United States Government Document Depository The Des Moines Public Library maintains several special collections for the use, information and enjoyment of the public. The Public Library of Des Moines is a designated Selective Federal Depository Library for United States Government Documents in the State of Iowa. The library was established as such in 1888. This collection is housed on the second floor of the Central Library. A wide variety of government publications are available to the public, including the U.S. Code and the Code of Federal Regulations.
Iowa Collection The Iowa Collection, housed at the Central Library, includes books and other items concerning the history and culture of the state of Iowa, with particular emphasis on the city of Des Moines. It also contains both fiction and nonfiction books by Iowa authors, defined as those who were born in Iowa or who lived here at least twenty years. In addition, it incorporates locally published newspapers and periodicals, as well as a collection of Iowa-related photographs and postcards. Some city, county and state documents are also maintained for current and future historical use. Items of particular are interest are Des Moines city directories and telephone books from previous years, as well as many Des Moines high school yearbooks.
The Foundation Center The Des Moines Public Library is a Cooperating Collection of the Foundation Center. As a member of this nationwide network of libraries, community foundations, and other nonprofit agencies, the Des Moines Central Library provides visitors with free public access to various resources and the Foundation Center's Foundation Directory Online Professional (FDO). This includes detailed profiles of all active U.S. foundations, as well as an extensive file of recent grants awarded by the nation's top funders. More »
The Shoah Visual History Collection The Des Moines Visual History Collection includes seventeen English language testimonies by Holocaust survivors and other witnesses. The interviews were conducted in Iowa. Each of the seventeen testimonies in the collection is a unique life story that includes personal memories of prewar life, the struggle to survive, and the aftermath of the war. Materials are currently available for viewing at the Central Library. Testimonies on DVD are available for checkout at Central, Franklin Avenue, and South Side Libraries.
