The Grand Rapids Public Library was founded in 1871 through a partnership between the Grand Rapids Board of Education, the Ladies Literary Association, and the YMCA. In 1904, the Main Library moved into the
Ryerson Building, a gift from Grand Rapids native and Chicago philanthropist
Martin A. Ryerson, who assumed funding of the project after
Andrew Carnegie withdrew his pledge. The first branch library, the West Side Branch, opened in 1908. A major addition to the Main Library was dedicated in 1969, more than doubling its size. In 1997, voters approved a millage to fund improvements to the city's libraries, with a large portion directed toward renovating the Main Library. Renovation began in 2001, integrating the original 1904 Ryerson Building with its 1960s addition, which was renamed the Keeler wing in honor of a $1.2 million gift from Mike and Mary Ann Keeler. The renovation was completed in 2003. In 2021, GRPL celebrated its 150th anniversary. == Foundation ==