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.

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.

Get creative at North Side and enjoy our cart of arts and crafts supplies!

Stop in the library for fun arts and crafts with our Art Cart! While supplies last. Adult supervision is required. 

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

Learn some of the amazing facts about our local neighborhood in space with NASA JPL Solar System Ambassador Dan Hoy. This will be a 30-minute journey from the Sun to Pluto, followed by an opportunity to see, touch, and hold meteorites.

Drop-in to the Forest Ave Library to make a paper-chain garland using winter-themed decorative papers. Take your garland with you to add a lovely DIY decoration to your cozy places at home! This craft is suitable for all ages.

December's selection is The Art Thief by Michael Finkel.

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.

Come to the library and create a design with perler beads and we will iron it for you to take home!

Paint a miniature figurine for Dungeons & Dragons or another fantasy role-playing game.   You may bring your own miniature to paint, or select one that we provide.

Get comfortable with the basics of sewing in this workshop for beginners. Costume designer Kaitlyn Munro will teach participants the essential skills for sewing by hand, with time to try out machine sewing as well.

This class teaches how dementia affects communication, including tips for communicating well with family, friends, and health care professionals.

Make a gingerbread house out of cardstock! Drop-in to North Side to decorate and build a paper gingerbread house.

Love doing puzzles during the holidays? Have some winter holiday themed puzzles at home that you've done and loved but won't do again?

Art helps us practice patience and focus; but how about applying those skills to make something yummy?

Learn to make beautiful letters with ASAP at the North Side Library! Calligraphy is the art of lettering, like fancy writing. Practicing calligraphy helps develop fine motor skills and is a fun way to express creativity.

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. 

If you’re a kid who likes to draw (or wants to learn or improve your skills), this class is for you! In these three weeks we will use charcoal, colored pencils, white pencils, and graphite drawing pencils to practice drawing.

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

Celebrate the holidays with cookies and  hot cocoa while we listen to the story, Wonder and Awe by Annie Herzig. Children will paint their own masterpiece. Ages 3+.

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.

Visit South Side to decorate your own sugar cookies! From colorful frosting to fun toppings, we'll provide everything you need to design delicious cookie creations as unique as you are!

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!

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

It's been a long time coming! Swifties of all ages are invited to come together to celebrate Taylor Swift's birthday at Central Library!

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

Curious about cooking? Sharpen your kitchen knowledge at our Teen Chef program and learn how to make a variety of delicious foods. 

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

Join us for our THIRD annual puzzle competition night! We'll have different categories, including one for kids, and some delicious winter treats (sugar cookies, hot chocolate and apple cider).

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!

This month's book is A Grim Reaper's Guide to Catching a Killer by Maxie Dara.

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

Broaden your perspective, find new strategies for handling life’s challenges, or deepen your understanding of a topic when you join us for a monthly conversation around a life-changing nonfiction book. 

Discover pixel art in this fun and creative workshop! Learn how to design simple characters and scenes, using grids, paper, and stickers to build colorful physical and digital masterpieces.

Reading on the Margins Holiday Snack Potluck. 

Award-winning author and illustrator Don Tate is coming to the Forest Avenue Library!