Week Calendar

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

Preschoolers and their caregivers can enjoy stories, rhymes, music, and learn school readiness skills. Afterwards, we will enjoy free-play together.

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

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.

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!

Enjoy a fun storytime featuring movement, music, and rhyming! 

Make a DIY Fall lantern at North Side! Drop-in to cover a mason jar in Fall colors. Add a tea light and you have a beautiful Fall lantern to enjoy!

Join the fun at Evelyn K Davis Park for a parade and celebration with food, entertainment, and community!

Parade begins at 10:30 AM at United Way Building, 1111 9th Street and finishes at the park.  

Join the fun at Evelyn K Davis Park for a parade and celebration with food, entertainment, and community!

Parade begins at 10:30 AM at United Way Building, 1111 9th Street and finishes at the park.  

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. 

This has been rescheduled from 9/4/2025 to 9/11/2025.

Join yoga instructor Lily Allen-Duenas for chair yoga at Forest Avenue Library! No experience, mats, or props are needed. Just bring yourself.

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.

Join us on the 2nd Monday of every month for our book club. Enjoy good books, great discussions, and meet fellow book lovers. Snacks and coffee are provided! 

Learn how to get around the area on DART. Registration is required and limited to people who haven't attended this program in the past year. To register, email communityresources@dmpl.org.

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.

Watercolor Painting with ASAP Teaching Artist Laura Todd

Sticker Factory with ASAP Teaching Artist Lunita Eclatt!

Join an educator from Polk County Conservation to explore Iowa’s fascinating paleontological past through a hands-on rock and fossil sorting activity.

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 us Mondays in September at Forest for Drama Games with ASAP Teaching Artist Saige Mayfield.

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

Become a South Side Library VolunTeen and earn volunteer hours by assisting with library programs and projects!

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.

Design your own fairy garden at North Side! Bring your own container or use one of ours and fill it with plants and miniature figurines fit for a fairy.

Supplies are limited. Registration is encouraged!

Visit the library and make teeny tiny creations out of air dry foam.  Whether you make itty bitty animals, food, or your favorite character, they will all be adorable.

Become a South Side Library VolunTeen and earn volunteer hours by assisting with library programs and projects!

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!

Get creative at North Side! Drop-in on Wednesdays to enjoy our large cart of art supplies.

Join teaching artist Lydia Nong for this month's ASAP Thursday classes where playfulness and creativity meet. You'll explore art through games! Snack provided for all participants. Sept 4, 11, 18, 25

Join us as we celebrate the photography of Malena Diaz. Her show "La Lucha es Libre" will showcase a collection of black and white photography.

Are you turning 65 or planning for retirement? Join us for a helpful session designed to guide you through the Medicare Open Enrollment process and answer your questions.

What you’ll learn:

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.

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!

Join us as we meet monthly to work on sewing projects, share skills and techniques, and spend time with fellow sewers at Forest Avenue Library.

Drop in and spend an evening creating something new while enjoying the company of local crafters. In September, practice the basics of embroidery by stitching a card with a starry constellation pattern.

Join the Des Moines Public Library & Latinx Immigrants of Iowa to make paper flowers and other decorations for a Day of the Dead ofrenda, which will be on display at the Central Library from October 28 through November 2.

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.

Tweens (ages 9-12) can join us at Forest for a monthly book club and pizza party.

Join us for a STEAM Cart Challenge!

We will use our STEAM Cart components to create a Rosie Robot that wiggles and draws by itself! 

Join the Des Moines Public Library & Latinx Immigrants of Iowa to make paper flowers and other decorations for a Day of the Dead ofrenda, which will be on display at the Central Library from October 28 through November 2.

Join us once a month to discuss books by underrepresented authors. Our goal is to amplify these voices and experiences while discussing social issues in the context of fiction and non-fiction books.