September is the month of school, apples, and even the start of pumpkin spice. But it also has National Voter Registration Day on September 20th. The League of Women Voters will be here at the Ames Public Library from 11:30 am to 4:30 pm to register people to vote.
Adults may know what voting is and why we should do it. But how do we teach kids and young people? The best way is for you to vote yourself and talk about how and why you vote. But another great way is to read books about…
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…
Meeting Rooms and Study Rooms Policy
Section: Library Resources
Approved: 8/21/1996
Reviewed: 2/20/2003
Revised: 3/25/2004, 8/18/2005, 7/20/2006, 10/15/2009, 4/19/2012, 5/15/2014, 8/21/2014, 1/19/2017, 8/15/2019, 8/19/2021, 9/21/2023
Ames Public Library offers meeting rooms and study rooms to further the Library’s mission (Ames Public Library – We connect you to the world of ideas). These rooms are made available on…
Library History
History of APL
The Ames Public Library was not originally a free public library. During the 1890s, subscribers paid dues to keep a small reading room open. For example, in 1897 a local P.E.O. Society purchased 33 shares of stock and later voted two dollars per month to support the library.
In 1902, the P.E.O. local chapter appointed a committee to investigate how a free public…
COVID-19 Updates
Visitors to Ames Public Library and the Bookmobile are encouraged to wear face masks. Disposable masks are available for free in the Library's lobby.
Story County and Iowa currently have a high level of community transmission of COVID-19. In such areas, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all people older than 2, whether vaccinated or not, wear a face mask indoors in…
Mission, Values, and Strategic Planning Policy
Section: History, Authority, Mission
Approved: 6/19/1997
Reviewed: 3/27/2003, 12/20/2007, 3/28/2019
Revised: 3/28/2002, 11/18/2010, 3/17/2016, 3/17/2022
Mission Statement
Ames Public Library: We connect you to the world of ideas.
Values
As a department of the City, Ames Public Library embraces the Excellence Through People Values, which are:
Continuous…
Policies
History, Authority, Mission
History
Authority
Mission, Values, and Strategic Planning
Administration
Art Collection Policy
Bylaws, Board of Trustees
Director's General Job Duties
Director Performance Evaluation Process
Donations
Expressions…
History Policy
Policy: History
Section: History, Authority, Mission
Approved: 6/19/1997
Reviewed: 3/20/2003
Revised: 12/20/2007, 11/18/2010, 7/21/2011, 10/24/2013, 10/16/2014, 4/21/2016, 6/18/2019, 5/19/22
The earliest known reference to a "Public Library," probably a subscription library of some sort, was in The Ames Intelligencer of November 4, 1886. This short-lived library may have been the inspiration for…
Sex Offender Policy
Section: Administration
Approved: 9/24/2009
Reviewed: 2/16/2023
Revised: 6/21/2012, 4/16/2015, 4/19/2018, 3/18/2021
Iowa Code
Iowa Code Section 692A.113 prohibits a sex offender who has been convicted of a sex offense against a minor from being present upon public library real property without the written permission of the library director, or from loitering within 300 feet of the boundary of the…
by Danielle Ziegler
It’s almost fall! Soon the world will become crisp in the mornings, the leaves will change color, and I will start to look longingly at my sweaters and cardigans. And, of course, kids and adults start to head back to school. Whether it’s a book or a DVD preparing you for the start of the school year, we can help you out at Ames Public Library.
Starting school can be a big change for young children, whether it’s preschool, kindergarten, or even a new…