There has been a long tradition of library service to the north side of the city of Des Moines. The first library in the Highland Park area was established in 1919 on the southwest corner of 6th and Euclid. Between 1919 and 1924, the library changed its location three times--all along 6th Avenue.

In 1924, the city of Des Moines purchased the William H. Woods home at 3516 5th Avenue. The North Side Library was located in this home until 1976. In 1976, the library moved to a site in the Park Fair Shopping Center.

In 1984, the library moved to its present facility built at the location of the Woods home. The new building was dedicated on December 21, 1984 and opened for the public the following day. In 1995, a major reorganization expanded the children's section and reference area.

To celebrate the new century, in the year 2000, the North Side Library staff, Friends of the North Side Library, and numerous other individual contributors established a Millennium book collection and a Parks Area Heritage collection. In May of 2001, the North Side Library received a Loren Horton Community History Award from the State Historical Society of Iowa for its outstanding contribution to the preservation of local community history.