Some of the Lafayette Library and Learning Center’s most engaging features exist outside of its doors.  Native plants and shrubs create an overall, welcoming environment that fits right in with Lafayette’s semi-rural ambience.

The plaza off Mt. Diablo Boulevard offers visitors the opportunity to watch the world go by as they linger at tables and chairs in front of the Bookmark Café. If you're entering the building on the lower level from First Street or Golden Gate Way, you can’t miss the open-air Reading Court and its captivating bronze sculpture, "Speechless," or the spacious Amphitheater.

Accessed from the Main Library, the west-facing Adult Reading Terrace is a sunny spot to read, use your laptop, or catch up on the daily news. The Children’s Library Area offers access to a shaded, outdoor Activity Deck with Kana Tanaka’s colorful mobile of The Chart of Elements and glass portholes that allow small visitors to take a peek with a different perspective on the world around them.

But it is the Zen-inspired Glenn Seaborg Garden, located on the eastern side of the Main Library, which is perhaps the most peaceful place to read or reflect. Glassed on two sides, a lovely layering of gingko trees and Japanese maples softens the rich textures of the granite slabs that line the enclosed patio floor.

Go to floor plan for more details, or we invite you to take a virtual tour.