Downtown Boise Public Library to close temporarily in May. Here’s why
Make sure to return your borrowed books from Boise’s downtown library before it’s closed for a few days in May.
The Boise Public Library announced this week that the entire downtown building would be closed from May 3-12 as crews complete electrical work that’s part of a yearlong renovation. The library will partially reopen on May 13, with access to the second and third floors.
Any holds on items users have not picked up from the downtown location before May 3 may be picked up at the City Hall lobby May 4-8 and May 11-12, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m, according to the city.
Returns may not be made to City Hall.
The first floor of the Boise Public Library’s downtown branch has been closed since September 2025 for the renovation project, which will make the space more “modern, flexible and welcoming,” the library’s website states.
The first floor will remain closed until the end of the project, which is expected to be done in September.
During the closure in May, contractors will switch the building’s electrical systems from old equipment to a new system, according to the library website, and doing so requires that the structure’s power be shut off.
Plumbing, as well as heating and cooling systems, also are being updated in the library building between Capitol Boulevard and 8th Street. Other changes are catered toward children and families, the website states, including additional restrooms. The project will also make changes to the space in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
All other Boise library locations around the city will be open their regular hours in May, and users can access digital resources like ebooks, audiobooks, streaming services and databases during the closure.
