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Central Library

Central Library Building Images
by Farshid Assassi

exterior photo gallery

interior photo gallery

Since the grand opening of the stunning building located in the Gateway Park, the library has grown into a boisterous two-year-old. The library's spacious Grand Meeting Room is often filled with folks attending community meetings, author programs ranging from poets to mountain climbers, and dozens of children's events, including Saturday Specials for families. The teen and children's areas are also lively with young patrons, and the library recently reached the milestone of more than one million visitors!

Library Hours »

In the first two years of operation, the library has circulated more than 500,000 items each year, compared to 219,000 items circulated during the last full year at the old location. Public use of the internet has skyrocketed from 22,749 sessions during the last year at the old library, to more than 120,000 sessions this past year in the new building. Statistics for the entire system indicate that circulation for the five branch libraries has been maintained, resulting in a significant increase for the system overall.

Take off to new heights with our up-to-date features and selection at the Central Library! Opened on April 8, 2006, this location offers its patrons the largest selection of internet-capable computers in the Des Moines Public Library, in addition to wireless internet for laptops.

The library still remains a great place to find information as well with city directories that date as far back as 1866 and our vast Iowa Collection for famed authors.

For teens, the library offers an exciting number of events and clubs, such as monthly Animanga Club. Visit our Teen Center as well to use the area's computers and browse through our extensive teen graphic novel collection.

Find activities for a younger audience with our Children's Area on the first floor. This just for kids section features picture books, DVDs, computers, and various other media.

Central Library Virtual Tour
Tour a interactive rendering tour of the Central Library. Provided by the Des Moines Register.
take tour »

Where to Park at the Central Library?
The Central Library is located at 1000 Grand Avenue between Locust and Grand and Tenth Street and Twelfth Street. Underground parking with approximately thirty spaces is available under the library and can be accessed from the Grand Avenue circle driveway. There is a two-hour limit on parking in the underground garage.

If you are traveling from the East on I-235, take the Seventh Street exit and follow Seventh to Grand Avenue. Turn right (West) on Grand Avenue and continue past Tenth Street. There are two-hour and four-hour parking meters located on each side of the street.

If you are coming from the west side of Des Moines, take the Martin Luther King exit off Interstate 235, to Ingersoll. Continue along Ingersoll to Tenth Street and turn south.

If you are coming from the south side of Des Moines, take Fleur Drive to Locust Street, where you will find 19 two-hour parking meters in the two block area north of the library. If you are on Twelfth Street and going north or south of the Library, you’ll find seven four-hour parking meters. There are thirteen four-hour parking meters and seven two-hour parking meters along Grand Avenue.

Handicapped parking spots can be found in the underground parking and at specially marked meters on Locust and Grand. As always, parking is free on Saturdays and Sundays!