This is a cash only event. Plan ahead for these prices:
📚️ $10 chicken
📚️$15 ribs
📚️ Additional desserts and sides will be available to add to the meal ala carte
The Friends of the Forest Avenue Library will not be able to accept card payments, so make sure to arrive with enough cash for your meal.
Soul Food Festival Friends of the Forest Avenue Library Cash Only Saturday, May 2 11 AM-2 PM Forest Avenue Library
The Soul Food Festival is back! Join us on Saturday, May 2 at the Forest Avenue Library for this delicious fundraiser presented by the Friends of the Forest Avenue Library. Food will be served from 11 AM-2 PM (or whenever we run out of food). buff.ly/swMiXAC
Model Train Display with DesMoiNTrak Saturday, April 25 | 10 AM-5 PM Sunday, April 26 | 12-2 PM Central Library
Grow Native: Learning About Seed Banks Tuesday, April 28 | 6-7 PM East Side Library Wednesday, April 29 | 6:30-7:30 PM Franklin Avenue Library
FREE Film Screening The Grocery List Show Tuesday, April 28 6-7:30 PM Central Library
ASAP Days April Monday at Forest: Sticker Factory 4-5 PM Tuesday at East: Drumming 3:30-4:30 PM Wednesday at North: Art trading Cards 3:30-4:30 PM Thursday at South: Cardboard Creations 4-5 PM
Things to do at DMPL April 23-28 with a right arrow
Check our events calendar for the schedule Celebrate National Library Week April 19-25, 2026 Drink coffee, meet library lovers, win prizes
Disney and Lucas: Filmmaking Visionaries Thursday, April 23 6:30-7:30 PM Franklin Avenue Library
Día del Niño Celebration Saturday, April 25 10 AM-12 PM Union Park Saylor Road, Des Moines Balloon Art, Piñatas, Meet Rosie Reader, Folkloric Dancers, Books, Carousel Rides, Glitter Tattoos, FREE!
Celebrate Día del Niño, explore filmmaking, enjoy the Model Train Display with DesMoiNTrak, watch a documentary, and so much more! www.dmpl.org/events
A woman sits on the ground holding a large plush Rosie
A man leans against a pole holding a large plush Rosie
A woman sits on a concrete wall holding a large plush Rosie
A woman sits in the library holding a large plush Rosie
In honor of National Library Outreach Day, meet our Outreach librarians and staff! They bring books and Rosie into school classrooms around Des Moines every day!
Last year they visited 2,518 classrooms, saw 39,156 kids, and distributed 14,493 free books to help kids build their home libraries!
Join us Wednesday at the South Side Library and the Central Library! buff.ly/ECtEHgV
This week we are celebrating National Library Week with our community with pastries and coffee!
Taylor Wolfe Saturday, May 2 DSM Book Festival 7 PM | Franklin Event Center 4801 Franklin Avenue
Our AViD season continues on Saturday, May 2 at the DSM Book Festival with Taylor Wolfe. www.dmpl.org/taylor-wolfe
Taylor is the writer and creator behind The Daily Tay. Her new book JUST A BUSY SEASON, is an honest and hilarious essay collection on parenting and being a millennial woman.
Central Library parking garage, book drops, and pickup window closing at 5 PM Tuesday, April 21
Due to the running of the Grand Blue Mile the Central Library parking garage, book drops, and pickup window will be closing at 5 PM.
A lane to access the library will be available from 9 AM-5 PM even though Grand Avenue will be mostly closed in preparation for the race.
A drone photo of DMPL Staff with a Word cloud of everyone's names spelling DMPL
The people make DMPL! In honor of National Library Workers Day we wanted to take a moment to celebrate all of our staff who keep the library running.
