Adventure Pass Changes in 2025

Due to software issues affecting all libraries using the service, the Des Moines Public Library’s Iowa Adventure Pass program will no longer be available in 2025. Any reservation already made for 2025 will be honored, but we encourage anyone with a current reservation to print those passes immediately. Customers can make new reservations for passes that must be used by December 31, 2024. We hope to reintroduce the service at a later time, and we apologize for the inconvenience. 

Awards Watch

The literary world is full of several awards. We try to help you cut through the noise and keep you appraised of all the awards ongoing and upcoming.

Please note - due to publishing restrictions, not all nominated books may be available to check out from the library. You may suggest the library purchase a title by clicking the Suggest a Title Form box below.


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Literary Fiction Awards

National Book Award

National Book Award Longlist Graphic

The 2024 National Book Award for Fiction shortlist has been revealed. Winners revealed on Wednesday, November 20.

See the 2024 Shortlist and Longlist >>>

Previous winners and finalists >>>

About the award >>>


 

The Booker Prize

Booker Prize 2024

 

The 2024 Booker Prize has been awarded to Orbital, by Samantha Harvey.

The Booker Prize is typically awarded in mid-November. The longlist is revealed in July, and shortlist is announced in September.

See the shortlist and longlist >>>

Previous winners and nominated books >>>

About the award >>>


 

Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

Pulitzer Prize Medal

 

The 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction was awarded to Night Watch, by Jayne Anne Phillips.

The Pulitzer Prize is awarded in early May. The winner and finalists are revealed at the same time.

See the 2024 finalists >>>

Previous winners and nominated books >>>

About the award >>>


 

Women's Prize for Fiction

Women's Prize for Fiction

The 2024 Women's Prize for Fiction was awarded to Brotherless Night, by V.V. Ganeshananthan.

The Women's Prize is typically awarded in June. The longlist is revealed in early March.

See the 2024 finalists >>>

Previous winners and shortlisted books >>>

About the award >>>


 

Carol Shields Prize For Fiction

Carol Shields Prize

 

The 2024 Carol Shields Prize for Fiction was awarded to Brotherless Night, by V.V. Ganeshananthan.

The Carol Shields Prize is typically awarded in mid-May. The longlist is revealed in early March.

See the 2024 finalists >>>

Previous winners and nominated books >>>

About the award >>>


 

National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction

The 2023 National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction was awarded to I Am Not Homeless if This is Not My Home, by Lorrie Moore

The National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction is typically awarded in mid-to-late March and covers books released into the previous years. The finalists are typically revealed in late January.

See the the most recent finalists >>>

Previous winners and finalists >>>

About the award >>>


 

The Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction

Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction

 

The 2025 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction will be revealed on Sunday, January 26. Three books have been named as finalists.

The Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction is awarded in mid-to-late January. The longlist is typically revealed in mid-October of the prior year.

See the 2025 finalists and longlisted titles >>>

Previous winners and finalists >>>

About the award >>>


 

Aspen Words Literary Prize

Aspen Words

 

The 2024 Aspen Words Literary Prize was awarded to Enter Ghost, by Isabella Hammad

The Aspen Words Literary Prize is awarded in late April. The longlist is typically revealed in mid-November of the prior year.

See the 2024 finalists and longlisted titles >>>

Previous winners and nominated books >>>

About the award >>>


 


 

General Nonfiction Awards

National Book Award for Nonfiction

The 2024 National Book Award for Nonfiction shortlist has been revealed. Winners revealed on Wednesday, November 20.

See the shortlist and longlist >>>

Previous winners and finalists >>>

About the award >>>


National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction

The 2023 National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction was awarded to We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America, by Roxanna Asgarian

The National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction is typically awarded in mid-to-late March and covers books released into the previous years. The finalists are typically revealed in late January.

See the the most recent finalists >>>

Previous winners and finalists >>>

About the award >>>


 

The Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction

The 2025 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction finalists have been announced. The winner will be revealed on Sunday, January 26, 2025.

The Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Noniction is awarded in mid-to-late January. The longlist is typically revealed in mid-October of the prior year.

See the 2025 finalists and longlisted titles >>>

Previous winners and finalists >>>

About the award >>>


 

Women's Prize for Nonfiction

The 2024 Women's Prize for Nonfiction was awarded to Doppelganger, by Naomi Klein

The Women's Prize is typically awarded in June. The longlist is revealed in February. The 2024 Prize was the first year the prize was awarded

See the 2024 finalists >>>

About the award >>>


 


 

Science-Fiction and Fantasy Awards

Hugo Awards - Best Novel and Best Novella

Hugo Award

The 2024 Hugo Award winners were:

The Hugo Award nominations are revealed in in the spring, and the winners are announced during the Worldcon Festival in August.

