St. Louis Public Library - Central Library

𝐀 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭-𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐭. 𝐋𝐨𝐮𝐢𝐬. Central Library wasn’t just a stop on my trip—it was a highlight. The staff made me feel welcome right away. In the teen library, two librarians walked me through how the space highlighed both the authors who had visited and what teens actually want. That kind of care? Inspiring. This place isn’t just beautiful—it’s intentional. Every detail feels chosen with love. But what really struck me is how much this library belongs to the community. It’s not just a place to read—it's a place to gather, to grow, to be seen. Whether you're a local or just passing through, it’s the kind of space that reminds you what public spaces can be. If you’re in St. Louis, go. You’ll walk out better for it.

This is my favorite location. I love the children and teen areas along with the beautiful architecture. I found out recently that there was a cafe located on the locust side of the library.

I absolutely love this library. The staff are always helpful, no matter what department you're in. The main attraction/architecture is also beautiful. I've complained about some of the unpleasant smells I have experienced with people. Despite this, they maintain their professionalism with everyone. Thank you for making my experiences more tolerable!

Ever since the Julia Davis library closed for tornado repairs this has been my go-to library. They have everything you could think of, and more. I appreciate the positive and helpful energy the staff brings every day, and I always enjoy visiting. Their CD collection is awesome and extensive, and the same can be said for the rest of the library. There's always someone ready to have a cool conversation outside, and people will totally respect your space and privacy inside while also being friendly. I have yet to have a single complaint about this place and I don't think I ever will — not like I'm that kind of person anyway. Even if you're just visiting the city, come check out the amazing architecture and history here.

Gorgeous! Absolutely ask the librarians questions, they were so warm and welcoming! Shout out to Trent who showed us around the rare books collection, it made our entire trip!

Absolutely beautiful, the interior of the library is stunning, and very nice to look at.absolutely would go again if not just to wander through the place.

Made an appointment at this library to get my Passport expedited because my local USPS did not have sufficient staffing to accept passport appointments on weekends. My appointment was on June 23rd and my passport is arriving today on July 9th. Talk about quick and professional! The staff here who helped with my first passport application process were amazing and made sure everything cleared just in time for my trip. Very grateful for this location and staff!

The place is fantastic; the library is beautiful and clean for the most part, and parking is available in the front for a maximum of 2 hours It could be increased with the app. The library card offer. So many possibilities and benefits and the library itself is awesome. Has extremely rare books on the 3rd floor. People wanting to make music but don't have the equipment well they have it there. Also 3D printing with the ability of them Teaching. The 3D printing and engraving and other devices such as professional graded printers. The place is fantastic for the most part. Very well-kept & clean. There were some downfalls to many homeless people roaming around, but not seeming to cause an issue. They are reading books for the most part And it's understandable It's a pretty good, legit place to hang out kind of Being able to use the bathroom with peace. The first floor has a little cafeteria open from a certain time and offers some sort of food and coffee. The security guards are all around the place. And for the 3rd floor with rare books that location, you have to be buzzed in if you're going to be touching anything. Everything is secured with cameras from every angle which is amazing for those weird interesting Rare hundred-plus-year-old books and more. Plus all the people in the library that were workers were amicable. I was amazed with creative section where they had the opportunity to use sound systems, computers for video—editing, painting, 3D printing engraving And so much more. With very good paper quality Pro: Place is beautiful Parking in front with app (2hr max) Rare books 3rd floor Very clean building 3rd printer, Engraver machine and high professional graded printers. The list goes on Library card Perks and benefits. ( Audiobooks, streaming, ebooks and music) The place is Quiet and great for studying. For those who love architecture. One love the building and the vast great masonry work. Cons: A lot of homeless people around I would not feel comfortable leaving anything around. - the front of the library also has a lot of homeless people in front leaving food and bags at the front entrance. Other than that, the place was great!!

Every time I visit this extraordinary library, I see and learn something new. St. Louis is very fortunate to have this fascinating historical site which is available to all as a look at our STL history and as a currently running library! Our tour guide was phenomenal! Scott offered historical details above and beyond what was in front of us. Another reason to love our city!

I love visiting with my daughter, the kids area is lovely. I also love that you have to walk through the adult reading room so I can grab something to read omw to get her to the kids room. The librarians are always amazing and so patient with the kids. Call the phone number for the parking code for the free lot off of Olive.

