The Boise Public Library began in 1895 when members of the Columbian Club opened a subscription library and reading room in Boise City Hall.[4] When Boise received a grant in 1904 to build a Carnegie library, local architects John E. Tourtellotte and Charles F. Hummel won the design contract, and the local firm of Michels & Weber received the construction contract. Materials included white brick fired in Boise and sandstone from nearby Table Rock.[5] Boise's Carnegie Library opened June 22, 1905,[4] and Mary F. Wood became its first librarian.[6]
In 1973 the Boise Public Library moved to a larger building, formerly occupied by Salt Lake Hardware, at 715 S. Capitol Blvd., and in 1974 the Carnegie Library was added to the National Register of Historic Places.[4]
The building was occupied by a law firm until 2018 when it was repurposed for artists as studio space.[7]