NoBo Library: North Boulder's New Community Hub

The NoBo Library at 4500 13th Street is North Boulder's first full-service branch library, and it was a long time coming. A North Boulder library was first floated in the 1995 North Boulder Subcommunity Plan, and from 2014 the neighborhood made do with the 570-square-foot NoBo Corner Library; the new branch celebrated its grand opening on June 29, 2024. The 11,000-square-foot building cost approximately $16 million to design and build.

Location and Hours

The library sits just off Broadway, with a large urban plaza that connects to it, in the heart of the 80304 zip code.

Address: 4500 13th Street, Boulder, CO 80304 Phone: 303-441-3100 Website: boulderlibrary.org/locations/nobo/

Hours:

• Monday–Thursday: 9 AM–7 PM
• Friday: 9 AM–5 PM
• Saturday: 10 AM–5 PM
• Sunday: 12 PM–5 PM

Free parking is available in the lot east of the building. The lot also has two EV ChargePoint chargers — free for the first two hours, then $4 per hour after that.

A Building Worth Visiting

The NoBo Library was designed by WORKac, a New York architecture firm. The library district says the building was designed to reflect Boulder County's natural surroundings, and it meets the City of Boulder's climate action goals for energy efficiency.

One of the most distinctive features is Nuages, an interactive art installation by Montreal-based studio Daily Tous les Jours. It is a musical pathway at the library's upper entrance with 44 interactive lines and 8 speaker units. When people step on a line, it plays a short note or phrase — turning a simple trip into the library into something a little unexpected.

A playground, a yellow slide built into the outside wall next to the south exit, and an indoor/outdoor makerspace round out the site.

Programs and Services

The NoBo Library offers much more than books and a quiet place to sit, though it has those too.

Studio 24 Makerspace gives community members access to equipment and instruction for sewing, knitting, rug tufting, screen printing, soldering, rubber stamp creation, and appliance repair. It is one of the most hands-on resources in the Boulder Public Library District.

BoulderReads, Boulder's adult literacy and English learning program, moved to the branch from the main library, making it a practical resource for adults working toward new skills.

Storytime is offered for all ages, with books, songs, and activities for young children and their caregivers. The library also hosts Playtime in the NoBo Nook, a weekly drop-in session where families can play and connect while kids explore the dedicated storytime nook.

Reading Buddies pairs young readers with adult volunteers or CU Boulder students for 90-minute weekly sessions focused on reading, writing, and literacy.

The library also has study rooms and meeting rooms available for reservation, strong WiFi throughout the building, and a Spanish-language collection planned at about 10 percent of the collection, from picture books to adult novels.

Why the NoBo Library Matters

Celine Cooper, the NoBo Library's manager at its opening, told Boulder Reporting Lab: "There just aren't many spaces in North Boulder that are free and open to the public." The NoBo Library is described as a "third space" — somewhere outside home and work where people can gather, study, create, and learn. For a neighborhood that went decades without a proper library, that means something.

Whether you are dropping in for storytime, reserving a meeting room, or trying out the makerspace, the NoBo Library is one of the best free resources the 80304 zip code has to offer.