The Season of Giving
by Sheila SchoferThe busy holiday season is upon us and the Library has you covered!
Check out the Ames Public Library’s Friends Foundation’s Literary Grounds Bookstore for fabulous book bundles. We’ve pulled together the best selections in convenient bundles all tied up with bow! Find a fun mix of cookbooks for the foodie on your list, a stack of middle school favorites, or a mix of memoirs. Or try a Literary Grounds Gift Certificate- the gift that gives twice! Proceeds support the Ames Public Library, and the recipient gets to select gently used books, DVDs, video games, or puzzles.... Read Full Blog
Happy Booksgiving!
by Anessa OlsonThanksgiving is almost upon us, and here at the Ames Public Library we are grateful for many things. We appreciate the ongoing support of our community, the hard work of our colleagues in city government, and of course the generosity of the volunteers and donors who make our work possible. In addition to monetary donations, the library also receives many donated books each month.
Donated books go through a multi-stage process in order to make sure each book finds its new home. First, library collection managers check to see if there are any books that are needed f... Read Full Blog
Donations in Action
by Brianne AndersonOver ten years ago, the updated and expanded Ames Public Library opened its doors. It’s so hard to think that it’s already been over a decade! Those of us who have been here that whole time truly believe it’s only been a handful of years… we can’t possibly be that much older, right!?
Nevertheless, time continues to move forward and with over 330,000 visitors to APL every year, we are on constant lookout for ways we can keep our building and our space updated and fresh. This past January we got all new carpet, which made a huge impact in the look and feel of our spac... Read Full Blog
An August of Opportunities
by Max GuldenThe heat of summer is truly upon us! Things are heating up at the library too. August marks the home stretch for two of our popular reading challenges.
For the annual Summer Reading Challenge, there is still plenty of time left to complete the challenge. Even if you haven’t started yet, you can complete the challenge and earn your full slate of reading prizes with under an hour of reading per day! (Remember that audiobooks count as reading, too.)
For those who have already completed the Summer Reading Challenge or who are now nearing the finish line, every add... Read Full Blog
Costumes for a Cause
by Sheila SchoferSome friends and I recently got tickets to see a production of “The Prom” at the Ames Community Theater. As we made plans, we had the fun idea to dress the part, perhaps not in the prom dresses of our teens, but in festive attire that would do homage to the theme. We added a pre-prom dinner outing, wrist corsages and group photo under the balloon arch backdrop.
It was a great performance, and we had so much fun. Dressing up added a festive flair and dressing for a part can take you outside yourself, adding a playful element to a world that often feels busy and s... Read Full Blog
Trivia Fundraiser for Library Lovers
by Sheila SchoferWhen I was young my siblings and I loved reading “The People's Almanac” by David Wallechinsky and Irving Wallace. Different from traditional almanacs that were mainly lists of facts, “The Peoples Almanac” aimed to be a reference book to be read for pleasure; a book that would tell the often-untold true tales of history. We read predictions of Nostradamus, memorized famous epitaphs, learned about famous natural disasters, all the while stockpiling random bits of information. In retrospect I can see how this encouraged me to seek out informatio... Read Full Blog
Pub Fic D.I.Y. Costumes for a Cause
By Sheila SchoferWhen I read, I create pictures in my mind, visualizing in detail the book’s setting and characters. That’s why it’s fun to see books made into movies. We get to see the characters brought to life – even if they don’t always cast the actors we would have picked!
Lucky for you, the Ames Public Library Friends Foundation offers a fun event each summer where you can join fellow booklovers while supporting a good cause, your local public library!
Pub Fiction, dubbed the most literary pub crawl in Ames, invites you to dress up as your favorite literary cha... Read Full Blog
Ames Public Library + RAYGUN
RAYGUN and the Ames Public Library Friends Foundation are teaming up to bring you the greatest Ames Public Library shirts in the universe!
Now you can buy locally-printed, library-themed shirts for yourself, friends, and family with 40% of the price benefiting Ames Public Library. Now that’s what we call the perfect gift!
Check it out at bit.ly/RaygunAPL
... Read Full Blog
Book Sale Video: Take One
by Sheila SchoferWhen I was in High School, I had an amazing teacher who encouraged learning through creative self-expression. She allowed us to submit our homework in unique formats as long as it fulfilled the objectives. I wrote compare/contrast assignments using poetry, and essays using song lyrics. It helped me tackle tasks in an engaging way. I may have been channeling that experience as I contemplated my Library Notes column. When I mused on the message I wanted to share, I envisioned it as quirky video.
Scene: librarian stands in the inviting lobby ... Read Full Blog
Dressing the (Literary) Part
by Anessa OlsonEvery year, the Ames Public Library Friends Foundation hosts Pub Fiction, the most literary pub crawl in Ames! Participants visit participating locations downtown, each with its own theme and exclusive drink special. Pub Fiction is on Thursday, August 10, with check-in between 5:30 and 6:30 at the Ames Public Library, and tickets can be purchased at the Library or online at bit.ly/PubFiction2023. All participants must be 21 or older.
All of the money raised by Pub Fiction goes to support the Ames Public Library Friends Foundation. The Friends support the li... Read Full Blog
Spotlight on Library Friends Foundation
by Sheila SchoferRecently libraries across the country celebrated National Friends of Libraries Week. The Ames Public Library gave a shout out of thanks to their sister organization, the Ames Public Library Friends Foundation (APLFF), to mark the occasion. The APLFF and the donations and support they receive from the generous Ames community are absolutely vital to the ongoing success of the library.
Funding from the APLFF allows the library to innovatively respond to community needs with everything from STEM Kits and author visits to Wi-Fi Hot Spots and impactful programs... Read Full Blog
Understanding Social (In)Justice Through the Power of Place
by Cathy CooneyAccording to Oxford Languages, social justice is “justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society.” By extension, social injustice describes the opposite – a lack of justice regarding the way those privileges and resources are distributed. A solid understanding of both of these principles contributes to improved equity, diversity, and inclusion. But if you’re like me, just reading the definition isn’t enough. I always benefit from more specific examples and more in-depth conversation around complex social topics like thi... Read Full Blog
Summer Reading Begins!
Ames Public Library's annual Summer Reading Challenge is here!
Do you love free stuff? Are you between the ages of 0 and 120? Then join our Summer Reading Challenge starting Tuesday, June 1!
Three Ways to Play
Visit amespubliclibrary.beanstack.com Download the Beanstack Tracker app Or pick up a Summer Reading Challenge gameboard at the LibraryFind out more at www.amespubliclibrary.org/summer2021.
We have a summer full of fun and learning planned for all ages, incl... Read Full Blog
Full STEAM Ahead
by Jerri Heid
Everyone’s talking about STEM and STEAM lately; what are they and why do we care?
STEAM Education is an approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking. We definitely see this approach in K-12 school classrooms, but did you know that even younger children are capable of using it in their learning through play?
You may have heard the saying that play is a child’s work, and it is true! During play, children learn to... Read Full Blog
Loving Your Library
by Jillian Ocken
February is National Library Lovers’ Month, for people who pay attention to library-specific “holidays.” People share their love of libraries in many different ways, especially through stories, appropriately. At the Library, on the phone, in the checkout line at the grocery store, we hear so many stories: How a small town library inspired a lifelong reading habit. How a librarian helped find the resources that transformed a life. How the perfect book recommendation unlocked a child’s desire to learn to read. How a library felt like the last connection to... Read Full Blog