The building which houses the library is not very large, possibly 20 X 60 feet in size. The building could very well have been built in the 1930s or '40s as it exhibits hints of Art Deco styling. With its beginnings in 1926, the library moved into this building in 2004.
Perusing their website we noted that this is one of the few libraries which encourages the use of the library as a socializing milieu. I wish more libraries would adopt that attitude as libraries are natural social hubs, or should be. The library offers the usual suite of services, including monthly new book releases, children's programs, monthly adult crafting classes and various events throughout the year. It also offers free WIFI, ebooks, 4 computers, DVDs and audio books.
Their website includes a listing of Service Statistics for the year 2014:
- Materials borrowed: 4268
- Computers booked: 380 users, 251.85 hours
- Library visits: 615 Children, 1657 Adults
- Annual Visits: 2272
- Staff (full & part time): 0.45 FTE
The library is overseen by a five-member Board of Trustees appointed by the City of Davenport. A City appointed library director serves as chief administrator.
History
In January 1926, two local women’s philanthropic groups, the Davenport Study Club and the Fortnightly Study Club prepared plans for a library in the Davenport community. The ladies arranged with the City Council to utilize the room above the city jail two afternoons and one evening a week.
To finance the library, the Study Clubs gave a dinner at the local Presbyterian Church and solicited the public to contribute books. At $0.50 a plate, the dinner raised $111.00 as reported on the first Library Board meeting on February 9, 1926.
The Davenport Public Library was officially opened on Saturday, March 13, 1926. Everyone in the community was invited to tea and to apply for a library card.
At a Library Board meeting on March 25, 1927, the librarian reported that the collection had grown to include 765 books and that the library had 35-40 weekly visitors.
In 1928, the City Council took over the library and budgeted $150.00 annually and received further financial assistance from the Study Clubs for several years. After three moves, the Davenport Public Library was relocated in 2004 to its current location.
From The Library
