Blog Entries

All the World’s a Stage at the Ames Public Library

by Danielle Ziegler

Do you know kids and teens aged 7 to 14 years old who are interested in theater? Is your family’s summer filling up already, with no time for months of rehearsals and shows? Or maybe your child has never been in a show before and you’re not sure if they’d love it or not. Why not try Prairie Fire Theater’s “Peter Pan” at your Ames Public Library this summer?

Prairie Fire Theater is a professional theater company out of Barrett, MN.  How it works is that they send two professional actors/directors to a community where, in just one week, they will put on a... Read Full Blog

Earth Week at Your Library

by Megan Klein-Hewett

As the City of Ames makes progress in the Climate Action Plan (CAP) process, Earth Day provides an opportunity for each of us to learn about and engage in actions that will lead to greater environmental sustainability in our community. Whether you wish to learn in person, change your habits locally, or read up on climate change, the Library has something to connect you to climate action in our community.

Ames Public Library is again working with the City of Ames to present EcoChats, a series of presentations featuring local experts on topics focused o... Read Full Blog

20th Annual First Amendment Days Celebration

by Anessa Olson

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” This is the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. These five freedoms are an essential part of American law and culture, and are woven into the fabric of our lives in ways both large and small. From big nation-wide protest movements to the clothes our children wear to school, the Firs... Read Full Blog

Library Teen Space Reopening!

by Ethan Atwell

If you have a teen and are trying to find something for them to do during these cold days, then look no further than Ames Public Library. The Library officially opened The Teen Space with limited hours in January after more than a year and a half being closed! The current hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:30-6pm and Saturdays 1-6pm. As the teen librarian, I am excited to be offering such an amazing resource for our teens and the opportunity to interact with them. And the rest of the Library is equally excited!

The Teen Space is open to all 6th-12th grade... Read Full Blog

Tough Topics: Death and Dying

Anessa Olson

Let’s talk about death.  It’s not a very comfortable subject; no one really likes to think about themselves or a family member passing away.  But whether or not we like to think about it, the reality is that death is inevitable for us all.  Another reality is that death and dying are complicated.  There are a lot of legal and financial issues that arise when someone is dead or dying, and these issues are often the responsibility of their family.  There are steps that you can take to make things easier for your family, and ensure that your wishes are ... Read Full Blog

Acts of Service Matter - No Matter the Size

by Brianne Anderson

 

“If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That’s a new definition of greatness...”

On February 4, 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. gave what was to be his last sermon, ‘‘The Drum Major Instinct,’’ from the pulpit of Ebenezer Baptist Church. If you have never listened to a recording of Dr. King giving this speech, I highly recommend you head on over to YouTube and look it up. The poetry and art embe... Read Full Blog

Hot Reads for Cold Days: Local Romance Author Denise Williams

by Cathy Cooney

Denise Williams always loved stories with quirky humor and plenty of heart. Now, in addition to reading those books, she writes them too. Her novels, “How to Fail at Flirting” and “The Fastest Way to Fall” both featured prominently on a variety of lists including LibraryReads, Oprah Magazine, The Washington Post, Indie Next List, and Good Morning America.

Ames Public Library (APL) is thrilled to host Denise Williams on Monday, December 6 at 7 pm for a facilitated conversation about the romance genre, her novels, and how life is different now that she’s a pu... Read Full Blog

Understanding Social (In)Justice Through the Power of Place

by Cathy Cooney

According 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

Next Generation of Homeschooling Resources

by Brianne Anderson

At the end of last school year, most of us parents were celebrating a return to “normal” over the summer. The pool was opening again, the summer reading program was back at the Library, and we could again look forward to spending time outside with our families at summer concerts and fun events.

I don’t know about you, but the fact that we are not totally back to pre-COVID normal is still a hard pill for me to swallow. Masks are again donning faces as cases surge and social distancing is definitely still an important part of being out in society. Our are... Read Full Blog

Sidewalk Science – Exploring Science with a Hands-on Approach

by Rosie Francis

 

Friday mornings are busy at the Ames Public Library. Patrons come in for browsing and borrowing material for the weekend, readers stop in to record their reading minutes and pick up prizes, and families gather in the library for Sidewalk Science – a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) program where we explore science and engineering concepts with a hands-on approach.        

STEM influences every part of our life from the food we eat, to the technology we interact with, to the transport systems we use... Read Full Blog

Reading Colors Your World

byJerri Heid

Summer reading and activities are back at your Ames Public Library! Thanks to technology the Library has continued reading challenges and activities throughout the pandemic, but this summer will be more like a normal summer.

For youth, a normal summer means school’s out. It means time for activities, reading, and exploring and learning in a different way than they do in a classroom. After a hectic school year, participating in special Library events and the reading challenge can help your family relax, return to a familiar routine, and refocus.

This year’... Read Full Blog

Summer Reading Begins!

Ames Public Library's annual Summer Reading Challenge is here!
 

Read for Prizes

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 Library

Find out more at www.amespubliclibrary.org/summer2021.
​​​​​​​

Events for Everyone

We have a summer full of fun and learning planned for all ages, incl... Read Full Blog

Iowa Climate Action Planning

by Ellen Wanamaker

Ames Public Library invites you to attend an Iowa Climate Action Planning meeting on Wednesday, April 14th at 7:00 pm via Zoom. To join the meeting, go to the calendar on the Ames Public Library website.

The meeting seeks to educate the public on what a climate action plan is, why a community needs one, and what goals might be included in Ames’ specific plan. You’ll have a chance to learn from climate action experts from neighboring cities. The moderator for the event is Vivian M. Cook, ISU graduate student in Community Development and Sustainable Agricu... Read Full Blog

Facing Our Truth

by Susan Gent

 

We’ve faced a lot of truths about ourselves, about technology, and about our communities over the past year. 

Iowa State University (ISU) Department of Music and Theatre invites us to continue this self-exploration as they present “Facing Our Truth: Ten Minute Plays on Trayvon, Race and Privilege.”  The show streams March 25-27 at 7:30pm and on Sunday, March 28 at 2pm. The link can be found at their website: www.music.iastate.edu.  Those attending the Thursday performance are invited to ask the cast and director questions in a post-... Read Full Blog

Play Together: A New Program

by Ben Shrag

 

On the last day of 2020, Ames Public Library rang in the new year with our annual family-friendly Noon Year’s Eve celebration. With a countdown ending at noon instead of midnight, families can get all the fun of a New Year’s Eve countdown and still get a good night’s sleep.

Unlike previous Noon Year’s Eve celebrations, however, this year we met online. We fired up the cameras in our Storytime Room (which has been temporarily converted into a make-shift sound stage and filming studio) and greeted each other through screens.

We weren’t sure... Read Full Blog