Children ages 3 to 5 and their caregivers can join us Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. for a 30-minute storytime with stories, musical activities and take-home activities that prepare your child for school.
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.
Children ages 3 to 5 and their caregivers can join us Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. for a 30-minute storytime with stories, musical activities and take-home activities that prepare your child for school.
Join us at the Central Library for a fun storytime featuring movement, music, and rhyming! The storytime will take place in the meeting room to allow for social distancing.
Free library parking is available in Central's underground parking garage for two hours per visit. Parking around the library is metered at various costs from 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday.
Preschoolers and their caregivers can enjoy stories, rhymes, music, and learn school readiness skills. Afterwards, we will enjoy free-play together.
This program is designed for children and accompanying adults. Please plan to attend and be engaged with your child for this program. Drop offs will not be permitted.
Get started on the ukulele and quickly learn to play familiar tunes while having fun! Play your own ukulele or borrow one of North Side's soprano ukuleles for the class.
Learn how to use the Glowforge Plus Laser Engraver at Tech Central! This program takes the place of the 1 on 1 Glowforge tutorial, so you will be fully qualified to book and use the Glowforge on your own after this program.
Free library parking is available in Central's underground parking garage for two hours per visit. Parking around the library is metered at various costs from 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday.
Blast off to your next LEGO challenge. Bring the family and your sense of fun creating epic spaceships, kooky aliens, and cool vehicles! But beware, you never know when disaster may strike! Registration is required. Age 3 and up.
Children under 10 years old must be accompanied by a caregiver over 12 years old.
Celebrate Summer Reading at South Side Library! Enjoy a train ride with our friends from Choo Choo Rides 4 U and be amazed at the balloon art stylings of Professor Von Air!
Children under 10 years old must be accompanied by a caregiver over 12 years old.
This program is hosted outdoors. In case of inclement weather please check back here for updates.
Discuss the fears and myths about these scaly critters people love to hate. Find out how reptiles smell, see, and move. A live animal will be used if available. Supports Iowa Life Science Standards.
This program is designed for children and accompanying adults. Please plan to attend and be engaged with your child for this program. Drop offs will not be permitted.
Children under 10 years old must be accompanied by a caregiver over 12 years old.
The East Side Library welcomes dancers from Yaro Dance Company, dancers will be here to show off their shoes and costumes and talk about their love of dance!
This program is designed for children and accompanying adults. Please plan to attend and be engaged with your child for this program. Drop offs will not be permitted.
Connect with others interested in environmentally friendly gardens. The focus is on native plants which foster and nourish wildlife.
Get your coziest pajamas ready and bring your favorite stuffie to Pajama StoryTime! We will read books about bedtime, sing songs, dance our sillies out, drink hot chocolate, and make a nightlight.
This program is designed for children and accompanying adults. Please plan to attend and be engaged with your child for this program. Drop offs will not be permitted.
Children under 10 years old must be accompanied by a caregiver over 12 years old.
Join us once a month to discuss books by underrepresented authors. Our goal is to amplify these voices and experiences while discussing social issues in the context of fiction and non-fiction books.
The 2024 AViD season concludes on Thursday, June 13 at 7 PM at Central Library with popular romance author Jasmine Guillory, dubbed the “undisputed queen of modern-day romance” by Vogue. Guillory is the belove