Due to software issues affecting all libraries using the service, the Des Moines Public Library’s Iowa Adventure Pass program will no longer be available in 2025. Any reservation already made for 2025 will be honored, but we encourage anyone with a current reservation to print those passes immediately. Customers can make new reservations for passes that must be used by December 31, 2024. We hope to reintroduce the service at a later time, and we apologize for the inconvenience.
On the latest DMPL Podcast, Book Chat librarian Rebecca joins host Aaron Gernes and completes a Book Chat request for him! You'll find out what Book Chat is, how it works, and then hear an example of how librarians handpick titles for patrons using Book Chat as she picks out some books she thinks Aa...
Read MoreEach year, the Forest Avenue Library honors the life of Martin Luther King, Jr., by holding an event in his name on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This year’s event is being held virtually on Zoom. It takes place on Monday, January 17, at 3:30 PM. Registration is free and currently ongoing. The key...
Read MoreOn the anniversary of the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, we are rerunning this blog with resources for parents wondering how to talk to their children about what happened. It's hard to describe why such shocking violence occurred, and it can be difficult to discuss complicated topics like rac...
Read MoreOn today's podcast, author Katherine Dykstra chats with host Aaron Gernes about her 2021 book What Happened To Paula: On the Death of an American Girl. The book details the 1970 disappearance and death of Cedar Rapids teenager Paula Oberbroeckling, reflecting on who or what may have caused...
Read MoreThe Hugo Awards get underway this week! The annual convention honors the best Science Fiction and Fantasy media of the year, covering everything from books to TV to movies and more. The awards are usually held in August, but are being held in December this year as part of DisCon III. We're coveri...
Read MoreOn the latest episode of the DMPL Podcast, host Aaron is joined by Book Chat librarians Janeé and Steph to discuss their favorite books of 2021. If you're interested in hearing more about our librarians' favorite books, be sure to take part in our Best of 2021 virtual program next Wednesday...
Read MoreA comfy chair, a good book, and a hot cup of something - there may not be a better way to spend a chilly winter day. Thankfully, there's no shortage of great books coming out over the next few months. We've highlighted a few of those upcoming new releases below - be sure to get your holds in on thos...
Read MoreJason Mott's Hell of a Book took home the National Book Award fiction prize and Tiya Miles won the nonfiction prize for All that She Carried: The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family Keepsake. The winners were announced during a virtual ceremony Wednesday evening. Hell of a Boo...
Read MoreToday on the podcast, Annie Nelson, a Bereavement Coordinator at Hospice of the Midwest, joins the podcast. With the holidays coming up, she recommends some books about grief and grieving to help us make sense of what can be a tough time of year for many people. Apple Podcasts/iTunes |&n...
Read MoreThanksgiving is just two weeks away, and time is running out for holiday cooking preparation. When you need immediate inspiration, check out our cooking eMagazine collection on the Libby app! With Thanksgiving and holiday editions hitting the virtual shelves, it’s the perfect time to pull these eMag...
Read MoreThe Promise, by Damon Galgut, was named the winner of the 2021 Booker Prize in London this afternoon. His novel follows the life of three South African siblings reunited over the course of three decades by four different funerals, all while the turmoil of their nation reflects on their own lives. ...
Read MoreKathy Leonard sits at her desk facing a wall lined with new books staff is prepping to put out on Des Moines Public Library shelves. New books waiting to be read, loved, and enjoyed sit on carts in the aisle near her cubicle. Leonard is one of two librarians who buy all the books, movies, music, ...
Read MoreOn today's DMPL Podcast, host Aaron Gernes chats with Janeé, from the Book Chat team, about some of her favorite horror books in the past year. Janeé is DMPL's horror aficionado, so you can be sure that her picks are some of the best around! Apple Podcasts/iTunes | Google Play ...
Read MoreThe National Book Award has release the finalists for their annual awards. Each year, the National Book Foundation receives hundreds of nominations, narrowing down the list to ten, and then five, in several different categories. To be eligible, a book must have been published between December 1 of l...
Read MoreSteph from the Book Chat team joins us today on the DMPL Podcast to talk about books for Latinx Heritage Month! She has a book picked out for adults, young adults, and children and discusses what she loves about each. Be sure to check out the bookmarks in the Show Notes for more Latinx Heritage Mont...
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