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.

🎂Come and celebrate Miss Nichole's Birthday at Storytime! 🎂

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.

Are you searching for a new job, having trouble navigating a website, or looking to learn a new digital skill? Goodwill is at the library to help!

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!

Stop by Franklin Ave Library and learn how to use DMPL’s digital resources like Libby, Consumer Reports, Kanopy, and newspapers.

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

This week our friend Doc the Dog from Iowa Total Care will be joining us with free books and reusable tote bags!

Are you searching for a new job, having trouble navigating a website, or looking to learn a new digital skill? Goodwill is at the library to help!

The 2025 Mindfulness Day will provide patrons the space to spend a day engaging in a variety of contemplative practices that will give them the opportunity for peaceful space to get centered before the busy holiday season begins.

Join us for a drop-in event for all ages. Come in, get cozy, and choose from a variety of games or puzzles to play with friends!

 Friends of the North Side Library Meeting.  New members always welcome.

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.

Learn the "Mississippi Saxophone" with Malcolm Wells! Grab a student harmonica when you arrive and join the fun. This all-ages event also includes a chance to win Blues CDs when you sign in upon arrival.

This month we will be reading and discussing The Book of Delights by Ross Gay. Copies of the book are available at the North Side Library.

Join other women who are practicing their English in this casual conversation group. We will chat, share coffee, and learn together in this group moderated by a Forest Avenue Library staff member.

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.

Join us for South Side's Monthly Book Discussion!

This month we're reading The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann.

No parking on the dancefloor—show us your moves and learn some new ones in this fun and active class! Snack provided for all participants. November 11, 18, 25

Supplies and snacks provided.

Join our Tween and Teen Chef program to sharpen your kitchen skills and create delicious dishes. This session focuses on pancakes - transform a simple box mix into a gourmet treat with a variety of mix-ins and toppings!

Collage artists combine magazine images, wallpaper, and other materials to create surprising new artworks. This month, we’ll make three unique collages—join us and get creative!

November 5, 12, 19.

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 Jordan Gould and get hands-on with music this month. We will learn the basics of how to play the ukulele! We provide the instruments — you provide the willingness to try something new!

Let us be glad, let us be grateful! Come rejoicify the release of Wicked: For Good at Central Library with a ballyhoo in honor of our two favorite witches. There will be crafts, activities, and a screening of the first film! 

Have you ever noticed how the world is full of quirky people? Come join acclaimed children's author Victor D.O. Santos for a reading of his fun new book People Are Weird  followed by a craft related to the book.

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.

When you're learning to read, practicing out loud can be daunting! Visit Central Library to practice reading with an ARL TheraPet. Engaging with animals is a great way to boost confidence and reduce anxiety around learning to read.

Come to South Side for an hour of sensory exploration!

Show off your Five Nights at Freddy’s knowledge at South Side Library! Join a friendly trivia competition covering the FNAF books, games, and movie, and see how you stack up against fellow fans. For Ages 8 and up.

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

On November 19, learn how to make mini pies for the holidays.

Registration is required due to limited supplies.

Earn volunteer hours by assisting with library programs and projects! Teens ages 12 to 18 can drop in any open Wednesday and volunteer for one hour.

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

Join the Friends of the Forest Avenue Library for the monthly meeting at Forest Avenue Library!

Get hands-on with music this month and learn the basics of how to play the ukulele. We will provide the instruments — you provide the willingness to try something new! Snack provided for all participants. November 6, 13, 20

Are you a fan of graphic novels? Join us for our EPIC Graphic Novel BOOK CLUB for kids ages 7-11.

Calling all poets to Freedom in Freeform. 

Celebrate DINOVEMBER with a prehistoric Friendsgiving! Families can enjoy dinosaur-themed crafts and games in a fun-filled celebration of friendship 65 million years in the making.

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 third Thursday of each month to play, but

Learn about Native American stories and lifestyles with Native American CultureALL Ambassador Eugene Fracek.

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!

November's film selection is Stranger Than Fiction (2006), a quirky comedy directed by Marc Forster and starring Will Ferrell and Emma Thompson.

Watch the documentary Madan Sara by Haitian journalist Etant Dupain, which highlights the vital role of women in Haiti’s informal economy.

Choose a recipe from Half-Baked Harvest, prepare it at home, and bring it to the library for a community potluck.

Craft Night at the Forest Avenue Library is a great place to spend time with friends, meet new people, and enjoy a fun activity. Each month will focus on a new craft, and supplies will be provided.

Take a break from your novel and join our flash fiction workshop! Craft a complete story from a prompt in a single session and share it with others.

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.