The North Side Library Community

A ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the end of renovation work at the North Side Library (3516 Fifth Avenue) was held on October 9. The formal presentations were short, which gave people time to talk with each other while enjoying cake from a neighborhood shop. The speakers praised the community for supporting the library, the staff for their extra efforts during renovations, the City of Des Moines and the Des Moines Public Library Foundation for financing, and local businesses for doing the work. Susan Genalo, president of the Des Moines Public Library Foundation, summed up the spirit of the event when she told the people assembled for the ceremony that “clearly you all recognize the impact this library has on its community….”

The history of a library on the North Side starts in 1919. It includes store fronts, an old house, a mall, and the current building that was dedicated on December 2, 1984.

Cases with mementoes from the neighborhood and the library’s past line the walls of the library’s meeting room. Among the items on display is a 1937 calendar from Grund Food Market. The market was located at 3809 6th Avenue. The calendar advised customers to “use your phone and laugh at the weather,” because Grund’s delivered, rain or shine.

The branch manager is Katherine Manion, who has been at the North Side Library for about six months. Previously she was assistant branch manager at the Franklin Avenue Library. She said there are seven employees at the North Side branch, four full-time and three part-time. The library has some basic reference materials and periodicals, but its collection is generally popular materials, e.g., novels. She mentioned several activities that are held at the North Side Library, including children reading time and two book discussion groups.

The library is holding a book sale October 13-20. Proceeds support the Friends of the North Side Library. Manion said in addition to buying books, the Friends are looking at acquiring adult-sized armchairs for the children’s reading area at the request of parents. The Friends also bought four of the new computers that are available for public use.

Steve Goers was branch manager at the North Side Library for about 15 years. He said renovation planning started years ago and included focus groups composed of the library’s users and of community leaders. The renovations included creating two study rooms out of closet space so students and their tutors could have some place quiet to meet. A new closet was created out of the old 16mm projector room that was no longer being used for showing films. Goers retired at the end of March 2007. I asked him if he was reading in retirement. “All the time,” he said. He added that he started buying books a year-and-a-half before he retired to have ready for after he retired.

Following the ribbon cutting, Todd Mishler talked about his book, Blood, Sweat and Cheers: Great Football Rivalries of the Big Ten.

Guest Writer: M.R. Field is editor of Leading Voices: Iowa.