Dear friends,
You may have noticed something different about the Houston Public Library Foundation this past week: our new branding is now live!
Our mission remains the same — to champion literacy, learning, and opportunity through support for the Houston Public Library — but now, we’re bringing that mission to life with a vibrant new look.
Today, we’re proud to unveil our new logo and brand colors, designed to reflect the energy, diversity, and imagination that libraries spark every day in our community. Here are some of the highlights of our new logo:
+ 1904: The year Houston Public Library was founded, the City of Houston created the Library Board to help steward the resources of the public library system. The Foundation is the proud successor of the Library Board and we are honored to continue this legacy over these last 121 years.
+ Columns: The columns represented here mimic the entrances to both the original Carnegie Library built in 1904 at the corner of McKinney St. and Main St., as well as the entrance to the historic 1926 Julia Ideson Building that remains an iconic mainstay of HPL today. These columns represent the steady and unfaltering commitment of HPL to welcome all Houstonians through its doors!
+ Book arch: Over the columns and completing the architectural arch is a book with the pages spread as if being flipped through. This represents the actual architectural feature represented over the entrance to the Ideson Building, the historic logo of the library system, and the continued dedication to open access to information for all Houstonians through the public library system.
Our refreshed identity represents continued growth, innovation, and the power of storytelling — values we share with every reader, learner, and supporter who walks with us. These changes are more than cosmetic: they mark a renewed commitment to connecting more people to the resources they need to dream big and achieve more.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Your support makes everything we do possible, and we’re thrilled to continue this work together with a bold, modern visual identity that draws on an incredible legacy.
With gratitude,
Nick Sawicki
Executive Director