About the Hugo Awards >>>

Best Novel

Best Novella


 

Nebula Awards - Best Novel and Best Novella

Nebula Award Logo

The 2023 Nebula Award winners (awarded in 2024) were:

  • Best Novel: The Saint of Bright Doors, by Vajra Chandrasekera
  • Best Novella: Linghun, by Ai Jiang

The Nebula Award nominations are revealed in March, and the winners are announced in early June.

About the Nebula Awards >>>

Best Novel

Best Novella


Locus Awards - Best Fantasy Novel and Best Science Fiction Novel

Locus Award

The 2024 Locus Award winners were:

The Locus Award nominations are revealed in May, and the winners are announced during the in June.

 

About Locus Magazine >>>

Best Fantasy Novel

Best Science Fiction Novel


Ursula K. Le Guin Prize

The 2024 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction was awarded to It Lasts Forever and Then It's Over, by Anne de Marcken.

See the shortlist >>>

Previous winners and nominated books >>>

About the award >>>



 

Mystery, Thriller, and Horror Awards

Edgar Award

The 2024 Edgar Award for Best Novel was awarded to Flags on the Bayou, by James Lee Burke.

The Edgar Awards are awarded in early May. The finalists are typically revealed in mid-January, around Edgar Allen Poe's birthday.

See the the most recent finalists >>>

Previous winners and finalists >>>

About the award >>>


 

Gold Dagger

The 2024 Gold Dagger for Best Crime Novel was awarded to Tell Me What I Am, by Una Mannion.

The Gold Dagger is awarded in July. The finalists are typically revealed in mid-May.

See the the most recent finalists >>>

Previous winners and finalists >>>

About the award >>>


Bram Stoker Awards

The 2023 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Novel was given to The Reformatory, by Tananarive Due. It was awarded in June 2024

The Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Novel is awarded in June and covers books published the previous year. The finalists are revealed in February.

See the most finalists >>>

Previous winners and finalists >>>

About the award >>>


 

Shirley Jackson Awards

The 2023 Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novel was given to The Reformatory, by Tananarive Due. It was awarded in June 2024

The Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novel is awarded in July and covers books published the previous year. The finalists are revealed in June.

See the most recent finalists >>>

Previous winners and nominees >>>

About the award >>>



 

Topical Nonfiction Awards

LA Times Book Prize for Science and Technology

The 2023 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Science and Technology was awarded to Is Math Real? How Simple Questions Lead Us to Mathematics’ Deepest Truths, by Eugenia Cheng. The prize was awarded in April 2024 and covers books published in the previous year.

The Los Angeles Times Book Prizes is awarded in April during the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. The finalists are typically revealed in February.

See the most recent nominees >>>

Previous winners and nominees >>>

About the Award >>>


 

Cundill History Prize

The 2024 Cundill History Prize finalists have been announced.  The winner will be announced on Wednesday, October 30.

See the finalists and other nominated books >>>

Previous winners and finalists >>>

About the award >>>


 

PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography

The 2023 winner of the PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography was Dilla Time: The Life and Afterlife of J Dilla, the Hip-Hop Producer Who Reinvented Rhythm, by Dan Charnas.

The 2024 nominees and winner will be revealed later in 2024.

See the most recent winner and finalists >>>

Previous winners >>>

About the award >>>


 

FT and Schroders Business Book of the Year

The 2024 FT/Schroders Business Book of the Year Shortlist has been revealed. The winner is typically announced in early December

See the short list and longlist >>>

Previous winners and finalists >>>

About the award >>>



 

Children's Book Awards

National Book Award

The 2024 National Book Award for Young People's Literature shortlist has been revealed. Winners revealed on Wednesday, November 20.

See the shortlist and longlist >>>

Previous winners and finalists >>>

About the award >>>


 

Newbery Medal

The 2024 winner of the Newbery Medal was The Eyes of the Impossibleby Dave Eggers.

The winner and honor books are announced annually in January

See the most recent winner and honor books >>>

Previous winners and honor books >>>

About the award >>>


 

Caldecott Medal

The 2024 winner of the Caldecott Medal was Big, written and illustrated by Vashti Harrison.

The winner and honor books are announced annually in January

See the most recent winner and honor books >>>

Previous winners and honor books >>>

About the award >>>


Coretta Scott King Book Award

The 2024 winners of the Coretta Scott King Award were:

The winner and honor books are announced annually in January

See the most recent winner and honor books >>>

Previous winners and honor books >>>

About the award >>>