Ames Public Library
🏢 City of Ames · Ames, Iowa
Ames Public Library
Ames's Carnegie-rooted public library has served the city since 1904 and reopened in 2014 as a LEED Gold, expanded downtown landmark at 515 Douglas Avenue — open until 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, with a bookmobile and the IDEA Center media lab.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–9pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–9pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–9pm |
| Thursday | 9am–9pm |
| Friday | 9am–6pm |
| Saturday | 9am–6pm |
| Sunday | 1pm–5pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 515 Douglas Avenue, Ames, IA 50010
Phone: (515) 239-5646
Website: amespubliclibrary.org
Plus Code: 86J829GP+HX (Ames, IA)
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Ames Public Library
The Ames Public Library is the free public library of Ames, Iowa, home to Iowa State University in Story County. It grew from an 1890s subscription reading room into a free public library after Mayor Parley Sheldon secured a $10,000 Andrew Carnegie grant, opening for business on October 20, 1904. The building was expanded in 1907, 1940 and 1985, and in November 2011 Ames voters approved a $20 million bond by 76 percent to renovate and enlarge it again. The library operated from a temporary Lincoln Center location for about eighteen months before reopening the renovated, MSR Architecture-designed building at 515 Douglas Avenue on September 14, 2014. Owned and operated by the City of Ames, it runs a bookmobile (in service since 1966) and belongs to Iowa's statewide resource-sharing network, so an Ames card also reaches materials across the state through SILO interlibrary loan.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Carnegie library since October 20, 1904, funded by a $10,000 grant Mayor Parley Sheldon secured from Andrew Carnegie
- Renovated and expanded building reopened September 14, 2014 at 515 Douglas Avenue, designed by MSR Architecture to LEED Gold certification
- IDEA Center (Inspire, Design, Explore, Archive) — a free digitization and media lab that converts VHS, cassettes, slides, negatives and photos to digital files
- Bookmobile service, running since 1966, that brings library materials out into the Ames community
- Open late until 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday for after-work and after-school visits
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Ames cardholders can stream, download and research free through Iowa's shared statewide collections:
📚 Services
- IDEA Center digitization & media-editing lab (VHS, cassette, slide & photo conversion)
- Bookmobile service across Ames
- Meeting rooms and study rooms
- Public computers, printing & free Wi-Fi
- Special collections and local history resources
- Online learning and research databases
- Language conversation circles
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytimes
- Summer reading program
- Family and all-ages programming
- Language conversation circles
- Author talks and community events
📍 Nearby Libraries in Central Iowa
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the IDEA Center at Ames Public Library?
IDEA stands for Inspire, Design, Explore, Archive. It's a free digitization and media lab where anyone with a valid library card can convert old formats — VHS, S-VHS and VHS-C tapes, cassette and microcassette audio, slides, photo negatives and prints — into digital files, and edit projects on stations running Adobe Creative Cloud and Final Cut Pro. A brief online orientation is required before your first visit.
How far back does Ames Public Library go, and is it a Carnegie library?
Yes. After starting as an 1890s subscription reading room, Ames became a free public library with a $10,000 grant that Mayor Parley Sheldon obtained from Andrew Carnegie, opening on October 20, 1904. The building was expanded in 1907, 1940 and 1985, and most recently reopened after a major renovation on September 14, 2014.
Which nights is the library open late, and what are the weekend hours?
Ames Public Library stays open until 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday. On Friday and Saturday it runs 9 a.m.–6 p.m., and on Sunday it's open a short afternoon shift from 1 p.m.–5 p.m. Hours can change on public holidays such as Labor Day, so check the library's site before a holiday visit.
Does Ames Public Library still run a bookmobile?
Yes. Ames has operated a bookmobile since 1966 to bring library materials out into the community beyond the Douglas Avenue building. The current bookmobile schedule and stops are posted on the library's website.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
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