Library News

Blog Type
Tags

Celebrating Banned Books Week | September 26 - October 2, 2021

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.

Library Board Reflection: Do They Still Have Libraries?

by Ray Seidelman, Secretary, WDM Library Board of Trustees

Talking with a friend soon after I was appointed to the West Des Moines Library Board of Trustees in 2019, I expressed how excited I was to serve such a dynamic community institution.  He met my enthusiasm with, “that’s great…but do they still have libraries?”. 

Library Staff Picks from the Summer

Ever wonder what the WDM Library staff is reading? Here's your chance to get a peek into what our favorite books were from this summer! 

 

Staff picks: 

Max – Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Susan – Pirates Stuck at “C” – An Alphabet Adventure by Brooke Van Sickle

Iowa Core Parent Guides

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.

YA Books Set in the Summertime

Longer days and sunny skies are abundant in these young adult books!

Get in the Olympic Spirit with These Reads!

Who else is ready to dive into the Tokyo 2020 games? These fantastic reads are waiting to get you into the Olympic Spirit!

Library of Things Available at the WDM Library

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.

WDM Public Library Launches New Podcast

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.

YA Retellings

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. 

WDM Library Offers Invaluable Service to Homebound and Elderly Residents

Two of our most regularly used programs at the West Des Moines Public Library are the Senior Outreach and Homebound Delivery services. These programs were created to give WDM residents who have difficulty coming into the library access to library materials, no matter their living situation.

The Homebound Delivery service has been around for over twenty years and has been utilized by hundreds of patrons. In 2020, library staff and volunteers selected and delivered materials monthly to an average of 50 patrons in individual homes. 

Congratulations to our Contest Winners!

For our Renovation Celebration Open House, we invited our patrons to compete in two competitions: a scavenger hunt around the building and a Haiku writing contest. We are glad to recognize our winners of each contest and thank those who participated. We were overwhelmed by the talent and turnout! 

So, without further ado... 

Our scavenger hunt winners are.... Mishka and Emma!