Scottsdale Public Library

Located in the beautiful Sonoran Desert, Scottsdale, Arizona is bordered by Phoenix to the west and the McDowell Mountains on the east. Scottsdale is annually rated among the nation's most desirable communities to live in, visit and do business in.

History of Scottsdale Public Library

The Scottsdale Public Library was started in the summer of 1955 by Lou Ann Noel and Beth Fielder. Located in the un-air-conditioned Adobe House, which at the time served as a community center, the library was originally open for only two hours, two mornings a week, and its collection consisted of 300 donated books.

In 1959 the Friends of the Library, a non-profit, community organization made up entirely of volunteers, was organized to support and fund-raise for the library. In 1960 the City of Scottsdale assumed responsibility for the library and hired the first professionally trained librarian. Later, the City hired additional paid staff to keep up with the demands of the community and, in 1968, opened a new 37,000-square-foot main library.

Vision Statement

Preserve the past, enrich the present, and illuminate the future.