Voting for all Ages at the Ames Public Library
September is the month of school, apples, and even the start of pumpkin spice. But it also has National Voter Registration Day on September 20th. The League of Women Voters will be here at the Ames Public Library from 11:30 am to 4:30 pm to register people to vote.
Adults may know what voting is and why we should do it. But how do we teach kids and young people? The best way is for you to vote yourself and talk about how and why you vote. But another great way is to read books about voting and government with them!
Even babies can get started on the road to voting ... Read Full Blog
The Little Theater
A One-of-a-Kind TreasureWritten in 2018 by Christina Robinson
Did you know Ames Public Library’s Youth Services employees, in addition to their other duties, do window cleaning? On any given day upon entering the youth area, children and adults alike stop to peer into the window of the Little Theater. That is the name given to the display case that features a children’s book diorama. And yes, we wipe down the window at least once daily. Children like to get really close. We love it when they do!
The Li... Read Full Blog
Summer Reading Challenge Begins June 1
Ames Public Library's 2022 summer reading challenge, "Read Beyond the Beaten Path," will begin for all ages on June 1. Participants will earn prizes just for keeping track of their reading! Head over to www.AmesPL.org/summer2022 to get signed up on the Reading Challenge website or to download the Beanstack app, so you'll be ready to go on June 1! You can also pick up a reading challenge gameboard from the Library or Bookmobile starting June 1 to track your reading on paper.
We also have a summer full of fun events planned for all ages to help you go beyond the beaten path! Kids an... Read Full Blog
All the World’s a Stage at the Ames Public Library
by Danielle ZieglerDo 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
The Magic of Story Time
Brianne Anderson“When I say to a parent, "read to a child", I don't want it to sound like medicine. I want it to sound like chocolate. " — Mem Fox
Mem Fox is a hugely prolific Australian author whose picture books have graced our library shelves for years. Her quote above perfectly describes what we strive for every day at the Library- to make reading a fun and enjoyable activity for children (and parents!) instead of something prescribed.
Even before your child is born, you become their most important teacher. It doesn’t matter how prepared you are, or how mu... Read Full Blog
A Reading Habit
by Jillian Ocken“To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life.” - W. Somerset Maugham
January is a time for starting fresh, setting goals, and building good habits. While many of us focus on starting a healthier lifestyle for our bodies, there’s a lot to be said for exercising your mind regularly!
As a child I was always reading. As an adult, not so much. Until now. Enter the Winter Reading Challenge. Okay, so it started a few weeks ago, but there’s over a month left! Just enough time to complete the ... 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
Musical Memories
by Jill PhilbyComing back to Iowa from Thanksgiving this year, the car was packed tightly. My parents were passing on some items they no longer used, so my daughter was the lucky recipient of my dad’s old stereo system--the kind with a turntable that you could stack with records. While I remember my dad occasionally listening to classical music, what really comes back to me is my own little red portable record player. I played all sorts of records–anything we had in the house. Captain Kangaroo, Cowboy Bob and Janie, and, yes, even back then, Disney records.
Eve... Read Full Blog
Back to School
by Danielle ZieglerIt’s almost fall! Soon the world will become crisp in the mornings, the leaves will change color, and I will start to look longingly at my sweaters and cardigans. And, of course, kids and adults start to head back to school. Whether it’s a book or a DVD preparing you for the start of the school year, we can help you out at Ames Public Library.
Starting school can be a big change for young children, whether it’s preschool, kindergarten, or even a new daycare. We have board books that can help introduce little ones to what is happe... Read Full Blog
Next Generation of Homeschooling Resources
by Brianne AndersonAt 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
Reading Colors Your World
byJerri HeidSummer 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!
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
Better Together
by Jill PhilbyWhen kids ask for help finding books here at the library, it seems as if they fall into one of two camps. They like either fiction or non-fiction, and there isn’t much overlap. Once in a while someone will ask for non-fiction books about dragons or some other magical creature—which always makes me chuckle—but in general, it’s a definite one or the other.
But the few kids who ask for both are on to something.
When you pair fiction with nonfiction, you learn better.
Reading fiction works on your emotional brain. Fict... Read Full Blog
Free Books For Students at Grab and Go Meal Sites
Ames families will again have access to free books on Fridays at four grab and go meal sites: Meeker, Mitchell, Sawyer, and the Ames Public Library. The location for Ames Public Library is at the south end of the alley behind the Library. Vehicles enter the alley from 6th Street. Pedestrians should approach from 5th Street between Douglas Avenue and Kellogg.
One book per week per student will be distributed for students in grades pre-K through 12. Scheduled dates are July 17, 24, 31 and August 7, from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. Books were purchased by the Ames Public Library ... Read Full Blog
COVID-19 Closure Update
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ames Public Library is closed for the safety of our visitors, staff, and community.
We are working with the City of Ames and health officials to plan for a gradual reintroduction of services.
Watch for updates as we approach mid-May.
... Read Full Blog