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.
International Women’s Day has been celebrated for more than 100 years. The day has become a focal point to recognize efforts for women’s equality and to empower women around the globe. The library is home to hundreds of inspiring books that highlight the achievements of women in politics, the arts, ...
Read MoreMarch is very eventful, being Women’s History Month, Irish American Month, and (usually) a transition into spring. There’s a book out there for those topics and more. These nine titles offer just a taste of the new items hitting our shelves; we recommend getting your holds in now. If you want t...
Read MoreTomorrow is Read Across America Day and Dr. Seuss' birthday. In the spirit of rhymes and reading, we asked our staff what their favorite Dr. Seuss book was. So many of us grew up with these classic stories, and the memories of reading them have not faded away. We got lots of responses — ar...
Read MoreYour library card can get you more than just books! We have a huge digital collection – including TV streaming services, e-audiobooks, newspaper subscriptions, digital yearbooks, and more – and a full schedule of adult and youth programming, all available to you for FREE. If you’...
Read MoreCentral Iowa author Tracey Garvis Graves joins the podcast for today's episode. Graves new book, The Girl He Used to Know, hits library shelves and bookstores everywhere on April 2. Graves is best well-known for her debut novel, On the Island. She initially self-published that bo...
Read MoreThe Des Moines Fire Department celebrated its 135th anniversary last year, and the Iowa Association of Fire Fighters Local 4 in Des Moines is recognizing its 100th anniversary. To celebrate these momentous occasions, the department created a “Legacy Book,” honoring its predecessors an...
Read MoreThe film industry’s biggest night is on Sunday, as awards season finally culminates with the Academy Awards - also known as the Oscars. As usual, books and other art available at the library can help you dig deeper into some of the year’s best movies. Of course, if you want to watch the Oscar-nom...
Read MoreChange will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. – Barack Obama February is Black History Month. Below, our librarians have selected ten books, both fiction and non-fiction, that fo...
Read MoreWith Valentine's Day occuring this week, we invited Iowa Romance Novelists President Jan Walters on the podcast. Jan shares with us a new book from an Iowa author and a romantic paranormal series she loves that was recently completed. She also talks about her own books and shares how working wi...
Read MoreIt’s the winter that never ends. More snow fell again last night. You’re probably tired of shoveling and wiping the snow off your car, and the kids have cabin fever. Don’t you wish you were on an island right now? Take a mental break and find paradise in your mind by reading one of these eight books...
Read MoreAward season continues with the Grammy Awards this Sunday. You may not be able make it to Los Angeles to see some of music’s biggest stars walk the red carpet, but you can see them rock the stage from the comfort of your home with the Des Moines Public Library's Qello streaming service. Qello has hu...
Read MoreA steamy romance for Valentine's Day, thrilling family dramas, and a new novel from Angie Thomas, the author of The Hate U Give... February is full of great new books. We've highlighted eight of those books below; if you want more great book picks, sign up for our email newsletter. ...
Read MoreKevin Gannon, Ph.D., is a history professor at Grand View University. Kevin will be moderating the Becoming American series that begins next Monday at 6:00 PM at the Franklin Avenue Library. Becoming American is a documentary film and discussion series examining immigration. ...
Read MoreWhat she does: Librarian at Franklin Avenue branch. My primary job is customer service. I work at most of the public service desks at Franklin so I’m helping people find their books, upload their resumes, figure out what to read next, use our apps for eBooks, start their first email accoun...
Read MoreWith bitter cold temperatures settling in this week, the Des Moines Public Library is here for those who need to get out of the cold. All library branches are official Des Moines Warming Centers. For people that need to spend time in the library during this cold spell: what is there to do here?...
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