Visited the Central Branch of the St Louis Public Library (STLPL) this past Saturday to attend the Special Collections tour open to the public. This was the first time they gave the tour since the pandemic and I was so happy to hear that they plan to continue every month or every other month now. The next will be August 24th. Throughout the tour, Renee Jones, Research Manager for Rare Books and Manuscripts, will walk you through the rarely seen Fox Steedman Architectural Library (an architectural and iconographical marvel in itself) and then bring you to the third floor special collections to review some special pieces she brings out. I love how much care and individuality is put into this tour and it makes me proud that St Louis has such a culture of open and free access to knowledge.

What a gem of a library. It seems to go on forever! The ceilings are beautiful, and while the echos make it seem like a library where you need to be particularly quiet, it still has places set up for hanging out with others. I was there first for a history- related game night and second for a taiko drum show in their cute and really nice auditorium.

Clean and well kept and just beautiful inside. Our toddler loved the kids room and there was a ton of stuff to do in the kids section so that was nice. Lots of good puzzles and chairs.

They love children! Lots of activities for children and adults. Today is trick-and-treat day!

This is definitely my favorite place to work remote! It's beyond gorgeous, and there are loads of rooms to get your work done. There were a couple of tables in the art room that didn't have working electricity (or we were too inept to figure out how to turn them on) for charging our laptops, but other than that, zero issues! Will definitely come again.

This is one of the most beautiful buildings in St Louis. It is free to enter and would take a little less than 30 minutes to explore. I would definitely stop by if you are in the downtown area!

Order- Print & Fax Documents Pros: Printing was free. You get $5 each month Cons: Bumbed that there is no fax!

Let me begin with saying my boys and I love hanging out for hours at Central Library! We were beyond ecstatic when the library opened back up for sitting and reading - that was our spot! We enjoy checking out the display cases as they frequently change. What you see on the phot is a picture of my youngest son and I checking out the architect of old building in St. Louis. He thought it was neat. Although the cafe isn't open, it's definitely worth visiting and enjoying the architecture of that building, as well. So much history there.

A sight for sore eyes. This historic STL monument is not only excellent for reference material but studying, sightseeing, solitude, meetings & experiencing true Saint Louis culture. Totally revitalized & modern with original details brought back to life; from the stained glass to the tiles & wood work, Central Library is an amazingly beautiful structure you're sure to enjoy. I need an article from 1971 Post Dispatch. It was easily obtained with the assistance of helpful staff in the Microfilm department. Security on-site for your safety.

Now, I admit I have never gone to this library in need of a book, but I have come here for their lecture series a time or two, and I've always had great experiences here for those. My most recent visit was to see Larry Wilmore here on Sunday. The auditorium where he spoke was a good size but not too large, so it was a lot more intimate of a conversation than in a huge stadium-sized auditorium. The sound system was great, and they have an overflow room for such events for those that can not get a seat in the main auditorium. There's always free happenings taking place here to check out. The architecture here is beautiful, inside and out. The exterior of the building is old and ornate. On the outside of building, there are beautiful guilded fountains with lion heads and quotes which are unique and nice. Now the downside... The main outdoor staircase that leads to the main entrance was closed on Sunday, so many of us were standing outside waiting for the doors to be opened, which never happened. We had to walk around to the back of the building and go through the north entrance. A SIGN WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH APPRECIATED! I was with my mom and she had an issue with her leg, so the needless and long walk was an issue. Also, i hate to say this, but it is the pink elephant in the room.... This library is close to the homeless shelter, so on that north entrance you will see a lot of homeless people across the street. They won't disturb you and there is heavy police presence there at all times. Now, I'm glad that Larry Rice has his shelter downtown and these individuals have a place to stay, but it is something to acknowledge.

This is the prettiest library that I've ever visited in St.Louis. Came to check this place out out from an article talking about its history and beauty, and was very blown away. Wish I could've gotten a tour but because of COVID, they've stopped for a while. Been here twice now, and every librarian I've spoken to is very kind and gave me the impression that they love working there! They are also super helpful! Crazy we can check out up to 75 books! Definitely a place to check out if you're strolling around downtown stl!

