The Des Moines Public Library (DMPL) is the public library system for the city of

Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moine ...

. It is the largest public library system in the state of

Iowa Iowa () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wiscon ...

, with a collection of 552,576 items housed at six locations.

Services

The library provides research and reference services, as well as Internet computers and wireless Internet access, meeting and study rooms, copy machines and printers, and faxing. In the fall of 2021, the Central Library added Tech Central: Innovation and Maker Lab
Tech Central stations
include equipment for video editing, media conversion, laser engraver, sublimation printer, audio and video recording, and more. Another library service is th
Community Fridge
available at the South Side Library and the Franklin Avenue Library to provide free access to food for community members.

Collection

The Des Moines Public Library offers books, audio books, e-books, CDs, magazines, newspapers, information databases, and DVDs. Each location features adult, teen and children's fiction and non-fiction collections. The collection expanded to include the "Library of Things" in the fall of 2022
"Library of Things"
allows adults with library cards to check out items such as board games, kitchen equipment, home tools, and lawn games for free. The library also has Special Collections at the Central Library; an Iowa Collection that includes books and other items concerning the history and culture of Iowa; the Foundation Center; and The Shoah Visual History Collection.

Programs

The library presents a variety of informational, educational and fun programs for patrons of all ages. Programs for children and teens include storytimes, crafts, games, and book discussions. To support families and promote

early childhood education Early childhood education (ECE), also known as nursery education, is a branch of education theory that relates to the teaching of children (formally and informally) from birth up to the age of eight. Traditionally, this is up to the equival ...

, the library share
Simple Steps to Success
activities and resources. Simple Steps to Success is an early literacy initiative that supports educators and families throughout the community. Adult programming includes book discussions, author visits, lectures, job assistance workshops, and other special events. The library organizes several annual events, including the summer reading program and Authors Visiting in Des Moines (AViD) Author Series.

Authors Visiting in Des Moines (AViD)

Authors Visiting in Des Moines (AViD) began in 2001 to give the community the chance to listen, learn and laugh as world-famous 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.

Branches

History

The Des Moines Public Library 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. It started with nearly 2,300 books and a few periodicals. 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, and the Main Library branch remained at 100 Locust Street for more than 100 years. In 1938, the library became the birthplace of the

Library Bill of Rights The Library Bill of Rights is the American Library Association's statement expressing the rights of library users to intellectual freedom and the expectations the association places on libraries to support those rights. The Association's Council ...

under director

Forrest Spaulding Forrest Brisbin Spaulding (May 4, 1892 – December 9, 1965) was an American librarian. He was named in the ''American Libraries'' article, "100 of the most important leaders we had in the 20th century" for his contribution to intellectual freedom ...

. The bill is still in use today by the

American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with 49,727 members ...

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 The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, in ...

(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. Beginning in the 1960s, the library began consolidating several of the small branches into larger regional branches. This began with the West Side Branch opening in 1965 (later renamed the Franklin Avenue branch). The new East Side Library opened in 1970, and the South Side Library was built in 1977. This was followed by the North Side Library in 1983 and the Forest Avenue Library in 1992. These regional branches helped increase the services available to patrons while remaining neighborhood-based at heart. In April 2006, a new Central Library opened at 1000 Grand Avenue. The new building was designed by London architect

David Chipperfield Sir David Alan Chipperfield, (born 18 December 1953) is an English architect. He established David Chipperfield Architects in 1985. His major works include the River and Rowing Museum in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire (1989–1998); the Muse ...

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 The World Food Prize is an international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity, or availability of food in the world. Conceived by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nor ...

Des Moines Public Library Foundation

The Library Foundation of Des Moines was founded in 1998 to support the resources and services of the library through fundraising and advocacy. The Foundation supports programs that benefit the Des Moines community and promote the library's resources. With help from donors, foundations and corporations, the Foundation helps support the Des Moines Public Library.

References

{{authority control 1866 establishments in Iowa Buildings and structures in Des Moines, Iowa Education in Des Moines, Iowa Public libraries in Iowa