The Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation announced a major gift from the Robert & Elizabeth Allsop Charitable Trust for the new westside library project. In recognition of the donation, the city’s newest park will be named Allsop Park, and the library’s meeting rooms will collectively be called the Allsop Conference and Learning Center.
“Investing in the future of the West Side Library is an investment in people—young and old—whose lives will help shape the future of Iowa and the world,” said Steve Allsop in a statement. “To the Allsop family, the investment in the Library was natural.”
The new Busse Branch Library, located on 20th Avenue off Edgewood Road SW, will be a 40,000-square-foot facility providing double the collection and meeting room space found in the current Ladd Library location. The building will feature a north-facing glass façade overlooking Allsop Park.
“The Allsop family’s gift will help shape a campus designed to serve our residents for generations,” said Cedar Rapids City Manager Jeff Pomeranz in a statement. “The new Busse Branch Library will be a tremendous asset for the West Side, complementing our long-term plans for Allsop Park that will support future opportunities for learning, recreation, and community connection in one location.”
The Allsop Conference and Learning Center includes a 150-person auditorium that can be divided into two 75-person spaces, an adjacent kitchenette, and a 16-person community room.
“We’re pleased to move into the next phase of planning,” said Parks and Recreation Director Carrie Mardorf in a statement. “This support helps us continue developing the park space and aligning it with the broader goals of the library project.”
“This remarkable gift goes a long way to fulfilling our vision of a library within a park, creating a community hub that will offer much-needed park space for generations to come,” said Charity Tyler, executive director of the Library Foundation.
The new Busse Branch is scheduled to open in fall 2026.
