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.

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.

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 on Fridays by visiting the library and using your imagination to create amazing things with our LEGOs.

Jasper Rabbit is coming to North Side! He's known for taking on those creepy carrots, crayons, and even a creepy pair of underwear! Come for a fun storytime and get your picture taken with Jasper.

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.

Celebrate Bear Day with us in the children's area! Come and join in the joy of honoring these magnificent creatures by creating your very own bear craft to cherish and take home with you. All ages.

Join us every Saturday in November for a roaring good time at our Dino-Mite Saturdays! Bring your little ones to the library for a hands-on, imaginative play experience using our giant foam dinosaur bones.

Aprenda a hacer recetas fáciles, nutritivas y baratas con una instructora de Iowa State University - Extension.  Durante esta clase de 8 semanas, aprenderá a:

Ahorrar dinero: comprar y gastar menos en sus alimentos.

Skip the scramble for outlets at coffee bars and come to the library to connect with your fellow writers or to write individually! Feel free to stay all day or just stop by for a quick visit.

Love playing board games or putting together puzzles? Stop by the South Side Meeting Room to play a selection of provided board games and puzzles or invite a group and bring your own! Snacks will be provided.

November's selection is Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane.

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 class focuses on helping the person living with dementia take part in daily activities, providing the right amount of support and balancing safety and independence while managing expectations.

Drop in to North Side each week to enjoy a STEM activity or craft!

This week, we will be using perler beads! Create a design and we will iron it for you to take home.

Tired of the same old cake shape? Want to jazz up your baked goods for the holidays? 

Join us for a baking pan exchange to find some new to you shapes while retiring your regulars.

ASAP Tuesdays at East Side Library this month features Kids Yoga with Ben Spellman. Enjoy an hour of good vibes, stretching, controlled relaxing, and building strength and concentration through challenging poses.

A mosaic is a picture produced by arranging small pieces of stone, tile, or other material.

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. 

Fiber art uses materials like fabric, yarn, thread, and techniques like weaving, stitching, and tying to make cool projects! At ASAP Mondays with Megan Clausen, we will make a different fiber art project each week. Snack provided.

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+.

Children and teens can join us at the North Side Library on the 2nd Tuesday of each month for Art Club!

This month, we will be using air dry clay!

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.

Create a lantern out of paper and popsicle sticks.

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

The Franklin Library is located on DART Route #5.

Join us for a program from a NASA Ambassador on Rockets, Satellites, Orbiters, Landers, Rovers, and Human Spaceflight.

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!

Come to South Side Library to learn how to sew with presenter Kaitlyn Munro! You'll learn how to use tools like thimbles, needles, and threaders to turn a t-shirt into a throw pillow! Best for ages 8+

Are you a graphic novel fan? Join us for our EPIC Graphic Novel BOOK CLUB for ages 7-11.

Don't be a fossil--come to the Central Library and celebrate Dino-vember with us! We'll have a Tyrannosau-rockin' good time with a variety of activities and crafts that will have kids of all ages roaring with delight!

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

Do you have a loose hem or a hole in the elbow of your favorite shirt? Bring it to South Side Library to have it mended by sewing expert Kaitlyn Munro! She'll be available for walk-in appointments from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

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

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!

The Des Moines Latino Film Festival salutes Mexican-American veterans from the Des Moines metro with a screening of the documentary short Heroes Around the Corner on Veterans Day. Vince Valdez, the film's producer, will talk abo

Join us as we learn the basics of sewing in this beginner class. By the end of the six weeks participants will be comfortable with sewing machines and be able to mend and make alterations to clothing. 

Join us for a hands-on sourdough bread-making experience with Erica from EZ Sourdough Co.! Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a curious beginner, this workshop is for you.

This month's book is Big in Sweden by Sally Franson.

Book club set copies can be picked up at Central; please wait one business day between registering and picking up your copy.

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 us for the Google Suite workshop! We will run through the basics of how to use services like Gmail, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and more.

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.