Reimagining the Dallas Public Library

For generations, Dallas Public Library has played a vital role in the daily lives of residents, offering access to books, technology, learning and community connection. That mission has not changed. What has changed is the financial reality in which the library operates.

To protect library services now and into the future, Dallas Public Library is proposing a regional service model. This model would establish five regional flagship libraries, each open seven days a week, with expanded evening hours, robust staffing and

concentrated programming designed to meet the needs of working families and diverse communities.

The regional model establishes five Flagship libraries geographically spread across the city. These libraries will be open every day of the week, offering more services and extended hours.

Under this model:

• 87% of Dallas residents will be within a 15-minute drive of an open library every day of the week. Many will remain even closer to a neighborhood library.

• Programs and services will be available daily, providing more consistent access for residents seeking library resources

• Neighborhood branch libraries will continue to provide core services.

 The libraries transitioning into regional flagships are Vickery Park (already open seven days a week), Hampton-Illinois, Fretz Park, Pleasant Grove and Bachman Lake Branches.

The Central Library is not part of the regional model and will continue to serve the city with its unique and specialized collections and services.

Dallas Public Library operating budget has trended downwards for more than 20 years, even as the city’s population has grown, and community needs have expanded. While new library buildings were funded through voter-approved bond elections, operating funding did not increase at the same pace. As a result, the library has been forced to stretch limited resources across more locations.

The library reached its highest operating budget in 2008. Following the economic downturn, funding never fully recovered. Since 2001, the operating budget, when adjusted for inflation, has not kept pace with population growth. Compared to national averages, Dallas operates a similar number of libraries but with significantly less operating funding per resident.

With increased budget pressure projected for fiscal year 2027, Dallas Public Library has reached a tipping point. Continuing under the current model with a reduced budget would require even deeper cuts to hours, staffing and services across the entire system. A regional model stabilizes library service across the City and positions Dallas Public Library for the future. The regional plan was approved as part of the Dallas City Council’s two-year budget adoption in 2025.

To right-size the budget and protect the long-term future of the library system, four branches are proposed for permanent closure: Skyline, Renner Frankford, Oak Lawn and Arcadia Park.

Dallas Public Library partnered with the City of Dallas Office of Data Analytics & Business Intelligence team to analyze:

• Community need

• Library usage

• Library coverage

Based on this data, these four branches demonstrated the lowest relative usage and need within their regions. Closing them allows the library to reinvest limited resources into stronger, more accessible services citywide.

While these branch closures are permanent, the goal is not to reduce access but to reimagine how library services are delivered. Dallas Public Library is exploring innovative service models, including:

• Co-locations with parks, recreation centers and other city departments

• Partnerships with nonprofits and community organizations

• Library spaces in retail spaces or shared-use facilities

One successful example is the Bookmarks children’s library, which operates through a partnership with North Park Center and Atmos Energy. This location has become a thriving hub for children’s programming, with event attendance exceeding that of many traditional branches. The regional model is a necessary step to stabilize library services today while creating new pathways to expand access in the future.

Email dpldir@dallas.gov  or attend one of the community meetings.