Experience Your Library

Your library put the F-U-N back in fundamental!  

Not only is reading fundamental, so is gathering as a community, sharing experiences and learning from each other.  We are proud of our dynamic and diverse programs offered across the City of Fort Worth and on-demand online.  For example:

Your Fort Worth Public Library has expanded programming to now offer thousands of programs every season!  

We serve a rapidly growing city with thriving families. Additionally, 32.1% of our population being non-family households.  Taking into account the average resident of Fort Worth is 32-years-old we're striving to bring modern, fun programming while maintaining our role as the literary hub of the City.  We currently offer 11 in-person book clubs on different topics, two online book clubs and host a robust author series. 

Each month we offer cultural programs, arts and crafts, historical presentations, musical experiences, story times, and much more. Explore our calendar today!

Check it out and take it home! 

At the Fort Worth Public Library we're about books... and so much more! We're thrilled to offer kits and items to stimulate memories, imagination and creativity.  Did you know that at your local libraries you can check out:

• Memory Boxes
• Robots
• Video Games
• Backyard Games
• Movies
• WiFi hotspots
• Botanic Garden passes
• STEAM kits

Your Fort Worth Public Library is only a few clicks away.

In 2021 our residents checked out more than one million e-books and audio books. That's right, not only does #FortWorthRead, we read a lot on our mobile devices.

 Libby’s ebook reader makes it easy to customize how you read. You can adjust an ebook's font size, book layout, and lighting. As you read, you can also add bookmarks, create notes and highlights, and define words.  And our residents love their Libby! 

Try out our Stay-at-Home Book Club

Your library is making the news with this programming hit that started during the onset of the pandemic and continues to grow.  As of March 2022, club membership was more than 775 members! 

Making the News: 

• Good Morning Texas
• NBC 5 DFW
• Fort Worth Magazine

On-Demand Programming Available 24/7/365

Try out our playlists on YouTube for jazz performances, virtual story times, arts and crafts and so much more. 

Community Vitality Means Life-Long Learning

In Fort Worth 29.7% of our residents have a bachelor's degree or higher with another 27.6% having some college. Of our population we also have 33.5% Millennials and 27.7% Generation Z.   What does this tell us?  Online learning options are needed for personal growth and professional development! 

Two examples of our recent expansion of these services is offering LinkedIn Learning and JobNow career development resources. 

Bringing music to the people

Your Fort Worth Public Library music librarian and adult services staff strive to collaborate with other organizations in the arts to bring unique, musical cultural programs into the diverse neighborhoods of Fort Worth.   We are proud to partner with Cliburn in the Community, Fort Worth Opera and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.  Much of the cultural district of Fort Worth is centralized and by partnering with these organizations we can bring unique experiences to our residents inside and outside the loop of 820.

Curating the Sounds of Fort Worth

 Amplify 817 is a commercial-free music streaming service offered by the Fort Worth Public Library featuring exclusively Fort Worth-based artist.  Launched in 2020, Amplify 817 was designed to pay artists up-front for their licensing and be a supportive network to enhance the music scene of the City.   We're supported financially in-part by the Fort Worth Public Library Foundation and regularly collaborate with Hear Fort Worth to support our local artists. 

In 2022 we're continuing our YouTube series, Off the Record, featuring interviews and performances with our artists.  We're expanding programming to an August 17 (8/17) showcase of artists and we are sponsoring an eight-part concert series for local artists at Tulips FTW. 

Instrument Lending Debuts May 2022

We're eager to launch instrument lending through the Fort Worth Public Library.  Residents will be able to check out guitars (adult and youth sizes) for three weeks at a time to explore their musical talents.  We've collaborated with local Amplify 817 artist, Jacob Furr, to present guitar lessons through our YouTube channel.  We're actively developing expansion plans to introduce more instruments to the program. 

Third Thursday Jazz Legacy Continues

In 2022 we're heading into our 13th year offering free jazz concerts to the Fort Worth community. After two years of online or hybrid programming we're eager to return to the Central Library where we can host up to 500 guests.  The 2022 Jazz season will run June through October, with the finale performance in Burnett Park.

Responding to our community's needs

In Fort Worth, 26.9% of our residents speak Spanish and 35% of our population is Hispanic according to the 2020 Census. We've made a concerted effort to expand our Spanish-language and Spanish cultural programming, and we're seeing great results!

Spanish-language and bi-lingual children's programs

Early Literacy Programs for Spanish-speaking Parents

Adult ESL Programs

Recently featured on Telemundo 39, we launched our first in-person English as a Second Language program at Diamond Hill/Jarvis with plans to expand to four additional locations later in 2022.   Adult ESL programs are also offered virtually every week. 

Free High School Equivalency Classes in Spanish

We are proud to currently offer the only free GED program for Spanish-speakers in Tarrant County.  Instructors offer a monthly general session where participants can ask questions before starting the program. The classes meet 9 - 11 a.m., Monday - Thursday each week.  

Other Spanish Language Programs

Fort Worth Local History Thrives

We're proud to serve as the official archives of the City of Fort Worth.  We're looking forward to opening the Fort Worth History Center in the Fall of 2022.  Moving our local history, archives and genealogy services to their own location will provide easier access to our materials and our team of librarians and genealogists. 

For now, our team is taking appointments for assistance with research and accessing the archives via email.

Access Archives and More

Digital Archives   Research Tools

Fort Worth Photos   Star-Telegram Archives

Historical News Bank

YouTube Programs On-Demand

Community History   This Day in History

Fort Worth Landmarks   LatinX Oral Histories 

We are proud to currently have 17 locations across the City of Fort Worth.   The Library was founded in 1901 through the Carnegie library initiative and has continued to grow through the decades.  We most recently opened La Gran Biblioteca, our first retail-based location, at La Gran Plaza Fort Worth.  We are eagerly anticipating our expansion outside of the TX Hwy 820 loop with Far Southwest's groundbreaking in March 2022. 

Data shows us...

80% of Fort Worth residents live outside the 820 loop

80% of Fort Worth Libraries are inside the loop

Strategic expansion through private partnerships and public co-location opportunities is vital to serving our tax-paying residents and providing the services they need in their neighborhoods.  Both our strategic plan(PDF, 4MB) and our facility master plan(PDF, 4MB) address this issue. 

Proudly Collaborating with Great Organizations

We are grateful for the continued support of so many educational, cultural and civic organizations in our great city.  Here are some of our community collaborators.