Central Library Parking Garage

Central Library and Library Parking Garage

It's not often that a parking garage can claim to be world famous. But the Community Bookshelf that adorns the front of the Central Library's garage is beyond ordinary! Located directly west of the Central Library building on the northwest corner of 10th & Baltimore, the public can access parking from the Baltimore entrance just north of 10th street 7 days a week.

Entering the garage

Payments are now credit card only. No cash is accepted.

As you drive up to the entrance machine, you’ll see signs that explain the rates and how to get a ticket.

The machine starts dispensing tickets 30 minutes before the Library opens and stops when the Library closes:

  • Mon - Wed | 8:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.
  • Thu - Sat | 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
  • Sun | 12:30 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Exceptions: when the Library holds events that start or end outside of normal operating hours. For earlier morning events, the machine will dispense tickets 30 minutes before the event begins. For later evening events, tickets are dispensed through the end of the event.

If you want to park before or after the machine is dispensing tickets, you’ll be asked to prepay $5. The maximum charge for all-day parking is $10.


Validating Your Parking Ticket

MAKE SURE YOU BRING YOUR TICKET WITH YOU INSIDE! We can not validate anything other than your parking ticket.

The Library offers patrons one hour of free parking; there are two ticket validation machines on the first floor of the Central Library:

  • Information desk along the right side of Kirk Hall (the main foyer)
  • Main customer service desk

On weekends, validation at the one-hour machines will cover the entire time that the Central Library is open.

Special Event Parking Validation

DO NOT USE THE ONE-HOUR VALIDATION MACHINES. Special validation machines will be available at the location of the event, offering free parking for a longer period of time.

Library special events include (but aren’t limited to):

Using the validation machine

Using the machine is simple and fast:

  1. Insert your ticket into the machine from either end, barcode up.
  2. The machine stamps the center of the ticket and immediately returns it.

Using the Validation Machine

Leaving the parking garage

When leaving the garage, please exit through the Baltimore gate on the lowest level; the Wyandotte St. gate on the 3rd level is for monthly renters and does not accept payments. Payments can be made with the parking attendant or via the payment kiosks. Slots are identified for inserting your parking ticket and credit card. If you have a question and a parking attendant isn’t on site, you can press an “assistance” button and be connected via speaker to a remote attendant.

The Library only can validate tickets for the Library District Garage at 10th and Baltimore. Other parking facilities in the area are managed by different organizations and will not accept parking validation from the Library.