diff --git a/buildingmotif/dataclasses/library.py b/buildingmotif/dataclasses/library.py
index 0e7169b69..d12afa07b 100644
--- a/buildingmotif/dataclasses/library.py
+++ b/buildingmotif/dataclasses/library.py
@@ -409,6 +409,9 @@ def _load_from_directory(
 
         # read all .yml files
         for file in directory.rglob("*.yml"):
+            # if .ipynb_checkpoints, skip; these are cached files that Jupyter creates
+            if ".ipynb_checkpoints" in file.parts:
+                continue
             lib._read_yml_file(file, template_id_lookup, dependency_cache)
         # now that we have all the templates, we can populate the dependencies
         lib._resolve_template_dependencies(template_id_lookup, dependency_cache)
diff --git a/buildingmotif/utils.py b/buildingmotif/utils.py
index bc3da9904..fe8eb711f 100644
--- a/buildingmotif/utils.py
+++ b/buildingmotif/utils.py
@@ -205,7 +205,12 @@ def get_ontology_files(directory: Path, recursive: bool = True) -> List[Path]:
         searches = (directory.rglob(f"{pat}") for pat in patterns)
     else:
         searches = (directory.glob(f"{pat}") for pat in patterns)
-    return list(chain.from_iterable(searches))
+    # filter out files in .ipynb_checkpoints
+    filtered_searches = (
+        filter(lambda x: ".ipynb_checkpoints" not in Path(x).parts, search)
+        for search in searches
+    )
+    return list(chain.from_iterable(filtered_searches))
 
 
 def get_template_parts_from_shape(
diff --git a/tests/unit/dataclasses/test_library.py b/tests/unit/dataclasses/test_library.py
index ffbd2a10f..6477b6638 100644
--- a/tests/unit/dataclasses/test_library.py
+++ b/tests/unit/dataclasses/test_library.py
@@ -156,6 +156,14 @@ def test_load_library_overwrite_directory(bm: BuildingMOTIF):
     assert len(lib.get_templates()) == 2, "Library overwritten improperly"
 
 
+def test_load_library_no_ipynb_checkpoints(bm: BuildingMOTIF):
+    lib = Library.load(directory="tests/unit/fixtures/ipynb_checkpoint_test")
+    assert lib is not None
+    assert len(lib.get_templates()) == 1
+    # if the checkpoint file was loaded, BuildingMOTIF would complain about
+    # duplicate templates
+
+
 def test_libraries(monkeypatch, bm: BuildingMOTIF, library: str):
     """
     Test that the libraries can be loaded and used.
diff --git a/tests/unit/fixtures/ipynb_checkpoint_test/.ipynb_checkpoints/templates.yml b/tests/unit/fixtures/ipynb_checkpoint_test/.ipynb_checkpoints/templates.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c59d3a69b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/fixtures/ipynb_checkpoint_test/.ipynb_checkpoints/templates.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+fan:
+  body: >
+    @prefix bmparam: <urn:___param___#> .
+    @prefix brick: <https://brickschema.org/schema/Brick#> .
+    bmparam:name a brick:Fan ;
+        brick:hasPoint bmparam:spd, bmparam:st, bmparam:ss .
+    bmparam:spd a brick:Fan_Speed_Command .
+    bmparam:st a brick:Fan_Status .
+    bmparam:ss a brick:Start_Stop_Command .
diff --git a/tests/unit/fixtures/ipynb_checkpoint_test/templates.yml b/tests/unit/fixtures/ipynb_checkpoint_test/templates.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c59d3a69b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/fixtures/ipynb_checkpoint_test/templates.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+fan:
+  body: >
+    @prefix bmparam: <urn:___param___#> .
+    @prefix brick: <https://brickschema.org/schema/Brick#> .
+    bmparam:name a brick:Fan ;
+        brick:hasPoint bmparam:spd, bmparam:st, bmparam:ss .
+    bmparam:spd a brick:Fan_Speed_Command .
+    bmparam:st a brick:Fan_Status .
+    bmparam:ss a brick:Start_Stop_Command .