Celebrating National Library Week: 7 Perks of Having a Library Card

It’s National Library Week! Public libraries are a place of knowledge and curiosity. Our mission at the Des Moines Public Library is to strengthen our community by connecting people with ideas and the tools they need to enrich their lives. With more than half a million physical items to check out, plus dozens of free public computers, we offer our communities countless opportunities to stay inspired and informed. But that’s not all!

Public Library Card Perks

Here are seven more perks of having a Des Moines Public Library card:

1. Use your DMPL library card for free family fun at the Blank Park Zoo, the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden and the Science Center of Iowa with a the Iowa Adventure Pass. When you reserve the Iowa Adventure Pass with your library card, you book yourself and your family and friends a full day of fun for two adults and two children. Reserve an adventure pass for each venue once every 365 days. You must be a resident of Des Moines, Windsor Heights or rural Polk County to use the Iowa Adventure Pass.
2. Keep your kids entertained with Literacy and STEM Kits. Each kit contains books and materials hand-selected by our youth librarians to inspire learning and fun. Learn about topics including colors (0-3), oceans (3-6), outer space (3-6), Global Leaders (6+) and more!
3. Download FREE eBooks, eAudiobooks and eMagazines with Libby. Access physical books and materials in the library and thousands of digital titles through the Libby App with a DMPL library card. Get started using the Libby App with these step-by-step directions. You must live in Des Moines, Windsor Heights or rural Polk County to access digital materials on Libby.
4. Podcasting equipment, cameras, a laser engraver and more are all free to use in Tech Central. Sometimes you need a piece of technology for one project, but buying the equipment isn't in the budget. Tech Central at the Central Library is the perfect place to complete your digital projects, all for free. Shoot and edit video using our green screen, convert old home videos to DVDs, color-correct family photos, engrave items for your business, friends and family using a GlowForge laser engraver and more. Learn about everything available and reserve a time to come in to use any of the Tech Central stations.
5. Meeting room space. Have you ever scrambled to find a space to host a meeting or event? The Central Library Meeting Room Wing has three rooms that can be combined into a large space that can hold an audience of up to 300 people. Organizations can rent one, two or all three rooms. Need a smaller space for a meeting? All DMPL locations of meeting space available to reserve. Learn more about the breakdown of pricing and fees by location.
6. Access the latest digital news from leading sources for FREE. All DMPL cardholders have access to national news sources like the New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal using a DMPL library card. Access local news with the daily digital archive of the Des Moines Register. Learn more about how to read the news for free without a paywall.
7. The annual Authors Visiting in Des Moines Series, also known as AViD. Each spring critically acclaimed and best-selling authors travel to Downtown Des Moines (DSM) for this series of free events at the Des Moines Public Library. Still to come this year: Amanda Montell, the author of Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism on April 21, three-time National Book Award finalist Lauren Groff on May 5 and 2021 National Book Award Winner Jason Mott on May 25. Learn more about this free author series.

Think all of this sounds amazing and want to get involved? Here are two ways that you can support the Des Moines Public Library:

1. Sign up for a library card, and use it to check out books for free. Using the library supports access to the library for everyone in the community.
2. National Library Giving Day is this week on Thursday, April 6. A gift to the Des Moines Public Library Foundation supports innovation, access to resources and programs at the library like Tech Central, AViD, Summer Reading and more!

Downtown Des Moines (DSM) is a growing, vibrant community that offers the energy, sophistication, housing and attractions of a burgeoning city with a brilliant future. It’s also easy to visit with plentiful and affordable street and ramp parking options.