Library News

Whether you're a fan of a cozy read or a spooky read to bring you into the fall season, our library staff has you covered! We've narrowed down our favorite books with fall vibes for kids, young adults, and adults below. Let us know if you end up reading any of our suggestions! 

Reviewed by Claire, a Teen Advisory Board Member

“Proud: Living My American Dream” by Ibtihaj Muhammad is an inspiring memoir written by an Olympic medalist and fencer that details her life journey and how her faith, family, and determination propelled her toward success.

As West Des Moines students start back to school, we wanted to highlight an invaluable resource that was developed by The Iowa Core. Their Parent Guides, in English and Spanish, provide an overview of what students will learn by the end of each grade level as directed by the Iowa Core, the state’s academic standard.

Review written by Claire, a Teen Advisory Board Member

“From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement” by Paula Yoo is an account of Vincent Chin’s death, the movement that followed, and the first civil rights trial on the grounds of Asian American discrimination. 

As you start to think about heading back to school, we wanted to highlight some of the hidden gems that can be checked out at the library. These items are part of our Library of Things and range from technology items, children’s STEM kits, Meet Your Neighbors Story Boxes and even a car charging kit!

You might be asking yourself: what is a Library of Things? By definition, it’s a collection of objects loaned that vary widely but go beyond books, journals and media traditionally offered in a library. Our offerings continue to expand as we meet the needs of our growing community.

In This Day and Page is a new podcast created by the West Des Moines Public Library with the goal of sharing all the different library resources, services, and programs we offer! Through staff and community member interviews, join us as we explore the ins and outs of the library world. Look out for a new episode every Monday on all major podcast platforms.

Who doesn't love an old story told in a new way? That's why we're featuring Young Adult Retellings on our YA Display Shelf this month! Explore the books we're featuring now. 

Looking for a quick read?

A guest post by our student author Claire:

A guest post by our student author Claire:

Today we are delighted to share with you work from Elvira Hadzic’s ninth-grade English class. Students in this class created literary playlists that capture the essence of the themes and phases of characters from The Odyssey in modern song. Since we are unable to invite you into our building to view these projects in person, we are sharing them here instead. Enjoy!