On September 2, 1980, Burke Shiffler walked into the Central Library to start his new job in the reference department. His boss, Shirley Shisler, met him and showed him an entire room of reference books. “She gave me some slips of paper and said, ‘Go around the room and learn what’s in these b...
Read MoreIowa author Kali White joins us on the newest edition of the DMPL Podcast. White's newest novel, The Monsters We Make, was released last month. It is set in Des Moines in the mid 1980s and is partially based on the real-life Des Moines Register paperboy disappearances of that time. You may...
Read MoreAs you harvest your fresh fruits and vegetables, it's never too early to start thinking about your next garden. These 15 books offer tips and tricks that to make your garden bright and ripe next year. ...
Read MoreOn the latest episode of the DMPL Podcast, Book Chat's Alissa joins us to discuss Magical Realism books. As Alissa says in the podcast, magical realism is "a realist fiction that blends magic into the everyday world," with deep roots in Latin American literary traditions. Apple Podcasts/iTune...
Read MoreThe Des Moines Public Library and the DMPL Foundation will be taking part in the first ever Ray Bradbury Read-A-Thon, premiering this Saturday. More than 40 other libraries and several celebrities are participating in this project, which celebrates the 100th anniversary of author Ray Bradbury's birth. The Read-A-Thon will feature a reading of Bradbury's classic novel Fahrenheit 451. Among the celebrities taking part include Neil Gaiman, Susan Orlean, Marlon James, William Shatner, and Rachel Bloom.
Read MoreDr. Richard Deming joins the DMPL Podcast today to discuss his new book, Above and Beyond Cancer. Dr. Deming is the director at the MercyOne Cancer Center in Des Moines and the founder of Above + Beyond Cancer, an organization dedicated to elevating the lives of those impacted by cance...
Read MoreSpending time together in the kitchen is a great way to shake up the time you spend together as a family. When you cook together, you talk together, and kids can work on motor skills by scooping, pouring, and dumping. Writing out recipes together is a great way to work on spelling and writing as wel...
Read MoreWe're (hopefully) less than two weeks from the first pitch of the 2020 Major League Baseball season. It's been a long wait, but with luck, at least one of these books will be enough to hold you over until we hear "Play Ball!" for the first time this year. We have books for adults and children on thi...
Read MoreIt's the start of an unconventional holiday weekend. Though there may not be as much sand and travel in store for the 4th of July this year, it's good to remember "the beach" can be a state of mind. Kick back and relax, wherever you are this weekend, and grab one of these easy reads while enjoying y...
Read MoreFather's Day is Sunday. You know what Dad really enjoys? The perfect book. We've compiled a list of books below that will definitely whet your dad's whistle, no matter his interests. Whether it covers one of his hobbies, provides inspirational messages, or gives father and child a chance t...
Read MoreIt's never too early to begin introducing books into your child's life. Even before they begin learning to read, children are developing skills that will help them learn sounds, write letters, and recognize words. Just hearing both new and numerous words has been proven to give children a head start...
Read MoreWith the opening of our curbside pickup program, as well as the thousands of copies of eBooks and eAudiobooks available, we know our patrons are eager to add their "to be read" list. Librarian Sarah Lane has been busy reading, as she always is. She picked out nine of her favorite reads duri...
Read More9/3/2020 UPDATE: We have ordered Book Club sets of several antiracism books to help facilitate discussion among the community. We are also adding new books as they come in. Book Club sets and new books are included below. Some new books have not been released yet, but you can place holds ahead ...
Read MoreJune is Pride Month! Though Capital City Pride has canceled Des Moines' annual celebration of the LGBTQ community due to concerns over the COVID pandemic, we wanted to help start the month with a list of local resources utilized by the LGBTQ community, as well as some book recommendations for reader...
Read MoreThe library’s free language-learning program, Mango, offers the chance to learn dozens of language from across the globe, including Spanish, Mandarin, German, Japanese, and many others. Beginning the process of learning a language can typically be intimidating and overwhelming: You open up an app an...
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