Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library
Established	1866
Location	Des Moines, Iowa, USA
Branches	Seven (six physical branches and one virtual branch)
Website	http://dmpl.org

Founded in 1866, the Des Moines Public Library (DMPL) is the public library system for the City of Des Moines. With six physical branches, a virtual branch, and a collection of more than 550,000 items, Des Moines Public Library is the largest public library system in the state of Iowa. Des Moines Public Library presents a variety of informational, educational, and entertaining programs for patrons of all ages, including storytimes, crafts, job assistance workshops, author visits, and much more. Recognized by the Urban Libraries Council as a Top Innovator in 2015, DMPL is a recognized leader in expanding the universe of opportunities, imagination, innovation, and lifelong learning benefiting its diverse community.

Services

The Des Moines Public Library offers a variety of services, including traditional book and media circulation, public internet, youth programming, adult programming, and much more. In addition to physical materials found in the six physical locations, digital materials such as e-books and e-audiobooks can be borrowed from the library’s virtual branch.

Collection

Each Des Moines Public Library branch has a fiction and non-fiction collection with adult, teen, and youth sections. Each branch also offers CDs, magazines, newspapers, videos, and DVDs. The Central Library has a special sheet music collection, and the Forest Avenue Library has a foreign language collection that includes Spanish, Vietnamese, Arabic, Karen, and Burmese books. The East Side Library is known for its extensive automobile resource collection, featuring information and manuals on automobiles that are decades old. The library also has Special Collections at the Central Library that include the United States Government Document Depository and an Iowa Collection that includes books and other items concerning the history and culture of Iowa.

Programs

The library presents a variety of informational, educational and fun programs for patrons of all ages, including storytimes, crafts, games, book discussions, author visits, lectures, job assistance workshops, and other special events.^[1]^[2] The library organizes several annual events including its summer reading program and Authors Visiting in Des Moines (AViD) Author Series.

Authors Visiting in Des Moines (AViD)

Authors Visiting in Des Moines (AViD) is a highly acclaimed, free lecture series that connects world-famous authors with an audience from across the state. AViD began in 2001 to give the community the chance to listen, learn and laugh as these authors share their stories. With the support of the Des Moines Public Library Foundation and other local donors, including Humanities Iowa, AViD celebrates great reading and writing. Each year features best-selling fiction and nonfiction authors who write about a variety of issues and topics.

Outreach

Des Moines Public Library partners with the United Way and Women’s Leadership Connection to provide literacy opportunities for children through Read Rover by providing interactive storytimes at child care centers in Des Moines. The library also provides homebound services to patrons who are unable to visit the library because of physical disability or illness.

Rosie the Reader is the library’s outreach mascot. Rosie visits several preschools every year and can be seen at community festivals and parades.

Branches

Branch	Address	Notes
Central Library	1000 Grand Ave.	New location in 2006; Houses Special Collections; designed by noted architect David Chipperfield.
East Side Library	2559 Hubbell Ave.	Renovated in Fall 2006; Features a large automotive resource collection
Forest Avenue Library	1326 Forest Ave.	Renovated in 2007; Features large foreign language collection and accessibility to language learning software
Franklin Avenue Library	5000 Franklin Ave.	Renovated in 2011; DMPL’s first LEED registered building^[3]^[4]
North Side Library	3516 Fifth Ave.	Renovated in 2007; Features a memorabilia room with a rich local history
South Side Library	1111 Porter Ave.	Renovated in 2007; Features teen loft

History

The Des Moines Public Library^[5] began as the Des Moines Library Association in 1866 in the basement of a Methodist church. Early on, the library was supported by contributions and public charity. In 1882, it was decided to turn the library over to the city to become a free public library. The city purchased property at 100 Locust Street for the main library in 1898 for $35,000. The library opened in October 1903. For more information about the original library building, see Public Library of Des Moines.

In the 1920s, the library provided a home for the Cumming School of Art. In 1938, the library became the birthplace of the Library Bill of Rights under director Forrest Spaulding.^[6] The bill is still in use today by the American Library Association to ensure diversity of viewpoints in all library materials.

Through the years, the library became a cornerstone for the Des Moines community. In 1937, the Boys and Girls Department opened on the ground floor. During the 1930s, local artist Harry Donald Jones began painting a mural on the ground floor as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project. The mural, called "The Social History of Des Moines," traced the growth of Des Moines from prehistoric times to present days. In the 1950s, the library developed a music department that featured a large collection of circulating vinyl records, a listening room with piano and record player, and a series of free concerts of recorded music presented weekly in the library's auditorium.

On April 8, 2006 a new Central Library opened at 1000 Grand Avenue.^[7]^[8] The new building was designed by London architect David Chipperfield^[9] to serve the library’s growing collection and the technology needs of 21st century users. The previous Central Library (located at 100 Locust) is now the home of The World Food Prize.^[10]