Hours
6:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Splash Pad Hours
9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
*May 1 - September 30*

The Rhythm & Read Park is a 16,000 sq. ft. pocket park featuring covered seating, an event lawn, interactive musical instruments, and an accessible splash pad!

In December 2020, Library Director Eric Gustafson went to his board with a dream. His staff had been asking him for outdoor seating to spend their lunch breaks and for patrons to utilize when enjoying the library's outdoor green space, but Eric knew the library could do better. Preliminary ideas were shared, and the idea for a park was born.

In August 2023, the library was awarded a Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant through the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and a Libraries Transform Grant from the South Central Kansas Library System to help fund the project. The City of Derby Planning Commission approved the project design in September 2024. The project went to bid in early 2025, with Snodgrass Construction ultimately securing the contract.

On March 4, 2025, the library held a groundbreaking for the Rhythm & Read Park, a long awaited celebration of a 4 year project, built on the back of a simple request from staff for a place outside to enjoy their breaks.

The park officially opened on September 4, 2025, with a grand opening celebration.

Grand opening photos courtsey Justin Miller, City of Derby.

The "Rhythm and Read" mural, located at the Derby Public Library, is a vibrant celebration of literacy—a wild, colorful garden where ideas take root and flourish. Created by the talented husband-and-wife duo Mark and Mary Ward, the design features a dynamic blend of sculptural elements and painted imagery.

​By cleverly incorporating books and musical notes, the mural mirrors Roberto Burle Marx’s philosophy of "biological rhythm," symbolizing a seamless harmony between the structured growth of learning and the free-flowing curves of creativity. It stands not just as a wall of art, but as a topography of the imagination, inviting every reader to wander through its layered, lyrical landscape.

The mural was commissioned for the library and created by local artists, Mark and Mary Ward. The project was funded through the generous support of the Friends of the Derby Public Library, the Kansas Arts Commission, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The park and the mural were featured in a story by The Shout, an independent newsroom covering art and culture in Wichita and surrounding communities. Read the story here. Photo below of Mark and Mary Ward is credited to Emily Christensen of The Shout.