Detroit Public Library

Detroit Public Library
Location5201 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, Michigan
Established1865 (1865)
Branches21
Collection
Size7,572,562
Access and use
Population served918,849
Other information
DirectorJo Anne Mondowney
Websitedetroitpubliclibrary.org
Detroit Public Library
Built1921, 1963
ArchitectCass Gilbert
Architectural styleItalian Renaissance
Part ofCultural Center Historic District (ID83003791)
Significant dates
Designated CPNovember 21, 1983
Designated MSHSJanuary 24, 1964

The Detroit Public Library is the municipal public library system of the City of Detroit in Michigan, United States. It is the second largest library system in the U.S. state of Michigan by volumes held (after the University of Michigan Library) and the 12th-largest public library system in the United States.

The library system is composed of the Main Library on Woodward Avenue, which houses the library's administration offices, and 23 branch libraries across the city of Detroit. The Main Library, part of Detroit's Cultural Center Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places, sits adjacent to Wayne State University and across from the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Designed by Cass Gilbert, the Detroit Public Library was constructed with Vermont marble and serpentine Italian marble trim in an Italian Renaissance style. His son, Cass Gilbert Jr. was a partner with Francis Keally in the design of the library's additional wings added in 1963. Among his other buildings, Cass Gilbert designed the United States Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C., the Minnesota State Capitol and the Woolworth Building in New York City.