North Boulder Library to hold grand opening Saturday

BOULDER — The $12.5 million, 11,000-square-foot North Boulder Library will hold a grand opening event on Saturday at 4500 13th St.

The project, which broke ground in February 2023, is being paid for through several public tax and fee buckets. It was designed by Work Architecture Co. and constructed by Fransen Pittman Construction Co.

Saturday’s free event, to be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., will include live music, face painting, a bilingual storytime, activities for all ages, free food and the unveiling of a new outdoor interactive public art piece entitled “Nuages.” The interactive display incorporates musical tones and short audio compositions at the library’s upper entrance. The piece was commissioned in 2019 and created by the Montreal-based art and design team Daily Tous les jours, who will be on hand and available for questions.

“North Boulder has been waiting for a library for three decades,” David Farman, director of the Boulder Public Library District, said in a prepared statement. “We are proud to debut this state-of-the-art, environmentally sensitive and aesthetically beautiful civic benefit for our entire community.”

The building features a playground and a large urban plaza that connects to Broadway, and meets the City of Boulder’s climate action goals for energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. 

In addition to a new and expanded catalog of materials, the NoBo Library will offer community-oriented services and amenities including meeting and study rooms that may be reserved free of charge, an indoor/outdoor makerspace, BoulderReads literacy programs, classrooms and more.