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.

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.

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.

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.

Listen to silly stories, sing songs, dance to music, and make art! Join us at Forest Avenue Library for Family Storytime every Wednesday morning at 10:15 A.M.

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.

Children ages 3 to 5 and their caregivers can join us Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. for a 30-minute storytime with stories, musical activities and take-home activities that prepare your child for school.

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.

It's a bird...It's a plane...It's Superhero Day! Join us for a day of activities, crafts and scavenger hunt in the children's area from 10AM to 4 PM. All ages are welcome. 

Día is an international celebration of the joy found in early childhood and reading.

Stop in the library to do some fun arts and crafts with our Art Cart! 

Learn the basics of crochet by making a flat circle that you can use as a coaster. Each participant will receive yarn and a crochet hook to take with them.

Join us for PAWS & Read with therapy dogs from Dog Training Elite here in Des Moines. 

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.

Full Circle Recovery is a local non-profit providing emotional, informational, and practical support to individuals and families affected by substance use.

Kick off gardening season by attending a seed swap & gardening workshop.

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

This week, enjoy our large selection of art and craft supplies!

Memory Cafés provide a welcoming social gathering for people living with dementia and their care partners, focusing on person-centered care for those living with dementia.

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 for a Nintendo Switch Party! We will have games like Mario Kart 8 & Super Mario Bros. Ultimate. Feel free to bring your own Switch or share the library’s controllers.

Join us Mondays 4–5 p.m. this Spring for a weekly program in Hip Hop dance, choreography, cultural history, and more, with the After School Arts Program (ASAP) and teaching artist Mia of Creative Netwerk.

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 in our meeting room.

This week, play Nintendo Switch Games on our big screen!

Create a dramatic city skyline using our oil pastels or chalk.

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

If you've ever wondered what's inside old electronics, now's your chance to find out! Each participant will have the chance to open up a used piece of tech and see what's inside!

Are you looking for a place to trade your Pokémon cards? 

Bring your friends and come to this monthly program with any cards you want to trade.  This event is open to children ages 7-18. 

Come to South Side Library for an open art hour, where you can use our supplies and your creativity to express yourself however you like. From paints to beads to drawing and more, you can explore ways to make art as unique as you!

Join us and welcome Joel from the City of Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department to learn about bees, butterflies, and other pollinators in our neighborhood and how we can help them thrive. 

Join us for a discussion of Salt Houses by Hala Alyan. Ask at the information desk for a copy of the book. 

Join us for an exciting paper quilling workshop at the library! Whether you’re a seasoned crafter or a beginner, this program is perfect for anyone interested in exploring the art of quilling. Discover the beauty of quilling and create u

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!

Come to Forest to explore the Mayan ruins on the Yucatan Peninsula in southern Mexico. We will interact with 365/4k recorded footage of multiple Mayan ruins; We will have a special guest who will talk about their experiences as a native perso

Join us for South Side's Evening Book Discussion! We will be discussing Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner. Sign up and get a copy of the book at the South Side Information Desk.

Join us from the comfort of your own homes and kitchens for a DMPL cookbook club that celebrates substitutions, creativity, sustainability and independence in home cooking.

The Des Moines Public Library is partnering with The Varsity Cinema for The Varsity Cinema Book Club.