Denver Public Library facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Denver Central Library
Central Library in Denver is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The 1995 addition to the building was designed by Michael Graves.
General information
Location	10 W. 14th Ave., Denver, Colorado
Coordinates	39°44′14″N 104°59′18″W / 39.737313°N 104.988246°W / 39.737313; -104.988246

Children's reading room, 1900

The original 1910 Denver Carnegie library; still stands today as the McNichols Civic Center Building.

The Denver Public Library is the main library system for the city of Denver, Colorado. It serves all the people living in Denver. The system has a big main library called the Denver Central Library. This library is located in the Golden Triangle district of Downtown Denver. Besides the main library, there are 25 smaller branch libraries across the city. The library even has two bookmobiles that bring books to different neighborhoods!

The library has a huge collection of more than 2 million items. These items include books, movies, music, and old photographs. Some special collections have over 347,000 items. These include the Western History and Genealogy Department and the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library.

History of the Library

The Denver Public Library started in a very simple way back in 1859. It was an outdoor library built on a carpenter's bench under a tree! Arthur Pierce, a pioneer during the gold rush, founded it. Later, in 1878, books were given to the city's board of education. These books were kept in a part of East Denver High School.

John Cotton Dana became the chief librarian. The "Denver Public Library" was officially created in 1889. The library moved into its own building in 1910. This building had a Greek revival design. It was paid for by a kind person named Andrew Carnegie. This first library building was in Civic Center Park downtown. Today, that 1910 building is known as the McNichols Civic Center Building. Between 1913 and 1920, Andrew Carnegie also helped build the library's first eight branch locations. Before this, the city used traveling trunks filled with books.

Central Library's Growth

In the 1950s, the city decided to build a new Central Library. It was designed by architects Fisher & Fisher and Burnham Hoyt. The new library opened in 1956 at Broadway and West 14th Avenue. This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. When the new library opened, the Yale Library loaned some very rare books. These included a 1455 Gutenberg Bible and a 1640 Bay Psalm Book.

Denver grew a lot in the 1950s and 1970s. This meant the library needed more branches to serve new neighborhoods. Four of these new branches were funded by Frederick Ross. He was a Denver Real Estate Investor and a Library Commissioner. He donated $100,000 to help build them.

In the 1990s, Denver voters approved a large amount of money to add onto the Central Library. The new part was designed by Michael Graves. It opened in 1995. This new section is very large, about 540,000 square feet. The outside of the building is made of limestone and concrete with copper details. Inside, you can see murals by artist Edward Ruscha. There are also fossils in the floor of Schlessman Hall. The Level Five Gates Western History Ready Room even has an art gallery.

Special Collections

The Denver Public Library has a very large collection about Western History. This collection started with City Librarian Malcom G. Wyer. It includes 600,000 photographs and 3,700 old written documents. There are also 200,000 books, maps, and microfilm titles. The library also has a collection of Western fine art and prints. The quality of its oil paintings is almost as good as the Denver Art Museum next door!

The library's collection includes Western landscape paintings. Some famous artists whose work is there are Albert Bierstadt and Frederic Remington. The Western History Department also has the Otto Perry collection. This includes 20,000 railroad photographs from all over North America. You can view many of these photos online.

The Western History and Genealogy departments joined together in 1995. They are located on the fifth floor of the Central Library. The Genealogy department helps people research their family history. It has 60,000 books and many other resources. Since 1995, the Western History Department has worked to put over 100,000 of its images online.

The Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library is a special place. It focuses on the history, literature, art, music, and politics of African Americans. This includes those in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West. The library opened in 2003. It has a full library, research archives, and the Western Legacies Museum. This museum has exhibits that cover over 7,000 square feet. It includes a gallery about African American leaders. There is also a copy of the office of former Denver Mayor Wellington E. Webb. The museum also has changing exhibits about history and local Denver people.

Current Services

The Denver Public Library offers many helpful services for everyone.

Computers and Technology

All library locations offer public computers. These computers have Internet access and Microsoft Office programs. You can also copy, print, and scan documents. Free wireless Internet (WiFi) is available for all visitors.

Library of Things

If you have a library card, you can check out more than just books! The Denver Public Library lets you borrow useful equipment and experiences. For example, you can check out bicycle repair kits or a State Park Pass. They also have Chromebooks, GoPro cameras, and museum passes. You can even borrow a WiFi hotspot!

Makerspaces

The Denver Public Library system has special creative spaces. These are called ideaLABs. You can find them at different library locations. They are places where you can learn and create using various tools and technologies.

Museum Passes, Cultural Tours and Ticket Vouchers

With a Denver Public Library card, you can get free passes to local museums and cultural places. These include the Butterfly Pavilion and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. You can also visit the Denver Zoo or the History Colorado Center. Library card holders can also enter drawings to win tickets to plays and concerts. These events are held at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and with the Colorado Symphony.

Branch Libraries

See also

In Spanish: Biblioteca Pública de Denver para niños