Notary Service Suspended for May
Due to staffing changes, Notary service will not be available at the Library for the month of May, 2024.
West Des Moines City Hall offers free Notary services – please contact them ahead of time to arrange an appointment.
You can also search for Notaries in your area through the State’s Notary Search tool.
Library News
Parking Lot Repairs Start Monday, April 25
Repairs will be made to the West Des Moines Public Library's parking lot starting on Monday, April 25. These repairs will be made in a four-phased approach to allow patrons and staff to access the library throughout the renovation. Our book drop and entrance will always be accessible throughout this 6-8 week renovation process.
Please refer to the image below to understand which areas of the lot will be closed at different times. We will update this article as we hear firm dates for the other phases moving forward.
What's Important To You? Take Our Planning Survey Now!
We're asking for five minutes of your time to complete this survey and help guide the future of our public library.
None of questions require a response but it would help the library if you would answer each question.
Your responses to this survey are confidential.
New Literacy at the Library Series Kicks Off!
While we might think of “literacy” as simply knowing how to read, literacy also means knowledge on a particular subject or field. Would you like to become literate in certain music genres? Learn how to “read” a prairie? Become a craft beer expert?
OverDrive Transitioning Users Completely to Libby App
Some of our patrons who utilize our eContent services may have noticed some changes to OverDrive. This is because, as of February 23, OverDrive has started to transition all users to the Libby app.
YA Lambda Finalists 2022
Congratulations to the Lambda finalists of 2022! The Annual Lambda Literary Awards celebrate and recognize exceptional LGBTQ+ literature. Over 60 literary professionals selected finalists for each of the 24 total categories. Winning books will be announced June 11, 2022.
In the meantime, here are the YA finalists!
Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar
Library Board Reflection: Making a Difference in West Des Moines
by Bryan Myers, WDM Library Board of Trustees
Franklin D Roosevelt said, “I have an unshaken conviction that democracy can never be undermined if we maintain our library resources and a national intelligence capable of utilizing them.” This still rings true today; the quality of our community in total is directly correlated to the quality of our public library and I, though not a librarian, take a direct part in maintaining that quality as a library Trustee.
Where to Watch Oscar Nominated Films
The 94th Academy Awards presentation is scheduled for Sunday, March 27 at 7pm on ABC. There's still time to watch all of the films before the presentation! See our list below including links to our catalog for DVDs to checkout.
Book Madness! 2022 Book Bracket Challenge
In the spirit of March Madness, the WDM Public Library is hosting our own bracket challenge: but with books! We've pulled the top titles in four "divisions": Adult, Young Adult, Picture Books, and Juvenile. Each week, we'll open a new survey to vote your favorite books onto the finals and ultimately crown the Best Book!
Thank you all for your participation! We're excited to announce that the winner is...
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig!
Job Smarts Series
Iowa’s unemployment rates are very low, and that means lots of opportunity for job seekers! If you are looking for work, or considering a career change, it’s a great time to brush up on your job skills.
We’ll be offering a Job Smarts series all through March that focuses on how to get that dream job. You’ll learn how to find a job listing, how to create a strong resume that showcases your skills, and how to ace an interview.
You can attend one program or attend them all!
Ride DART for FREE with your WDM Library Card! February 27 - March 5, 2022
The West Des Moines Public Library is partnering with DART to celebrate Read Across America Week! Use your library card to ride FREE on DART’s Local and Express routes, On Call service and DART On Demand February 27 – March 5.
A change to our Hoopla service
As of this week, users of our Hoopla downloadables services will notice their monthly limit has been changed from 10 checkouts per month to six (6) checkouts per month.
Des Moines Register Moving to a Digital-Only Saturday Edition on March 12
Beginning March 12, 2022, The Des Moines Register will transition from delivering the Saturday print edition to providing subscribers with a full Saturday electronic edition (e-Edition).
Patrons will still be able to access the Saturday paper online via our website. The digital archives of The Des Moines Register are available from 2005 - present.
How to Watch the 2022 Oscar Nominated Films
Wanting to watch the 2022 Academy Award Nominated films before the Oscars air on Sunday, March 27? See which films you can check out from the West Des Moines Public Library and where you can stream others.
BEST PICTURE NOMINATIONS
WDM Library Patron Needs Survey
The library wants to know what you need and how they can help! Please complete this quick, anonymous survey to let your voice count.
Blind Date with a Book
This February, take a chance on love!
In the new book section on the second floor, you'll find shelves of books wrapped in paper. Take a book home without knowing its title, and see if you find a good match. Here's how it works:
1. Read the opening line of the book, or explore the read-a-likes, genre and hand drawn pictures to select your date. No peeking!
2. Check out the book by placing it on the self check scanner or checking out at the Circulation desk - no need to unwrap the book now!