Game Day Gastronomy
by Alissa DorninkTailgating represents a uniquely North American socio-gastronomic phenomenon, transforming an unremarkable parking lot into a temporary culinary event. (Some say there is even a sporting event afterwards). These setups run from a couple of coolers and some folding chairs to fully operational kitchens in an outdoor environment, and if you are taking it that seriously you should check out some of the tailgate-specific cookbooks the library has. These cookbooks function not merely as sources of recipes, but as sacred documents that rigorously codify the culture of communal out... Read Full Blog
Squirrels!
by Danielle ZieglerThere’s changing leaves, crisp apples, and tomorrow is the first day of October! Along with being a lovely month, October is also National Squirrel Month. At first when I heard of that, I laughed, but then I started thinking a bit more. There are a lot of wonderful children’s books with squirrels—why not read one this month? This can also help kids make connections to their own lives while reading. After all, they may have seen a squirrel just this morning!
Our very youngest readers can start out in the board book section. A wonderful choice is Nanc... Read Full Blog
Women’s Basketball: Shattering the Glass
by Ellen WanamakerOn a whim this morning at HyVee I bought a box of Caitlin’s Crunch Time cereal. As I munched on the frosted flakes, I got thinking about all the athletes who are breaking barriers for girls to dream about becoming sports superstars.
Caitlin Clark’s rise to basketball fame started here in Iowa of course. She was already an exceptional player in high school, then catapulted to the top of the women’s college game during her years at the University of Iowa. Now we’re cheering her on along with her Indiana Fever teammates in the WNBA.
The women playing in Iowa’s fir... Read Full Blog
Calling All Readers! It’s the Author Fair!
by Cathy CooneyLooking for your next favorite author? They might (literally) be just around the corner. Join us Saturday, September 20, from 2-5 pm for Ames Public Library’s 3rd Author Fair, presented in partnership with the Iowa Center for the Book.
We’ll have 38 Iowa authors spread throughout our Auditorium on the first floor and the upstairs Gallery space. There will also be representatives from a local publisher and writers’ group.
If you’re already a fan of one of our authors, bring your copy of their book to have it signed. If you’re exploring and hoping to dis... Read Full Blog
Bringing Authors to You
by Megan Klein-HewettIn 2025, Ames Public Library (APL) was designated as the Iowa Center for the Book. This Library of Congress program works to promote literature and the literary heritage of each state and U.S. territory. Through the Center for the Book, APL staff help select books each year that represent the literary heritage of Iowa for a program called Great Reads from Great Places.
APL staff will be at the National Book Festival in Washington D.C. representing the Iowa Center for the Book and sharing information about Iowa’s 2025 Great Reads from Great Places selections.... Read Full Blog
New "12 to Try" Challenge Begins
Summer has come and gone, and that means it's time for a new challenge!
Adults are invited to join this year's "12 to Try" Reading Challenge beginning September 1. Read your way through 12 books that fit the 12 challenge categories by August 31, 2026 to earn prizes.
Here's how it works:
Read your books in any order and any format: books, e-books, audiobooks, graphic novels, etc. Read anything that fits the category. Our book lists can give you ideas, but there are so many other options out there!Complete the challenge as quickly as you like, or take it slow and spread it out ... Read Full Blog
Deep Roots Book Group
by Amanda MolumbySummer is winding down, kids are back to school and fall is right around the corner. Here in Iowa, we have the great pleasure of experiencing the changing of the seasons. There’s nothing I enjoy more than a good hike around a wooded area, tucked away from civilization, or a crisp fall walk in a light jacket, admiring the leaves as they give one last hurrah in blazing colors before they fall to the earth to coat the sidewalks, giving a pleasant crunch to each footfall.
Perhaps you can spend countless hours taking care of your garden, tending to the plants you’ve ... Read Full Blog
Characters of a Certain Age
by Anastasia TucknessAs I head into the second half of my life, I am drawn to books whose characters are also older, experiencing change, looking for connection and meaning in new ways and places. From the funny to the heartwarming to the death-defying, here are some recent favorites.
