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Austin Public Library is a library service in Austin, Texas, United States. It is operated by the City of Austin.
The John Henry Faulk Central Library at 800 Guadalupe Street is the main branch; opening in 1979. It is 110,000 square feet (10,000 m2) on five stories (the first three open to the public, with the fourth floor reserved for the administrative offices, and the basement reserved for storage/utilities). The Austin History Center at 810 Guadalupe Street (immediately adjacent to the 1979 building) was formerly the main library of Austin when it opened in 1933 to replace the first library building, an 1,800 square feet (170 m2) wood-frame structure opened in 1926, which was moved to become the first branch of the library and currently is part of the Carver Museum.
In the spring of 2013, the city of Austin broke ground on a 6-story new central library building overlooking Shoal Creek and Lady Bird Lake to be in operation by 2017. The building is part of the city's extensive redevelopment of the former Seaholm power plant site, west of the intersection of Lamar Boulevard and Cesar Chavez Street. The building will be funded in large part by a 2006 bond. The building is designed by a joint venture of San Antonio-based Flato Architects, known for their energy-efficient and sustainable projects; and Boston-based Shepley Bulfinch, successor to the firm founded by 19th century architect Henry Hobson Richardson. The new central library will offer a living rooftop garden, reading porches, an indoor reading room and a bicycle corral. Other amenities include large indoor and outdoor event spaces, a café, gift shop and an art gallery.In 2012, Austin voters approved additional bonds for, among other projects, library renovations.
Besides the central library and the Austin History Center, the Austin Public Library has 20 branches and Recycled Reads bookstore and upcycling facility. All branches are open 6 days a week and a few locations are open 7 days a week. The APL library system also has mobile libraries – bookmobile busses and a human-powered trike and trailer called "unbound: sin fronteras."