Week Calendar

“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.

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.

Kids! Can you find all of the Disney characters hidden inside the South Side Library? Stop in from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM to find them all and win a small prize! For youth ages 3 and up. Parent or guardian must be present with children. 

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 will be held in the children's area today due to Election Day. “Mother Goose on the Loose”, is a 30-minute nursery rhyme program for newborns to three-year-olds.

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.

Join us for stories, songs, fingerplays and movement that build literacy skills for ages three to six years old.

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.

November is Picture Book Month. Drop into North Side to hunt for pictures of our favorite picture books. When you are done, you will receive a small prize!

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!

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.

Bring the family and drop in at South from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM for our Kid's Craft Day activities in the Elementary Area! This week, kids can design their own Scratch Art Suncatcher and take it home! For youth ages 3-12.

Drop into North Side and let your creativity guide you while you build a structure using toothpicks and marshmallows. While supplies last. This is a drop-in program.

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

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

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.

Entrepreneurs are risk-takers, dreamers, and optimists. No mountain is too high or idea too wild for those with a can-do attitude and a sense of adventure. But, statistics show that 50% of new small businesses no longer exist after five years.

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!

We will discuss Our Souls at Night, by Kent Haruf. Copies of the book will be available at the Information Desk while supplies last. No registration required.

Join us to discuss the book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann. Copies are available at the previous book discussion and the Information Desk thereafter (while supplies last).

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.

Kids and Families! Enjoy the Fall Break and South and watch the film "Toy Story 4" (Rated G) starting at 2:30 p.m. We'll have snacks and kids can decorate toy crafts to take home during the film.

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.

It's time to break it and make it! Do you wonder how things are made? Join us for a monthly deconstruction lab where we take apart common objects, see what parts they contain, and create something new from the pieces.

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.

Join us every Tuesday as we play Minecraft, Roblox, and more. Ages 8-12. 

Come to the library and try out some experiments with food.

Science Wednesdays is a chance for kids ages six to twelve to explore different aspects of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).

Imagine making a drawing using paper and a nail. Come to the Central Library to find out how. Children should be accompanied by an adult. Please register in order to assure adequate supplies.

Use clay, Legos, Minecraft figures, and more to create your own mini movie!  Ages 8-12. 

Join the Science Center of Iowa for the third in a three-part camp series.

Join us for an informal writers' workshop on the first Monday of the month from 5-7 PM. Share samples of your work and receive feedback from other writers in the group.

Join us for a discussion of bestselling books from a variety of genres. This month's book is The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo.

Ready Set Robot is an introductory enrichment experience for youth ages eight and above to freely explore and learn about robotics.

Celebrate LGBTQ+ with an all-ages meet-up to connect with LGBTQ folks and allies! Learn about upcoming events, listen to music by Queer artists, and check out LGBTQ Books by Queer authors and about Queer characters.

Kids! Get ready for "Frozen 2" with our "Frozen" Science Extravaganza at South from 6:30 to 7:30 PM! Families can rotate through several art and STEM activities!

Come and enjoy stories, rhymes, songs and crafts in English and Spanish.

Venga y disfrute cuentos, rimas, canciones, y manualidades en inglés y español.

Take your ukulele skills to the next level with instructor Natalie Steenson.

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

Bring the entire family together early in the evening for stories, songs and occasional crafts. It's a great way for busy parents to relax and listen to stories with their children.

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.

Anna Slavina, a PhD in Human Computer Interaction from Iowa State University, will discuss things consumers should know about how their data are being collected and used.

Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with Yaqui Indian Ralph Moisa Jr. He will give you an idea of how tribes lived by allowing you to participate in a game of memory.