Midwest Tour: The Des Moines Central Library, Des Moines, Iowa
We arrived in Des Moines on Wednesday, October 6th. Once we got settled into an Airbnb in the pleasant Sherman Hill neighborhood, we made our way to the Des Moines Central Library for a reception opening the Iowa Library Association conference.
Crying Miffy.
As we approached the library, we saw the Miffy Fountain a larger-than-life version of the classic children’s book character. We couldn’t help noting the tears pouring from her eyes. When we asked about it, we were told the statue was there to remind kids that you don’t have to be happy all the time. That’s a sensible lesson, but maybe someone should tell Miffy you don’t need to be sad and crying all the time either!
From the outside, the Des Moines Central Library is striking. It’s sheathed in a mesh copper shell that gives the library different appearances depending on the time of day, and the intensity of the light inside and outside of the library. From above, and viewed in the context of the green space around it, the library becomes a whimsical airplane taking off from downtown Des Moines. The roof of the library is alive, literally growing with sedge grass and other plants. You would think this would make for an interesting reading garden but it is, unfortunately, not a public space.
Inside, there’s a curious mix of styles and materials. Concrete columns and ceilings bring to mind brutalism, but at the same time, floor-to-ceiling windows give the space an expansive feeling. There’s a huge variety of furniture at the library. One style of chair - low leather cubes - was pointed out to us. They were interesting and pretty comfortable. They were also super heavy, which made them difficult to move. That might be by design, but it could make it harder for patrons to move them to meet their needs.
The children’s programming room on the first floor looked nice enough, but programming has been scaled back (or remains outside and online) due to the pandemic. This was the case at most of the libraries we visited. In addition to the children’s area, the library has a nice adult collection and reading area, another for teens, a gallery, a “success center,” and a number of reservable rooms and stations.
The library’s special collection, located on the second floor is pretty amazing, including pictures and artifacts from the previous main branch library. During our visit, the library’s gallery featured the exhibit “Little Luchadores,” by the artist Miriam Alarcón Avila. It was a large and vibrant set of photographs of children wearing luchador masks.
The library’s Tech Central Innovation and Maker Lab features a green screen, laser cutters, button makers, sewing machines, media conversion equipment, an editing station, and more. There are also a wide variety of reservable spaces, which we took advantage of on our second visit to the library. It’s been rare to find study rooms open during the pandemic, and this was a welcome discovery.
On our second visit, we also saw The Outreach Project in action. The Des Moines Public Library partners with several area organizations to connect people in need with resources and other supports. They set up at the library three times a week to help connect patrons with any social services they might need. It’s the kind of thing we love seeing and demonstrates a library’s recognition and commitment to meeting the needs of ALL members of the community.
While not huge fans of some aspects of the space, we are big fans of the library. It provides a range of resources and services that seem in tune with the community they serve, both in the immediate area but also more broadly for the city as well.