Came to this library hoping to get some work done in a new and comfortable location. Upon arrival I realized that the cafe was closed all day, or maybe even permanently, and wasn't not reflected online. There were no comfortable seating areas in the entire library and only wooden tables amongst busy and loud sections on the higher floors. The building has various facilities for children, technology, historical records, and art showings. Overall, I would not come again to get some work done or read unless there was an event.

Books and a Beautiful Building, who can ask for anything more. The Grand Hall is absolutely gorgeous and I enjoyed the displays of local history. They had the bell from the KMOV-TV show Cookie & The Captain, which I got to ring when my Cub Scout Troop were the audience for one of the shows. Oh, the flashback of memories. Great quiet spaces to study and do work projects, with an endless amount of references available at your fingertips. If you need a computer, they have that too. If I lived downtown, I'd be a regular here and perhaps the Duke.

Absolutely stunning and beautiful - the look and feel of what a central library should be. Built in 1912 - it is a classic building, with the look and feel of something which is sturdy and lasting - a true institution focused on knowledge, access and community. This building is a true institution and a must visit for anyone who appreciates classic libraries or merely is a fan of what an urban library should look and feel like. Congratulations to the citizens of St. Louis for having such a gem and investing the resources to maintain a true institution.

I love, love libraries. This is the first time I've visited the Central branch. It is gorgeous! The decade-old "new" area is bright and open. What I love is the architectural beauty in the old building. There are numerous historical photos showing construction of the original structure. I found it difficult, though, to find the section I was looking for and wish signage included call numbers to lead me to the books I most wanted. So, I wandered around. It is very spacious with a fair number of tables and far fewer people using this amazing resource. There is a self-checkout machine and the curb-side book return is on Locust Street. I had no trouble finding parking.

We have no libraries like this in Houston. Even the Carnegie libraries in Cincinnati cannot compare. The buildings are beautiful, the staff helpful and the programming is relevant and well attended. So jealous!

Beautiful building. I love the way it has been renovated. It seems you can find everything and anything your heart desires! They have great meeting rooms that can accommodate parties in various sizes. My organization has utilized them a few times and they allow you to bring light refreshments in to serve your guests. They also have a cafe. If you haven't been in a long time, dust your library card off and come see this place!

Not really a big fan of renovations. Yes, there is more open space but this library seems to be more of a beautiful museum than a library based on its inner appearance. Just take the main hall, It use to have tables that allowed people to work , study, and wait for books to be delivered from the selves. Now it seems to more a display case room that would better situated in the Missouri History museum.

Back in '98, I was at a writers' conference where a dreamy-eyed participant asked our instructor just how one goes about getting inspiration to write. Is it placing oneself before a window looking out on beautiful scenery? Is it the comfy afghan around the shoulders, or the warm cup of honeyed chamomile tea? Ina, who worked for Knight-Ridder, replied, "Each week, I write three columns on deadline. If I don't write, then I don't eat. That's my inspiration." Well, I'm not a journalist, but my job involves writing on deadline. If I don't write, then I won't eat very long. Worse, If don't write well, I may eat, but I'll have indigestion caused by looks of disappointment or boredom. Where to write? Offices don't work. Too many interruptions. Notes on the door "Do not disturb" look pretentious. Holding calls or refusing walk-in visits does not create goodwill. Home can work. But the phone rings, the dog wants out, the dishwasher needs loading, there's laundry to do, and the grass is six inches tall. All these distractions are why, I believe, God and his agents on earth created libraries. Today's visit to STL PL Central, coulda shoulda been a 1500-word session, but ended at about 600 words. Lots of kids in there today, and all that marble seemed to carry their happy voices to all levels. Lots of talking in the two spaces I tried, much of it by library staff. I'm pretty good at blocking out distractions when I need to get things done. But I don't go to a library to block out distractions; I go to avoid them. Still, it is a beautiful place, in its own magnificent marbley way. And I appreciate the diagonal parking spaces on Olive. It's like pulling up to stately Wayne Manor, minus the Batmobile. Above all, STL PL Central served as the subject for this little diversion, which may be just the refreshment I need before turning back to the deadlines. Word 601, here we go.

