Library News

written by Traci Glass, WDM Public Library Director 

I’m happy to be able to introduce myself to all of you! My name is Traci Glass, and I am proud, excited, and just beyond thrilled to be your new Library Director working alongside the passionate, dedicated, and incredibly talented staff of the West Des Moines Public Library. This staff really does feel like a family to me, and I am so lucky to be a part of such a wonderful group of staff as well as the welcoming and kind community of West Des Moines.

Did you know that May is National Pet Month? In that spirit, we are offering fine forgiveness when WDM Library card holders show us their pet photos between Monday, May 20 and Friday, May 31! Each photo counts as a $1.00 off of fines. Bonus: if you'd like for your adorable pet to be added to our Pet Wall throughout the month, please email your photo to library@wdm.iowa.gov. One lucky person who submits their photo will be entered to win a WDM Library tote bag. Don't have any fines? We'd still love to see your pictures!

Support the West Des Moines Public Library in style! We have new WDM Library merchandise designs available for adults and kids, each printed on-demand and shipped right to you. All proceeds from sales will directly support the library. 

Check out an array of: 

UPDATE 6/12: MOBIUS is back... but the system is running slow. Please be patient while the new system adjusts. 

The new system works very similarly to the old system.

1. Access MOBIUS through the library's catalog by hitting the MOBIUS icon in the top right corner. 

The West Des Moines Public Library Board of Trustees is happy to announce that Traci Glass has been named the new Director of the West Des Moines Public Library. She comes by way of the Lincoln City Libraries system in Lincoln, Nebraska and was the unanimous choice after a months-long, nationwide search to fill the position.   

UPDATE 4/8/24: The West Des Moines Public Library is OUT of Eclipse Glasses as of 10:20am!

Who else is excited for the total eclipse on Monday, April 8? We're partnering with SEAL (Solar Eclipse Activities for Libraries) to provide a limited amount of FREE eclipse glasses while supplies last. 

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! 

And the winner is... The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle! Join us next year to play again! 

The WDM Public Library is proud to partner with the American Heart Association on their "Libraries with Heart" initiative. Through this program, patrons can now check out one of three Blood Pressure Monitor kits to track their heart health. 

Each kit includes: 

Wanting to watch the 2024 Academy Award Nominated films before the Oscars air on Sunday, March 10? See which films you can check out from the West Des Moines Public Library and where you can stream others. 

BEST PICTURE NOMINATIONS

As we reflect on 2023, we would like to take time to remember the authors and public figures who left us this year. Our list below just scratches the surface. View more notable deaths on comprehensive lists from The New York Times and Entertainment Weekly to look back at more iconic individuals who passed this year. 

Do you have a stack of good books you’ve been meaning to dig into? Are you hoping to start the new year with a new book or a fresh reading goal? We invite you to curl up with some good books this January! Readers of all ages may log their reading online during our Winter Reading Challenge that runs January 1-31, 2024. You don’t need to log books or minutes – just log if you read something! Readers who complete 10 days’ worth of reading will be entered into a drawing for a gift certificate to Valley Junction that can be used at any business in the district.

Ever wonder what the most popular books in the library are during the year? Here's the breakdown of the top 10 most circulated items in adult fiction, young adult fiction and children's fiction! 

ADULT

1. All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham

The WDM Public Library’s collection of STEM Kits for learning have always hovered around 60 items to check out. Now, we’ve been able to expand our offerings to over 130! Not only are the Learning Kits fun for kids to play with, but they are curated to focus on ‘sneaky learning’ objectives such as early literacy skills, dramatic play, fine and gross motor skills, and early math concepts.

The West Des Moines Public Library is excited to be participating in Sensory Spaces with other Metro area libraries. During these designated times, each Sensory Space library will offer special hours for members of the public who appreciate a sensory-friendly environment. The next Sensory Space time at the West Des Moines Public Library will be on Sunday, October 8 from 1:00 - 2:00 PM

Each year, the West Des Moines Public Library celebrates Banned Books Week to honor the freedom to read. Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries.  Librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types come together during this week to support the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.