Your Ultimate Guide to the Salt Lake City Library

Before you even step inside, stop and take it in. The Salt Lake City Main Library, all 240,000 square feet of it, was designed by internationally acclaimed architect Moshe Safdie in collaboration with locally-based VCBO Architecture. The result is a soaring, light-filled masterpiece that has turned heads since it opened in 2003.

And the accolades back it up:

• Ten Most Beautiful Libraries in the World — ABC News, 2013
• AIA/ALA Library Building Award — American Institute of Architects & American Library Association, 2005
• Honor Award for Outstanding Architecture — American Institute of Architects, 2004
• Design Award for Best Public/Institutional Building — Prestressed Concrete Institute, 2003

Inside, you'll find six floors of airy, naturally lit space housing 500,000 borrowable materials, galleries, a 300+ seat auditorium, meeting and study rooms, and a whole ecosystem of shops and services. It's a city within the city.

The Best Free View in Salt Lake (Seriously)

The library is home to one of Salt Lake's best-kept secrets. A newly remodeled Rooftop Terrace with 360-degree views of the Wasatch Mountains, the city skyline, and golden western sunsets behind the historic City and County Building.

Grab a coffee, find a shaded corner, crack open a book, and just... breathe. It's open every day, weather permitting, and it's completely free. This is Salt Lake at its finest.

Don't Forget to Say Hi to the Bees

No, really. The Main Library has its own resident honeybee colonies, maintained by library staff who have been trained in beekeeping. You can peek at the hives from an indoor viewing area on the 5th floor or spot them from the Rooftop Terrace. These industrious little residents are award-winning too; their honey took first place at the Utah State Fair Honey Sweepstakes in 2016. The Beehive State living up to its name, one hive at a time.

The Main Library isn't just about borrowing books, it's a full-on destination. Here's who you'll find inside:

• Hugo Coffee: Fuel up at this women-owned café named after its founder's rescue dog. Hugo donates a portion of proceeds to animal rescue organizations across the country. A latte never felt so good.
• The Library Store: Score gently-used books, graphic novels, movies, and City Library merch at seriously great prices. Every purchase directly funds library programs and initiatives throughout the year.
• The Salon at Library Square: For over 20 years, actress and stylist Princess Kennedy has created Utah's premier all-inclusive space for gender-diverse and queer people and their allies. A safe, affirming place to explore identity and presentation, right here in the library.
• The English Garden & Art at the Main: Browse beautiful flowers and floral gifts at The English Garden or explore Art at the Main, a co-operative gallery showcasing the work of some of Utah's best local artists.

Art for Everyone, Free of Charge

Local artists can apply to display their work in the library's gallery spaces at no cost, and the result is a constantly rotating showcase of Utah's creative talent. Find work displayed in the Gallery at Library Square on the 4th floor, the Lower Urban Room, the Teen Lounge on the 2nd floor, and the Children's Gallery in the Lower Urban Room. Applications open twice a year, so keep an eye out if you're an artist looking for a space to shine.

Grow Something at the Community Garden

Yes, the library has a garden. The City Library employs a staff gardener who leads free workshops, seed swaps, and maintains The Plot, a community garden right at the Main Library. Each year, 16 garden beds are awarded to Salt Lake residents via a random drawing. From spring through fall, winners can grow whatever they please. It's the perfect gateway to urban gardening, whether you're a seasoned pro or have never touched a trowel in your life.

Kids, teens, and adults are all invited to read more, explore their community, and earn prizes along the way. Sign up at any of our 9 locations across Salt Lake, or online at slcpl.beanstack.org. Everyone receives a prize just for signing up, then, as you complete the challenge through reading and fun activities, you can earn a halfway prize, a completion prize, and even enter to win a Grand Prize basket!

Parents and caregivers, this is also a fantastic opportunity to practice early literacy skills with babies and toddlers, literacy begins from day one! Encourage little ones by talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing together all summer long.

Why does Summer Reading matter? Studies show that kids who don't read over the summer can lose up to two months of reading development, known as the Summer Slide. Reading outside of school improves comprehension, vocabulary, and spelling, and helps kids return to the classroom ready to focus and learn. It also builds empathy and imagination; as poet Natalie Diaz puts it, reading is "a way of practicing the imagination necessary to broaden our capacities to understand ourselves and others."

All summer long, expect a packed lineup of events and programming tied to the dinosaur theme, roaring good times guaranteed.

Visit slcpl.org/events to see what's coming up near you.

• Summer Concerts: Live local music under the evening sun at most City Library branches. Check slcpl.org/summerconcerts for the schedule.
• Free Rooftop Yoga: Summer yoga classes on the Rooftop Terrace with a mountain view that no gym can compete with.
• Alt Press Fest: Every fall, meet local zine-creators, DIY-publishers, and artists in one of the city's most creative annual gatherings.
• Big Used Book Sales: Held periodically throughout the year at the Main Library (with smaller sales at branch locations). Bookworms, mark your calendars.

Plan Your Visit

The Salt Lake City Main Library is located at 210 E 400 S and is open seven days a week. Admission is always free. Parking is available in the underground garage.

Whether you're coming for a book, a view, a coffee, a concert, or just a quiet place to think, the library has a spot for you.