Nampa Public Library

Description

The Nampa Public Library is located in historic downtown Nampa, Idaho at 215-12th Avenue South. The library is a member of the Lynx! Consortium of libraries in the Treasure Valley. The library offers materials in a variety of formats including books, magazines, audiobooks, CDs, VHS tapes, DVDs, eAudiobooks and a variety of databases. Fourteen Internet computers are available on a first come-first-served basis. Except during holidays or unusual events, the library is open Monday through Saturday and closed on Sunday.In fiscal year 2006, the library had over 290,000 customer visits, averaging 968 per day, and a collection of over 143,000 items. In 2011, the average customer visits were over 1100 per day. Nampa Public Library employs 17 full-time employees, and 17 part-time employees. 5 staff members hold master's degrees in librarianship.HistoryThe Nampa Public Library has served the Nampa community in various ways since 1900. Until a building was completed, the Woman's Century Club was instrumental in the operation of a reading room. Between 1900 and 1907, the Woman's Century Club and Nampa City Council worked to develop funding and gather donations of books and furnishings to start the city's first public library. The first paid librarian, Ennis McGee, started work in 1907 with a $25 a month salary, and the doors to the first library opened in March 1908.The Nampa Public Library was first housed on 2nd Street, but moved in 1966. The new building was donated by First Security Bank, and various community organizations donated to renovate and remodel the building for library purposes. The skylight was restored in 1978.The checkout process at the Nampa Public Library was computerized in 1980, joining Nampa with the Boise Library and other libraries in the valley in what is now called the Lynx! Consortium. As part of the Nampa Centennial Celebration in 1985, the library expanded to the building next door, doubling our size. Ten years later in 1996, the library provided internet access to patrons for the first time, digitized the catalog, and began to take part in a courier service between the Lynx! Consortium libraries in the valley. Public computing resources and internet connection were expanded when the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation donated over $40,000 in 2000.