Due to a scheduled project, the south drive, pickup window, and book drop will be inaccessible at the Franklin Avenue Library from Friday, September 27 through Sunday, September 29. Parking will be limited in the east lot. The library will remain open for normal hours.
The South Side Library will be open today for normal hours as concrete work continues today and likely tomorrow. Patrons will need to enter the library parking lot through the pool's parking lot off of Porter Avenue. We apologize for any inconvenience.
The Des Moines Public Library will close all buildings until further notice, effective immediately. All programs at the Des Moines Public Library have been canceled through the end of May. The 2020 Authors Visiting in Des Moines (AViD) series has been postponed. Learn more about how you can us...
Read MoreThis month is Women's History Month, and International Women's Day was celebrated across the globe this past Sunday. To commemorate the occasion, library staff has compiled a list of books about inspiring and courageous women. Don't forget to also checkout the Strong Women of the Past and Present...
Read MoreOn the first Saturday of every March, a line forms in the Forest Avenue Library outside the meeting room. As you walk inside, wondering what the hub-bub is all about, you may start getting wafts of chicken, beans, spices, and greens. You're in luck - you just walked into the annual Soul Food Fe...
Read MoreToday on the podcast, we welcome Iowa author Cheryl Mullenbach. Cheryl has penned several books, including her newest, Stagecoach Women, which comes out next month. The book encompasses the expansive history of women in the old west, including drivers, bandits, gunslingers, and more. During the...
Read MoreIt's time to give our patrons some updates on all the new additions we've made to our collection and buildings over the past several months. VOX Books: These are picture books that have a built-in audio player that reads the book to the reader. Each book has a narrator and page turning s...
Read MoreTake a glimpse at Des Moines history by checking out Project Des Moines, a digital directory of digestible tidbits dating back more than 150 years. Each story in Project Des Moines' directory features a short description of a building, organization, or landmark that once was a prominent part...
Read MoreIowa author Nicole Baart joins us on the DMPL Podcast today. She is the author of nine books, including her latest, You Were Always Mine. You Were Always Mine is a domestic suspense novel centered on a widow, her late husband's suspicious death, and the family she must hold together through her grie...
Read MoreLike Festivus or Friendsgiving, Galentine's Day started as a fake holiday on a television show (Parks and Recreation). In the past decade, it has become a popular real holiday in its own right, celebrating female friendship and platonic love. Taking place on February 13 (the day before Val...
Read MoreThe DMPL Podcast welcomes Natalie Benson to the show today. She will be hosting a five-week program at the Franklin Avenue Library titled A History of Modern Art. During the podcast, Benson discusses what exactly the nebulous that is modern art encompasses. She talks about well-known modern art...
Read MoreWe're thrilled to be celebrating Black History Month at the Des Moines Public Library throughout February. We're highlighting books by black authors and about black people throughout the month. We also have several events throughout the month celebrating black history, culture, and the future. ...
Read MoreWe're nearly one month through the 2020 Reading Challenge. We know our readers have made varying amounts of progress. Some of our most voracious readers have finished six or more of the twelve required books, while others are probably about midway through that first book right about now. I (Aaron...
Read MoreHollywood’s biggest night is set after the nominations for the 92nd Academy Awards (aka the Oscars) were announced this week. If you prefer to read the book before you see the movie, there are a few books you’ll want to pick up from the library. We also have several DVDs of nominated movies for you ...
Read MoreEach year is filled with great books, and 2020 is no exception. From powerful debuts to new books from big name favorites; an examination of England on the cusp of war to an examination of the skirmishes in Silicon Valley, these 10 books are producing some of the most buzz heading into the new year....
Read MoreA new monthly series at the Central Library is giving you some insight on local organizations and community groups. Librarian Elizabeth Hoover de Galvez is heading up the Spark Stories program, which begins next Wednesday, January 15, at 12:15 PM. The first program features Jacki and Joe Steven...
Read MoreToday on the podcast, we welcome John Peragine. Peragine is a writer that lives in Davenport. He's the author of 14 books, including A History of Iowa Wine: Vines on the Prairie, which was published last year. During the podcast, Peragine tells us how German immigrants and a New York lawyer were ...
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