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For the Media
Thank you for your interest in the library! The Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library team welcomes your interview requests.
Our Story
The Library opened in 1917 on the corner of Thayer Avenue and 6th Street, thanks to a grant from Andrew Carnegie and support from Bismarck residents. When we first opened, Bismarck had a population of 7,000 residents. We had a collection of 4,000 books, one librarian, and 1,800 cardholders.
In 1963, we expanded and moved to the corner of Avenue A and 6th Street. The building was financed through a veterans' bond levy, and the library was renamed in honor of our local veterans. In 1987, the building expanded to 70,000 square feet, occupying the entire city block, and its entrance relocated to its current location on 5th Street.
Today, the Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library has a collection of over 190,000 titles and receives more than 259,000 annual visits at the Main Library, as well as over 25,000 visits at our outreach branches. The over 47,000 Burleigh County residents who carry our library card borrowed over 608,000 items during the last year.
Our collection comprises books, audiobooks, and DVDs, as well as unique circulating collections such as board games, video games, art prints, fishing poles, movie binge boxes, activity passes, and more. Patrons also have access to e-books, digital audiobooks, streaming movies and TV series, and numerous online resources.
The library provides free wi-fi and public access to desktop computers. We offer a diverse range of free events and programs for children, teens, and adults throughout the year. Our two traveling outreach branches provide our services to those who are not able to visit us in person. The Mobile Library provides service in Bismarck, while the Burleigh County Library offers services to rural schools and towns.