Blog Entries

Ames Public Library: A Story, by You

by Keirra McFadden

Here at Ames Public Library we know we provide something different for everyone. We want to know more about the community members we serve every day and how the Library plays a role in their lives. This is why we are asking--what does Ames Public Library mean to you? We want to see how you view the Library and to accomplish this we are asking you to submit a story and photo you believe tell your experience with the Library. 

If I was to turn in my story, I would submit a photo of me working on this article. Accompanying it would be a story about my ... Read Full Blog

Your Library is a Center of Civics

by Megan Klein-Hewett

Ames Public Library values the role we play as a connector of information to help you be an informed citizen in our community. The Library always strives to make access to information easy, through events like voter registration drives and local candidate forums, but also through the Civics Center webpage at AmesPublicLibrary.org and through materials you can borrow. 

Are you registered to vote? Have you moved and need to update your voter registration records? Next Tuesday, September 28, is National Voter Registration Day and it provides the per... Read Full Blog

Student Library Cards

by Tracy Briseño

When my middle schooler came home yesterday, she was excited to have met her school librarian and check out some books she’d never read before. Also, she wanted to share with me some big news. “Did you know that we all have library cards?!” Cue my shocked face. Actually, I did know this as I was part of the team at Ames Public Library (APL) who worked with a school district team to organize this. In June, APL partnered with Ames Community School District (ACSD) to issue over 5,000 public library cards to students.

My daughter has always had library access.... Read Full Blog

Next Generation of Homeschooling Resources

by Brianne Anderson

At 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

My Epic Journey of Becoming a Library Cardholder

by Keirra McFadden

I feel like today nothing is actually free and easy to obtain, especially when it comes to becoming a part of a membership program. Services with memberships draw you in with lines like “first month free!” but to get that free month you have to put in all of your information, payment method, and agree to a million terms and conditions. It is stressful, confusing, and intimidating. After going through that process time and time again it makes you weary. That was why when it came time to get an Ames Public Library card, I was prepared to bear the entire process... Read Full Blog

The Library as Gathering Space

by Sheila Schofer

Over the last decade, the library’s role as community gathering space has becoming increasingly clearer.  As e-books and downloadable content took off and libraries’ digital collections grew, some wondered whether the library would continue to exist. I always reassure people that libraries will always be relevant.  While collection formats change and evolve, the physical book won’t go away completely and more importantly the library is so much more than its physical collection.

Libraries are also about space.  Free space, accessible space, ... Read Full Blog

What Will You Read Next?

by Cathy Cooney

With so many fantastic books in the world, and in the library, how do you narrow down your options? Some readers choose what to read based on their mood. Others go through phases where they only pick one type of book. (I once read nothing but cozy mysteries for 2 years.) Some move alphabetically through a list, grab a book with an eye-catching cover, binge series by series, or follow an order only they understand. What do all of these readers have in common? No matter what method you use, at some point you’ll finish your current book and need to decide on your next l... Read Full Blog

Armchair Adventures

by Ashley Wilson

There are a million good reasons to go on an armchair adventure. You probably already travel in your armchair a few or more times a week without even thinking about it! Maybe it’s armchair dining with your favorite food channel, space exploration with the latest issue of “National Geographic,” or revisiting your favorite trip with a photo album. All of these are great ways to explore from—and with—the comforts of home. However, if you're like me and have found yourself wanting to explore something new, be sure to stop by the Ames Public Library as there is plenty more to... Read Full Blog

Free Walk-in COVID-19 Vaccinations

Ames Public Library will host free walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations:

Saturday, May 15, from 10am to 3pm Tuesday, May 18, from 10am to 3pm Saturday, May 22, from 10am to 3pm Thursday, June 3, from 3 to 7pm

Mary Greeley Medical Center staff will administer the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) single-dose vaccine for ages 18 and older.

CyRide will offer free rides to these vaccination events.

For more information visit www.amespubliclibrary.org/vaccine

... Read Full Blog

A Year of Pandemic at the Library

by Jillian Ocken

 

As Ames Public Library prepares to reopen “the stacks” to the public, I can’t help but think about how much a visit to Ames Public Library has changed over the past year.

I was home with my children over spring break when the news of COVID-19 in the U.S. hit. While they enjoyed their time away from school, I was swept up in a flurry of emails and changes at the Library. There were new cleaning protocols, toys were stored away, and events were being cancelled. And then, on March 16, everyone rushed into the Library to stock up on books and movie... Read Full Blog

Library to Reopen for Browsing March 15

Ames Public Library is moving into the next phase of reopening spaces to the public. Starting March 15, visitors will be able to browse collections on the first and second floors of the Library. Library staff will be available to answer basic reference and account questions. Computers will continue to be available for 30 minute sessions. Quick Picks, Grab and Go Bags, and @HOME Activity kits will remain conveniently located in the lobby. Play areas, study rooms, and meeting rooms will remain closed during this phase.

Visitors should limit their time in the building to 30 minutes s... Read Full Blog

Reading with a Vengeance

by Seth Warburton

 

I thought I knew myself as a reader.  Then 2020 happened.  Books I’d looked forward to reading fell flat.  I brought home new books from authors I loved and never even cracked the covers.  The shelves here at the Ames Public Library are full of good books, but I was having trouble finding one that fit my mood.  Books had been my gateway to adventure, my method of experiencing all the exciting lives I would never live, in interesting places and times I could never visit.  But when merely listening to the news could set ... Read Full Blog

Lobby Opens February 1

Starting February 1, Ames Public Library will switch from curbside service to holds pickup and “grab and go” services in the Library’s lobby.

While the lobby is open, visitors may check out their holds, Grab & Go bags, Quick Picks, and other items on display in the lobby. Visitors may also pick up @Home Activity Kits and tax forms (as they become available).

Computers will be available for use in the Library’s Auditorium during lobby hours. Due to the need for distancing, computer sessions will be limited.

The Library staff and Board of Trustees are dedicat... Read Full Blog

Library Receives Grant for Wi-Fi Hotspots

The Ames Public Library Friends Foundation (APLFF) is pleased to announce it has received a $6,000 grant from the Story County Community Foundation. These funds will support Ames Public Library’s efforts to provide computer and internet access to the Ames community, especially with increased need during remote learning.

In the past, Ames Public Library has helped meet this need by offering free internet, Wi-Fi, and computer access inside the Library. More recently, the Library has expanded access to mobile hotspots which are checked out for free and offer unlimited data and connec... Read Full Blog

Library Shifts to Curbside Service

In response to increased community spread of COVID-19, Ames Public Library will shift from “grab and go” lobby service to curbside service starting Sunday, November 22.

Curbside Holds Pickup will allow Library cardholders to request physical items like books and DVDs, then pick them up in front of the Library safely and easily. “We’ve got a new, flexible curbside system,” says Library Director Sheila Schofer. “Instead of making an appointment, you can come by when it’s convenient for you.”

After requesting items using the Library’s online catalog, customers need to ... Read Full Blog