All DCoL locations will open at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 18 due to icy conditions.

Southwest Regional Library

Southwest Regional Library

3605 Shannon Road
Durham, NC 27707
Directions

919-560-8590

Find us on Facebook

This week’s hours

Closed for Delayed Opening
Sunday Closed Monday (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) Closed Tuesday (Delayed Opening) 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM Wednesday 9:30 AM - 8:00 PM Thursday 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM Friday 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM Saturday 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
COVID-19 visit guidelines

Getting here

Bus routes

GoDurham route 10B

Bike racks

In the rear parking lot

Parking

Front and rear parking lots. Parking is limited during peak times.

Amenities

  • 24-hour exterior book drop
  • Single-occupant all-gender restroom
  • Infant changing stations
  • Bookable rooms

Common tasks

Technology

  • Public internet access computers

    Computers with internet access are available for public use at all Durham County Library locations.

    Public internet access computers details

  • Wireless internet access

    You can connect your own device to the internet at any of our locations. Our wireless internet access is free and does not require a password. Look for the network named “DCo Library Public.” Heads up – our network is an unsecured network.

  • Hotspots for checkout

    Your Durham County Library card lets you borrow a mobile hotspot to take the internet wherever you go!

    Hotspots for checkout details

  • Printing

    You can print to printers at Southwest Regional from your mobile device or home computer by using our mobile printing website.
    You can also print by sending an email with attachment(s) to these addresses:

    Printing details

  • Scanners

    Our scanners are flatbed style. They can handle up to letter sized (8.5″ x 11″) documents.

    Scanning is free of cost. You will need a library card or computer use card to sign on to the scanner computer.

  • Copiers

    Copiers are available for public use. There is a small fee per page that has to be paid in cash.

    Copiers details

  • Fax

    Fax machines are available for public use. Faxes cost $1.75 for the first page and $1 for each page after that. The fax machines only accept credit cards for payment (not cash). You can check the status of your fax online after sending it.

Assistive technology

More assistive technology info

  • BigKeys keyboard

    Helps with typing for people with mobility and/or visual impairments. This multi-colored keyboard has bigger than normal keys to make it easier to see letters and select just one key at a time while typing at a computer. The multi-colored keys also pro

  • BigKeys keyboard keyguard

    Can be placed over the BigKeys keyboard to help in selecting only a single letter or key at a time.

  • Trackball mouse

    This mouse is a handheld pointing device that requires little wrist or hand movement. You can control it with very limited finger movement. It can also be used to control an on-screen keyboard, available at every computer through Microsoft Office.

  • Keyboard type aid

    Fits over your hand to help select keys on a keyboard or turn the pages of an open book.

  • Handheld video magnifier

    Magnifies text and images, with the option of changing the color contrast for easy visual discernment based on your preferences. The magnifier can be held in your hand or placed on an open book.

  • Adaptive joystick

    A handheld pointing device that requires limited hand movement, with different grips available based on your preference. It can also be used to control the on-screen keyboard, available at every computer through Microsoft Office.

Today’s events

Mo Willems Scavenger Hunt Hunt at Southwest Regional Library!

Tuesday, January 18, 2022 • All day

Southwest Regional Library (Southwest Regional - Children's Area)

Mo Willems' characters are loose in the children's section of the library! Can you help us track down all their pictures? Come to the Children's Information desk to get started, and collect your prize when you finish! 

Ages: Elementary School, Intergenerational, Kindergarten, Pre-School

Winter Reading at Southwest Regional Library!

Tuesday, January 18, 2022 • All day

Southwest Regional Library (Southwest Regional - Children's Area)

There's snow better time to read than Winter Reading Book Bingo at Southwest Regional Library! It's easy: get your card, get reading, and get prizes!...

Ages: Adult, Baby, Elementary School, Emerging Adult: 18-24 Year Olds, High School, Intergenerational, Kindergarten, Middle School, Pre-School, Senior Citizen, Teen, Toddler, Tweens: 9-12 Year Olds

Getting Crafty: Paracord Bracelets

Tuesday, January 18, 2022 • 4:00pm - 5:00pm

Virtual

Join us online and make a paracord bracelet! Everything you need will be provided in your kit. Registration is required. This program is for ages 8 to 12....

Ages: Elementary School, Middle School, Tweens: 9-12 Year Olds

Registration required

Durham Voices

Tuesday, January 18, 2022 • 6:15pm - 7:45pm

Virtual

Durham Voices is a fiction critique group for those serious about working toward publication. Space is limited, so please email Phil at plocey@dconc.gov to inquire about availability.

Ages: Adult

Check for more events like this > or See all events

Special features at Southwest Regional Library

Neurodiverse and sensory processing equipment

Includes a bubble wall, fiber optics, weighted lap pads, dark glasses, and more. Available at the children's desk.

Library garden

Yields programming vegetables and awesome flowers. Run by staff from Children’s Services.

Colorful paintings with animals and landscapes hang in a line along a wall

Rotating art installation

Art selected by the Library Art Committee, frequently showcasing local photographers and artists.

Manager

R. Link

Email: rlink@dconc.gov

A native New Yorker, Ruth decided to become a librarian after driving a bookmobile around Vermont on the Canadian border. She earned her master’s in library science from UNC Chapel Hill. Her absolute favorite book is The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater.

Pronouns: she/her

A mother and two small children walk toward the entrance of Southwest Regional Library
A shelf full of graphic novels
A child reads a book to a visiting therapy dog as an adult looks on
A board full of colorful drawing, paintings, and other arts and crafts
Children play at a train table as a women reads to another child
A wall with cutouts of Clifford, Arthur, and other children's book characters
A large space with twinkly lights, color alphabet letters scattered on the wall, shelves of books, and tables and chairs. A man and two small children sit at one of the tables looking at a book
A librarian and several children hold up origami cranes
Tables with computers and shelves of book, with a sign saying Teens overhead
Colorful paintings with animals and landscapes hang in a line along a wall. A person walks along a corridor alongside
Bookshelves with sign saying "¡Bienvenidos! Materiales en Españoll / Spanish Books" overhead
Brightly lit alcove with a sign overhead saying "Magazines & Newspapers", shelves of magazines along the side, and a wall of windows in the back. There are two round tables in the center with a person sitting at one working on a laptop
Two people use laptops at a table surrounded by bookshelves
A person sits at a small table with tall chairs, with more chairs at a counter nearby, and looks at a stack of papers
Two people holding pencils look together at a document. They're sitting at a large table in a room with a glass wall, with bookshelves outside
Counter with two screens in an alcove labeled "check out"
A group of people line dancing