Walla Walla Public Library
🏢 City of Walla Walla · Walla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla Public Library
The Walla Walla Public Library traces its roots to November 1897 and its landmark Carnegie building — dedicated in December 1905 with $25,000 from Andrew Carnegie — to the corner of Alder and Palouse streets, where a major transformation is underway in 2026 to create a new great-hall entry, expanded programming room, and unified staff area. During the renovation the library is operating from a temporary location at 115 W. Main Street while keeping its full hours.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–7pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–7pm |
| Thursday | 10am–7pm |
| Friday | 10am–7pm |
| Saturday | 10am–3pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 238 E. Alder Street, Walla Walla, WA 99362
Phone: (509) 527-4550
Website: wallawallapubliclibrary.org
Plus Code: 85R33M88+X6 (Walla Walla, WA)
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📖 About Walla Walla Public Library
The Walla Walla Public Library is the municipal public library of Walla Walla, Washington, a Walla Walla County city famous for its wineries, sweet onions, and liberal-arts colleges. The library opened in November 1897 after Walla Wallans lobbied the state legislature for a law authorizing municipalities to fund free public libraries — making it one of Washington's oldest continuously operating public libraries. Its landmark building at 238 E. Alder Street was dedicated on December 13, 1905, built with a $25,000 Andrew Carnegie grant secured in 1903 by the Woman's Reading Club Library Committee; the exterior used deep maroon pressed brick from Kansas and grey Tenino sandstone. A second building replaced it in 1970, and the current 19,000-square-foot facility at the same address is now undergoing a full transformation — funded in part by a $30,000 Wildhorse Foundation grant and a $10,000 donation from the Carnegie Corporation of New York — to add a great-hall entry, outdoor plaza, new programming room, and modern bathrooms. During the 2026 renovation the library is operating from a 4,000-square-foot temporary site at 115 W. Main Street while holding full hours; materials not on the temporary shelves are in storage and retrievable by staff request. The library provides public computers with Microsoft Office and 90-minute internet sessions, MacBook laptops for checkout, and a robust digital suite including Libby, hoopla, and Kanopy.
⭐ What makes this library special
- One of Washington's oldest public libraries — opened November 1897 following state legislation Walla Wallans helped pass
- Original Carnegie building dedicated December 13, 1905, built with $25,000 from Andrew Carnegie using Kansas pressed brick and Tenino sandstone
- 2026 renovation (Wildhorse Foundation + Carnegie Corporation-funded) adding great-hall entry, outdoor plaza & new programming room
- Currently operating from a temporary location at 115 W. Main St — full hours maintained; materials retrievable by staff request
- MacBook laptops available for checkout; public computers with 90-minute internet sessions & Microsoft Office
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Walla Walla cardholders can stream, borrow, and research 24/7 through Washington statewide and library digital collections:
📚 Services
- Free library card for Walla Walla city and county residents
- Public computers with Microsoft Office & 90-minute internet sessions
- MacBook laptops available for checkout
- Printing, copying, and scanning
- Free Wi-Fi in library and parking lot
- Interlibrary loan
- Libby, hoopla, Kanopy & AskWA digital access
- Materials retrieval from renovation storage by staff request
🎸 Programs
- Children's and youth programs — FREE events designed for active, engaged learning across age groups
- Teen programs and services
- Adult programming and community events
- Summer reading programs
- Monthly community calendar of dozens of free public programs
📍 Nearby Libraries in the Walla Walla Valley
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Walla Walla · Browse all Washington libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Walla Walla Public Library open during the 2026 renovation, and where is the temporary location?
Yes, the library is fully open during the renovation. Since June 2026, services have moved to a temporary location at 115 W. Main Street — next to Washington Federal Bank and across from the Farmers Market shelter. Hours remain the same: Monday–Friday 10 a.m.–7 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.–3 p.m. If you can't find an item on the temporary shelves, staff can retrieve it from storage.
What is the history of the Carnegie building at 238 E. Alder Street?
In 1903 the Woman's Reading Club Library Committee secured a $25,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie. The City Council accepted the grant and chose the triangular site at Alder and Palouse streets. The building — constructed with deep maroon pressed brick from Kansas and grey Tenino sandstone — was dedicated on December 13, 1905. It was one of 2,507 Carnegie libraries built worldwide (44 in Washington). The current 1970-era building on the same site is now being transformed into a modern library with a great-hall entry and outdoor plaza.
Can I stream movies or check out eBooks without visiting the library?
Yes. With a free Walla Walla Public Library card you can use Libby for ebooks and audiobooks (via the Washington Anytime Library), hoopla for streaming movies, music, comics and more, and Kanopy for 30,000+ films including documentaries and world cinema — all from home on any device with no visits required.
How long can I use a library computer, and can I borrow a laptop?
Public computers allow 90-minute internet and Microsoft Office sessions (at the temporary location). MacBook laptops are also available to check out from the library. Free Wi-Fi is available in the building and parking lot.
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