Event List

Featured Events

Age Group
Age Group
Program Type
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This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group
This event is in the "Preschool" group

Early Learning Story Time

Monday, February 23, 2026 at 10:00am - 10:30am
Ladd Library Community Room at Ladd Library
Program Type:
Books and Reading, Early Learning
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool

Join us for a fun-filled story time for children ages 2-5, featuring stories, songs, parachute play, and bubbles! 

This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group
This event is in the "Preschool" group

Early Learning Story Time

Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at 10:00am - 10:30am
Children's Program Room at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Books and Reading, Early Learning
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool

Join us for a fun-filled story time for children ages 2-5. This high-energy story time features stories, songs, parachute play, and bubbles! 

This event is in the "Preschool" group
This event is in the "School Age" group
This event is in the "Teen" group

Family Art Night: Doodlepens at Ladd Library

Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Ladd Library Community Room at Ladd Library
Program Type:
Crafts & Hobbies, Family Programs
Age Group:
Preschool, School Age, Teen

Join us for Family Art Night this winter! Different art supplies will be provided each program for families to experiment and learn new concepts with.

Upcoming
Registration Required
This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group
This event is in the "Preschool" group
This event is in the "School Age" group

Sensory Story Time

Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 10:00am - 10:30am
Children's Program Room at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Books and Reading, Early Learning
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age

Children and caregivers are invited to a story time designed for attendees with multi-sensory needs, including low lights, reduced sounds, and opportunities for social interaction and play.

This event is in the "Preschool" group
This event is in the "School Age" group
This event is in the "Teen" group
This event is in the "Adult" group

Cat Café

Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 10:00am - 12:00pm
Beems Auditorium A/B, Whipple Auditorium at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Family Programs
Age Group:
Preschool, School Age, Teen, Adult

Meet cool adoptable kittens and cats while you enjoy cool treats and fun activities! After you become acquainted with our feline friends, make a cat toy for your own cat or the adoptable cats, create a cat button, and check out cat books.

This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group
This event is in the "Preschool" group
This event is in the "School Age" group
This event is in the "Teen" group
This event is in the "Adult" group

Leah Casey: Ladd Library Gallery

All Day
Ladd Library
Program Type:
Special Performances
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age, Teen, Adult

Multimedia artist Leah Casey will exhibit at the Ladd Library Gallery this spring.

This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group
This event is in the "Preschool" group
This event is in the "School Age" group
This event is in the "Teen" group
This event is in the "Adult" group

Maker Fest Feature with Collins Aerospace: Downtown Library, Skywalk Gallery

All Day
Downtown Library
Program Type:
Maker Room and Technology, Special Performances
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age, Teen, Adult

In conjunction with the Third Annual Maker Fest: Making in Space, we welcome community partner Collins Aerospace to the Downtown Library's Skywalk Gallery. 

This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group
This event is in the "Preschool" group
This event is in the "School Age" group
This event is in the "Teen" group
This event is in the "Adult" group

Susan Creamer Joy: Third Floor Gallery

All Day
Downtown Library
Program Type:
Special Performances
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age, Teen, Adult

Join us in the Third Floor Gallery for an exhibition of painting by Susan Creamer Joy.

In her own words: 

This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group
This event is in the "Preschool" group

Early Learning Story Time

Monday, March 2, 2026 at 10:00am - 10:30am
Ladd Library Community Room at Ladd Library
Program Type:
Books and Reading, Early Learning
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool

Join us for a fun-filled story time for children ages 2-5, featuring stories, songs, parachute play, and bubbles! 

This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group
This event is in the "Preschool" group

Early Learning Story Time

Tuesday, March 3, 2026 at 10:00am - 10:30am
Children's Program Room at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Books and Reading, Early Learning
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool

Join us for a fun-filled story time for children ages 2-5. This high-energy story time features stories, songs, and bubbles!

This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group
This event is in the "Preschool" group
This event is in the "School Age" group

Sensory Story Time

Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 10:00am - 10:30am
Children's Program Room at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Books and Reading, Early Learning
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age

Children and caregivers are invited to a story time designed for attendees with multi-sensory needs, including low lights, reduced sounds, and opportunities for social interaction and play.

This event is in the "Preschool" group
This event is in the "School Age" group

Expressive Arts With Tanager

Friday, March 6, 2026 at 10:00am - 11:00am
Children's Program Room at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Crafts & Hobbies, Family Programs
Age Group:
Preschool, School Age

Arts, movement, and music for youth and their caregivers at the Downtown Library. This program is geared to pre-K to second graders. 

