The White Tank Branch Library & Nature Center has officially achieved LEED® Platinum certification. It is the first LEED Platinum certified public library in Arizona, and one of only three in the entire United States. It also has the distinction of being the only LEED Platinum certified public library built in a challenging environment.

With a magnificent backdrop of 4,000-foot peaks, the 29,000 SF White Tank Branch Library & Nature Center is a desert oasis nestled in a rugged landscape notorious for its severe summer heat and torrential rainstorms. Yet this public library is found just a few miles from the suburbs of Phoenix, at the entrance to the largest regional park in Maricopa County. It's an environmental statement, complete with Nature Center and amphitheater.

The library's collection of 35,000 items is planned to serve about 49,000 people within a five mile radius, including campers and cyclists. The activity room accommodates up to 137 children seated on the floor or 38 adults seated at linear tables. There are four quiet study rooms and a separate area for teens. The southeast portion of the building houses the County's Nature Center, which features a sales area, information counter and animal habitat room where the public can view snakes and rodents native to the park. Visitors can access the 25 miles of hiking trails via a trailhead just steps from the Nature Center.