Hillsboro’s Award-Winning Library
The Hillsboro City Library in Hillsboro, Texas has been awarded the 2023 Achievement of Library Excellence Award and is recognized as one of the top 15% of all Texas public libraries by the Texas Municipal Library Directors Association for the excellent services they provide to their community. There are 552 public libraries in Texas and only 73 received this honor.
Since 1971, our city library has occupied the historic 1915 James Knox Taylor-designed U.S. Post Office. The building boasts Renaissance Revival architecture with exterior columns and terra cotta medallions, elegant arches inside and out, and an open 2nd-floor mezzanine. The full basement now houses the children's area.
For adults, the library offers hotspot lending, telehealth services, career resources, video game checkouts, books to Meals on Wheels recipients, digital materials lending, such as ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, graphic novels and movies, through apps like cloudLibrary and many other services.
Children and families that visit the library enjoy many activities such as the early childhood development Family Place program, toddler playdates, 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, storytimes, robotics in Club Code, a StoryWalk at City Park and its very popular summer reading program.
For more information about this award or the many exciting programs happening at the Hillsboro City Library, visit online at, in person at 118 South Waco Street or via phone at (254) 582-7385.
Efforts were initiated in 1967 to acquire the former federal post office building at Waco and Gould streets, to be renovated for use as the public library. Also that year, the city took responsibility for providing more adequate finances for the library, which had outgrown the resources provided by volunteer fundraising and contributions.
By February 14, 1968, the deed to the Hillsboro post office building was officially handed over to the city. Then began a fund drive to raise $50,000 locally to match a federal grant for renovation and restoration. The goal was reached in March 1969, and remodeling began in June of that year. Since February 1971, the library has been at home in what is commonly called the "old post office." In 1982, the Library was designated a Texas Historical Building and then in 1984 was listed with the National Registrar of Historic Places.
Building of the library building began in 1912 and was completed in 1915. It is a magnificent structure designed as an adaptation of the Foundling Hospital for Children of Florence, Italy, which was executed in 1419 by the Italian architect, sculptor, and painter Brunelleschi. That building is considered one of the first of the High Renaissance. The library is also decorated with terracotta medallions in bas relief, done in the style of the Robbia. Few towns the size of Hillsboro are blessed with such a classically styled building with such an attractive interior and exterior.
Since moving into the "old post office," the library has grown in every aspect of services, equipment, and systems. Its use by children and adults has increased substantially each year, thanks to a continually growing budget funded by the city as well as library-sponsored fund-raisers.
For more information on the Hillsboro City Library in Hillsboro, Texas please visit this link.