The New Dallas Public Library Website
Suzan Younger
When was the last time you logged on to the Dallas Public Library (DPL) website? Did you notice something new and different? The library launched a modern, bright, and cheerful website on August 1, 2025, that has a fresh look and feel. The new website is a hub for book lovers and a vibrant portal for lifelong learning, community engagement, and cultural exploration.
The website has a clean, modern design, ensuring easy navigation. All of your favorites are still there, but you will need to spend some time browsing the new layout, starting with the menu in the upper right corner of the home page. Don’t be surprised if the website directs you to a familiar-looking page. The library is still processing the pages and databases for the new website. Your first task is to set a new bookmark in your favorite Internet browser for the new URL. You access the webpage at www.dallaslibrary.org. The library will no longer update the Dallaslibrary2.org URL. Check out the new website’s FAQ here for more information.
The catalog is on the first tab of the homepage menu. It is the first option on the “Books and More” tab. At the time of this article, you may see the old design for the catalog. We will have to wait to see the new page for a while longer. The next item in the “Books and More” tab is access to the ebooks, audiobooks, emagazines, and more. You access Overdrive, hoopla, and Flipster from this tab or scroll to the middle of the home page for the same links. Both Overdrive and hoopla have a few genealogy-related ebooks and audiobooks, but check out the full content for these two collections.
Do you want to enhance and expand your genealogy toolbox? Another item on the “Books and More” tab is Linked-in Learning. This website provides an amazing variety of on-demand courses. Need help with any of the Microsoft Suite apps like Word, Excel, or PowerPoint? The options offer beginner lessons through more advanced courses. Genealogists might be interested in their courses in artificial intelligence (AI), photography, video, web design, social media topics, or podcasts. You need a DPL library card to access all of this material and learning courses, but, of course, it is all free with your card.
Once you learn more about your new toolbox item, look to the library for resources to practice or produce your projects. The “Services” tab on the main menu includes a link to the DPL Creative Spaces. The 3rd floor houses the Story Center. The resources include equipment to make your own podcast, make and edit movies, or record your family and friends telling stories. The 4th floor has the fiber arts workroom. This room includes equipment dedicated to all things fabric and thread. You can use equipment for sewing, knitting, embroidery, weaving, and more. The Heritage Lab is on the 8th floor. You can use the computers, cameras, and scanners in this room to digitize photos, home movies, audiotapes, documents, and slides. This webpage lists the instructions on how to get started, the hours, and guidelines for using the Creative Spaces.
The “Research” tab on the main menu is a must for genealogists. This tab holds links to what the library previously listed as Databases. Dallas & Texas History contains links to digitized newspapers, including digital archives for the Dallas Morning News 1885-1984, Fort Worth Star Telegram, Austin American Statesman 1871-1980 and the El Paso Herald/El Paso Times 1881-current. And, of course, this tab has links to the genealogy databases. You must access several of these databases in the library, but look at what you can access (for free) from home with a DPL library card: Fold3, HeritageQuest, HistoryGeo, NewspaperArchive, Newspapers.com. All the databases are accessible at the central library and at all Dallas branch libraries, which may be closer to your home.
The “Programs” tab contains the events calendar for the central library and all branches. The offerings might surprise and delight you. The calendar organizes the programs and events by library location. Browse the calendar for upcoming events and registration information. DPL offers a wide variety of community engagement opportunities.
Another must-use tab is the “Locations” tab. It includes information about the twenty-nine branch libraries, their locations, hours of operation and contact information. The J. Erik Jonsson Central Library in downtown Dallas houses the Lloyd D. Bockstruck Genealogy Collection. The central library option on this tab gives you links to the webpages for the Genealogy & History department and the Dallas History & Archives. After clicking on the Genealogy & History link, click on “Search the Collection” under the introductory paragraph to access detailed information about the genealogy collection.
Have fun browsing the new website. Rediscover resources you’ve heard about or used but may have forgotten. Find something new that the library offers. More importantly, visit the central library and do research in person on the 8th floor in the genealogy and history department. The website offers a wealth of information, but it is just a small portion of the material and information in the library. Organize a “playdate” with family and/or friends and spend the day in downtown Dallas.
