Established in 1906, the present building, completed in 1913 with a donation from Andrew Carnegie, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Retta Meyers, president of the library board, contacted Andrew Carnegie in 1911 in hopes that he would make a donation so a permanent building could be built.

The prominent Des Moines architectural firm of Wetherell and Gage designed the Neoclassical style building.

The exterior is composed of red vitrified tile and rock-faced stone on the basement level.

Beyond the vestibule, the interior is a single room divided by shelving units in the small library style proposed by James Bertram.