The building that housed the former Skillman Southwestern library for almost 30 years is up for sale.
The Dallas City Council voted unanimously and without public discussion on Wednesday to declare the property surplus and sell it at the next scheduled public auction.
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The Skillman Library closed on Sept. 27 after the Dallas City Council cut the Dallas Public Library Department’s budget by approximately $1 million for the fiscal year 2026.
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Skillman, at 5707 Skillman St., was saved from the chopping block in 2024, but it couldn’t escape it for a second year, despite residents’ opposition to the closure.
The item was discussed in closed session. No estimated cost of the property value was mentioned.
The auction is expected to occur within approximately 90 days of the surplus declaration, likely in February or March, according to a Sept. 19 city memo.
If the auction reserve is met, the transfer and closing of the property will occur within 60 days of the auction close, placing the anticipated closing date of the escrow between April and May.
According to the memo, until the sale is concluded, utilities will remain active to support building showings, maintain fire suppression systems and protect the property from extreme temperatures.
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The Skillman library, a red brick building tucked between apartment complexes, opened in July 1996. Dallas residents approved the project in a 1978 bond, and the land was bought in 1982, but the groundbreaking was delayed for almost a decade, according to a 1996 article in The Dallas Morning News.
Christopher Celestine of Plano sits at a table at Skillman Southwestern Branch Library, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, in Dallas.
Chitose Suzuki / Staff Photographer
The closure comes not only as a result of budget constraints, but also as the city looks to shift to a regional library model. The regional plan aims to provide more robust services at fewer locations, with some libraries open seven days a week and offering a wider range of programs, said Library Director Manya Shorr.
Dallas budget officials expect to close four more libraries next year. The locations have not been disclosed.