Manhattan Public Library
🏢 North Central Kansas Libraries System · Manhattan, Kansas
Manhattan Public Library
From an 1856 subscription library founded before Kansas statehood to a 1904 Carnegie building and today's expansive downtown facility at 629 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan Public Library has served the Little Apple and Riley County for well over a century.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–9pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–9pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–9pm |
| Thursday | 9am–9pm |
| Friday | 9am–8pm |
| Saturday | 9am–6pm |
| Sunday | 1pm–6pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 629 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66502
Phone: (785) 776-4741
Website: mhklibrary.org
Plus Code: 86F55CHM+HG (Manhattan, KS)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Manhattan Public Library
Manhattan Public Library traces its roots to a subscription library incorporated in 1856 — before Kansas became a state — when a $1 fee and "good moral character" bought a membership. The Manhattan Library Association secured a Carnegie grant, and the city's landmark Carnegie library opened in 1904 with a collection of 1,000 items under first director Mary Cornelia Lee, who served until 1942. After the devastating 1951 flood damaged the old building, the community built a new $825,000 library at Juliette and Poyntz that opened March 9, 1969 with 55,000 items. The current building has grown with the city: a $3.7 million east wing wrapped around a three-story atrium was completed in 1998, and a $2.125 million project doubled the children's area in December 2014. Serving the greater Manhattan and Riley County area — home to Kansas State University — the library is also the headquarters of the North Central Kansas Libraries System, established in 1966 to serve a twelve-county region.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Organized in 1856 as a subscription library before Kansas statehood; its 1904 Carnegie building (now on the National Register) served as the library until 1969
- Current 629 Poyntz Avenue building opened March 9, 1969, later expanded with a 1998 east wing and three-story atrium featuring Kent Bloomer's Aesop's Fables Trellis sculpture
- December 2014 children's expansion doubled the youth area, part of the library's ongoing investment in early literacy
- Headquarters of the North Central Kansas Libraries System (est. 1966), coordinating services across twelve counties
- Serves the greater Manhattan area and Riley County, home to Kansas State University and roughly 72,000 residents
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Manhattan cardholders can stream, borrow, and research digitally through the library's own subscriptions and the State Library of Kansas:
📚 Services
- Books, DVDs, audiobooks, and magazine lending
- Online catalog and holds at links.mhklibrary.org/catalog
- Interlibrary loan through the North Central Kansas Libraries System and State Library of Kansas
- Meeting rooms and study spaces available for public reservation
- Public computers, free Wi-Fi, and mobile / wireless printing
- Free tech training and one-on-one technology help
- Homebound delivery for patrons unable to visit in person
- Group and class library visits by arrangement
- Research databases including NoveList Plus, Ancestry, O'Reilly, LinkedIn Learning, Value Line, and Morningstar
🎸 Programs
- Storytimes for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers
- Summer Reading Challenge and year-round reading challenges for all ages
- Children's and teen programming through the expanded youth area
- Adult programs, author talks, and community presentations
- American Storytellers program and an annual bookmark contest
- Mental Health First Aid training and financial-literacy resources
📍 Nearby Libraries in North Central Kansas
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Manhattan Public Library, and where was it originally located?
The library organization was incorporated in 1856 — before Kansas statehood — as a subscription library requiring a $1 fee. Its first permanent home was the Carnegie library that opened in 1904 at Poyntz Avenue and 5th Street, which served the community until 1969. That Carnegie building is now on the National Register of Historic Places; the library moved to its current 629 Poyntz Avenue building on March 9, 1969.
What are Manhattan Public Library's hours?
The library at 629 Poyntz Avenue is open Monday through Thursday 9am–9pm, Friday 9am–8pm, Saturday 9am–6pm, and Sunday 1pm–6pm. Some areas of the building close about 15 minutes before the posted closing time. Call (785) 776-4741 to confirm holiday hours.
How do I stream movies or borrow eBooks with my Manhattan library card?
Use Hoopla for instant, no-wait streaming of movies, music, audiobooks, and comics, and the Libby app (choose the Sunflower eLibrary and select Manhattan Public Library) for eBooks and audiobooks. You can also get a free Kansas Library eCard from the State Library of Kansas for additional statewide digital books and databases.
Is Manhattan Public Library connected to a larger library system?
Yes. Since 1966 the library has served as the headquarters of the North Central Kansas Libraries System, which coordinates interlibrary loan and shared services across a twelve-county region. Manhattan is also home to Kansas State University, so students and faculty are common patrons alongside Riley County residents.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
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