The Library's Ramos Collection includes books, pamphlets, journal articles, and other materials relating to African-American history and culture.

The concept of turning the parking garage into a bookshelf was part of an effort on behalf of the community to bring character to the needed structure.

Beginning in 2016, the Library's AmeriCorps VISTAs and the Outreach team began a program called Coffee & Conversations for patrons in order to tackle the issue of homelessness within the community.

In November 1873, a public library was conceived by the Kansas City Board of Education by arranging a course of six popular lectures as a fundraiser to buy books.

[11][12]: 5 ...at all times one grand object has been kept steadily in view, that Kansas City was quietly laying the foundation for one of the best libraries in the entire country ... that would reflect great credit on the enterprise, perseverance and intelligence of those farsighted citizens who started this movement during one of the greatest financial depressions ever known in the history of the country.The Kansas City Public Library has received numerous awards and acknowledgements, including these: