Central Library Collections
Central Library Collections & Services Match Acclaim of World-Renowned Building
The Central Library, designed by renowned architect Michael Graves and the Denver firm of Klipp Colussy Jenks DuBois, has received worldwide attention. From its distinctive and colorful postmodern facade to its fossil-embedded limestone floors, this eye-catching building encourages discovery.
But the Denver Public Library's Central Library is more than an internationally-acclaimed landmark building. It manages to combine the comfort and convenience of a neighborhood library with the extensive and specialized resources of a research library.
The Denver Public Library is a record-breaker. Annually, a million people visit the Central Library, making it the city's third-most-popular cultural attraction. It is the largest library between Los Angeles and Chicago, and it houses important collections.
Researchers travel from around the world to use the Western history collection, which includes books; manuscripts; maps; masterpieces by John Mix Stanley, Frederic Remington and Albert Bierstadt; and over 600,000 historic photographs. The Central Library is also the region's only federal deposit library, containing 2.3 million documents.
This anchor to the Denver Public Library system is a community hub. Researchers find privacy for work in the Library's multitude of intimate reading areas and study rooms. An abundance of programs and well-designed meeting spaces make the Library an inviting destination and gathering spot. It combines education with entertainment through Internet workshops, exhibits, performances, book discussion groups, family activities and tours.
Customer service is top priority for the Denver Public Library staff. In the 540,000 square-foot building, a staff of over 300 helps customers locate books and materials. Cutting edge technology, including 400 computer terminals with Internet access, allows customers access to information and material from throughout the Denver Public Library system -- and from around the world.
The Children's Library, which was designed with input from children, is filled with discoveries for the Library's youngest customers. Storytelling events and children's programs are held in the Claire McMenamy Berger Memorial Children's Pavilion, a fanciful, copper-clad structure. A children's crafts area provides comfortable and easy-to-maintain space for workshops.
The Burnham Hoyt Room serves as downtown Denver's neighborhood library, housing popular fiction and nonfiction books, large-print books, videos, books-on-tape and compact discs. The Burnham Hoyt Room features more than 86,000 popular items on two miles of shelves.
In 1995, the Central Library was renovated and an addition was constructed, more than tripling the size of the building. Construction of the Central Library and branch renovations were funded by a $91.6 million bond issue approved by a 75 percent majority of Denver voters in 1990.
While visitors may be delighted by the Central Library building, they are truly amazed by what they find inside.
Denver Public Library Online ©
Updated: June 06, 2007
