Need a book, a quiet table or a free state park pass? The Durango Public Library is at 1900 East Third Avenue, and its own website describes it as overlooking the Animas River and being one of the most popular gathering spots in the community. It is a City of Durango department. Hours run long on weekdays, but Thursday opens late and Sunday never opens at all.
What are the Durango Public Library's hours?
The City of Durango's library contact page lists these hours, and the city's hours of operation page repeats them:
- Monday through Wednesday: 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Thursday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Saturday: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Sunday: closed
- Phone: 970-375-3380 (fax 970-375-3398)
Where is the Durango Public Library?
The address is 1900 E. 3rd Ave., Durango, CO 81301. The building opened on Dec. 1, 2008, and covers 42,800 square feet. The city says it is LEED Gold certified. The library itself is much older: the Reading Club of Durango founded it in 1889.
Today the library is funded through the joint sales tax fund shared by the City of Durango and La Plata County. The county's sales tax page shows that fund taking a share of the county's second cent. So a slice of what you pay at the register helps keep the lights on. Our answer on the Durango sales tax rate explains the full split.
Does the library close for holidays?
Yes. The library posts each closure as a "Holiday Closure" event on its own calendar. It listed Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7, as an all-day closure this year, and Memorial Day, May 25, the same way. Later closures should appear the same way, so check the calendar before you plan a trip around a Monday or a federal holiday.
Who can get a Durango library card?
The city says a regular card goes to people who live in La Plata County, and that includes property owners who are not here year-round. Not everyone qualifies for that card, so the library also issues a Courtesy Library Card. Per the city's card requirements page, it covers patrons without a physical address and visitors staying for an extended time. To get one, bring:
- A photo ID
- At least one method of contact
- For a child's card, a parent or guardian who shows the same items
What can I do at the library besides check out books?
A lot. The city's library page highlights services that locals use again and again:
- State Park Backpacks: check one out for free admission to a Colorado state park, plus binoculars, maps and guides
- Libby: a free app for borrowing ebooks, audiobooks and magazines
- Southwest Collection: a starting point for the history of Durango, La Plata County and the Four Corners
- Kids' programs: Baby Time for newborns to 12 months, Friday STEM afternoons and a weekly after-school Curiosity Club
- Grown-up events: this fall's lineup included a Great Garden Series talk on old Colorado apples, an avalanche awareness refresher and a two-part beer-making series for ages 21 and over
Events change weekly, and some need registration, such as the Japanese Tea Ceremony on Oct. 24. The calendar posts the details.
How do the library's hours compare with other city offices?
The city's hours page lists several public counters side by side. City Hall is open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Police Department lobby opens at 8 a.m. Tuesday through Friday and 8:30 a.m. on Monday. So the library is the one place on the list that stays open on Saturday and past 5 p.m. most weekdays. See where Durango City Hall is for the address and meeting schedule. For the bigger picture of getting settled, read our moving to Durango guide.