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DMPL Podcast: John Peragine

Today on the podcast, we welcome John Peragine. Peragine is a writer that lives in Davenport. He's the author of 14 books, including A History of Iowa Wine: Vines on the Prairie, which was published last year. During the podcast, Peragine tells us how German immigrants and a New York lawyer were ...

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Ask the Staff: New Year's Reading Resolutions

You've celebrated the holidays with family and friends, and now it's time to get into your regular rhythms - including reading! We asked our staff what reading goals they had this year. We hope you enjoy some of their answers: Elizabeth, Librarian, Central Library:
A few years ago I ...

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Year in Review - The DMPL Podcast

With 22 episodes in 2019, the DMPL Podcast had a great year chatting with authors, illustrators, program presenters, librarians, and more. We've gone through and picked out some of our favorite conversations from the past year for you to browse below. A vast majority of our conversations and intervi...

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The Most Popular Books and DVDs of 2019

The most popular books and movies at the Des Moines Public Library in 2019 include everything from AViD authors to Oscar winners to, once again, Harry Potter. Lists are comprised of items with the most holds placed on them throughout the year. For Kanopy, these are the most watched films on ...

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DMPL Podcast: Favorite Books of 2019

Librarians Carrie Anderson and Sarah Lane join the podcast today to discuss their favorite books of 2019.   Carrie's Books   Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee, by Casey Cep
Carrie's review: Harper Lee fans will love how it delves into her psy...

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Just Like Podcasts: True Crime Audiobooks

Some of the most popular podcasts are driven by a single, spooky story. Whether it be an inexplicable crime, a suspicious person, or a tragic tale being retold, podcasts like Serial, S-Town, and In the Dark have captured the public's imagination and curiosity.  Audiobooks of the "true crime"...

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DMPL Podcast: Claire Sedovic

Illustrator Claire Sedovic, of Des Moines, joins us on the podcast to talk about her journey to becoming a published illustrator. That book, Odd Animal ABCs, was published earlier this year (the book was written by June Smalls, of Virginia). During the podcast, Sedovic chats about what she learned d...

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ACT Test Prep and More: The LearningExpress Library

Standardized tests, like the ACT, SAT, GRE, and others, are a crucial part of taking the next steps in education, careers, and lives. When you’re preparing for the next big test (the next ACT exam is on December 14!), you can find free study tools on the LearningExpress Library at dmpl.org. The L...

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Write Your Dream Novel: The Central Library's Writers' Workshop

November is known as National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, in the writing community. Each year, writers young and old are encouraged to start and complete the first draft of the novel that’s been in their head or in the corner of their laptop home screen. Last year, more than 400,000 people tr...

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DMPL Podcast: Thaddeus Russell

Today, we welcome Thaddeus Russell on the DMPL Podcast. Russell is the author of A Renegade History of the United States, a counter-history of the United States. The book examines groups of people that Russell says shaped the country without being etched into history books, including "drunkards, lag...

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Young Readers' Week

The second week of November is Young Readers’ Week. Created by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress in 1989, the week brings awareness to the importance of reading, especially for young children and elementary school students. The Des Moines Public Library's Program Coordinator, Katie ...

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DMPL Podcast: Wini Moranville

Wini Moranville joins us on the DMPL Podcast. The former Datebook Diner columnist at the Des Moines Register has a new cookbook out - The Little Women Cookbook. The book is a love letter to the classic novel Little Women, using scenes from the book to create recipes that are classic, yet modern. Mor...

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The Best Cookbook for Every Situation

The holidays are around the corner, and with them come lots and lots of food. If you need some inspiration for your family potluck or want to try your hand at something new, We have hundreds of cookbooks at the library for you to browse. Below we’ve listed eight cookbooks that are useful for diff...

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Day of the Dead at the Des Moines Public Library

Day of the Dead, or El Día de los Muertos, is a traditional Latin American holiday celebrating the lives of loved ones who have passed away. Originating in Mexico, the holiday has since spread across much of Latin America and among those of Mexican heritage in the United States. The holida...

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