This is the best-looking library in the entire city library system. The two-year renovation and expansion of what already was a beautiful building has served the old dame well. I recently toured Central Library with a docent-led group. These tours happened just about every hour on January weekends, but call to see if the library still offers them when you want to visit. Our docent was incredibly knowledgable about the library's history and the work that went into the renovation. She pointed out so many of the building's design intricacies that I wish I had been taking notes. She was a volunteer, but golly, you'd think she was highly paid staff. I wanted to tip her afterwards, but it was clear that would have been odd. I'm still getting the lay of the land on my own. The Grand Hall is a beautiful area on the main floor where you can plug a laptop into an outletted table. It gets a little noisy here, though, simply because you can hear the nearby doors echo through the cavernous chamber. The lower level contains my favorite areas -- the ones for teens and children. I'm not a creep or anything, I simply love the modern design that doesn't condescend to either age range. The children's area features murals and quotes from beloved books like "Madeleine," "Where the Sidewalk Ends," "Winnie the Pooh" and more. The teen/young adult area boasts a gorgeous, inspiring wall of text and color, along with some modern room dividers. Both areas include furniture that encourages lounging with good reads. It's just so damn inviting down here. There are plenty of renovated wings and niche areas to the library -- geneology, St. Louis history, science, media and more. The library also has been updated with modern meeting spaces. You can hold classes, presentations, networking events and more here now, and you'll have all the tech you could possibly need. This gorgeous library that's just two blocks from my home has Sunday hours, which is extremely useful. Many areas of the library are closed off on Sunday, though, so finding a viable laptop space is a little tricky. So why four stars instead of five? I'm still getting the hang of this place, and it's a little intimidating. While there are signs outside each of the niche rooms, it's not easy finding signs to guide you to wherever you're going. Also, I'm leery of the printing system. I assume that printing documents is a nightmare here like it is at the other branches (with so many steps, no online procedural help, not-so-knowledgeable tech leaders, etc.), but I haven't done it yet. I'll let you know how that pans out. Overall, though, this is a gorgeous gem of an institution. I wish it were on a more trafficked street to pick up additional walk-in and tourist traffic. I feel so cosmopolitan when I visit.

Gorgeous. Awe-inspiring. Amazing. This library is my happy place and I am so glad I work across the street so I can run over several times a week to pick up books. The librarians are always available and eager to help patrons find what they need. There are numerous special events in the auditorium (former coal storage basement). It's been updated to be completely modern and tech-savvy. On a sad note, the number of St. Louisans I run in to who've NEVER been here depresses me. Get here, people. You are missing out on one of the best places in the entire metro!

Went there last Friday, October 1st with my family, we all love libraries. While the building itself is beautiful, I felt very unsafe visiting. Multiple patrons were walking around and sitting at tables without masks on, despite the library requiring them to wear them. I saw one woman cursing at one of the librarians because they politely asked her to put her mask back on. The restrooms were filthy with one of the sinks being full of loose hair. My oldest daughter need a couple of music scores out of the stacks and a super nice librarian on the second floor pulled them for her, however while she was waiting she said one of the men sitting at a table kept leering at her, and that she felt super uncomfortable. When it came time to check the items out we were blatantly ignored by the woman at the front desk till one my wife was forced to get her attention. Overall while the building is nice I can't recommend coming here at this time. I may come back another time without the family and see if maybe it was just that day, but even then I'm not sure I'll be back to this location.

I was totally blown away by this beautiful library. The fiction section is huge, and many of the books are displayed face-out, for easier browsing. There's a media room where you can record a podcast, make a YouTube video, and they even have classes for kids to learn about film making. Each room was a treasure trove. The staff is ridiculously friendly, and clearly so proud of their library, as they should be. Parking at the meters right in front was $1.50 / hour and super convenient. Loved every second of my visit.

What everyone has said about the beauty of the place is true. However, if you are looking for a place to study, I would suggest looking elsewhere. There are not many tables and options (i.e. completely quiet, little noise, or coffee shop environment) for someone to get comfortable, plug in their laptop, and study for a few hours. The security guard there approached me twice about not being allowed to use a certain outlet next to my table (Reason being that the room was for reading only) and not having shoes on while I studied. I felt as if I were in a museum more so than a library. I also couldn't find free parking anywhere around the building and had to pay to study, which wasn't ideal for me. Maybe I will come back here for a lecture or a talk, but not for studying :)

I found this library because of a Yoga Buzz event. I felt like one could feel the history when you walk into the building. They were getting ready for a WW1 exhibit and I only had a short time to look around before the yoga. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful, my goodness librarians have changed for the better. From what I can tell this library is free to walk around in, the also have a coffee shop attached to it, and a gift shop. If you live in the City of St Louis, go check out where some of your tax dollars are going, it is worth it.