Today on Beyond the Shelves Sarah and Jes are pairing cookbooks and novels in a fun twist on book recommendations. Listen to the episode:
Top 11 Most Challenged Books of 2025 Protect the Freedom to Read ALA.org/BBooks A collage of obscured book covers
It is National Library Week and today is Right to Read Day! Today the American Library Association released the list of the 11 most challenged books of 2025. View the list: ALA.org/BBooks
Celebrate National Library Week April 19-25, 2026 Drink coffee, meet library lovers, win prizes cHeck pour events calendar for the schedule
ASAP Days April Monday at Forest: Sticker Factory 4-5 PM Tuesday at East: Drumming 3:30-4:30 PM Wednesday at North: Art trading Cards 3:30-4:30 PM Thursday at South: Cardboard Creations 4-5 PM
Disney and Lucas Filmmaking Visionaries Thursday, April 23 | 6-7:30 PM Franklin Avenue Library
Chair Yoga Thursday, April 21 |12-12:30 PM Forest Avenue Library
CLimbing Everest: An Iowa Woman's Journey to the Summit Tuesday, April 21 | 6:30-7:30 PM East Side Library
Language of Life an Introduction to Writing Poetry Monday, April 20 | 6-7:30 PM Central Library
Things to do at DMPL April 2023 With an arrow to the right
Explore the power of poetry, hear from an Iowa woman who climbed Everest, learn about how Disney and George Lucas changed filmmaking, celebrate National Library Week, and so much more! www.dmpl.org/events
Celebrate National Library Week April 19-25, 2026 Free coffee and prizes East Side Library Thursday, April 23 11:30 AM-12:30 PM
Celebrate National Library Week April 19-25, 2026 Free coffee and prizes Franklin Avenue Library Thursday, April 23 9:30-10:30 AM
Celebrate National Library Week April 19-25, 2026 Free coffee and prizes Central Library Wednesday, April 22 12:30-1:30 PM
Celebrate National Library Week April 19-25, 2026 Free coffee and prizes South Side Library Wednesday, April 22 10:30-11:30 AM
Celebrate National Library Week April 19-25, 2026 Free coffee and prizes North Side Library Monday, April 20 | 12-1 PM
Celebrate National Library Week April 19-25, 2026 Free coffee and prizes Forest Avenue Library Monday, April 20 | 10-11 AM
A map of libraries across Central Iowa Underneath the text reads: Central Iowa Libraries: Explore, Connect, and Celebrate Reading across Central Iowa. Use #CentralIALibraries each time you visit.
Plus there will be door prizes incluing I'm a Library Advocate Mugs, Rosie Plushies, and Central Iowa Libraries Posters. The coffee cart will be visiting all DMPL locations throughout the week.
Celebrate National Library Week April 19-25, 2026 Drink coffee, meet library lovers, win prizes
It's National Library Week! Meet up with fellow library lovers and celebrate with us! We’ll be providing free coffee and light pastries while supplies last. View the schedule: buff.ly/WulyUrf
Repair Cafe Sunday, April 19 12-3:30 PM Franklin Avenue Library
The Repair Café is today at the Franklin Avenue Library! Bring replacement parts for items needing repair, and make plans to join us from 12-3:30 PM. Learn more about what can and cannot be brought to the event: buff.ly/xLR1BVy
Día del Niño Celebration Saturday, April 25 10 AM-12 PM Union Park Saylor Road, Des Moines Balloon Art, Piñatas, Meet Rosie Reader, Folkloric Dancers, Books, Carousel Rides, Glitter Tattoos, FREE!
A folkloric dancer
a child read a book on a mat
a girl gets her face painted
One week until our Día del Niño celebration! Make plans to join us at Union Park on Saturday, April 25 for a morning of fun for the whole family. buff.ly/bDXxdUq
Maria Semple and Charity Nebbe on stage
Maria Semple and Charity Nebbe on stage
Maria Semple signing books
Maria Semple with a fan holding a sign that says "Private Property—No Tresspassing Gaylor Street Gnats will be arrested and hauled off to jail"
Thank you to everyone who joined us last night for AViD with Maria Semple! It was an evening full of laughter and books. youtu.be/V5SiUgvebPk
The replay of the event is now available on our YouTube Channel, and the audio recording will reair at a later date on Iowa Public Radio.