Des Moines Public Library Foundation

The Des Moines Public Library Foundation advocates and raises funds for the Des Moines Public Library system. The Library Foundation contributed $21 million for the new Central Library and renovations at all five library branches.

With our generous donors, the Library Foundation supports 87% of the free programming offered by the Des Moines Public Library including: Summer Reading & School Readiness, AViD (Authors Visiting in Des Moines), and other free programming for children, teens, and adults. 

The Des Moines Public Library Foundation is a separate 501(c)3 organization - the largest, single private supporter of the Des Moines Public Library (DMPL). With the generous support of our donors and the special leadership of our board of directors, the DMPL Foundation fully funds signature library programs: Summer Reading & School Readiness, AViD (Authors Visiting in Des Moines), Children's Programming, Teen Programming, and Adult Programming. We raise funds to replace and update technology - including all the public access computers - with our Technology Fund. The Foundation annually recognizes talented authors with the Iowa Author Awards.