Blog Entries

A Good Book

When I was in elementary school, I remember thinking to myself, “I will always read chapter books that have pictures. They are so much better than books without!”  In my mind, if a book had wonderful illustrations, then the story was probably wonderful, too.

To my sister at that age, a good book meant a horse book.  To one daughter, it meant a book in which everyone was nice to everyone else.  To another, it meant a funny book. To my best friend, it meant a teen romance. 

No matter what the story is about, though, good books hav... Read Full Blog

Summer Fun for Teens!

We are now over a month into summer vacation and maybe you’ve run out of things to do with your teen. Not to worry; Ames Public Library is here for you and your teen!

The summer months are actually the busiest time of year for the Library. We offer Terrific Tuesday performers, storytime in the parks, library camp, free meals for 0-18 year olds, and much more. The above mentioned programs are mostly geared towards our younger patrons. But what does the Library have to offer for teens this summer?

There are loads of things for teens to do! This summ... Read Full Blog

Read Beyond: E-content

The Fourth of July has rolled around once again, and there is no denying that we are in the midst of a full-blown Iowa summer! As you may know, we are also in the midst of a full-blown Ames Public Library (APL) Summer Reading Challenge! If you have been participating all along, you know that the Summer Reading Challenge is a blast, with various ways to track your progress, fun prizes to earn as you read, and a grand prize drawing at the end. For those who missed the start of the Summer Reading Challenge, have no fear, as there is still plenty of time to catch up and co... Read Full Blog

A Library Exhibit on Black Freedom

The Library has a beautiful entryway with a striking charcoal gray wall that provides a perfect backdrop for exhibits.

The exhibit on display currently is by artist Jordan Brooks and ties in to Juneteenth programming and events happening in the library and the broader community.

The white lettering pops against orange, yellow, green, blue and black backgrounds creating an eye-catching contrast. The words themselves make a statement, too, as they urge viewers of all backgrounds to reflect on the statements and explore their personal reactions.Read Full Blog

Climbing Mango Trees and Other Summer Pursuits

Summer. Growing up in India, this was my favorite season. The days were long and filled with food, friends, and books. It was a special time for another reason also: summer was mango season. In our home, this meant a ready and steady supply of fresh mangoes straight from the tree. My childhood home was located in what was formerly a mango grove, and every house in our neighborhood had at least one mango tree; our home was supremely fortunate to have not one but four full-grown mature trees. Much of my summer was spent climbing these trees with my siblings and our fr... Read Full Blog

Why Travel?

Travel exists, for me, in about the same space as dancing. I figure some people must be telling the truth when they say they enjoy those activities, but I can’t really relate. What fun you achieve with either activity seems to me to come with too high a price in cash, time, discomfort or perhaps all three. I know that my Ames Public Library colleagues have even written several of these columns extolling the virtue of travel and pointing you to books and other library resources to dream up and plan your ideal trip. In the interest of balance, I’d like to encourage y... Read Full Blog

Juneteenth at the Ames Public Library and Bandshell Park

“What’s going on?”

“It’s a surprise,” replied her mother.

Cassandra thought for a moment. It wasn’t anyone’s birthday.

“What kind of surprise?” she asked.

“A Texas tradition,” said her father, as he bent down to kiss the top of her head. “You’ll see.”

So begins Carole Boston Weatherford’s picture book “Juneteenth Jamboree”. On the cover of the book we see a Black family releasing colorful balloons on a perfect summer day. They appear excited, but also at ease. The whole image feels peaceful and yet also full of energy.
... Read Full Blog

Read for Fun

I challenge you. I challenge you to read for fun this summer. Just for you. Whatever you want. I encourage you to do it visibly where your kids or neighborhood kids can see you. It sets a powerful example. But mostly, I encourage you to read for your own enjoyment or interest. Just to be clear – I embrace a WIDE view of reading. Read the newspaper, read an e-book, listen to an audiobook, crack open your favorite magazine, read a picture book for fun (no kids required!) or dive into a book you’ve always wanted to try. Just read.

We know that reading for fun... Read Full Blog

Living the Van Life!

Library books are free, of course. What’s not free is the trip you take because you read about it in a library book and JUST HAD TO GO THERE.

Last spring I was feeling restless (like everyone else) and picked up a copy of Lonely Planet’s “The Vanlife Companion” by Ed Bartlett and Becky Ohlsen, a book about how to rent a camper van, and how to outfit it for epic rolling adventures. This book also features some ambitious road trip itineraries. Some of those were very cool but very far away: Western Australia’s Southwest Coast (amazing) and Patagonia’s Carretera... Read Full Blog

Road Trip!

Who’s ready for vacation? It’s almost time to pack up the family, hop in the car, and head out in search of adventure!

If you haven’t picked a destination yet, be sure to check out Ames Public Library’s Adventure Passes. There are a lot of great places to visit nearby, and even some in Ames! Adventure Passes are like tickets to local attractions that you can borrow from the Library for free. Choose from places like Blank Park Zoo, Reiman Gardens, The Science Center of Iowa, the African American Museum of Iowa, and more! Be sure to reserve your Adventure Pa... Read Full Blog

Finding Your Next Great Read

Picture the last really, really good book you read. The one you couldn’t wait to get back to when you had to put it down to go to work, cook, or let the dog out. The one you thought about for days afterward. The one that made you go back and read everything else that author had written. The one you told all of your friends and family they needed to read next.

Sometimes a book that good leads to a reading slump, where nothing seems to catch your interest. Luckily, your Ames Public Library staff can help! One of my favorite parts of my job is connecting custo... Read Full Blog

All the World’s a Stage at the Ames Public Library

Do 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

“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

Earth Week at Your Library

As the City of Ames makes progress in the Climate Action Plan (CAP) process, Earth Day provides an opportunity for each of us to learn about and engage in actions that will lead to greater environmental sustainability in our community. Whether you wish to learn in person, change your habits locally, or read up on climate change, the Library has something to connect you to climate action in our community.

Ames Public Library is again working with the City of Ames to present EcoChats, a series of presentations featuring local experts on topics focused o... Read Full Blog

Ready for Gardening

The crocuses are just about done blooming, the Daffodils are getting started, and my brain has fully entered gardening mode. It’s too bad the weather hasn’t caught up with me yet!

I’m especially excited for spring this year because two family members are asking me for ideas on their own landscaping projects. I’m no expert, but I enjoy the creativity of starting a new garden—and I love plants!

My first instinct when starting a gardening project is to visit every garden center in a 100-mile radius to pick out plants, but that doesn’t work this early in ... Read Full Blog