For decades the Irene H. Ruiz Library branch has been a cornerstone for the Westside Kansas City community, and today it continues to expand its services to meet growing demand.

Branch Manager Amy Morris calls the Irene H. Ruiz Library the hidden gem in the system, a place where families can access not only literature, but also resources that reflect and support their needs.

I've seen a lot of change on the Westside. There has been a lot of gentrification, a lot of new houses going in. But one thing that has remained consistent is that people are still requesting a lot of materials in Spanish," said Morris.

The library, named after community leader Irene Ruiz, carries on her legacy of making Spanish-language materials widely available.

"Irene Ruiz was a former librarian here on the Wes

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