Every city worth its weight has a public library but Davidson County has quietly built an absolute powerhouse of learning, entertainment, high-tech tools and daily public utility. If your perception of the library is still stuck on quiet study desks and dusty paperback racks, the Nashville Public Library might completely shatter your expectations.
Spanning 21 physical branches – from the main library downtown to the hubs in Bellevue and Southeast – the local library has transformed into a massive, free resource for our musical city.
Beyond the traditional stacks, NPL functions as a community workshop, administrative center and creative incubator for everyone. The system equips residents with the tools and specialized services that usually come with steep price tags:
- Studio NPL & Maker Labs: Designed as digital production spaces, select branches feature 3D printing, podcast recording booths, audio production suites, laser cutters and sewing machinery.
- Seed Exchange: Several branches host community seed libraries where local gardeners can pick up free open-pollinated seeds for vegetables, herbs and native plants.
- Notary & Civic Services: Free notary public services are available at multiple branches to handle official paperwork.
- Research & Consumer Databases: Cardholders gain full, free access to premium online resources including Consumer Reports, standardized test prep and extensive genealogical archives via Ancestry Library Edition and HeritageQuest.
NPL effectively serves as a free alternative to half a dozen paid monthly subscription services. By using your library card, you can stream media directly to your TV, phone or eReader. Really: Libby gives you access to bestselling ebooks, audiobooks and magazines and is available on Kindle, iOS, Android and the web. Kanopy offers award-winning films, indie cinema, documentaries and television programs for kids like Sesame Street. It’s available on Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV and on mobile or your tablet. Hoopla provides instant-borrow movies, television series, music albums and graphic novels on your smart TV, phone or the web.
The best part is always having access in your pocket if you have a smartphone: The NPL Mobile App. It streamlines how you interact with the library network, featuring:
- A digital card display with a built-in barcode, meaning you don’t have to always have your physical card on you
- Barcode scanner so you can scan the ISBN code on any book you see at a store to instantly check it out at the NPL
- Account management to reserve items, manage holds and renew loans
- Cultural events and workshop access allows you to browse the calendar for community events, panel discussions and even NPL’s famous World of Puppetry performances.
Operations of this scale are bolstered by the Nashville Public Library Foundation, a non-profit organization that secures private funding for literacy outreach, teen programs and system-wide innovation. So if you have the means and want to keep it incredible? Please chip in. Get your friends to do so, as well.
Whether you need a quiet place to work, high-end production gear or free weekly streaming, the library is the answer. It’s easily one of the best public investments available to local residents. We love it and we’re sure you will, as well.
P.S. The NPL’s free Courtyard Concert Series is returning to the main library tomorrow, September 1 and runs through October 13. A different local artist or band will perform every Tuesday from 11:45 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. in a lineup that includes R&B, jazz, folk and alternative rock. That lineup includes Esi, the Alex Murphy Trio, Elliott Robinson and Walker Burroughs. So don’t miss out.
