Bismarck Library Foundation

The Art of Books Annual Event Returns! Join Us Friday, April 28

Join us on Friday, April 28, 2023 at 7:30 pm for an evening of friendship, food, and fun in celebration of our wonderful library. Local art, trivia, door prizes, and more! 

Tickets are sold out!! Thank you for all your support!

All proceeds from ticket sales benefit Bismarck Library Foundation in support of library programs and services.

PS, extend your literary evening by attending Humanities North Dakota presents Tommy Orange, author of There, There at the Belle Mehus Auditorium at 6:30 pm. This free program will be one hour, then come up to Art of Books at the library afterwards! 

Arts of Books 2022

About the Foundation

The Bismarck Library Foundation, Inc. was established in 1975 to support the Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library. Our mission is to enrich publicly-funded library services by raising private funds to enhance collections, resources and facilities.

Be part of the library's legacy! Click here to make your donation online today

Foundation Highlights

With the support of our generous donors, the Foundation has been a key funding partner for library programs and services. Some recent highlights:
  • $250,000+ raised for the new Burleigh County Bookmobile
  • $430,000+ raised for the new Teen Center
  • $643,000+ raised for the children's library renovation, completed in 2009
  • Raised the funds to construct library coffee shop in 2007
  • Established Endowment Fund, which has grown to $2 million since 2001
  • $300,000+ to complete the new library building in the late 1980s
  • Makes annual contributions for library programming, expanded collections, technology upgrades, and much more

History

Bismarck Public Library was established in 1917 in a building funded by Andrew Carnegie at 6th Street and Thayer Avenue. In 1963, a modern building was erected at 6th Street and Avenue A to provide more space. The new Veterans Memorial Public Library honored World War II and Korean War veterans. It was about 17,000 square feet.

A major library expansion was completed in 1989, giving the library 70,000 square feet of space and a new name: Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library. The facility occupies the block between 5th and 6th streets north of Avenue A. Today the library welcomes more than 7,000 visitors each week, with digital resource checkouts also growing. More than 46,000 people have library cards. 

BisLibFound_Inc
  1. Beth Schatz Kaylor

    Foundation Executive Director

  2. Kristi Simenson

    Foundation Office Manager

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