Blog Entries

Lost and Found

It is not usually a pleasant task to clean my workspace, digging through the detritus of recent projects, notes from decades-old committee work and only then down to the worktop.  This time, however, I made an interesting discovery.  Tucked in a moldering folder in the back of a hand-me-down file cabinet were the papers of my predecessor’s predecessor, including an unpublished draft intended for this very column.  Thinking that this discovery would be of interest to readers (of the Ames Tribune and of books alike) here is the work of librarian Karel ... Read Full Blog

Iowa Center for the Book

Did you know that the Ames Public Library has a national distinction? As of April of this year, the library began serving as the Iowa Center for the Book. Each U.S. state and territory hosts a Center for the Book, which serves as an affiliate of the Library of Congress and promotes literacy and reading in their state. The Centers for the Book are also tasked with promoting their own state’s literary heritage; One way that is done is through the Great Reads from Great Places program, for which each Center selects an adult title and a youth title to represent their state.

For 2024, ... Read Full Blog

Calling All Readers! It’s the Author Fair!

Looking for your next favorite author? They might (literally) be just around the corner. Join us Saturday, October 12 from 2-5 pm for Ames Public Library’s 2nd Author Fair, presented in partnership with the Iowa Center for the Book. We’ll have 28 Iowa authors spread throughout our Auditorium on the main floor and Gallery space on the second floor, as well as representatives from two Iowa publishers.

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 discover a new favorite, come ... Read Full Blog

Trivia Fundraiser for Library Lovers

When I was young my siblings and I loved reading “The People's Almanac” by David Wallechinsky and Irving Wallace.  Different from traditional almanacs that were mainly lists of facts, “The Peoples Almanac” aimed to be a reference book to be read for pleasure; a book that would tell the often-untold true tales of history.  We read predictions of Nostradamus, memorized famous epitaphs, learned about famous natural disasters, all the while stockpiling random bits of information.  In retrospect I can see how this encouraged me to seek out informatio... Read Full Blog

Great Reads Authors coming to Ames and Zoom

The authors of Iowa's 2024 selections for Great Reads from Great Places are coming to Iowa! 

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Join Swine Republic author, Chris Jones, for an author talk and book signing Wednesday, October 30, at 7pm. The event at Ames Public Library will be livestreamed on Zoom. 

The Swine Republic: Struggles With the Truth About Agriculture and Water Quality is Iowa's 2024 selection for adults for Great Reads from Great Places and an unexpected hit across Iowa. 

Jones, a retired University of Iowa researcher, writes for a popular ... 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

Speed Friending, Take Three

by Clelia Sweeney

Speed Friending is the library program I find myself bringing up in conversation the most. I think any busy adult can relate to difficulty in making new friends, and finding social situations to make it happen. We have had great turnout to the two Speed Friending events we have held at the library so far. Come participate in our third on Saturday, September 28th, from 2-4:30pm in the library’s Auditorium!

This month, we have a display on the second floor of the library highlighting friendship stories and non-fiction help for making social connections. S... Read Full Blog

Beautiful Things about Iowa

by Brianne Anderson

Every once in a while, an opportunity lands in your path that is almost too exciting to pass up. This past year, Ames Public Library (APL) had one of those moments when the Library of Congress asked if we’d consider being Iowa’s representing organization for the Center for the Book program. YES! YES!!

The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress is a community of 56 Affiliated Centers, promoting reading, libraries and literacy through the Library of Congress and its Affiliated Centers across the country. APL will now get to use our connecti... Read Full Blog

10 Beautiful Things Photo Contest

Iowa is full of beautiful things!

Celebrate our state and Ten Beautiful Things by Molly Beth Griffin—Iowa’s 2024 “Great Read from Great Places” selection for youth—with a photo contest.

Photo submissions are due September 30, 2024.

Use the online form to send a photo you have taken of something beautiful in Iowa. Winning entries will be displayed on the Iowa Center for the Book website, on Ames Public Library’s social media, or at Ames Public Library’s special exhibit November 1-30.

Find out more or submit your entry at
www.AmesPL.org/form/ten-... Read Full Blog

S.T.E.M. Reading

Looking for something to do this fall? Starting September 13th, every Friday at 10:30am the library runs our Storybook S.T.E.M. program in the Farwell T. Brown Auditorium! Enjoy a range of activities as the weeks go by all focused on an area or subject in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. We’ve had dance parties to make butter, LEGO challenges to create your own zipline car, and a slime lab where we made ooblek! Come sing and dance with us, read a book, and join us in creating!

Here are some fun books to check out from the library so that you can ... Read Full Blog

12 to Try

We’re so busy all the time that it is easy to get stuck in a reading rut, going back to the same authors or genres over and over again. But sometimes it is nice to stretch your legs a little bit, to try something new. Moreover, reading books a little outside of your normal comfort zone can help you consider other perspectives, and even find new favorites you may not have expected. The Ames Public Library’s second annual 12 to Try reading challenge offers you the opportunity to do just that.

Every month between September 2024 and August 2025 will feature a n... Read Full Blog

Tracy Loves Juvenile Nonfiction – Round 4: Let’s start at the very beginning

When I get an urge to learn about a specific topic, my first inclination is to check out a bunch of books on the topic and dive in. On some topics this works okay for me. But most of the time I realize that the books are starting from a level of understanding that I don’t have yet. In those cases, my next step is to head to the juvenile nonfiction section. Some may be too basic for me , but I can generally find something that meets my needs and prepares me to delve deeper.

Recently I did this with gardening books. Despite my mom’s best efforts while I was ... 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

Tracy Loves Juvenile Nonfiction – Round 3: Impactful Books

Have you read a book that stayed with you? That you kept coming back to in your mind, and brought up in conversation with others? There are several juvenile nonfiction books that have had a long-lasting impact on me.

“Freedom Walkers” by Russell Freedman is a great place to start. I remember learning about the Civil Rights movement when I was younger but it was a very general. Reading “Freedom Walkers” opened my eyes to how long the Montgomery Bus Boycott actually lasted and how many people made it possible. Freedman does a great job telling about the impa... Read Full Blog

Book Club Picks

If you’re looking for something cool to do inside on hot summer days, you could always start a book club! And if you do, Ames Public Library has a Book Club Collection to help (though you don’t have to be in a book club to borrow books from it).

Our Book Club Collection highlights titles across a variety of genres that are great for discussion. For each title in the collection, we have several copies of the physical book (usually 12 or more) plus a copy of every other format that’s available—which may include audiobook, large print, e-book, and e-audiobook.... Read Full Blog