Week Calendar

Join us for our annual Friends of the North Side Library Rummage and Bake Sale from 8 am-2 pm! One man's trash is another man's treasure.

“Mother Goose on the Loose”, is a 30-minute nursery rhyme program for newborns to three-year-olds. The class helps to strengthen babies' and toddler's foundation for literacy with rhymes, rhythm, repetition, story, and movement.

Do you need a calm place to play? Then come to the Forest Avenue Calming Room for a sensory interactive experience! This is an unsupervised, drop-in program for youth.

Leaves are falling. Temps are dropping! Time to bundle up with a good book or movie! Stop by the South Side Library to shop our Fall Book and Media Sale and stock up on good reads and films for the winter.

Children ages three to five can come and enjoy stories, rhymes, songs, and more, followed by a craft.

Play, Grow, Learn! is an opportunity for you to use the Imagination Station to explore early literacy tips and books, play with others, and develop early literacy skills using Forest Avenue Library's space and toys.

Join us for rhymes, bounces, a story, and a short playtime.

For caregivers and babies from newborns up to eighteen months.

“Mother Goose on the Loose”, is a 30-minute nursery rhyme program for newborns to three-year-olds. The class helps to strengthen babies' and toddler's foundation for literacy with rhymes, rhythm, repetition, story, and movement.

“Mother Goose on the Loose”, is a 30-minute nursery rhyme program for newborns to three-year-olds. The class helps to strengthen babies' and toddler's foundation for literacy with rhymes, rhythm, repetition, story, and movement.

Toddlers and caregivers can enjoy stories, songs, rhymes, occasional crafts and a little playtime with Miss Janee. For toddlers ages 18 months - 3 years.

Do you need a calm place to play? Then come to the Forest Avenue Calming Room for a sensory interactive experience! This is an unsupervised, drop-in program for youth.

Join us weekly for rhymes, songs, bounces, stories, and a little playtime. For caregivers and babies ages 0 - 18 months.

Event Details

Toddlers and their caregivers can enjoy stories, songs, fingerplays and more, followed by a craft. Ages 18 months to 3 years. Meeting Room.

Enjoy stories, rhymes, songs, movement, and more!

Join Miss Janee for stories, rhymes, songs, movement, and occasional crafts/activities that build literacy and kindergarten-readiness skills. Ages three to five.

Join us for stories, songs, and movement that build literacy and school-readiness skills.

Play, Grow, Learn! is an opportunity for you to use the Imagination Station to explore early literacy tips and books, play with others, and develop early literacy skills using Forest Avenue Library's space and toys.

Today we will celebrate Fall with a special storytime all about Pumpkins! After storytime, decorate a mini pumpkin and make a craft to take home.

On Thursdays, children and their caregivers can enjoy stories, rhymes, fingerplays, and songs together, followed by a period of free play or drawing.

The LEGO bricks will be available in the Children's Area, so bring your imagination and get ready to build.

Join us for stories, songs, and movement to practice the 5 simple steps of pre-literacy: reading, singing, talking, writing and playing!

Join us at the East Side Library for open play and more! Meet families with other young children, check out our awesome picture books, and engage in the five simple steps to success - Read, Write, Sing, Play, and Talk!

Kids! Drop in at South from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM for our Kid's Craft Day! This week, kids can decorate and take home a monster mask just in time for Halloween in our Elementary Area! For youth ages 3 and up.

Build and create with Legos in the children’s area! All ages.

Come to the library and hang out with therapy dog Shanti. Shanti is a licensed therapy dog who is excited to meet some new friends. He will be in the Children's Area from 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Event Details

Toddlers and their caregivers can enjoy stories, songs, fingerplays and more, followed by a craft. Ages 18 months to 3 years. Meeting Room.

Children are encouraged to read with Caper, the therapy dog, at South! Caper is a friendly Pembroke Welsh Corgi who loves to hear stories! Walk in and choose a book to read to Caper in the Children's Area! For youth ages 3-12.

Do you want to practice your English skills? Looking to meet new people in your community? Join community members and English language learners alike at Forest Avenue Library and enjoy light refreshments and sparkling conversation!

Attend this guided class, led by watercolorist Lisa Christensen. You will complete a calming project that will allow you to paint and practice mindfulness. All skill levels are welcome.

