Grace A. Dow Memorial Library
🏢 City of Midland · Midland, Michigan
Grace A. Dow Memorial Library
Grace A. Dow Memorial Library is housed in a landmark mid-century modern building designed by Alden B. Dow — one of five buildings he created for Discovery Square — and reopened in February 2026 after extensive renovations that followed the 2020 Sanford Lake Dam flood.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–7:30pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–7:30pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–7:30pm |
| Thursday | 9am–7:30pm |
| Friday | 10am–5pm |
| Saturday | 10am–5pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 1710 West St. Andrews Road, Midland, MI 48640
Phone: (989) 837-3430
Website: gadml.org
Plus Code: 86MQJQG2+3P (Midland, MI)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Grace A. Dow Memorial Library
Grace A. Dow Memorial Library has served Midland, Michigan since its predecessor subscription library opened in 1899. The Carnegie Library that replaced it in 1919 gave way in 1955 to the current building at 1710 West St. Andrews Road, designed by noted architect Alden B. Dow and named in honor of Grace A. Dow, wife of Dow Chemical Company founder Herbert Henry Dow. The building stands among five Alden B. Dow-designed structures in Discovery Square at the heart of Midland's cultural district. After the devastating May 2020 Sanford Lake Dam failure flooded the basement, the library undertook comprehensive renovations; the fully restored facility reopened on February 23, 2026. Today the library serves a community of more than 75,000 people with a collection of over 262,000 items, a hands-on MidLab makerspace, and Michigan eLibrary digital access for every cardholder.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Landmark 1955 building designed by architect Alden B. Dow, part of Midland's Discovery Square cultural campus
- Fully renovated and reopened February 23, 2026 after the 2020 Sanford Lake Dam flood
- MidLab makerspace with Glowforge Pro laser cutter, Prusa 3D printers, Cricut machines, embroidery machine & more
- Library of Things lending — board games, craft kits, discovery kits, outdoor games, Book Club in a Bag sets
- Michigan Activity Pass for free/discounted admission to state parks and cultural attractions
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Midland cardholders access Michigan's statewide digital library and the library's own e-collections at no cost:
📚 Services
- MidLab makerspace — laser engraver, 3D printers, sublimation printer, Cricut, embroidery machine, sewing machines (ages 12+)
- Library of Things — board games, craft kits, literacy kits, outdoor recreation equipment, Book Club in a Bag
- Library of Things Plus — extended specialty items for loan
- Michigan Activity Pass — free and discounted access to state parks and cultural sites
- Genealogy research resources and assistance
- Public computers, printing, scanning & free Wi-Fi
- Meeting rooms, community room & auditorium rental
- Laptop checkout for in-library use
- Teacher resource collection
- Interlibrary loan via MeLCat
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytimes and literacy programs (Beyond Books literacy center)
- Teen Spot programming for grades 6–12
- MidLab maker classes and staffed equipment sessions
- Adult book discussion groups and community reads
- Summer reading program for all ages
- Computer and technology classes
- Genealogy research workshops
📍 Nearby Libraries in the Great Lakes Bay Region
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is MidLab and who can use it?
MidLab is the library's free makerspace for adults and teens age 12 and up with a valid library card. It houses professional-grade equipment including a Glowforge Pro laser cutter, xTool P3 laser engraver, two Prusa MK4 3D printers, a Sawgrass sublimation printer, Janome embroidery machine, Cricut machines, heat presses and sewing machines. Some equipment requires booking through the library's online calendar; drop-in DIY hours are available for unsupervised items.
What happened to the library in 2020, and is it fully back open?
The basement of Grace A. Dow Memorial Library flooded in May 2020 when the Sanford Lake Dam failed during a severe storm event. The library underwent extensive renovations over the following years and fully reopened on February 23, 2026. All collections, services and the MidLab makerspace are now available again.
Who was Grace A. Dow, and why is the library named after her?
Grace A. Dow was the wife of Herbert Henry Dow, founder of Dow Chemical Company. When the current building was designed by their son, architect Alden B. Dow, and dedicated in January 1955, it was named in her honor. The library sits within Discovery Square, a campus of five buildings Alden B. Dow designed on land originally owned by his father.
Can I borrow items other than books from the library?
Yes. The Library of Things collection lets you check out board games, craft kits, coloring kits, discovery kits for young children, math and literacy kits, jigsaw puzzles, outdoor games like ladder toss, and Book Club in a Bag sets with 10 copies of a title and discussion questions. Checkout periods range from one to three weeks depending on the item.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes by state.
📜 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.
🧰 This library lends a “Library of Things.” See what you can borrow besides books and find other libraries with a Library of Things Library of Things by state.
🔨 This library has a makerspace / 3D printing. See how library makerspaces and 3D printing work and find other libraries with a makerspace makerspaces by state.
✎ Notice something out of date? Suggest a correction and we’ll verify and update it.