Photographers and individuals alike are welcome to take photos on the library campus. The library campus includes the Ames Free Library, Queset House, and Queset Garden, and the grounds surrounding the buildings.
Small outdoor sessions with a photographer and a few subjects (e.g. one individual or immediate family) do not require reservations or notification. Groups over 10 people and for-profit businesses are subject to a fee and require advance reservation. Please check our event calendar to ensure that the Garden is not reserved for a large event at the time you wish to shoot.
Mini-sessions require advance reservation and approval. Backdrops and prop setups are not allowed. Photographers cannot block entrances or exits to avoid interfering with public access to the Garden, and photographers should expect to work around visitors or other photographers in all areas.
Please contact us if you would like to shoot inside the buildings. While permits and reservations are not always required for an individual and one photographer, library staff needs to be aware of any photography or video activity in the building.
Although small sessions do not require a rental, we do appreciate donations for use of our campus. These donations contribute to the upkeep of the space, allowing us to maintain the Garden and grounds as a destination for your photography needs.