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West Des Moines library reports visitor gains, summer reading registrations top 4,000
Summary
Library Director Tracy Glass told the City Council on Aug. 4 that visits rose 36% and circulation increased 7% year over year; the library expanded outreach and programming including a mobile outreach “wow truck.”
Tracy Glass, director of the West Des Moines Public Library, told the City Council on Aug. 4 that library visits rose 36% and circulation increased 7% compared with the prior year. Glass told the council the library also registered more than 4,000 people for its summer reading program, a 13% increase from last year.
The growth came as library staff adjusted programming and outreach, Glass said. “We raised the number of people coming to our programming,” she said, and credited staff for designing events the community wants. She described a well-attended youth water day (more than 500 participants) and an adult after-hours event where 20 to 30 people attended a bingo night.
Glass highlighted expanded outreach with the library’s mobile unit — described in the report as the “wow truck” — and partnerships with Parks and Recreation. “We really made a concerted effort to think about where we were bringing the truck and who we were serving,” she said, noting stops at neighborhood parks, Raccoon Riverpalooza and the Heritage Jubilee at the Jordan House.
Jean Fajan, identified in the report as the library board’s incoming president, attended the council presentation. Council members offered praise during and after the presentation: one council member called the library “my peaceful place,” and Glass said staff feedback about her leadership had been positive.
The director’s packet included statistical and program summaries for fiscal year 2025; Glass said some program counts decreased while overall program attendance rose, which she said indicated better alignment between programming and community interest.
Discussion only: Council members commended the library, and no formal council action accompanied the annual report. The council will receive the library’s FY25 annual report as part of the meeting’s consent agenda items and the report was placed on file.
The library indicated it will continue scheduled outreach and summer programming and will refine event types based on community response.
