Franklin Avenue Library

Franklin Avenue exterior shot

Location Details

Address:
5000 Franklin Avenue
Des Moines, IA, 50310

Directions:
Google Maps

Nikki Hayter headshot

Nikki Hayter
Supervisor 
NMHayter@dmpl.org

Phone:
(515) 283-4152

Book a Franklin Avenue Library meeting room

In-Person Services
  • 9:00 AM-8:00 PM Monday-Thursday
  • 9:00 AM-6:00 PM Friday
  • 10:00 AM-5:00 PM Saturday
  • 12:00 PM-4:00 PM Sunday
Pickup Window
  • 10:00 AM-6:00 PM Monday-Friday
  • 10:00 AM-5:00 PM Saturday
  • CLOSED Sunday

The Franklin Avenue Library on Des Moines’ west side, serves the needs, wants, and tastes of its community of patrons with a collection of over 100,000 items. The many available media formats include books, audiobooks, music CDs, DVDs, magazines, and electronic resources, as well as over 40 public internet computers for easy online access.

The Friends of the Franklin Avenue Library

The Friends of the Franklin Avenue Library is a 501(c) (3) organization that supports programs and activities at the Franklin Avenue Library branch through direct financial contributions and volunteerism. If you are looking for a wonderful way to support the Franklin Avenue Library, consider becoming a Friend!  The purpose of the Friends of the Franklin Avenue Library is to maintain an association of persons interested in the Franklin Avenue Library; to focus public attention on the library; to stimulate the use of the library’s resources and services; to receive and encourage gifts, endowments and bequests to the library, to support and cooperate with the library in developing library services and facilities for the community. 

Friends of the Franklin Avenue Library website

For Volunteer Opportunities: Adult volunteers, please contact Wynton Karanja, WNKaranja@dmpl.org. Teen volunteers, please contact Athena Riesenberg, AMRiesenberg@dmpl.org


 

2025 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION OPEN!

 

friends of Franklin Scholarship

 

The Friends of the Franklin Avenue Library, a 501(c)(3) organization supporting the Franklin Avenue Library, has established an annual scholarship in the amount of $1,000.

 

Apply Online: 2025 Scholarship Application 

 

Application Deadline: June 15, 2025

Applications that are incomplete, inaccurate, or received after the deadline will not be considered.

 

Scholarship Eligibility:

To qualify for the scholarship, the applicant must be a high school senior graduating during the 2024-2025 school year.

 

Selection Considerations:

Each applicant will be considered for the scholarship based on the following:

  • Completed application form

  • Reflective essay (minimum 250 words)

 

Reflective Essay: The applicant will submit an original, non-published, typed, double-spaced essay on this topic: How has the Franklin Avenue Library, or libraries in general, helped you achieve your academic goals and influenced or impacted your personal life?                                                                                                                                                

 

Scholarship Details:

  • Selection of the scholarship will be at the sole discretion of the Friends of the Franklin Avenue Library Board of Directors.

  • Students whose parents or grandparents are current members of the Friends of the Franklin Avenue Library Board of Directors are not eligible to apply.                                              

  • The scholarship award will be deposited directly with the college/university.

 

Awards Ceremony: The recipient of the scholarship will be notified by July 10, 2025. The recipient will also be announced on the Friends of the Franklin Avenue Library website and Facebook page as well as various library publications. The Friends of the Franklin Avenue Library Board of Directors will award the education scholarship at a Friends of the Franklin Avenue Library membership meeting on Saturday, July 19th at 11am at the Franklin Library.


 

Upcoming Events

This event is in the "All Ages" group.
Library Branch: Franklin Avenue Library
Age Group: All Ages
Program Type: Exhibits
Event Details:

Join us at the Franklin Avenue Library for Mapping Exclusion: Redlining in Iowa. This exhibit from the African American Museum of Iowa explores the impact of housing discrimination and segregation in the state of Iowa.

This event is in the "Children" group.
Library Branch: Franklin Avenue Library
Age Group: Children
Program Type: Educational, Gaming
Event Details:

Visit the library and find all of the pictures hiding in the Children's Area.

This event is in the "Children" group.

Kids Pokémon Card Swap

4:00pm - 5:00pm
Children
Franklin Avenue Meeting Room
Library Branch: Franklin Avenue Library
Room: Franklin Avenue Meeting Room
Age Group: Children
Program Type: Gaming
Event Details:

Are you looking for a place to trade your Pokémon cards? 

Bring your friends and come to this monthly program with any cards you want to trade.  This event is open to children ages 7-18. 

 

Disclaimer(s)

Children’s Program

Children under 10 years old must be accompanied by a caregiver over 12 years old.

This event is in the "Adults" group.

Reading on the Margins Book Discussion

6:30pm - 7:30pm
Adults
Franklin Avenue Meeting Room
Library Branch: Franklin Avenue Library
Room: Franklin Avenue Meeting Room
Age Group: Adults
Program Type: Book Clubs
Event Details:

Join us once a month to discuss books by underrepresented authors. Our goal is to amplify these voices and experiences while discussing social issues in the context of fiction and non-fiction books.

This event is in the "Adults" group.

Memory Café

2:00pm - 3:00pm
Adults
Franklin Avenue Meeting Room
Library Branch: Franklin Avenue Library
Room: Franklin Avenue Meeting Room
Age Group: Adults
Program Type: Health & Wellness
Event Details:

Memory Cafés provide a welcoming environment for people living with dementia and their care partners, fostering a sense of community without the pressure of sharing in a support group setting.

This event is in the "Teens" group.
This event is in the "Adults" group.

Sourdough Basics

2:00pm - 4:00pm
Teens, Adults
Franklin Avenue Meeting Room
Registration Required
Library Branch: Franklin Avenue Library
Room: Franklin Avenue Meeting Room
Age Group: Teens, Adults
Program Type: Educational
Registration Required
Event Details:

Join us for Beginning Sourdough, a class where we explore the fundamentals of sourdough - what it is, how it works, and the many delicious things you can make with it.