Two girlfriends and I went for a FREE docent-led tour of the renovated library. Tours are conducted every Monday and Saturday at 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m. http://www.slpl.org/slpl/library/central_tour.asp There is a FREE large parking lot designated for library visitors at Olive and 15th Street. http://www.slpl.org/slpl/library/central_parking.asp You just need to stop at the front desk on your way out of the library to get a token to put in the box to make the gate go up so you can exit the parking lot. The tour lasts about an hour, and you are taken through the entire library. Our guide, Penny, was full of anecdotes and "fun facts" about the original library constructed in 1912, and interesting discoveries and dilemmas encountered during the renovation. Throughout the hallways, there are many old photos of the original library and its patrons, including much history about the initial building of the library photographically captured by a female photojournalist -- quite the unusual in the early 1900s. The library was originally built in Italian Renaissance architecture (http://faculty.uml.edu/CulturalStudies/Italian_Renaissance/11_12_13.htm), and the renovation has held true to that. Based on what Penny told us, they went to incredible lengths to renovate the library to its original grandeur. There are a lot of resources in this beautiful building, including a St. Louis Room that has so many specific details about the origin of the city and its residents, including maps created during hot air balloon trips. And there is still a card catalog!

This is a beautiful space. I was never there before the renovation, but post-renovation I can say it is gorgeous! The windows and wood work are impressive. That said, it is a terrible place to study or work. I am a graduate student and was counting down the days for the library to reopen. I've tried (and failed) to study there 5 times. I've gone in the morning, afternoon, and evening. I have tried every wing and room. Every time, I am interrupted by staff members speaking loudly to each other or to visitors. The library staff is oriented more towards informing tourists about the renovation and the history of the building than ensuring a quiet place for patrons to read or study. Also, there is not a single comfortable chair to be found other than in the young adult room which is off limits to adults. It's a sad day when coffee shops provide a quieter and more respectful place for study than a LIBRARY! Maybe once tourists stop trickling in, the library will become a decent place to work. As of now, it's just a pretty building.

Let me tell you how much I love the library...yet again. One of my books was due today. I tried to renew it online, but there was a hold on it, meaning that someone wanted to borrow it too. So I checked the online catalog and found out that there were four other copies of this book that that someone could borrow instead of my copy. Instead of getting off my lazy ass to return this book and put a hold on another copy for them to send over, I called up the branch to ask if they could renew my book and send another copy for that other someone. They told me to call the main branch and ask for customer service. So customer service placed me on hold for three minutes, worked some magic, and now my book is again renewed while the hold is being fulfilled by one of the other books. He also was like, "Who did you talk to at the branch? Because they could have done that too. And tell them next time to call us themselves...because that's what they're there for." Aw. I don't mind talking to you though...because you are super helpful and had great answers for me. I love people who know what they're doing. I wish I could say it was a lusty novella that I was renewing, but no, it was just a gardening book. Needless to say, if I ever find myself writing a lusty novella myself, the St. Louis Public Library will play a prominent role in it.

This library has been newly renovated and is beautiful! The employees are really helpful and took their time helping me get set up. I didn't try the café on first floor, but it looks like they serve smoothies, salads, wraps, and other bites. There's even a recording studio you can reserve, which is unique. If you have a library card, you get $30 worth of free printing a month!

The Central Branch of the STL public library re-opened in December 2012 after being closed for over a year. I came here last week to see what kind of renovation you get for $70 Million. Well, it's pretty impressive. Anyone with an interest in historic architecture will want to see what they've done to the place. Much of the enjoyment comes from looking up - all the ceilings have been restored to their original glory and they are impressive. The huge stained glass windows that adorn the staircases beside the Grand Hall are also just gorgeous. The modern lighted shelves are also very cool. The Grand Hall is breathtakingly beautiful - one of the most impressive rooms in St. Louis. My favorite spot, though, was the St. Louis room, which has about 20 very unique historical photos around the room. Be sure and get a printed guide that describes each picture (ask the librarian - they are in a rack in the middle of the room). I could probably go back to this room and hang out for hours looking over some of the hundreds of books that tell the city's story. I love this kind of stuff. Anyway, the restoration is amazing, outside and in. It's a must see for locals, but also worth a stop for tourists. One of the library docents told me there are several tours daily of the building (on the hour, mid-day as I recall). I'll definitely be back.

