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.

This week's storytime will have a special guest reader from DART (Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority).  They will be reading Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña.  

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.

This week's storytime will have a special guest reader from DART (Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority).  They will be reading Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña.  

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.

Drop into North Side to hunt for pictures of things you might find at your Thanksgiving meal. 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!

Drop into North Side and spend time building with Legos in the children's area. Children under 10 must be accompanied by a caregiver 12 years of age or older.

Come to the library and try to find all of the food pictures hiding around the Children's Area.

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

Getting ready to take Social Security? Trying to plan ahead? Join us for an informative, free session with Ryan Biniak, from the Society for Financial Awareness.

C&C volunteers, come help us plan our next steps!

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.

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!

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 When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. Coffee and treats will be served. Copies of the book may be picked up at the circulation desk.

We will be discussing There There, by Tommy Orange. Copies of the book may be picked up at the library.

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.

Build your own castle using our 3-D pens. You will learn the basics of using a pen to draw 2-D objects and then turn them into 3-D toys in only a few simple steps. For ages 5-12. Registration Required, space is limited!

Come build with us! Computers and iPads provided: just bring your imaginations.

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.

Build your own castle using our 3-D pens. You will learn the basics of using a pen to draw 2-D objects and then turn them into 3-D toys in only a few simple steps. For ages 5-12. Registration Required, space is limited!

Celebrate the new movie as we journey back to a frozen land with everyone's favorite sisters.

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

The Library Board of Trustees will meet Tuesday, November 19, 2019 at 4:15 PM at the Central Library Administrative Board Room.  

Elsa is coming to North Side! Join us a fun-filled hour of Frozen themed crafts and activities. Elsa will also be available to say hello and take pictures.

Learn how to make a pillow without a needle and thread. Younger siblings may attend if accompanied by an adult. This program is for ages six through twelve. Please preregister for this program.

Come and explore the magic and symmetry of mandalas using tissue paper shapes and contact paper! Children need to be accompanied by an adult. For ages 5-12. Please register in order 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.

Learn about clean water, solar power, and more through fun science experiments.  Ages 8-12. 

Celebrate Dinovember and make a simple home for your dinosaur using our materials. Jars, plants, dirt, and rocks will be provided while supplies last.

Join us from 4:30-5:45 PM for the monthly meeting of the Friends of the Forest Avenue Library.

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 third in a three-part camp series.

Take a trip to Hogsmeade to craft your own wands and construct Luna Lovegood’s glasses.  You can taste delicious butterbeer (kid-friendly), and snack on chocolate frogs. You will leave feeling your mischief has been managed.

The Red Door Press visits South Side Library to lead a workshop on the art of letterpress! Each participant will be able to make their own bookmark after learning about the process. Preregistration required.

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. 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.

The Danish word “Hygge” has no easy translation into English. It combines hospitality, coziness, contentment, mindfulness, and connection.

Getting ready to take Social Security? Trying to plan ahead? Join us for an informative, free session with Ryan Biniak, from the Society for Financial Awareness.

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.

Please join us for a public information meeting with the City of Des Moines with a focus on property taxes, storm water projects, and local option sales tax. 

Join us for a discussion of The Map of Salt and Stars by Jennifer Zeynab Joukhadar. Ask at the information desk for a copy of the book.