Week Calendar

Join us weekly for rhymes, songs, bounces, stories, and a little playtime. For caregivers and babies ages 0 - 18 months.

This summer, we'll have two times for Wiggles & Giggles! Join us at the Central Library, at the most convenient time for you, and enjoy a fun storytime featuring movement, music, and rhyming! 

Toddlers and their caregivers can enjoy introductory stories, songs, music, and movement! For ages 18 months to 36 months.

Does your child love music? Children ages 3 and up can enjoy an instrument petting zoo with the Des Moines Symphony at this special storytime! Instrument petting zoos are a fun and interactive introduction to string instruments.

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.

Get creative this Summer at North Side! Every Monday, drop-in to use our cart of art supplies!

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.

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.

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 Miss Emily for Family Storytime every Wednesday morning at 10:15 AM. Designed for children ages 0–5, this storytime welcomes all ages to join in the fun.

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.

Put on your detective hat and join Polk County Conservation to discover the secret world of Iowa’s wildlife! 

Children ages 3 to 5 and their caregivers can join us Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. for a 30-minute storytime with stories, music, and fun activities!

This summer, we'll have two times for Wiggles & Giggles! Join us at the Central Library, at the most convenient time for you, and enjoy a fun storytime featuring movement, music, and rhyming! 

Snippets: A Writers' Workshop for Shorter Works. This group will read and discuss works out loud. Seating is limited. Registration is required.

The whole family can come to Colby Park for a special Family Storytime presented by the Franklin Avenue Library! Bring your own blanket or chairs and join us for stories, songs, and rhymes in the great outdoors.

Join Ms. Alicia at the Heritage Carousel for a special storytime for the whole family! 

Tippi Toes is coming back to the library!

Our exciting, high energy dance classes are the perfect opportunity for kids to try something new while having a blast and burning some energy! Any child between the ages 2-10 can participate.

Compete to become the ultimate Mario Kart champion! Tweens and teens ages 8–18 can enjoy pizza while racing for prizes in this double-elimination tournament.

Space is limited; registration is required.

🏠Energy Efficiency at Home

Dungeons & Dragons is a role-playing game set in worlds of swords and sorcery where players use their imaginations to tell a story and create an adventure together.  We usually get together on the first Sunday of each month to play. 

Join us for a drop-in craft project at Forest! Use the supplies and provided instructions to make a mini-book to take home and fill with writing, drawings, collage, or whatever you choose. Stop by anytime between 12–5 PM.

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.

Kids and families are invited to explore the world of bugs with a Polk County Conservation naturalist! Get an up-close look at live insects and learn about these fascinating creatures.

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 conversation club is both for native speakers and those wanting to learn Russian. Topics of conversation are meant to be light. Get to know other members of your community, or assist those wanting to learn Russian.

Bring in your gently used puzzle (with all the pieces!) to North Side Library and exchange it for a new-to-you puzzle! Share the fun of puzzle-solving by swapping your completed puzzles for fresh challenges.

Need help with a phone, laptop, or tablet, or another electronic device? Come by the Central Library at 2PM on Thursdays and our staff will work with you to figure things out. This is a drop-in, first-come first-served service.

Come enjoy a lively performance by the Stone Circle Brass Quintet. This talented group of Des Moines area professional musicians will showcase their diverse repertoire in two exciting summer concerts.

Curious about cooking? Sharpen your kitchen knowledge and learn how to make delicious dishes.

On July 7, we will make and taste different smoothie flavors and rank them to see which flavor is best!

Drama Games, with ASAP Teaching Artist Kyle Chizek

Stop by South Side to blow some bubbles in the fresh air and celebrate summer! 

Discover the incredible lives of bats at South Side Library.

Young artists, here's your chance to learn watercolor painting from a professional ASAP teaching artist! Each week focuses on a new skill or technique: blending, texture, color theory, brushstroke technique, and more. 

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. 

Join ASAP teaching artist Amanda Rhoads and have fun sculpting a different project each week using polymer clay, a soft, non-toxic moldable clay that hardens as it air dries and eliminates the need for a kiln.

Join the fun at Chess Club! Chess is one of the world's most popular games and is played by millions of people worldwide. This is a drop-in program where resources will be available to learn to play or come to test your skills with other players.

Are you ready for a program all about...owl puke?  Discover how an owl's digestive system works and get a chance to dissect your own owl pellet.

Please pre-register for this program.

The Instrument Petting Zoo is visiting the Forest Library! Children as young as 3 can learn about and practice playing string instruments with Des Moines Symphony's Michele Senger.

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!

Have you ever thought about food as art? ASAP Teaching Artist Amy Joens will help us explore the colors, shapes, textures, and tastes of fresh, in-season fruits, vegetables, and herbs straight from the garden.

Join us as we celebrate new works by Jacque Fabritz. Her show "Adventurers" will showcase a collection of new mixed media paintings.

Join us for the DMPL Writer's Workshop on the first* Monday of the month from 5:30-7:30 PM. Share samples of work and receive feedback from other writers in the group.

DIY Constellations: Glow-in-the-Dark Star Mobiles

Join us for our evening Family Storytime at 6:30 p.m.! Kids and caregivers can join us for fun songs, stories, and acivities. You can even wear your jammies!  

Best for ages 6 and under, but all are welcome!

Meet animal ambassadors from Spock’s Sanctuary, Des Moines’ reptile and amphibian rescue. Enjoy an engaging presentation and hands-on experiences with these fascinating creatures.

Drop in and spend an evening creating something new while enjoying the company of local crafters. In July, use Sharpie markers and isopropyl alcohol to decorate a ceramic coaster with a colorful tie-dye design.

Join us for a monthly conversation around a life-changing nonfiction book.  Each month we will select a book that will change your perspective, give you new strategies for handling life’s challenges, or deepen your understanding of a topic.

NFC's Journey to Homeownership

Reading on the Margins is headed to the Des Moines Art Center! Join us for a tour of the Firelei Báez exhibition and a discussion of Julia Alvarez’s The Cemetery of Untold Stories.

Join us at Forest for a book club and pizza party just for tweens! Each month features a new book exploring different genres, formats, and topics.