About the Central Library
What's Here
- 6 floors with 200,000 total square feet
- 13 Shared Learning Rooms that can be used for classes, workshops, meetings, co-working, etc.
- 589 seats throughout the building
- 140 public use PC and Mac computers
- 150 self-check electronic devices such as laptops and iPads
- 50 large screens for displaying electronic information
Explore
Special Amenities
- Gallery Space dedicated to temporary art exhibits
- Event Center and Space Rentals
- Passport Services
- Cookbook Bar and Café
- Gift Shop
- Local Seed Library on northwest corner of the 6th floor
- Reading Porches overlooking Shoal Creek and Lady Bird Lake
Sustainability
- Platinum LEED® Certification
- Rooftop garden with largest solar installation in downtown Austin
- Operates 30 percent more efficiently than energy code requires
- Energy savings equivalent to the energy needs of 130 households/year
- Seaholm EcoDistrict self-guided audio tour
Public Art
- Public Art at the Austin Public Library: Wander, CAW
- Seaholm Public Art: Power Picket, Array, Spin, and Crullers
Design
Awards & Recognition
- TIME Magazine World's Greatest Places 2018
- AIA/ALA Library Building Award
- Shoal Creek Conservancy Keystone Award
- ASCE Texas Section Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award
- Excellence in Structural Engineering Award
- Urban Libraries Council 2018 Top Innovators Award
