Event List

Join Miss Donna for this fun filled story time! Together we will enjoy stories, songs, and more, all selected to engage your active toddler. Ages 18 months to 3 years old.  ...

Come to the South Side Library lawn and see how fast you can complete our outdoor obstacle course! Get ready to crawl, run, and maybe even get a little wet!  Best for ages ...

Learn about butterflies and plants with Environmental Educator Joel Van Roekel, from the Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department. Participants will get to plant their own butter...

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. Natalie St...

Join us for Spring Lawyers in Libraries Program sponsored by the ISBA Legal Access Committee. This program will focus on financial power of attorney, health care power of attorney,...

This program will include a brief overview of where Mindfulness Meditation comes from and why we do it, followed by a 20 minute sitting practice with time for Q&A afterwar...

Join us for a colorful celebration featuring crafts, activities, and games.  Special guest Esteban the Crayon from The Day the Crayons Quit will be here giving out high fives ...

If you're between the ages of 12-18 and looking for a fun and rewarding volunteer opportunity, give the library a try! We would love to have your help!

Join us for a multi-week investigation! This game will have six episodes. This is Episode 1. Perfect if you haven't started playing Moon Summit. A graduate student appears to...

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. &nbs...

Preschoolers and their caregivers can enjoy stories, rhymes, music, and learn school readiness skills. Afterwards, we will enjoy free-play together.

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. Natalie St...

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 th...

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 ma...

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!  ...

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 ...

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! You can try some basic...

Connect with others interested in environmentally friendly gardens. The focus is on native plants which foster and nourish wildlife. Come to learn and to share your favorite garden...

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 ...

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 ...

Kids and Families! Explore the world of bugs with a Polk County Conservation naturalist! We will even take a look at some live insects! 

Kids and caregivers! Come to the East Side Library parking lot to get a close-up look at a City of Des Moines Street Sweeper and Dump Truck! Visitors can learn from a com...

Beat the boredom during the summer by visiting the library and using your imagination to create amazing things with our LEGOs.

Join Ms. Alicia at the Heritage Carousel for a special storytime for the whole family! We will enjoy stories, songs, and movement together. After storytime, there will be a craf...