Dec. 22, 2025 — The Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation is excited to announce a major gift for the new westside library project from the Robert & Elizabeth Allsop Charitable Trust. In honor of their generous support, our City’s newest park will be named Allsop Park, and collectively, the new library meeting rooms will be named 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. “To the Allsop family, the investment in the Library was natural.”
“The Allsop family’s gift will help shape a campus designed to serve our residents for generations,” said Cedar Rapids City Manager Jeff Pomeranz. “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 Cedar Rapids Public Library Busse Branch is located on 20th Avenue off of Edgewood Road SW. The new library will be designed with a north-facing façade entirely of glass, looking out onto Allsop Park.
“We’re pleased to move into the next phase of planning,” said Parks and Recreation Director Carrie Mardorf. “This support helps us continue developing the park space and aligning it with the broader goals of the library project.”
The new Busse Branch, a 40,000 square foot facility, will provide double the collection space and meeting room space found in the library’s current location known as Ladd Library. The Allsop Conference and Learning Center includes the 150-person Allsop Auditorium which can be divided into two 75-person spaces, an adjacent kitchenette, as well as the 16-person Allsop Community Room. The center will significantly increase the opportunity for groups, organizations, and community members to gather for meetings, trainings, and celebrations.
“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.
“We are deeply grateful to the Allsop Charitable Trust for this incredible gift,” said Dara Schmidt, Director of the Cedar Rapids Public Library. “Thanks to their generosity, the community will have amazing opportunities both inside and outside the library to gather, connect, and celebrate.”
The new Busse Branch is scheduled to open in Fall 2026, and the new Allsop Park is currently under development. More details will be announced in 2026.