Blog Entries

A Visit from The Nutcracker

“The Nutcracker Ballet” is coming to CY Stephens Auditorium on December 14 and 15, 2024, but you can get a sneak peak with excerpts from the performance at Ames Public Library on Saturday, November 23, 2024 at 10:30am. The performance will be followed by an opportunity from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach to use your engineering and artistic skills in a Nutcracker design challenge using LEGO® or other materials. In addition, attendees will be entered into a drawing for free tickets to see “The Nutcracker” at Stephens Auditorium courtesy of Iowa State Center.

Great Reads from Great Places: 2024 Youth Author Event

Come meet the author of Ten Beautiful Things, Iowa's youth selection for the 2024 Great Reads from Great Places, Wednesday, November 13, at 10am. The event at Ames Public Library will be livestreamed on Zoom. 

Molly Beth Griffin will share her writing process and the Iowa connections and inspirations behind this book. She’ll also offer tips and tricks for learning to notice the beautiful things all around us, and making art from what we find.

Books will be available to purchase at the event.

This free event is presented in partnership w... Read Full Blog

S.T.E.M. Reading

Looking for something to do this fall? Starting September 13th, every Friday at 10:30am the library runs our Storybook S.T.E.M. program in the Farwell T. Brown Auditorium! Enjoy a range of activities as the weeks go by all focused on an area or subject in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. We’ve had dance parties to make butter, LEGO challenges to create your own zipline car, and a slime lab where we made ooblek! Come sing and dance with us, read a book, and join us in creating!

Here are some fun books to check out from the library so that you can ... Read Full Blog

Tracy Loves Juvenile Nonfiction – Round 4: Let’s start at the very beginning

When I get an urge to learn about a specific topic, my first inclination is to check out a bunch of books on the topic and dive in. On some topics this works okay for me. But most of the time I realize that the books are starting from a level of understanding that I don’t have yet. In those cases, my next step is to head to the juvenile nonfiction section. Some may be too basic for me , but I can generally find something that meets my needs and prepares me to delve deeper.

Recently I did this with gardening books. Despite my mom’s best efforts while I was ... Read Full Blog

Back to School

We can feel it in the air at Ames Public Library’s youth department. School is starting soon. You can buy all the school supplies and figure out what teacher the kids will have, but how can you feel really ready? Why not try reading some books about school?

Young readers can be really worried, especially if they are going to start school for the very first time. One of my favorite books about starting school is “Mr. S” by Monica Arnaldo. It will have you and your child giggling up a storm! Another sweet picture book that deals with feelings is “First Da... Read Full Blog

Tracy Loves Juvenile Nonfiction – Round 3: Impactful Books

Have you read a book that stayed with you? That you kept coming back to in your mind, and brought up in conversation with others? There are several juvenile nonfiction books that have had a long-lasting impact on me.

“Freedom Walkers” by Russell Freedman is a great place to start. I remember learning about the Civil Rights movement when I was younger but it was a very general. Reading “Freedom Walkers” opened my eyes to how long the Montgomery Bus Boycott actually lasted and how many people made it possible. Freedman does a great job telling about the impa... Read Full Blog

Visit a Park, Visit the Library

Ames is a city of parks. The convergence of Ioway Creek and the South Skunk River in South Ames results in many square feet of floodplain, not always great for commercial development but excellent green space for parks! Ames boasts 38 parks covering over 1220 acres that have been developed over many years. Brookside Park celebrates its 100th anniversary next year! And new parks and green spaces spring up often—we recently discovered the new shared use path along Ioway Creek/South 5th Street from South Grand Avenue extending to half a mile east of South Duff Ave... Read Full Blog

New Play Space!

Come see the new play space on Ames Public Library's first floor!

Young children can practice their motor skills, while older children can exercise their imaginations with a play kitchen and more.

Thank you to the Ames Public Library Friends Foundation who helped support the Library’s new play structure!

“I Survived” Summer Reading at the Library

by Jill Philby

June is right around the corner, and Ames Public Library has exciting news!

First, save the date of June 24.  Why? Because Lauren Tarshis, author of the kid-favorite “I Survived” chapter book series, will be visiting Ames Public Library!

Each “I Survived” book tells the story of a young person who experiences, and lives through, an amazing event from history. The books tell the stories of everything from the San Francisco earthquake and the destruction of Pompei, to September 11 and the Battle of D-Day. Perfect for elementary school rea... Read Full Blog

Tracy Loves Juvenile Nonfiction – Round 2: Biographies

I have always loved biographies. I love learning about people and the time they live in. I think it is a really interesting glimpse into other’s thoughts and decisions within the context of place and history.

Last year, my daughter became enamored with reading about women scientists. She read through everything her teacher had and was working her way through her school library, too. We visited the public library together to pick out books and ended up taking home over 50 biographies, extending well beyond her original focus of female scientists. We read so... Read Full Blog

Tracy Loves Juvenile Nonfiction – And You Should Too

Years ago, I worked in youth services at the library. I was always excited when a kid would come in and announce “I don’t like to read”. I knew that they were giving me a chance. I knew they hadn’t found the right book yet. Challenge accepted! 

I would often take these kids over to the juvenile nonfiction section and start pulling out titles. I’d ask them about what they liked to do, what they liked to watch, what they liked to do outside. I’d assure them that they didn’t have to like anything I picked out. But I’d sort through – do they like weapons ... Read Full Blog

SEL at APL

My day is not complete at the Library without a caregiver hauling out a screaming toddler, tears streaming down their little face, kicking, screaming and wailing. Boy do I feel for those caregivers when trying to manage a screaming child, but I also kinda feel good inside. That child had so much fun at the library today that they don’t want to leave! That’s a win in my book. (Sorry, parents.)

Throwing a temper tantrum is completely developmentally appropriate for a two-year-old. A young child’s brain is just developed enough to understand they have inde... Read Full Blog

Parenting Problems and Answers at the Ames Public Library

Although the Ames Public Library Youth Services department offers many books, storytimes, and activities for the younger crowd, we don’t want to forget about parents and guardians! Adults are welcome to use the youth department, whether getting great books for the young people in their lives or themselves. (But don’t forget that we also have an amazing Adult Services department!)

Parents and guardians should check out the Parenting Collection, located at the South side of the Library’s youth department. This small collection focuses on books to aide in ... Read Full Blog

Music: An Important Component of Early Literacy

If you know me, you know I love to write songs. (Technically speaking, I’m an award-winning songwriter. Though, to be sure, receiving commendations for songwriting from an educational theatre organization, however prestigious, feels a bit like little like winning “best dressed” at a swimming meet!)

I’ve been writing, singing, and playing in Iowa for years and have enjoyed playing at everything from Ames Main Street shops to the Des Moines Arts Festival. But one of my favorite gigs is getting to sing and play for toddlers at the Ames Public Library.

... Read Full Blog

Eric Carle’s Caterpillar

Just over 50 years ago, a very hungry little caterpillar burst out of an egg and ate his way through all sorts of food on the way to transforming into a beautiful butterfly!  Author/illustrator Eric Carle’s “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” has been a perennial favorite among both children and adults. Now a stage production, the caterpillar and his friend, Brown Bear, will be visiting Ames’ Stephens Auditorium on Monday, February 12, 2024 at 6:30pm.

To celebrate Eric Carle and his caterpillar, Ames Public Library will be giving away one Family Pack of four ... Read Full Blog