Closed areas: Level 1, Library computer lab, Level 5 (including study rooms). We appreciate your patience during construction. For questions and updates, please see our renovation website.
Important Note: Please consult our reference room staff regarding collections access and scheduling a visit. Some special collections are being stored remotely and will have restricted access until Level 1 reopens.
Established in 1846 by civic leaders and philanthropists, the Mercantile exists today as a vibrant community and cultural asset. It is the oldest library west of the Mississippi and the grandparent of St. Louis cultural institutions.
The task of the Mercantile Library as a research library is to make its collections, which have come to concentrate on Western Expansion and the history, development, and growth of the St. Louis region and of the American rail and river transportation experiences, available to the widest number of local and national users.
Stay up to date with the latest at the St. Louis Mercantile Library. The library offers a variety of resources for visitors, including newsletters and a blog archive that provide insights into its collections, events, and ongoing projects.
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