and circulation more than doubled after the library opened its doors.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Ricardo Legorreta's 1995 'Enchilada Red' Mexican Modernist landmark — winner of the Texas Society of Architects 25-Year Award (2025) and recognized by the Society of Architectural Historians (SAH Archipedia)
- Dale Chihuly's Fiesta Tower (2003): a 26-foot, 4,500-pound sculpture of 917 individually hand-blown glass pieces commissioned for the SAPL centennial — one of Chihuly's largest public installations in Texas
- Texana & Genealogy Department: ~60,000 microforms, 75,000 books, Mexican Border Crossing records (1905–1955), a 1611 King James Bible first edition, and complete U.S. census schedules 1790–1930
- Latino Collection & Resource Center (LCRC): 14,000+ Spanish- and English-language items on Latino life in the U.S., founded 1996 — plus ESL study clubs, poetry events, and salsa dance classes
- Marie Swartz Art Resource Center (2nd floor, 7,000 sq ft): a partnership with the Southwest School of Art, housing art periodicals, print materials, and art database access — open to the public
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
SAPL cardholders access eBooks, streaming, databases, and statewide Texas resources free from any device:
📚 Services
- Public computer workstations and printing/copying/scanning
- Outdoor Wi-Fi access (7:30am–10:30pm daily, including the plaza)
- On-site multilevel parking garage (400 spaces) adjacent to the building
- Texana & Genealogy Department: reference-only archival research (Tue & Thu 12–8pm, Wed & Fri & Sat 9am–5pm; call 210-207-2559)
- Latino Collection & Resource Center: Spanish-language and Latinx-authored materials, 1st floor
- Marie Swartz Art Resource Center: art books, periodicals, and databases, 2nd floor (partnership with Southwest School of Art)
- Seating for 1,300 patrons across six floors
- Ask a Librarian remote reference service
- Interlibrary loan via TexShare member network
- Library card registration and account management
🎸 Programs
- LCRC ESL Study Club — free English conversation sessions hosted by the Latino Collection & Resource Center
- LCRC Platicas — author conversations celebrating Latino literature and heritage
- LCRC Summer Salsa Dance Classes — community cultural programming each summer
- Genealogy Presentations — Texana staff-led workshops on researching Texas and Hispanic family history
- San Antonio Book Festival — annual community literary festival attracting ~25,000 attendees each spring
- Learn at SAPL — individualized job support, digital literacy, and computer training (drop-in)
📍 Nearby Libraries in San Antonio (SAPL)
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Central Library called the 'Enchilada Red' library?
The nickname was coined in a reader contest run by the San Antonio Express-News when the library opened in 1995. Architect Ricardo Legorreta chose the vivid orange-red color deliberately as an expression of Mexican Modernist design philosophy — he said he wanted to 'break the concept that libraries are imposing.' The color became so beloved that the building earned the Texas Society of Architects 25-Year Award in 2025 and is recognized by the Society of Architectural Historians as a landmark of 20th-century Texas architecture.
What is the Dale Chihuly sculpture inside the Central Library?
Fiesta Tower is a two-story, 26-foot glass sculpture installed in the main atrium in 2003 to commemorate the centennial of the San Antonio Public Library system. It comprises 917 individually hand-blown glass pieces weighing 4,500 pounds in total (3,500 pounds of glass), with colors chosen to represent the diverse cultures of San Antonio. It is one of Chihuly's largest permanent public installations in Texas.
What can I research in the Texana & Genealogy Department?
The Texana & Genealogy Department (currently on the first floor during 6th-floor renovation; phone 210-207-2559) holds one of the most extensive Texas and genealogy collections in the region: approximately 60,000 microforms, 75,000 books, complete U.S. census schedules (1790–1930), Mexican Border Crossing records (1905–1955), more than 2,000 Civil War unit histories, over 1,000 African American funeral programs dating to 1935, a rare 1611 King James Bible first edition, and records from 14+ Texas counties. The collection is reference-only; staff can assist with in-person research.
Is parking available at the Central Library?
Yes. An adjacent multilevel parking garage with 400 spaces is connected to the library. The building also has outdoor plaza areas with extended Wi-Fi access (7:30am–10:30pm), making it easy to work or read outside even beyond library hours. The Central Library is located in downtown San Antonio within walking distance of the River Walk.
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