By Sarah Morton Taggart | [email protected]

The Tyler Library, located at 8041 S. Wood St. and built in 1966 was one of three Salt Lake County libraries designed by William Wing Louie. Louie died on April 21 at the age of 98.

“I’ve always enjoyed the light and openness,” said Melinda Tooley, a librarian at the Ruth Vine Tyler Library since 2013. 

Louie was the first Asian and the first minority to be licensed as an architect in Utah. He designed two other Salt Lake County libraries—the recently renovated Holladay branch and the recently replaced Kearns branch—as well as churches, schools and commercial buildings throughout Utah. Louis also designed the St. Therese of the Child Jesus Catholic Church on Lennox Street in Midvale.

Louie was born in Ogden in 1923 after his parents immigrated from China. He worked at Hill Air Force Base and served in World War II before graduating from the first class of the University of Utah’s School of Architecture.

The Tyler Library extended its operating hours in April and is now open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.