Franklin Avenue Library - Construction Work

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.

South Side Library Open Through Construction

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. 

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Book Picks: LGBTQ+ History Month

October is LGBTQ+ History Month. The month-long observance was first recognized in 1994. The event was created by Missouri high school social studies teacher Rodney Wilson, who chose October to coincide with National Coming Out Day on October 11. The month is a recognition of the contributions that ...

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Indigenous Peoples' Day

Please note: all branches of the Des Moines Public Library will be closed on Monday, October 14 for our annual in-service day. It's the one time each year that employees from all branches gather together as a group to discuss timely topics and receive important education. We will reopen for normal b...

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Meet the New dmpl.org

Welcome to the new dmpl.org! The Des Moines Public Library is happy to launch a refreshed website for the first time in six years. We asked you, our users, for feedback, asking how you used the website and what you liked and didn't like about it. Hundreds of you responded, allowing us to build a web...

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Hispanic Heritage Month at the Library

National Hispanic Heritage Month is underway across the country. The month of recognition runs from September 15 to October 15, when people recognize and celebrate the contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans to the country's history and culture. It began as Hispanic Heritage Week, establ...

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New Books to Read for the Reading Challenge

There have been tons of great new books released in 2019 - certainly more than you can keep up with on your To Be Read list. That said, if you need to fill some holes in your categories for The 2019 DMPL Reading Challenge, we have you covered. We didn't suggest these books at the beginning of t...

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DMPL Podcast: David Thoreson

Our guest today on the DMPL Podcast is Iowa native, explorer, adventurer, and photographer David Thoreson! David grew up on Lake Okoboji in northwest Iowa, where he still resides – when he’s not sailing around the world. Thoreson has sailed more than 65,000 nautical miles across the globe, includ...

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Library Card Sign-Up Month at Des Moines Public Library

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month. Even if you already have a library card, you may not realize everything that you can do with your card. With a myriad of ways to use your card, we want to help you get started. Below we've listed seven of the countless ways your library ca...

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We Had Fun All Summer Long!

We had a great time this summer at the Des Moines Public Library! All Summer Long, the library's summer reading program, wrapped up last week. It included puppet shows, space science, storytimes, music, and so much more. Here are some big numbers from this year: Our six branches hosted 550 p...

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6 Films to Watch on Kanopy Right Now

Some of the best films in history are now available at the touch of your fingers, for free! We're excited to launch Kanopy at the Des Moines Public Library. Kanopy is an on-demand streaming service with a large collection of award-winning films and documentaries. (Residency restrictions ap...

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Top 5 Books and DVDs of the Year Thus Far

The year is just over halfway through, and it's time to take a look at what you, our patrons, are reading this year. We've identified the top five most requested fiction and nonfiction books and DVDs of the year so far. You'll probably recognize most of the names on the list, and you may have even s...

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DMPL Podcast: Dr. K. Renee Horton

Host Aaron Gernes talks with NASA Space Launch System Quality Engineer Dr. K. Renee Horton. Dr. Horton will be in Des Moines next week, July 15-17, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. She discusses what drew her to space exploration, how she overcame challenges to become...

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DMPL Podcast: Sarvinder Naberhaus

It all started when she was eight years old. "I remember standing on the front lawn of our house in Ames," says Sarvinder Naberhaus. She was singing a song she had written for her neighbors. "It was called 'Round Love," she says. The lyrics included round love, square love, everywhere love love...

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Volunteer Spotlight: Bill Barnes

New art at the library is always a wonderful sight. Last year, an ocean-themed piece went up at the East Side Library, and earlier this year, a manga mural was created at the Forest Avenue Library. Local artist Bill Barnes is the mind behind those great new pieces. Barnes is the brother of T...

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Have Fun at the Library All Summer Long

All Summer Long is now underway at the Des Moines Public Library! The library’s summer reading program gives children an incentive to continue reading throughout the summer with fun challenges and entertaining programs. Apple Podcasts/iTunes | Google Play | Spotify&nb...

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