In “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt, Tova Sullivan has been rebuilding since her son disappeared, and after her husband dies, she seeks solace in an overnight janitorial job at the local aquarium and her longtime friends, the Knitwits. I loved the slower pace and tone of this book, as wel... Read Full Blog
Hidden Hideout Just for Teens
by Genya CoffeyIf you have a teenager looking for opportunities to interact socially in the evenings and on the weekends, might I suggest sending them to the Teen Space at the Ames Public Library? The Ames Public Library Teen Space offers teens a place to relax, create, build community, and develop leadership skills.
The Teen Space is located on the ground floor of the Ames Public Library just before you reach the Youth Services desk. You may have walked right by it without even knowing it was there, as it is closed during the day. But at 4:00pm on weekdays and 1:00pm on we... Read Full Blog
An August of Opportunities
by Max GuldenThe heat of summer is truly upon us! Things are heating up at the library too. August marks the home stretch for two of our popular reading challenges.
For the annual Summer Reading Challenge, there is still plenty of time left to complete the challenge. Even if you haven’t started yet, you can complete the challenge and earn your full slate of reading prizes with under an hour of reading per day! (Remember that audiobooks count as reading, too.)
For those who have already completed the Summer Reading Challenge or who are now nearing the finish line, every add... Read Full Blog
Costumes for a Cause
by Sheila SchoferSome friends and I recently got tickets to see a production of “The Prom” at the Ames Community Theater. As we made plans, we had the fun idea to dress the part, perhaps not in the prom dresses of our teens, but in festive attire that would do homage to the theme. We added a pre-prom dinner outing, wrist corsages and group photo under the balloon arch backdrop.
It was a great performance, and we had so much fun. Dressing up added a festive flair and dressing for a part can take you outside yourself, adding a playful element to a world that often feels busy and s... Read Full Blog
The Importance of Play for Adults
by Anessa OlsonWe all know that playing is important for children’s development, but play is also important for adult’s mental health and well-being. Regular play allows adults to relax, connect with friends and family, and improve creative thinking and problem-solving skills. Play has been linked to having a better mood, increased productivity, and healthier relationships.[1]
Play is any activity you do only because you enjoy it, that brings with it an in-the-moment attitude and allows you to engage deeply either with the activity itself or with the people playing w... Read Full Blog
Television
by Seth Warburton
Our disheartening subject today is that well-known instrument of repression, that symbol of deluded decadence, that cathode-rayed betrayer of sensible taste and thief of precious reading time: the television.
At least in the days of my youth (now, alas, long fled, and along with them seemingly all morality) the television was a blocky instrument, possessed of three dimensions and therefor useful as a shelf. In these debauched, modern times, the television has grown hedonistically thin, and thus completely useless even as a surface for piling b... Read Full Blog
Books To Take on Your Next Adventure!
by Chelsie GohlmannWhether you're packing for a beach vacation, a mountain retreat, or just a long weekend getaway, no suitcase is complete without a good book. Travel offers the perfect chance to escape both physically and mentally—and the right story can transport you even further. Here is a selection of titles to match every kind of journey, from breezy page-turners for sun-soaked afternoons to thought-provoking reads for quiet evenings. Wherever you're headed, let these books be your perfect travel companions!
In Funny Story by Emily Henry Daphne finds herself alone in Waning... Read Full Blog
Echoes of Resilience
by Megan Klein-HewettAmes Public Library, in partnership with the NAACP Ames Branch, Friendship Baptist Church, and Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ames, invite you to join us for a series of films centering the experiences of African Americans in the United States. From Harriet Tubman to Nichelle Nichols (otherwise known as Lt. Uhura to the Star Trek fans out there), this film series provides the opportunity to explore the challenges, triumphs, and resilience of the African American community.
The film committee, comprised of individuals from all of the partner organizatio... Read Full Blog