Office attendance has yet to rebound, but central libraries are bringing people and energy back to city centers, as our new data shows

Public libraries have long been at the heart of American cities, and the large central libraries that serve as the flagship of most systems are among our most vibrant public spaces. Whether historic architectural landmarks or modern works of art, they collectively represent over 215 million square feet and serve nearly a third of the U.S. population – the indoor public space of America, where all offerings are free of charge.

Urban libraries remain focused on their core missions of literacy, learning, and community, while considering the needs of the future. Downtowns across the U.S. are working hard to regain pre-pandemic foot traffic, and office attendance has yet to reach pre-COVID levels. Central libraries, on the other hand, are seeing more visitors than they have in years and new growth areas, offering a powerful complement to civic leaders interested in rethinking how to keep downtowns vibrant. Today, these institutions are more relevant than ever, acting as intentional drivers of neighborhood vitality, as evidenced by new data from ULC that shows how customers at five central libraries interact with neighborhood attractions before or after visits.

Given the abundance of offerings at a typical urban library, it's no wonder why they’re a natural magnet for foot traffic. On a typical day at a central library, lives are constantly being changed, and the entire city invited in. A child reads his or her first words. A veteran finds the broadband internet access they lack to file for benefits. A recently incarcerated individual who has paid their debt to society takes the first step to reenter society by seeking help finding employment. A group of teenagers gather to work on their homework after school – and stick around to learn a new skill at a makers space. A small business entrepreneur takes advantage of a private meeting room to finalize plans to launch their new small business. That evening, an event features a world class speaker, popular author, or influential politician.

Central libraries as propellers of downtown economic activity

In this way, today’s libraries have become platforms for economic participation and growth. These positive effects ripple to the surrounding neighborhood, injecting pure energy into civic cores so often labeled as moribund, drawing people in, and, as our innovative new data shows, keeping them there. Each offering or event from a central is also an opportunity for a local small business or attraction. Before and after a library visit, we found a marked increase in library patrons also visiting cafes, restaurants, stores, and other cultural venues.

View ULC's new data and visualization

A recent case study published by ULC in 2024 shows that Washington DC’s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, the DC Public Library’s central library, attracted over 650,000 visits alone to the city’s downtown area in 2023, with one event alone, Art All Night, bringing in 6,500 people.

To continue to highlight how central libraries contribute to economic and social activity in different urban contexts, we analyzed five flagship branches in major cities across the country — Austin (TX), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Jacksonville (FL), and San Francisco (CA). While these libraries vary by size, population, and geography, they all show the same trend: downtown libraries are helping to draw people to city centers and are major contributors to neighborhood vitality.

Learn more about our findings in this new data visualization from the Urban Libraries Council.