Urbandale Public Library

10/21/2026

Reminder: Early voting starts today and runs through Saturday!

10/20/2026

We have an excess of ripe bananas in our community pantry---perfect for baking!

10/16/2026

Thank you to the VFW Post 9668, Urbandale/Johnston Iowa for donating a flag retirement box to the library! The flag retirement box is a secure, designated drop‑off container for worn U.S. flags, allowing community members to return them for respectful retirement (as required by the United States Flag Code) by the VFW.

10/15/2026

Check out this spotlight on a collection. Tell us your favorite item to borrow from UPL that isn't a book!

The article reports on how local libraries can reduce household costs by offering free access to items beyond books, including collections described as the “Library of Things.” It explains that patrons use library cards to check out unique and sometimes expensive tools, toys, artwork, and specia...

10/14/2026

Anyone who donates the following items by October 21 will receive a library bag of their choice!
(You can also make a monetary donation--just be sure to include "community fridge" with your payment.)

🫘 15 oz canned beans (black, butter, cannellini, garbanzo, pinto)
🍅28 oz canned diced tomatoes
🍗Canned chicken

10/13/2026

Come check out the work of local award-winning artist Justin Young, who has his "Young at Art" collection of watercolors in our lobby display case throughout the month of October.

10/12/2026

The library will serve as an early voting location for the 2026 General Election. Early voting will take place in the Meeting Room A/B from Wednesday, October 21 through Saturday, October 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

10/09/2026

Please note that the Adventure Pass for Des Moines Children's Museum will be temporarily unavailable after October 24.

Dear DMCM Family,

We want you to hear this from us first.

Valley West Mall has been sold, and we have been given 30 days' notice. We must vacate our Valley West Mall location by 11:59 p.m. on October 31, 2026.

This is not the ending to our Valley West chapter that any of us hoped for. This mall has been our home for nearly a decade, and it's where so many of your children took their first steps into imaginative play.

We have known since 2022 that the mall would eventually be sold, so we planned for it. Part of that planning was securing our permanent home at 1200 12th Street in West Des Moines. Construction is beginning, funded in large part by your generosity through our "From Love to Legacy" campaign, which has now raised more than $4.5 million. We had hoped to open there in 2026, but we chose to take the time to build a space that serves every family the way we want it to. Our current goal is to open in 2027, following a full year of renovations and exhibit installations.

What has changed is the timeline and the short-term plan, not the long-term one. We are working through plans to move to a temporary location until our new home is ready for us. We will share details as soon as they come together.

Here is how you can help now:

📦Show up. We need hands for packing and loading, especially later in the month. If you want to volunteer, email [email protected] or sign up to volunteer (link in the comments).
🚚Lend space or wheels. If you or your company has a truck, a pod, or empty storage space, we'd be grateful for the use of it.
💸Give, if you are able. Every dollar toward our moving costs is a dollar we don't have to take from opening our new doors.
💻Stay tuned. Watch your inbox and our social channels. We'll share exactly where to show up and when as soon as we know.

Thank you for all of the support you have already given this museum. We need you again this month, and we are grateful to be facing it alongside you.

With gratitude,

Ashlen Sheaffer
Interim Executive Director, Des Moines Children's Museum

10/08/2026

We hope you can take advantage of this beautiful October weather by checking out our latest StoryWalk® featuring "Chicka Chicka Tricka Treat" by Julien Chung.
This title is a companion to the beloved and bestselling classic "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom," and there’s a spooky surprise in store for everyone’s favorite letters!

10/07/2026

To celebrate , we're doing a little giveaway! Drop the title of your favorite banned book in the comments to be entered to win ⬇