This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group
This event is in the "Preschool" group
This event is in the "School Age" group
This event is in the "Teen" group
This event is in the "Adult" group

National Cereal Day Celebration

Saturday, March 7, 2026 at 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Beems Auditorium A at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Family Programs
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age, Teen, Adult

Come celebrate National Cereal Day at the library! Help yourself to snacks from the cereal bar and stick around for fun cereal-themed crafts and activities.

This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group
This event is in the "Preschool" group

Early Learning Story Time

Monday, March 9, 2026 at 10:00am - 10:30am
Ladd Library Community Room at Ladd Library
Program Type:
Books and Reading, Early Learning
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool

Join us for a fun-filled story time for children ages 2-5, featuring stories, songs, parachute play, and bubbles! 

This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group
This event is in the "Preschool" group

Early Learning Story Time

Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 10:00am - 10:30am
Children's Program Room at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Books and Reading, Early Learning
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool

Join us for a fun-filled story time for children ages 2-5. This high-energy story time features stories, songs, and bubbles!

This event is in the "Preschool" group
This event is in the "School Age" group
This event is in the "Teen" group

Family Art Night: Oil Pastels at the Downtown Library

Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Children's Program Room at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Crafts & Hobbies, Family Programs
Age Group:
Preschool, School Age, Teen

Join us for Family Art Night this Spring! Different art supplies will be provided each program for families to experiment and learn new concepts with. Each program will be presented at Ladd and Downtown with the same materials.

Upcoming
Registration Required
This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group
This event is in the "Preschool" group
This event is in the "School Age" group

Sensory Story Time

Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 10:00am - 10:30am
Children's Program Room at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Books and Reading, Early Learning
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age

Children and caregivers are invited to a story time designed for attendees with multi-sensory needs, including low lights, reduced sounds, and opportunities for social interaction and play.

This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group
This event is in the "Preschool" group
This event is in the "Adult" group

Pied Piper: Woodwind Quintet

Friday, March 13, 2026 at 9:30am - 10:15am
Whipple Auditorium at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Early Learning, Special Performances
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, Adult

Orchestra Iowa presents a free concert designed for preschool-aged children. Performances are held from 9:30-10:15 am and 10:30-11:15 am. March features a woodwind quintet and May highlights a brass quintet.

This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group
This event is in the "Preschool" group
This event is in the "Adult" group

Pied Piper: Woodwind Quintet

Friday, March 13, 2026 at 10:30am - 11:15am
Whipple Auditorium at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Early Learning, Special Performances
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, Adult

Orchestra Iowa presents a free concert designed for preschool-aged children. Performances are held from 9:30-10:15 am and 10:30-11:15 am. March features a woodwind quintet and May highlights a brass quintet.

This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group
This event is in the "Preschool" group
This event is in the "School Age" group

Pi Day Story Time

Saturday, March 14, 2026 at 10:00am - 11:30am
Children's Program Room at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Books and Reading, Early Learning
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age

Join us on Pi Day for a pie-themed story time. Complete a pie activity and challenge the librarian to see who can remember the most numbers in pi!

This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group
This event is in the "Preschool" group

Early Learning Story Time

Monday, March 16, 2026 at 10:00am - 10:30am
Ladd Library Community Room at Ladd Library
Program Type:
Books and Reading, Early Learning
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool

Join us for a fun-filled story time for children ages 2-5, featuring stories, songs, parachute play, and bubbles! 

This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group
This event is in the "Preschool" group

Early Learning Story Time

Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at 10:00am - 10:30am
Children's Program Room at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Books and Reading, Early Learning
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool

Join us for a fun-filled story time for children ages 2-5. This high-energy story time features stories, songs, and bubbles!

This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group
This event is in the "Preschool" group
This event is in the "School Age" group

Sensory Story Time

Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 10:00am - 10:30am
Children's Program Room at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Books and Reading, Early Learning
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age

Children and caregivers are invited to a story time designed for attendees with multi-sensory needs, including low lights, reduced sounds, and opportunities for social interaction and play.

This event is in the "Babies & Toddlers" group
This event is in the "Preschool" group
This event is in the "School Age" group

Read to Dogs

Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 6:30pm - 7:15pm
Ladd Library Community Room at Ladd Library
Program Type:
Books and Reading, Family Programs
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age

Trained, certified therapy dogs provide companionship to emerging readers as they earn a free book and bookmark. Everyone is welcome to read to the dogs. Stay for a performance at 7 p.m.!