Join us in celebrating National Library Week from April 23-29. This year’s theme is “There’s More to the Story.” The story of libraries in Davenport, Iowa began in 1839 with a library in the LeClaire Hotel. In the following decades, the community saw the building and dedication of the Clarissa Cook Memorial Library in the 1870s as well as one of its prominent citizens, Alice French, advocating for the building of a free public library with financial assistance from philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie.
Davenport’s Carnegie Library was dedicated on May 11, 1904, after the library levy was passed in 1900 to support library services. Each historical moment in our past shares more of our story. To read more about the Davenport Public Library’s history, check out the following blogs:
- Happy Anniversary to the Library of Tomorrow
- Main Street Library’s 50th Anniversary Series: The Children’s Library Wing
- Breaking the Cornerstone: Demolition of the Carnegie Library
- 40 Years Ago: The Annie Wittenmyer Branch of the Davenport Public Library
We are honored by the City of Davenport with a Proclamation for National Library Week.
Proclamation-National-Library-Week-2023Celebration Days during National Library Week!
During National Library Week, there are special celebration days that highlight aspects of Library work and the mission of libraries.
Monday, April 24th — Right to Read Day
Learn about book bans and their call for support from “readers, advocates, and library lovers to fight back against censorship in a national day of action to defend, protect, and celebrate your right to read freely.”
Tuesday, April 25th– National Library Workers Day
Libraries would not be the same without their friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable staff members! Celebrate a librarian or library worker in your life. Check out some photos of the wonderful staff at the Davenport Public Library:
Cristina Amador-Perez, Katie Reinhardt, Kathryn Whalen standing in front of the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center’s St. Patrick’s Day display. 
Noel Huntley, Brittany Peacock, and Sara Hazen celebrating St. Patrick’s Day! 
Image of staff from the Davenport Public Library’s 2022 Staff In-service. 
Information Services staff learning about sewing in Studio 321, our new makerspace. 
Former Special Collections Principal Clerk, Pat Richardson, working on processing Government Documents. 
Staff at the Annie Wittenmyer Brach of the Davenport Library with library cat, Dewey. 
Library staff members engaging with hopeful future librarians. 
Library staff at one of the Friends of the Davenport Public Library’s galas. 
Chris Holifield, former Acquisitions, and Kasey Shipley, our current Office and Facilities Manager. 
Staff members from an in-service.
Wednesday, April 26th– National Library Outreach Day
Our staff is busy inside the library, but we are just as busy out in our community! Check these fun photos of staff out and about in Davenport and the Quad Cities:
Brittany and Izzy at an outreach. 
OWL (Outreach Wheeled Library) at the GLOE trips. 
Outreach at the Putnam Museum. 
Bana at SAU. 
Bethany on Rock Island Arsenal. 
OWL is out and about! 
Davenport Public Library’s Little Free Library. 
SAU Art and Museum Studies Career Fair! 
Party in the Park featuring the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center and Historic Preservation Commission. 
Nikki at PlanetFunkCon! 
Richardson-Sloane Special Collections at the Henry Farnam Dinner. 
Richardson-Sloane Special Collections at the Henry Farnam Dinner. 
One of the Davenport Public Library bookmobile.
Thursday, April 27th– Take Action for Libraries Day
Get involved with Davenport Public Library by considering joining our Friends of the Davenport Public Library or a being library trustee. Another way to get involved in volunteering with us! Check out the positions here: https://www.davenportlibrary.com/about-us/contact-us/volunteer.
Here are some pictures of our Friends of the Davenport Public Library supporting the library:
We would love for you to celebrate with us however you can! Come visit us at your favorite library branch! Or check out your new favorite! Learn about local history and genealogy with us at the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center located in The Library | Main.
Visit us online with all our many resources. You can access them through our website: https://www.davenportlibrary.com/.
Follow us on social media:
- DPL Facebook / SC Facebook
- DPL Instagram / SC Instagram
- DPL Pinterest / SC Pinterest
- TikTok
- GoodReads
- YouTube
Happy National Library Week!
(posted by Kathryn)
