The Kansas City Public Library
Photo Credit: Clare Neubert
I had the honor of visiting a new favorite library of mine earlier this month, the Kansas City Public Library located in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. All I knew before stepping in was that their was this beautiful array of books located on the exterior of the parking garage. The minute I walked in I couldn’t help but notice the beautiful charm and architecture to the library. I learned that the library had been an old bank building back in the day. Some of the elements of the bank building remain in the vault floor located in the basement floor. They have converted one of the vaults into a film vault where you can enter the Stanley Durwood film vault which has now been turned into a small movie theater where films play. Shown below are photos of the iconic vault located just below the first floor.
The Midwest hospitality I felt by the staff was amazing. I really wanted a souvenir library card to remember my visit by but I knew that it would be a bit of a stretch getting one as I lived out of state. I went up to the circulation desk and asked what about it and she said you need to be a Kansas or Missouri resident. I told her how I lived out of state but love visiting new libraries when I travel and how I work in a library. She then went on to hand me a blank invalid library card so I could have a souvenir card to remember my visit by. It definitely made my day and that first impression of the library carried on to the rest of my memorable experience at the Kansas City Library where the staff was so kind. Another staff member on the fifth floor which houses the Missouri collection was super nice when I had a question regarding Kansas City.
My own souvenir Kansas City Public Library card!