Gorgeous. Just gorgeous. What a lovely St.Louis treasure. If you love books and architecture or history you must go!

We are new to St. Louis and this was our first visit to the library here. It is a beautiful building. But, as working library, I felt that our needs would be better met elsewhere. It wasn't very user-friendly. It was silent and nearly empty on a Friday afternoon. The layout is difficult to manage. I was sent from one department to another to another in the hopes of finding a book. Some librarians (children's department, languages) were friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. Other staff members (two different women at the front desk, a woman in the Reader's Center) were just plain rude. I was shocked! The woman in the Reader's Center was busy talking with someone about an illness while we stood at the desk and waited. And waited. When we finally got her attention, she was rude and unhelpful. We left--without the books we were hoping to check out. I am hoping another branch or another library system will be better. We were actively involved in our last library--checking out books, taking classes, participating in programs--and hope to find that again. We also hope to find a library in St. Louis that makes homeschooling easier. Our last city offered a special library card to homeschooling families with no limits on books and no overdue fees.

My great library adventure! The Central Library is pretty cool. It's hard to get around how vast and beautiful this library truly is. However, it gets three stars for my first experience with the staff. This all stems from a Poe documentary that was supposed to be sent to the Barr Branch. The people at Barr told me that I would receive a letter when it arrived. That letter never came. The time arrived, and I needed the doc. Therefore, I got on the SLPL website to find out where my video was. It was still at the Central Library. I wandered downtown to see why my video never made the two mile trek to Barr. The security pointed me where I needed to go. I ended up next to the computer lab. I asked the clerk where the Stacks department was, and she told me that I wasn't allowed in Stacks. She handed me a phone to talk to whoever was in charge there. He seemed pretty annoyed by my request and quickly put me on hold. After several minutes, he returned and directed me to another department. The third clerk was a little more helpful, and he ended up talking to the Stacks guy anyway. He told me that they would contact me when they found my video. Luckily, I stumbled onto the music section and got to browse their large selection of popular music. Meanwhile, I could hear the clerk in that department talking to somebody on the phone about my video. A few minutes later, the Stacks worker arrived with three different movies. Apparently, he had set aside my film to be sent to Barr, and it ended up somewhere in limbo. Nevertheless, I finally had my Poe documentary. I'll probably just drive downtown the next time I need something from Central, instead of assuming the system would actually work.

No hoodies allowed. In this most public and hallowed places. Security here is hostile. One is profiled as possibly being homeless, I suppose, given its bag-size restriction. Do they restrict all with hoods, or only those that "appear" homeless? Beautiful as it is as a gem to the world, should it be a place of exclusion? What if the First Lady wanted to sport a hood? If this is indeed a policy, Central is the only one with such a legally questionable policy.

Spectacular, beautifully detailed and ornate We checked out the new library (opened in December maybe?) for no other reason but to check out the architecture and renovation. We wuz awestruck the whole time and meandered through the whole place for an hour. There's plenty of space to study or work quietly, and I spied at least 15 library workers throughout. The kids floor is so cool, lotsa colors, artwork, places to lounge They've also got a huge meeting room downstairs that can accommodate groups working on projects. It's got a cool touch screen thing the size of the table. Worth a trip, even if you don't pick anything up.

I love this library! The services provided are amazing, the collections are impressive and the building itself is a great piece of architecture. I live downtown, so this is a great haven for me whenever I get a chance to go. It's a very peaceful place and there are lots of spots to just sit and hang out. It's true that there can be some homeless people loitering around but I have noticed that they mostly keep to themselves and do not bother the other patrons. The most important thing is that I always find what I need. I borrow a lot of books, both fiction and non-fiction, as well as audio materials and I am impressed with how they keep their catalog up to date. They always have the newest and most popular materials. The issue with that is it may be unavailable so you have to place a hold. The positive thing about placing holds is that they can send it to the library location of your choice so when I'm feeling lazy I get materials sent to the Central Express location. Overall, this is an awesome service to the residents of Saint Louis and a must see in downtown. The services just keep getting better and better and it seems that every year they have only been adding and improving on all of their programs. I hope that as the years go by more people will be taking advantage of this wondeful place.

