Blog Entries

Libraries and Dragons

This summer, Ames Public Library is challenging you to “level up.” You might choose to level up your backyard projects, your reading time, or any number of skills. Personally, I’ll be leveling up in roleplaying games.

If you’ve never heard or Dungeons & Dragons or roleplaying games, or you aren’t sure what they are, here are the basics. “Tabletop” roleplaying games like Dungeons and Dragons are kind of a shared storytelling game, usually played in a small group with one person acting as the game master. The game provides the rules and structure. The players step in... Read Full Blog

Free Seeds at Your Library!

I’ve been checking out our new gardening books in preparation for the growing season ahead, but the best thing I have been taking home are the seeds from the Seed Library. The Ames Seed Library is a collaborative effort between the Ames Public Library, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Story County, Ames Repair Café, and Mustard Seed Community Farm. This partnership underscores the shared commitment to fostering self-sufficiency, environmental stewardship, and a stronger, more connected Ames community, one seed at a time.

The seed library is located on the ... Read Full Blog

Sensory Processing Aids

We have a new set of tools for anyone to use while at the Library! These tools offer options for anyone who needs a little help regulating their sensory input while they visit the Library, no matter their age. 

Noise-reducing headphones make the Library a little less overwhelming, especially when using the play area or at story time programs. When I put them on, I can feel my body relax immediately; auditory chaos around me becomes just a little more manageable. Similarly, we have weighted lap pads, which can calm and soothe someone feeling anxious. Sometimes... Read Full Blog

Tools for School

Get homework help with the Library's free online resources, check out a Wi-Fi hotspot for Internet access, and use our space for quiet study time! 

Your Library card gets you free access to premium online resource, like Brainfuse Homework Help, Britannica Library, and many more to help students reach their educational goals. Best of all, they're available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

You the library also lends many helpful resources, from books to Wi-Fi hotspots to STEM learning kits. All you need is a Library card.

Library staff are happy to help you find... Read Full Blog

The Baby Fair is Back!

Getting ready for a baby is a big job. Babies need plenty of diapers, bottles, and clothing, but there are always things—and services—that parents and families may not realize are available. A breastfeeding parent may know that a breast pump would be a wonderful thing to have, but not know where to find one. They might also not realize that lactation specialists are available for breastfeeding issues. Maybe an expectant parent is weighing the pros and cons of a hospital vs. home birth or are considering having an additional professional attend their delivery but need to f... Read Full Blog

Get Growing with the Ames Seed Library

You can check out a lot of surprising things at the Ames Public Library, but did you know you can borrow seeds to grow your own garden? The Ames Seed Library is a community resource that offers free vegetable, flower, fruit and herb seeds in order to empower people to grow their own food and build relationships through gardening. 

This joint project between Ames Public Library, Iowa State Extension and Outreach Story County, Mustard Seed Community Farm, and Seeds of Sustainability, provides a resource for the Ames community to access a wide variety of seeds t... Read Full Blog

Books for Babies

Did you know that almost 1,200 babies are born at Mary Greeley Medical Center (MGMC) every year? That seems like a strange statistic to read in a library’s news column, but every one of those babies left MGMC with a connection to Ames Public Library (APL).

There’s almost an unlimited number of services the public library provides beyond the materials on our shelves, but one of my favorite programs APL sponsors is one that has thrived since its creation in 1998. The Books for Babies program doesn’t get a lot of hype and runs mostly silently in the background, but is ... Read Full Blog

All the things you can do from home

During winter I would prefer to snuggle up under a blanket at home and leave as few times as possible until it is spring. If you are like me and would like to therefore see what the library has to offer to your wintering self, let’s hop onto the Library’s website and apps and explore. 

You can stream and download a wide variety of titles in e-book and e-audiobook as well as a selection of magazines, movies, tv shows, music, comics and more through the library’s apps Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy, and Comics Plus. When you login to Libby, scroll down to recommendations rel... Read Full Blog

What an IDEA!

As December approaches, the time has come to celebrate a very special anniversary: the opening of the Ames Public Library’s IDEA Center! 

Haven’t heard of it? Well, the upcoming anniversary provides an excellent opportunity to review what makes the IDEA Center special.

Let’s start with the name. The “IDEA” in IDEA Center stands for Inspire, Design, Explore, Archive, which gives you a sense for how you can use the space. 

Within the IDEA Center, you have access to a wide range of technologies that enable you to undertake a similarly wide range of task... Read Full Blog

A History of the Bookmobile – Sort Of

The Ames Public Library Bookmobile has been serving the Ames community for the last 59 years. I cannot speak to the entire history of the Bookmobile personally. However, I thought it would be fun to share my history with the Bookmobile over the last 33 years, since I moved to Ames with my family at the age of 9.

I have loved reading my whole life, and when we moved here from North Carolina I asked my mom to check out the local library and report back. We did visit the library, but a lot of my regular checkouts and conversations were on the Bookmobile with Fred,... 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

Adventure Awaits!

Perhaps you already know Ames well, along with all the treasures it has to offer, but if you are newer to the area like me, you may find the Ames Public Library an ideal first stop for all things social, educational and recreational. From learning about and participating in wonderful celebrations like Juneteenth to storytimes to making and learning how to care for your own strawberry hanging basket, the library has a plethora of events, workshops, and resources available.

Not only can you check out books, DVDs, video games and more, but you can also visit some... 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

Audiobook Revolution

Have you started using downloadable or streaming books and audiobooks in the last five years? If so, you are not alone! Whether you love the ease of access that digital books provide, or you’re a road warrior who’s always on the hunt for their next audiobook, the library’s Libby and Hoopla apps are great options for free access to digital books and audiobooks.

There has been significant growth in use of digital books and audiobooks over the last five years, in part due to the critical access that these services provided during the pandemic. Suddenly, ... Read Full Blog

In Taxing Times

The dreaded time has again: tax season. Fortunately, Ames Public Library offers access to a variety of tax-related resources to help make tax season just a little bit easier.

This year, Ames Public Library is hosting Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) tax preparation appointments in partnership with Iowa State University and the United Way of Story County. These appointments are being held at the library and are facilitated by certified volunteers, many of whom have offered tax preparation services at the library in previous years.

To schedule a... Read Full Blog