Blog Entries
A Frightfully Good Time
by Max GuldenIt’s that time of year again. As the air becomes crisp, leaves turn color and fall. Sunlight takes on a different hue, and the days grow noticeably shorter, while the nights grow inexorably longer. Around this time every year, my movie viewing takes a predicable turn. A turn to horror!
While horror movies can be enjoyed at any time of year, there is a certain appeal to treating oneself to a horror binge in the lead up to that spookiest of holidays: Halloween. If you too enjoy making a seasonal commitment to ramp up your horror movie viewing, you have a number... Read Full Blog
Tools for School
Did you know...
Ames Community School District students get a FREE Ames Public Library account through their school!
Use your account all year long for access to books, Wi-Fi hotspots, online tools, STEM Kits, and much more!
Get ready for school with these great online tools for free using your Ames Public Library card:
E-Magazines for Days!
by Max GuldenElectronic resources provide excellent library content that more and more people use each day. They are convenient on the go, as you can access them anywhere with the right apps and an internet connection to download or stream. One electronic resource format that is sometimes overlooked is e-magazines. We have thousands to choose from and they’re available any time!
One way to access e-magazines is the online catalog BRIDGES. To use BRIDGES, you can download the free app Libby on your tablet or smart phone. BRIDGES can also be accessed through the webpage ame... Read Full Blog
Projects and Papers and Tests, Oh My!
Ames Public Library is here to help students finish out the semester with success!
Your Library card gets you free access to online tutoring, test prep, and writing lab with Brainfuse HelpNow. Get started at www.amespubliclibrary.org/databases.
The Library has also reserved space just for quiet study time. Drop in any of the following times, or ask about our regular study rooms!
Monday-Tuesday, December 5-6: 1-8:45pm, Rotary Room Wednesday, December 7: 1-8:45pm, Danfoss Room Friday-Saturday, December 9-10: 9am-5:45pm, Rotary RoomSunday, De... Read Full Blog
Trice, Carver, Banning, Martin
by Jillian OckenMost people who have spent time in Ames, Iowa, know the names of Jack Trice and George Washington Carver. Many are just now becoming familiar with James Herman Banning, with the possible renaming of the Ames municipal airport in his honor. These three African American men broke down barriers and left their mark on Ames and Iowa State College. Their portraits are being featured as part of Ames Public Library’s Black History of Ames Exhibit this month in the Library’s entryway, along with portraits of Archie and Nancy Martin.
Archie and Nancy Martin may not have ... Read Full Blog
Earn Your High School Equivalency with Library Resources
by Clelia SweeneyAs someone with a GED, I feel very strongly about the importance of helping people earn their high school equivalency. It opens doors for employment, training programs, military careers, and applying to college. Through a conversation with a patron last week, I learned that Iowa does not use the GED test but the HiSET (High School Equivalency Test, a much more straightforward acronym!) I hadn’t heard of the HiSET, but 23 out of 50 states currently offer it instead of the GED. It was developed in 2014 to better suit the needs of adult students, be more affordable, a... Read Full Blog
Tools for School
Get homework help with the Library's free online resources, check out a Wi-Fi hotspot for Internet access, and use our space for quiet study time!
Your Library card gets you free access to premium online resource, like Brainfuse Homework Help, TumbleBookLibrary, Britannica Library, and many more to help students reach their educational goals. Best of all, they're available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!
You the library also lends many helpful resources, from books to Wi-Fi hotspots to STEM learning kits. All you need is a Library card.
How do yo... Read Full Blog
Digital Resources for Learning
by Megan Klein-HewettAs students of all ages return to school, those of us at the Library are winding down from the hustle and bustle of the Summer Reading Challenge and are looking toward the many tools we offer to students returning to their studies. APL offers a robust selection of online resources to help learners of all ages connect to the world of ideas.
For young learners, the Library subscribes to Bookflix and Tumblebooks. Bookflix is perfect for our youngest learners—pre-k through grade 3—and helps early readers practice important literacy skills by pairing ficti... Read Full Blog
Find Your NEXT READ
by Brianne Anderson“The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who’ll get me a book I ain’t read." — Abraham Lincoln
By far one of the best parts of our job as librarians is getting to recommend books. Don’t get us wrong, we love the satisfaction of helping someone discover a link to an ancestor, or helping kids find just the right source for their school paper, but the absolute best feeling is when we get to walk the shelves, pulling out our favorite titles and describing them to patrons. Our goal at APL is to be just like Abraham Lincoln’s bes... Read Full Blog
Family History
by Tracy Briseño
Recently my grandmas both shared some family pictures. I’ve never been very interested before. I know the basics of my family history, but hadn’t really gotten into many stories about folks I’ve never met.
Seeing photos of them changed that for me. I started listening more to the stories and asking more questions. Once I jumped in, I realized I needed a way to understand who my grandmas were talking about. Was Aunt Pat their Aunt, their Great Aunt, my grandpa’s aunt, or a close family friend not even related to us? I tried out Ancestry to map out my... Read Full Blog
Read Beyond: E-content
by Max GuldenThe Fourth of July has rolled around once again, and there is no denying that we are in the midst of a full-blown Iowa summer! As you may know, we are also in the midst of a full-blown Ames Public Library (APL) Summer Reading Challenge! If you have been participating all along, you know that the Summer Reading Challenge is a blast, with various ways to track your progress, fun prizes to earn as you read, and a grand prize drawing at the end. For those who missed the start of the Summer Reading Challenge, have no fear, as there is still plenty of time to catch up and co... Read Full Blog
Road Trip!
by Jillian OckenWho’s ready for vacation? It’s almost time to pack up the family, hop in the car, and head out in search of adventure!
If you haven’t picked a destination yet, be sure to check out Ames Public Library’s Adventure Passes. There are a lot of great places to visit nearby, and even some in Ames! Adventure Passes are like tickets to local attractions that you can borrow from the Library for free. Choose from places like Blank Park Zoo, Reiman Gardens, The Science Center of Iowa, the African American Museum of Iowa, and more! Be sure to reserve your Adventure Pa... Read Full Blog
To Make Your Day
by Max Gulden
One of the many enjoyable things about library work is making someone’s day by introducing them to something they haven’t encountered before. Be it a book they hadn’t heard of, a timely program they didn’t realize was on offer, or a community resource about which they were unaware, sharing just what is needed on any given day is enduringly rewarding.
One thing that is particularly enjoyable is introducing people to online library resources. Barely a day goes by when we aren’t able to introduce someone to online access to e-books, e-audiobooks, movies, ... Read Full Blog
Assistive Technology at the Library
by Rosie FrancisAccessibility is a word that is often heard at the Ames Public Library (APL). Like other public spaces, the library wants to be accessible to all patrons and visitors. This includes having special parking spaces that are reserved for visitors who may need them, having ramps that are wheelchair and walker accessible and having elevators that are designed and built so patrons who use them are able to do so with ease. At the APL you will find the active use of assistive technology to help patrons and visitors.
Assistive technology is an umbrella term that ref... Read Full Blog
Wintering
by Tracy BriseñoIt is becoming colder and darker. I am not excited about winter. I don’t like being cold, and I thrive in the sunshine. This is a time that my introvert self likes to hibernate at home. If you are like me, here are some suggestions for how the library can help you enjoy this season of chilliness.
Checkout the library’s online options for reading, listening to music, or watching movies, films, and TV shows. The library’s Winter Reading Challenge is for all ages and runs from December 15th - Feb 14th. You can sign up online or through the Beanstack app. Thro... Read Full Blog