Holiday closures this week

All locations of the Des Moines Public Library will be closed Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29 for Thanksgiving. Normal hours resume on Saturday, November 30.

Adventure Pass Changes in 2025

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. 

AViD presents Amanda Montell

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Program Type:

Author Visits

Age Group:

Adults
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Program Description

Event Details

Language scholar and author Amanda Montell will appear at Central Library on Thursday, April 21 at 7 PM to discuss her 2021 book, Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism. The book was an indie bestseller and was named one of the best books of 2021 by NPR. Cultish analyzes the social science of cult influence, and explores how groups ranging from Jonestown and Heavens Gate to Peloton and SoulCycle use language to manipulate and energize their “cultish” communities. Montell is also the host of the popular podcast, Sounds Like a Cult.

Join the AViD livestream via Zoom! The waiting room will open at 6:55 PM the day of each livestreamed event. The password is "avid".