Welcome to Bentonville Library. Quite simply, Bentonville Public Library is a beautiful library. It is a signature building that embodies Bentonville's civic values and conveys a sense of wonder, expectation and discovery.

Amenities demonstrate innovative design, beauty and delight, plus a feeling of community. The 38,000 square foot building is owned by the Bentonville Library Foundation, while personnel and library operations are funded and maintained by the City of Bentonville. Bentonville Public Library is a source of community pride. 

Library Spaces  |  Meeting Rooms  |  Bookstore  |  Technology  |  Campus

 High-Energy Bogle Family Children's Library

The vibrancy of nature inspired the environment inside the Bogle Family Children's Department at Bentonville Public Library. Realizing that children are most comfortable and engaged outdoors, bringing natural elements indoors was accomplished through bright colors, natural sunlight and pavilions that serve as gathering spaces for early literacy storytimes and technology offerings for our youngest library users. 

Trendy Teen Zone

Bentonville Public Library features a unique teen area, which houses young adult collections. Located near the children's department, this room welcomes teenagers to their own library space. Flooded with natural sunlight, the room was designed just for our community's teens.

Adult Spaces

Traditional values and love of ol' fashion paper books are the inspirations for Bentonville Library's adult spaces. Through subtle color schemes, furnishings and carpet textures, the adult area facilitates ease of reading and work in an efficient and stimulating environment. Classic study tables with desk lamps running down the center of the adult stacks provide a nice space for small groups to work together. 

Private Study Rooms

Private study rooms around the perimeter of adult and children's spaces allow users privacy and quiet reflection for school, work or personal purposes. Each BPL study room incorporates natural sunlight. 

Fireplace Reading Room

Comfy chairs and natural sunlight enhance the Coughlin fireplace room for leisurely reading at BPL. The fireplace room features a working fireplace with a hearth that incorporates red brick, natural stone, granite and maple woodwork. A custom maple ceiling and integrated bookshelves surround the fireplace, enhancing the warm, comfortable home feeling of this space. 

William R. Enfield Local History and Genealogy Center

At Bentonville Public Library, the William Enfield Genealogy and Local History provides users with a quiet and well-designed research space with easy access to compact, moveable shelving that houses a special collection. 

McGaugh Family Literacy Area

An open, round room with abundant natural light, this area is ideal for enjoying the beauty of the Natural State while devouring a good book or taking a brain break from daily life. 

Veranda & Porch

A traditional red brick exterior includes a wrap-around veranda. These features pay homage to the library's former building, the Massey Hotel in downtown Bentonville. By incorporating complementary elements in our facility, our library's history is celebrated. Complete with sitting steps and French doors, the Library's Main Street façade has become a well-known landmark in our city.

 Public Meeting Spaces

Bentonville Library offers free meeting room use to local nonprofit organizations, businesses and educational institutions. 

The Walmart Community Room and the Rotary Conference Room are highly used and versatile spaces. The furniture is easily movable, allowing users to change the setting based on need. For example, space and furnishings allow for traditional conference style, classroom style or auditorium seating. Automated and integrated audiovisual technology further enhances the meeting rooms' usability and versatility. 

Other library meeting rooms, such as the Haney Family Conference Room, Literacy Center and two Group Study Rooms provide a functional and intimate work area for small groups. 

  • Haney Family Conference Room [capacity 10]
  • Rotary Conference Room [capacity 30-40]
  • Walmart Community Room [capacity 150]
  • Group Study Rooms [capacity 4]

 Read It Again Used Bookstore

Our Friends of the Bentonville Library operate a used bookstore where quality materials are sold for reasonable prices. Proceeds directly support library collections, programs and services.

 Computer Access

Free computers for public use are available in the adult section of the Bentonville Library. Laptop users may access free wireless internet (WIFI), offered throughout the building. iPads are available for patron checkout.

Innovative Technology

Bentonville Library materials are tagged with radio frequency identification (RFID) technology.  Three self-checkout terminals are user-friendly for patrons. Two self-checkin sorting systems allow for efficient handling of library returns.

Discovery & Imagination

Come see Bentonville Library's 165 gallon saltwater aquarium with colorful fish, live coral reef and other interesting aquatic life. The underwater world instills an interest in the ocean for our young library users. Located in the Children's Department, the tank was donated and is maintained by Central Garden & Pet.

 Our Campus

Directly across from the Library, visit the Train Station Park and Bentonville Train Station and Caboose Park. Outdoor Library programs are held at Train Station Park in the green space and outdoor gazebo. These amenities are considered part of the library's campus, allowing for multifunctional uses of our natural space.  

The City of Bentonville owns and maintains Train Station Park, in cooperation with the Bentonville Garden Club. The Bentonville Library Foundation owns and maintains the Train Depot and Caboose Park. The red caboose was part of the Frisco Line railroad service to Bentonville.  Built in 1925, the Bentonville Train Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Behind the Library, our backyard is used for large outdoor events as well as housing our Community Learning Garden. The garden is cared for by Teen Volunteers in partnership with the Master Gardeners of Benton County.

Trails to Bentonville Library

In recent years, Bentonville has developed a master trail plan that focuses on an interconnected trail system that benefits health and wellness for citizens. The Library is considered a point of interest on the City's Downtown Trail.  A short stroll from Bentonville Public Library, people can visit the Peel Mansion and Heritage Garden, the Bentonville Square, Walmart Visitor's Center, Compton Gardens and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

Parking

Bentonville Library is a busy library. Sometimes we experience a high volume of visits due to library programs or meeting room use. Meeting room users are encouraged to carpool. When the Library's parking lot is full, look for additional public parking located within walking distance to Bentonville Public Library. Overflow parking for Bentonville Library is located at the corner of SW 4th street and S Main Street.

Bentonville Public Library is more than bricks and mortar; it is the setting for imagination, education and superior quality of life.  To learn more about Bentonville Library, visit Mission & History and Library Reports.


print mail save