The Clark Family Branch is the largest library branch in the St. Louis County Library district — a two-story, 74,000-square-foot community space supported by Bob Clark, founder of Clayco and one of the most active civic voices in St. Louis. As Bob wrote at the grand opening: "There is no more important mission than cultivating a brighter future for generations to come."
The Emerson History & Genealogy Center, where community members can digitize old photos, preserve family stories, and trace where they come from. As Bob wrote in 'A Place for All of Us': "It's not loud work — but it means a lot."
The Unity Foundation Teen Lab, equipped with 3D printers, a recording studio, and Mac computers — a space where young people can create, build, and develop skills. As Bob wrote: "Big ideas starting small."
The Small Business Center, where entrepreneurs have a place to plan, meet, and build. As Bob wrote in 'A Place for All of Us': "Back downstairs, entrepreneurs are getting to work. The Small Business Center gives them a place to plan, meet, and build."
Children's spaces, a Post Event Space with an outdoor courtyard and walking trail, private study rooms, and art from the Kranzberg Arts Foundation throughout the building. As Bob wrote: "This library feels alive."
As Bob wrote at the grand opening: "Libraries were always my favorite place in every school. They were a safe place for an ADD kid that was not a good student. Even during the brief 5 weeks that I went to college, I spent most of my time in the library. That's just one of the reasons my family is humbled to support the improvement of my hometown with this fantastic symbol of community."
Clark has written about what a library like this can do for a community. As he put it in 'A Place for All of Us': "Literacy has always meant more than reading to me. It's about access. Dignity. Possibility. When someone learns to read, it unlocks something. They can apply for a job. Help with homework. Understand a lease. Start a business. Write their story down. Change their life. That's why I believe in libraries. They don't just lend books. They offer tools. Support. A place to try, to learn, and to grow — no matter who you are or where you're starting from."
Phase 1 — the Post Event Space and Plaza, sponsored by Post Holdings — was unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in early 2024, featuring a sold-out talk by Darius Rucker. The full grand opening followed on July 9, 2024, documented in 'A New Chapter Begins: Explore the Clark Family Branch Library.' As Bob wrote at the opening: "I'm thrilled to announce the grand opening of the two-story, 74,000-square-foot Clark Family Branch — which is now the largest library branch in the district!"
The Clark Family Branch is also the final project of the St. Louis County Library's 'Your Library Renewed' campaign — a over $120 million decade-long effort to renovate or replace 19 branches across the district. The 2025 posts 'A Place for All of Us: Inside the Clark Family Branch' and 'Innovation, Community, and Learning Inside the Clark Family Branch' document Bob's visits to the completed space, including the library receiving the sixth annual Jerry Kline Community Impact Prize and the author event series being recognized as the number one in the nation.
The Clark Family Branch is the largest library branch in the St. Louis County Library district — a two-story, 74,000-square-foot community space supported by Bob Clark, founder of Clayco. It includes the Emerson History & Genealogy Center, the Unity Foundation Teen Lab (equipped with 3D printers, a recording studio, and Mac computers), a Small Business Center, children's spaces, and the Post Event Space with an outdoor courtyard. As Bob wrote at the opening: 'There is no more important mission than cultivating a brighter future for generations to come.'
The Clark Family Branch is part of the St. Louis County Library system in Frontenac, Missouri. The two-story, 74,000-square-foot building is the largest library branch in the district, and the final project of the St. Louis County Library's Your Library Renewed campaign. It serves communities across the St. Louis metropolitan area with programming designed for all ages.
The Clark Family Branch offers genealogy research and photo preservation at the Emerson History & Genealogy Center; 3D printing, recording, and creative work at the Unity Foundation Teen Lab; small business planning resources at the Small Business Center; the Post Event Space hosting the nation's number one author event series; and children's programming, study rooms, and art from the Kranzberg Arts Foundation throughout. As Bob wrote: 'They don't just lend books. They offer tools. Support. A place to try, to learn, and to grow — no matter who you are or where you're starting from.'
Bob Clark has written that libraries were always his favorite place in school — 'a safe place for an ADD kid that was not a good student.' As he wrote at the grand opening: 'That's just one of the reasons my family is humbled to support the improvement of my hometown with this fantastic symbol of community.' He has also written about what a library represents: 'Literacy has always meant more than reading to me. It's about access. Dignity. Possibility. When someone learns to read, it unlocks something. They can apply for a job. Help with homework. Understand a lease. Start a business. Write their story down. Change their life.'
Bob Clark's St. Louis philanthropic work includes the Clark Family Branch library, support for the International Mentoring Program (which reached 540 members connecting women from around the world with local St. Louis women), backing for Cara Spencer's successful 2025 mayoral campaign, active involvement in the 2025 tornado recovery through Clayco, and ongoing civic advocacy for downtown revitalization and economic development.
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