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.

Get creative at North Side! Drop-in to the library on Mondays during June and July to enjoy a variety of arts and crafts supplies.

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.

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.

Primary Healthcare and The Project will be present community health education to the public, as well as HIV/STI testing. 

Beat the boredom during the summer by visiting the library and using your imagination to create amazing things with our LEGOs.

Drop by our children's area to build with LEGOs. Show a staff member your creation for a prize!

Does your child love music? Children ages 3 and up can enjoy an instrument petting zoo with the Des Moines Symphony! Instrument petting zoos are a fun and interactive introduction to string instruments.

Kids in the Kitchen is 6-7 week program based around the Department of Agriculture "MyPlate". Each session, students learn about a food group, why it is good for us, physical activity, and then we make a snack together at the end of the class.

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.

Join ISU Extension for this 8 week course that supports individuals and families in making healthy choices on a tight grocery budget.

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.

Do you like all things K-pop? Come to the Central Library for Seoulmate Summer!, a chance to hang out with other fans, participate in a bunch of activities, and win fun prizes. 

Let’s make minifigures! In this fun program, you’ll get the chance to see the process of making materials out of resin and then decorate your own minifigure. 

Book Bites will feature a delicious book and snacks! We will focus each week on healthy eating and prepare and cook snacks each week.

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.

Join us for a multi-week investigation! This game will have six episodes.

This is Episode 2, you will need to have played Episode 1.

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.

There are so many amazing animals that live in Iowa!  Join our special guests from the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge for games, crafts, hands-on learning activities, and a scavenger hunt as we celebrate all the plants and cuddly critter

Visit the library for an ocean themed storytime with special guest Pout-Pout Fish!  There will be stories, songs, and a chance to get your picture taken with our big fishy friend.

Visit South Side Library to discover Iowa’s awesome paleontological past!

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. 

Fernando Aveiga moved to Iowa from Ecuador, and performs in the band Parranderos Latin Combo. On Mondays in July (except the 1st), 4–5 p.m., he will also lead ASAP Mondays: Drumming classes!

Are you a fan of anime or curious about what it's all about? Join us and make new friends as we view an episode of an anime show, talk about anime and manga, and have snacks! This program is intended for teens 13 years and older.

Come explore creative writing, poetry, drawing and dance!

Join us at the Central Library in creating a Pokemon Terrarium! All materials will be provided to make your own poke ball to take home and display!

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. 

Join us at the Central Library in creating a Pokemon Terrarium! All materials will be provided to make your own poke ball to take home and display!

Join Zakiya Jenkins from Grace Fitness as she leads chair exercises. All levels welcome!

Stop by the Forest Avenue Library to pick up a copy of this month's title at the desk.  

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 us at the Franklin Avenue Library for special screening of the short film, Raising the Floor, and a discussion of income equality and universal basic income.

Looking for a way to spruce up your bookshelf? Join us at the East Side Library to create your own woodland themed book nook! All supplies will be provided to create your own nook including the nook and all decorations.

Do you already have some ukulele skills but want to learn more? Join us for four sessions of intermediate ukulele classes beginning July 16th and occurring on Tuesdays and Thursday evenings at 6:30pm (7/16, 7/18, 7/23, 7/25).

Are you ready to earn your diamond? Hold your apple?

Embark on a creative journey and make your very own travel LEGO Build it Binder!

Come and join us at Forest Ave library to create a paper bag beaver puppet to commemorate the Canada Day. All materials will be provided. We will also learn some fun facts about our northern neighbor.

Join us for South Side's Evening Book Discussion! We will be discussing America The Beautiful?: One Woman in a Borrowed Prius on the Road Most Traveled by Blythe Roberson.

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.

Do you already have some ukulele skills but want to learn more? Join us for four sessions of intermediate ukulele classes beginning July 16th and occurring on Tuesdays and Thursday evenings at 6:30pm (7/16, 7/18, 7/23, 7/25).