Due to circumstances outside of our control, the Des Moines Public Library’s Iowa Adventure Pass service 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.
Kevin 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?...
Read MoreAfter a nominally pleasant November and December, it's fair to say winter is having its revenge. With the frigid temperatures and recent snow storms, the need to take refuge on the couch with a blanket and a book is understandable. We've put together a list of books that can transport you to a winte...
Read MoreDespite being closed today for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we still have programs happening each day this week at the library. We have just a sampling of programs below; be sure to go to our online events calendar for a full listing of programs. You can also sign up for our ema...
Read MoreIt’s going to be a tremendous year in fiction. Award-winning authors are returning with new novels, hotly anticipated series are launching, and we even have a sequel 24 years in the making. Take a look at what books we’re most looking forward to in 2019. ...
Read MoreIt's impossible to predict the future with 100% accuracy, but who's to say we can't try? We think these 11 books will be worth your while in 2019. Women and true crime take center stage, but there are also books about The Troubles in Northern Ireland, a gunslinger in the Wild West, the world beneath...
Read MoreIowa native Paul Kix joins us on the DMPL Podcast today. Kix, who grew up in Hubbard, is the author of The Saboteur. The book details the life of Robert de La Rochefoucauld, a French aristocrat-turned-resistance fighter in WWII. During the podcast, Kix talks about: Finding out about La Ro...
Read MoreWe're excited to have you at the library this week. With so many great programs happening, there's something for everyone. We have just a sampling of programs below; be sure to go to our online events calendar for a full listing of programs. You can also sign up for our email new...
Read MoreEleven days into the New Year, it’s time to take a look at your resolutions. Life has picked up to its normal pace. Perhaps the focus on your resolutions has started to slip to the wayside. Thankfully, the library is here to help. We’ve found books in our collection related to common resolutions, as...
Read MoreIt's the best time of the year - the time where we all look at our To Be Read list and say "Yes, I will finish that large pile of books this year." Perhaps you want to read new genres, finish a series, or read a certain number of books. Maybe you're even taking part in the DMPL Reading Challeng...
Read MoreWe are thrilled to announce this year's Authors Visiting in Des Moines (AViD) lineup. Six guests will be visiting, beginning in March. This year's lineup includes best-selling writers, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, a National Book Award finalist, a Man Booker Prize finalist and NAACP Ima...
Read MoreHappy Monday! The Des Moines Public Library is open for a full week this week, and we're excited about everything going on. We have just a sampling of programs below; be sure to go to our online events calendar for a full listing of programs. You can also sign up for our email newslet...
Read MoreA new mural is spicing up the Forest Avenue Library. A manga-inspired piece by local artist Bill Barnes is now covering the library’s back wall. We sat down with Jen Thomas, a library assistant at Forest, to talk about the project. Jenn is a manga enthusiast and was the point person at the libr...
Read MoreHappy New Year! With the calendar flipping to 2019, there's a new opportunity to find "the best book I read this year." These eight books are just some of the great books the industry is buzzing about right now. Whether you're looking for a mystical fantasy, a page-turning thriller, or a real-l...
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