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. 

Need help creating an email account? Polishing a resume or applying for a job? Come to the Forest Avenue Library on Tuesdays from 10:00AM-12PM and get individual computer assistance. First-come, first-served. 

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.

Join travelin’ John Paul George and his singing dog Ringo on an interactive, musical road trip.

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.

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

Join the fun at Evelyn K Davis Park for a parade and celebration with food, entertainment, and community!

Parade begins at 10:30 AM at United Way Building, 1111 9th Street and finishes at the park.  

Dungeons & Dragons is a role-playing game set in worlds of swords and sorcery where players use their imaginations to tell a story and create an adventure together.  We usually get together on the first Sunday of each month to play. 

September's selection is Shutter by Ramona Emerson.

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.

September's presentation is the 2003 romantic drama I Capture the Castle, starring Romola Garai, Rose Byrne, and Bill Nighy. This film is rated R. Free Friday Flicks at Franklin is typically held on the second Friday of the month.

This class details common behavior changes and how they are a form of communication, non-medical approaches to behaviors and recognizing when additional help is needed.

Drop into North Side on Wednesdays to enjoy a STEM activity or craft. These activities are planned with grades K-5 in mind, but all are welcome to attend.

This week, we will make Fall wreaths using paper plates and paper leaves!

Have a question about how to vote? What your rights are when it comes to voting? The process? Stop by South Side Library and ask the Iowa ACLU!

This summer, Breaking became the first competitive dancesport in history to appear at the Summer Olympics. Through ASAP Tuesdays at East Side Library, you can now try some of the basics of breakdancing, free and with your friends.

Calling young artists: Join ASAP Teaching Artist Micah Ferin in the Painting Studio at North Side Library each Wednesday afternoon in September.

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. 

ASAP Mondays at Forest Avenue Library kicks off the school year with Kids Yoga! Join Ben Spellman one day or every week for an hour of good vibes, stretching, controlled relaxing, and building strength and concentration through challenging poses.

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

This week's Creative Readers will feature a special performance from What if Puppets.

Join the fun at Chess Club! Chess is one of the world's most popular games and is played by millions of people worldwide. Learn to play or come to test your skills with other players.

Children and teens ages 8-18 can join us at North Side Library on the second Tuesday of each month for Art Club!

We will kick off the school year and get into the Fall spirit with cookie decorating and jewelry making!

Join us at Central Library for Game On! Tweens and Teens (10-18) are welcome to enjoy snacks and play games with friends! We'll alternate between board games, card games, and games on the Nintendo Switch.

Create a gorgeous suncatcher out of a mason jar lid.

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

The Franklin Library is located on DART Route #5.

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!

This summer, Breaking became the first competitive dancesport in history to appear at the Summer Olympics. Through ASAP Thursdays at South Side Library, you can now try some of the basics of breakdancing, free and with your friends.

Join us for the DMPL Writer's Workshop on the first* Monday of the month from 5:30-7:30 PM. Share samples of work and receive feedback from other writers in the group.

Would you like to use Tech Central's new FormLabs Form 3 resin 3D printer?  Take this required training to learn how!  Participants will learn how to use FormLabs free PreForm software to prepare their 3D prints for printing at the libra

Connect with others interested in environmentally friendly gardens. The focus is on native plants which foster and nourish wildlife.

Kids and families can learn about the monarch butterflies in this special program at South! Join Parks and Recreation Supervisor Joel Van Roekel as he shares information about monarch butterflies.

​​​​​​Have you heard of forest bathing?  Would you like to know more about what it is, and why it has become so popular?   

This month's book is Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. 

Join Bill Lu from Global Food Discovery in this cooking class. Every week Bill will introduce a simple dish from around the world. Learn how to prepare it, and then enjoy a sample! 

Join us 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 handling life’s challenges, or deepen your understanding of a topic.

Join Craft Club and explore your creativity and skill by learning a new craft each month. We will learn knitting, crochet, sewing, bookbinding, jewelry making and beading, paper arts, pottery, printmaking, fiber arts and so much more!

Artificial Intelligence is all around us and only becoming more common. Join Meredith Moore, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Drake University, to learn more about AI in a hands on way. 

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.

Get ready to race with your very own rubber band racer! In this fun and educational activity, you’ll learn how to build a car powered by the stored energy of rubber bands.