Week Calendar

Beyond Birth: Baby's First Year is a free weekly postpartum support group for parents and their new babies.

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

Toddlers and their caregivers can enjoy introductory stories, songs, music, and movement! For ages 18 months to 36 months.

Join Miss Jennifer for Preschool Storytime on Monday mornings at 10:15 a.m.  There will be stories, rhymes, music, and more.

This storytime is recommended for ages three to five, but all children are welcome to attend.

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

Children ages 0-5 and their caregivers can engage in open play, come and go activities at South. 

Babies and their caregivers can join Miss Jennifer on Tuesdays for rhymes, songs, bounces, and a story followed by a short playtime.

Babies, toddlers, and their caregivers can join us on Tuesdays for rhymes, songs, lap bounces, and a story.

This program is recommended for children from birth to 24 months of age.

Listen to silly stories, meet adorable puppet friends and move to fun songs!  Join us at Forest Avenue Library for Family Storytime at 10:00 A.M.!

Staff from the Evelyn K Davis Center for Working Families are ready to provide one-on-one job search and resume assistance to job seekers.

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.

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.

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.

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

Snippets: A Writers' Workshop for Shorter Works Please email your submissions to Julia at jmdunt@dmpl.org if you would like them printed out. This group will read and discuss works out loud.

Bring your young ones to our Little Explorers program, designed for children ages 0-5, to discover, learn and play with different sensory activities. No Registration is Required. Please wear play clothes as some activities may be messy.

Love playing board games? Stop by the South Side Meeting Room to play an old favorite, learn a new one, or invite a group and bring your own! Snacks will be provided.

Best for those age 8 and up!

The selection for December is Taste Makers: Seven Immigrant Women Who Revolutionized Food in America by Mayukh Sen.

The Des Moines Public Library is partnering with area organizations to connect people with community resources. Community advocates will provide information about community resources like meal sites and shelters.

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 afterwards. Chair seating will be available.

The Des Moines Public Library is partnering with area organizations to connect people with community resources. Community advocates will provide information about community resources like meal sites and shelters.

This month we'll learn how to stay safe in cold weather and avoid frostbite and hypothermia. 

Please join us for our monthly book group. Books will be available for pick up at the East Side circulation desk. Coffee and treats will be served.

Join South Side Library and Americorps Seniors to learn to create your own bound journals on a lovely December afternoon! 

Drop-in to North Side every Wednesday to enjoy a craft or STEM activity!

This week, we will have a Wintry science experiment to make a 'snowstorm in a jar'!

Iowa Legal Aid's Expungement and Barriers Clinic aims to combat barriers to self-sufficiency, prosperity, and racial injustice caused by criminal legal involvement.

Are you looking for a great place to volunteer? Become a volunteen and help with library projects and programs.

Children will listen to a story and then create a masterpiece while exploring with art and STEM activities. Ages 3 to 8 years old, but younger and older siblings are welcome.

Tweens and teens ages 10-18 can join us after school on Tuesdays to enjoy activities on our meeting room.

This week, enjoy some games on the big screen with our Nintendo Switch!

Decorate a jar and fill it with a hot cocoa mix as unique as you! We'll bring the ingredients, the jars, and the craft supplies; you bring your wonderful self! 

Best for ages 8-18. While supplies last.

Level up your gaming skills! Use our tablets and Nintendo Switch to play Among Us, Minecraft, Roblox, and more. Ages 8+.

Join us at Central Library for the Game On! Tweens and Teens are welcome to enjoy some snacks and play games with friends! We'll have different board games and card games set up every month.

Design and create 3D Pop-Up cards to share with friends and family for any occasion.  

Art in the Library is for children ages 6-12 and requires preregistration.  

Join us for the Teen Anime/Manga Meetup! We’ll get together and discuss all things Anime and Manga!

This week - teens can draw and make their own customizable stickers to take home!  Ages 12-18. 

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 the Friends of the Forest Avenue Library for the monthly meeting on Zoom over the winter months in March!

Do you have any old magazines laying around the house? Bring them to the East Side Library to create a magazine tree! We will provide magazines and fun little decorations to put on your tree to take home. 

Stop into the youth area and make a snowman suncatcher! 

Teens, come to the Forest Avenue Library the second Monday of every month and check out our tech center. We will have iPads with Procreate, a green screen, 3-D pens, and more! Ages 12+.

Join us for our second annual puzzle competition night! We'll have different categories, including one for kids, and some delicious winter treats.

Join us for our evening Family Storytime at 6:30 p.m.! Kids and caregivers can join us for fun songs, stories and crafts. You can even wear your jammies!  All Ages Welcome!

Join the library and ISU 4U Promise for a screening of The Right to Read and a discussion about early literacy. Every community should understand what it takes to make sure all children can learn to read. The

This month's book is The Magician's Daughter by H. G. Parry.

Join librarians Dennis and Elizabeth for a monthly conversation around a life-changing nonfiction book.  Each month we’ll select a book that will change your perspective, give you new strategies for handlin

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.