Visit us at the North Side Library every Monday to learn some computer basics. Create an email account, build a simple resume, and learn about the library catalog.

We will be discussing Commonwealth by Ann Patchett. Coffee and treats will be served. Copies of the book may be picked up at the circulation desk.

Visit us every Thursday afternoon to receive guidance in searching for jobs. We will use Google Tools to help you create an email account, build a simple resume, and apply for jobs.

Love Raina Telgemeier, superheroes, manga, graphic novels, and cartoons? Ready to let your artist flag fly? Then come to Comics Creators! We'll provide the paper and pens, you provide the creativity! This is an unsupervised, drop-in program.

Join us on the last Friday of each month to read to an Animal Rescue League TheraPet!

Come build with us! Computers and iPads provided: just bring your imaginations. Ages 8-18.

Teens! Are you looking for a place to volunteer? Become a VolunTeen at the South Side Library! Teens ages 12-18 can volunteer at South and complete various library projects with the youth librarian from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Are you looking for a great place to volunteer? Become a volunteen and help out with library projects and programs. Teens ages twelve to eighteen can pick up a teen volunteer application at the Franklin Avenue Library.

Read a story, explore and create with art and STEM activities! Bring your imagination and join us in the children's area. Ages three to eight.

Minecraft Club has just leveled up! Now in addition to Minecraft, you can use our tablets to play Roblox and other great games.

Come to our monthly Pokémon Club! Bring your Pokémon playing cards and Nintendo DS to battle other Pokémon fans. This month we will also paint mini pumpkins based on your favorite Pokémon. Ages 8-18.

This month's project will take rocks and turn them into a place to display your pictures.

Ages 6-12. Younger siblings may attend if accompanied by an adult.

Please preregister for this program.

Start your Halloween costume with an animal mask made from felt that you have to cut and glue. Younger children will need help to complete this project. Children should be accompanied by an adult. Please register to guarantee supplies.

Teens! Are you looking for a place to volunteer? Become a VolunTeen at the South Side Library! Teens ages 12-18 can volunteer at South and complete various library projects with the youth librarian from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Meeting Room.

Kinetic Sand is magical, moldable and mesmerizing sand! Mix it, cut it, squish it, and let it flow. The creative possibilities are endless with Kinetic Sand! Ages 8-12.

Join us for a fun bilingual program that is inspired by Yoga, and informed by science. We will focus on basic Yoga poses, as well as yoga-inspired movement and stillness to support your child’s early learning.

Join the Science Center of Iowa for the second in a three-part camp series. In this class students will learn new coding skills to program robotics kits like Sphero and Hummingbird.

Join us at the North Side Library to create spooky crafts. We will be making skeletons, bats, and ghosts! While supplies last.

Join us for a special showing of Goosebumps 2! Rated PG. Two boys unleash Halloween monster mayhem when they open a mysterious locked book they found in an old abandoned house - including witches, werewolves, and giant gummy bears.

In this giant version of the classic cooperative game Forbidden Island, your team of adventurers will have to race against time and the rising floodwaters to collect treasures and escape before the island is lost to the sea.

Bring the family at night for stories, songs, and occasional crafts that prepares your children for school! You can even wear your jammies! All ages.

Come and enjoy stories, rhymes, songs and crafts in English and Spanish. Intended for children up to age 8. Venga y disfrute cuentos, rimas, canciones, y manualidades en inglés y español.

The whole family can come to the library for stories, rhymes and songs.

Listen to some magical stories and meet the wild animals you might see in diagon alley. We will make our own wands to take home while enjoying books!

Hear true crime stories that occurred in Des Moines by retired DMPD Senior Crime Scene Investigator Greg Gourd. This program is intended for an adult audience.

Families can enjoy stories, rhymes, and songs together on Wednesday nights. It's a great way for busy families to relax and listen to stories together.

Michigan-based singer/storyteller Bill Jamerson will provide a history of the Civilian Conservation Corps, one of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal initiatives.

Celebremos El Dia de Las Naciones Unidas con canciones, rhymes, songs and crafts in Spanish and English. Estaremos creando arte con frijoles (Bean Art).

In this giant version of the classic cooperative game Forbidden Island, your team of adventurers will have to race against time and the rising floodwaters to collect treasures and escape before the island is lost to the sea.

Join us for a discussion of Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. Ask at the information desk for a copy of the book.