Libraries & Learning

Johnson County Library - Blue Valley provides educational resources, books, technology access, and community programming for southern Johnson County residents and nearby neighborhoods. The branch supports students, families, and professionals while offering accessible public learning opportunities in a growing suburban community. Regional RideKC access nearby helps connect residents to library services and surrounding destinations.

Johnson County Library - Central Resource Library serves as a major educational and community destination for Johnson County residents, offering books, technology access, public events, research tools, and learning opportunities for visitors of all ages. The library supports students, professionals, families, and lifelong learners throughout the region while providing modern public gathering and study spaces.

Johnson County Library - Corinth serves Prairie Village and nearby Johnson County neighborhoods with books, educational resources, technology services, and community programs supporting learners of all ages. The branch provides a convenient neighborhood destination focused on literacy, lifelong learning, and public engagement. RideKC regional transit access nearby helps improve convenient travel to library services and community destinations.

Johnson County Library - Leawood Pioneer provides books, public technology access, educational programming, and community resources serving Leawood and nearby Johnson County communities. The branch supports learning, literacy, and neighborhood engagement while offering welcoming public spaces for students, families, and lifelong learners. RideKC regional connections nearby help improve access to educational opportunities and surrounding destinations.

Johnson County Library - Oak Park serves Overland Park and surrounding Johnson County communities with books, digital resources, educational programming, and public technology access. The branch provides a welcoming neighborhood destination supporting learning, literacy, and community engagement for visitors of all ages. RideKC regional connections nearby help improve convenient access to library services and surrounding destinations.

Johnson County Library - Shawnee serves Shawnee and western Johnson County communities with books, digital resources, educational programs, and public learning opportunities for visitors of all ages. The branch supports neighborhood engagement, literacy, and lifelong education while providing convenient community-focused services close to home. RideKC regional transit connections nearby help improve access to library programs and surrounding destinations.

Kansas City Public Library - Central Library serves as one of downtown Kansas City’s most recognizable educational and cultural destinations, connecting visitors can enjoy movies in the old bank’s vault, a variety of traveling exhibits, lunch at the full-service café and free WiFi. This location hosts programs that include concerts, nationally recognized speakers, children’s events and films.

Kansas City Public Library: Plaza Branch serves residents, students, and visitors throughout the Country Club Plaza and Midtown areas with books, technology access, educational programming, and community resources. This library boasts a wealth of children’s and youth resources, books on arts and crafts, and ample business materials. The lower-level Truman Forum Auditorium regularly hosts the Library’s award-winning signature events series, including discussions and other presentations by locally and nationally known authors, artists, and civic leaders. Several meeting rooms are available for community or neighborhood meetings.

Located in the heart of the commercial and residential neighborhood for which it is named, Waldo Branch Library is one of the most popular branches in the system. It serves as a community center for the area as well as a meeting place for various community organizations and neighborhood associations.

Irene H. Ruiz Biblioteca de las Americas features a wide variety of materials in Spanish: books, magazines, fotonovelas, CDs, and DVDs. The library has unique bibliographic and audiovisual resources related to Latin American culture in Spanish and English. Regular staff members are bilingual.

The Lucile H. Bluford Branch of The Kansas City Public Library stands as a tribute to one of the city’s most accomplished and beloved individuals. From her early days as a student at Lincoln High School and the University of Kansas to her long and distinguished career at The Kansas City Call, Miss Bluford used her journalistic talents to champion civil rights and strengthen the African-American community. The Lucile H. Bluford Branch is located in Kansas City's east side, and features a strong collection of African American literature. The well-trained staff of the Bluford Branch are ready to help with technology questions and making community connections.

The North-East Branch is a fixture in Kansas City’s Historic Northeast neighborhood, which is home to both a sizable immigrant population and influx of young professionals. In serving one of the most linguistically diverse communities in Kansas City (with an estimated 55 languages spoken among the 9,000 residents), the North-East Branch houses the Library system’s primary collection of materials in Spanish and other world languages, including books, magazines, fotonovelas, CDs, and DVDs. There is also a variety of books, newspapers in other languages to support the community.

The Southeast Branch Library is located across from Swope Park and the Kansas City Zoo. It has particularly strong collections in African-American literature, urban fiction, urban Christian fiction, children's folklore, and animals, as well as jazz, blues, and gospel music on compact disc.

Kansas City Public Library: Sugar Creek Branch serves residents throughout Sugar Creek and nearby eastern Jackson County communities with educational resources, public technology access, and community programming. The branch provides an important neighborhood destination supporting literacy, learning, and lifelong education opportunities for visitors of all ages.

The Trails West Branch Library is located a few blocks off the Santa Fe Trail in Independence, within two miles of the Harry S. Truman historical district and world headquarters for the Community of Christ. This branch has numerous activities and programs for children and adults.

Located in the heart of Westport and only blocks from the Plaza, the historic Westport Branch was the first branch of the Kansas City Public Library, opening its doors to the public in 1898. The Westport Branch features free Wi-Fi and a spacious meeting room for events and gatherings.

Mid-Continent Public Library - Blue Ridge serves southeast Kansas City neighborhoods with books, technology access, educational programs, and community resources supporting learners of all ages. The branch provides an accessible neighborhood destination focused on literacy, digital access, and lifelong education opportunities. RideKC transit connections nearby help connect surrounding communities to library services and public resources.

Mid-Continent Public Library - Green Hills Library Center serves Northland communities with expanded educational resources, technology services, community programs, and public gathering spaces. As one of the system’s larger library centers, the facility supports students, families, professionals, and lifelong learners throughout northern Kansas City. RideKC regional connections nearby help improve convenient access to library programs and surrounding destinations.

Mid-Continent Public Library - North Independence Branch serves Independence-area residents with books, technology access, educational resources, and community learning opportunities in a convenient neighborhood setting. The branch supports families, students, and professionals seeking accessible public resources and lifelong learning opportunities close to home.

Mid-Continent Public Library - North Oak provides books, educational resources, public technology access, and community programming for residents throughout the Northland and surrounding Kansas City neighborhoods. The branch supports learning, literacy, and digital connectivity while offering a welcoming environment for visitors of all ages. RideKC transit access nearby helps improve mobility and access to public learning resources.

Mid-Continent Public Library - Red Bridge serves south Kansas City communities with books, technology access, educational programs, and community resources supporting students, families, and lifelong learners. The branch provides an important neighborhood destination for learning and public engagement while helping improve access to educational opportunities close to home. Convenient RideKC connections nearby support reliable travel to the library and surrounding destinations.

Mid-Continent Public Library - Riverside serves Riverside and nearby Northland communities with books, digital resources, educational programming, and community learning opportunities. The branch supports students, families, and residents seeking accessible public resources and neighborhood-focused library services close to home. RideKC transit access nearby helps improve convenient travel to library programs and surrounding destinations.

Mid-Continent Public Library - Woodneath Library Center is one of the region’s premier public library destinations, offering expanded learning spaces, technology access, educational programs, and innovation-focused community resources for Northland residents and visitors. The center supports literacy, workforce development, and lifelong learning while serving as a major educational hub in northern Kansas City. RideKC regional connections nearby help improve accessibility and community connectivity.