Flagship public libraries can be centerpieces in downtown districts. We’re thinking of the Harold Washington Library Center in Chicago with its ornamental crown of glass and aluminum, the Columbus Metropolitan Library in Ohio and its manicured lawn and the palatial Boston Public Library and its stunning courtyard and arcaded promenade.
The J. Erik Jonsson Central Library in downtown Dallas is an imposing eight-story mass of beige, and its boxy look and darkened windows make it anything but welcoming. Even the city acknowledges that its flagship library could use a makeover. The library system’s strategic and facilities plan, last updated in 2024, states the Jonsson branch is “ready for reimagination.”
“The library’s exterior is anonymous, with few elements that show that it’s a library and public resource for all Dallasites,” the report reads.
A full reimagination will have to wait, but we are heartened by a public-private partnership that will make the façade of the central library more attractive.
Opinion
Last month, the Dallas City Council accepted a $150,000 grant from the philanthropic arm of Downtown Dallas Inc. to renovate the west-side plaza of the central library with a fenced community garden.
You might not be aware that the front-side plaza extends around the west side of the building. No one would blame you. The brick-paved walkway on the west side adjoins a private parking lot. To get to it during a recent visit, we had to walk past a porta-potty leaking blue fluid.
Not exactly a welcome mat, but officials said the site has shielded unwanted activity, particularly at night because it’s removed from traffic. The front plaza along Young Street had become a magnet for homeless people who congregated there, but we have noticed the place has cleaned up since the city and its private partners launched the Safe in the City public safety campaign downtown.
“We knew the library was a trouble spot,” said Amy Tharp, chief operating officer of DDI. “That’s one reason this was very appealing.”
The plan is to install a wrought-iron fence around the west-side plaza, which will be accessed from inside the library. Once the fence is installed, the plaza will be adorned with Texas native plants such as a sage and salvia, said Sean McGrew, assistant director of the Dallas Public Library.
Manya Shorr, the newly appointed director of the library system, said city staffers will be able to offer programming in that space. That might look like gardening for hobbyists or story time for children. The Friends of the Dallas Public Library have committed funds to help maintain the garden.
It’s great to see Dallas’ civic community come together to improve our public spaces. The city must do its part by moving quickly to bid the job and get the project going. Library officials said the fence portion alone could take eight to 10 months.
The Dallas library’s strategic plan nodded to “hidden gem” spaces in the Jonsson branch. But this won’t be a secret garden. We expect it’ll open to great fanfare.