Thank you St. Louis!! Oh Happy Day! Walking through the renovated gem that is the Central Library I was mouth agape the whole time. From the floors to the ceilings, from the art that was chosen to the color palate, this building is beyond gorgeous- plus it houses my favorite thing ever- books! Give yourself an hour at least to really walk through the spaces. Talk to the friendly staff located in every room, they usually have some tidbit of trivia about the room and the architectural work behind it! They all have theme's and repetitive tropes that connect them together as a whole- really well thought out and executed! Have people visiting St. Louis- Take them here! One of the many free spots to walk downtown, it should be added to your list of tourist destinations! So proud of my city!

this library is our go-to for browsing- simply amazing book selection! the architecture on the building is stunning as well and it's perfect to visit in the summer to get a break from the sun.

Very nice and helpful workers at the front desk. I had no problems whatsoever signing up for a Library Card/Account. And on another visit, I learned about the free wireless printing (200 pages/month) that comes as a privilege to account holders. Too cool!

Just moved to the city and wanted to get a library card. The staff was all very helpful. Vivian was very thorough and detail-oriented getting me setup with my card. Thank you to Regina for taking the time to notice I was new and give me some pointers l. Even the security guards were extremely helpful. The Locust entrance is handicapped accessible.

Wow! What a beautiful library! The children's area is a dream come true for children and the lighted shelves in the other area made it so easy to read the titles and see all of the book options. Even though we could not check out a book - we are not from St Louis proper, we went to check out the architecture and design. Right now they have a wonderful Shakespear tribute on the whole 2nd floor that I would recommend experiencing. The staff was kind and helpful and welcomed us at each area. Do yourself a favor and go visit this library!

So beautiful and the people are very helpful. Metered parking can be a pain. Definitely a must see for St. Louis locals.

If you haven't been here since the renovation, check it out! Take the tour too! It's totally worth it!

One of my favorite buildings downtown, inside & out! You just don't find quality craftsmanship like this anymore. The first time I came here, it took me a whole day just to scratch the surface of what this building has to offer!

The online systems are fantastic - order, renew, keep a reading list. I can check out online books on my phone using Overdrive. Based on personal experience, books are more readily available in St Louis and I can keep them longer due to no wait lists verus in Cincinnati and in NYC (two top-rated US library systems). Beverly at the Central Express location is FANTASTIC. Makes me laugh. But SHHHhhhh... it is the library, after all.

I just toured the newly renovated St. Louis Central Library on Olive today and I'm afraid I'm greatly disappointed. I moved to downtown St. Louis 10 years ago & frequented the Central library weekly. I found it to be an amazing source of info and such a beautiful, historic building. Librarians were helpful and the books were labeled so well you could hunt down books for yourself anyway. I spent countless wonderful hours there, hunting in the stacks. Now I understand the bldg was old and needed to be repaired & upgraded for the electronic age, but they went too far and have succeeded in taking all that was charming & grand away from the bldg with this new renovation. First, the entrance has moved from the front of the bldg to the back and the glorious front doors & front entry are now dark & unnoticed. Walking around to the new entrance is now also inconvenient for visitors as there are very few parking spaces. The new entrance is bright & gleaming of course, open & spacious like a contemporary art museum, BUT but the entire library is NO LONGER USER FRIENDLY. Inside the library there are no descriptions of the books on the shelves or on the walls to find a specific book. How can you navigate through rows of shelves of books without descriptors on the shelves themselves to find books? No labels on the shelves in the media/dvd room either, just one endless shelf. And now you have to hunt down a floor plan to find out where you are too. The whole layout is opposite from the original library and makes no sense. You naturally want to walk to the front of the bldg and end up walking in circles. There's also a new cafe & auditorium downstairs which is off limits to visitors. I'm sorry, but I expected much more respect for this old, historic bldg. The bldg was made to have patrons enter through the front gated doors so they could navigate the bldg. I hope librarians realize that they need to get some labeling/signs up for patrons otherwise we'll never be able to find books ourselves. After this great disappointment, I think I'll just continue reserve my books online & pick them up from the Central Express now as the Central library is so chaotic. What a shame, I really loved that bldg.

gorgeous and lots of information. very clean and cold in their. i take my walk through their each day