YOUTH PROGRAM BREAK – May 12th to June 5th
No Book Babies, Tue-do-sday, or Storytime.
Summer Reading Kick Off Event
Friday, June 6th, 10 am to Noon
Join us for the Summer Kick-Off on Friday, June 6th from 10 am to Noon for fun activities.
Summer Reading
This year’s summer reading challenge theme is Level Up At Your Library. Play is one of the ways we learn to relate to others, to think in new ways, and to foster friendships, new and old. Level Up at Your Library is an all ages summer reading program based around puzzles and games. Whether you’re playing with STEM concepts or gamifying your reading logs, learning to play chess or how to code video games, Level Up at Your Library reminds us that libraries are not just a space for knowledge, they are a space for fun!
To keep track of your reading, the library uses Beanstack. Use it to log the days you read, complete badges and activities. You can go the website to register or download the app on your mobile device and register yourself and household members. Everyone can earn free books and entry into the end of summer drawings, all prizes can be picked up at the library. Beanstack can send you personalized reading recommendations and you can submit recommendations to help others find their next book. All ages!
New Beanstack user? There are step by step instructions available on how to log reading days, log activities, and enter tickets.
Special Guests
Mondays at 3:30 pm, June 9 to July 21
6/9 – Magician Mikayla Oz
6/16 – Interactive Reading and Performance with Karin Stein
6/30 – Absolute Science: Bubble Stations
7/7 – Meet the Reptiles
7/14 – Amy Durbin from Poweshiek County Conservation
7/21 – Stories, Songs, and a Boing Boing Thing with Mike Anderson
Storytime Art in the Park
Create, read, and visit the Sparkle Truck at this weekly event! On Tuesdays, MICA and Middle Way Farm will have food available for attendees to take home.
Tuesdays @ 10:30am-12pm
- June 10 @ Grinnell Mobile Home Park
- June 14 (Saturday) @ Central Park Shelter for the Prairie Burn
- June 17 @ Ahren’s Park Shelter #1
- June 24 @ Bucksbaum Center for the Arts
- July 1 @ Merrill Park West Shelter
- July 8 @ Bailey Park Shelter House
- July 15 @ Summer Street Park
- July 18 (Friday, 9:30am-11am) @ Poweshiek County Fair
- July 22 @ Arbor Lake Shelter House
- July 29 @ Bucksbaum Center for the Arts
Thursdays, June 12 – July 25 @ 3:30pm-5pm
During the Farmer’s Market @ Central Park Shelter
This program is supported by the Greater Poweshiek County Community Foundation/Poweshiek County Alliance, Lincoln Savings Bank, Grinnell Farm to Table, Middleway Farm, MICA, Grinnell Mutual, Iowa National Service Corps, Seed Coalition, and the Grinnell Education Partnership.
Weekly Kids’ Programs
Book Babies
Tuesdays, 10:30 am
For newborns to age 2 and their caregivers. Families welcome. Join us for a story and a snack!
Tue-do-sday
Tuesdays, 3:30 to 4:30 pm
Join us for snacks and fun activities for grades K to 8.
Storytime
Wednesdays, 10:30 am
For preschool-aged children and their caregivers. Siblings welcome. Join us for a story and a snack!
Storytime @ Malcolm No. 6 School at Heritage Park, Thursday, July 17 @ 10:30am-11am
Join us for storytime in the air-conditioned Malcolm No. 6 School at the Poweshiek County Fairgrounds.
Art Activity Bags To Go
Fridays, June 13 – August 1S
Stop by Drake Community Library or Grinnell College Museum of Art for a bag of art activities to take home! Bags are first-come, first-served.
Teen Programs
RPG
Bookfare
Recommended Reads – Grades 7-12
Looking for new books to read but not sure where to start?
Fill out our Recommended Reads form for personalized suggestions.
Iowa Adventure Pass Program – Beginning Thursday, May 29
Library cardholders age 18+ can reserve an Adventure Pass for Blank Park Zoo and the Science Center of Iowa. To be eligible, your library card must be in good standing (unexpired with fines below $10).
Who Can Participate?
The Iowa Adventure Pass Program is available to residents of:
- Grinnell
- Rural Poweshiek County
- Contracting cities: Kellogg, Oakland Acres, and Searsboro
Library cardholders outside these areas should check with their local library to see if passes are offered.
Pass Details
- Each adult library cardholder may reserve one pass per destination per calendar year.
- Admission covers 2 adults and 2 children.
- Passes are not valid for special events.
How to Reserve a Pass
- Visit the Iowa Adventure Pass homepage.
- Select Drake Community Library from the drop-down menu.
- Use the filter options to refine results by location and date.
- Click the Pass Options button to view offerings and availability.
- If a pass is available, click Get Pass and enter your library card number and PIN.
- A confirmation box will appear, and you’ll receive a confirmation email.
Important Information
- Print your confirmation email—this serves as your admission pass.
- Bring your pass and photo ID on the day of your reservation.
- The person named on the pass must be present at the time of admission.
One thousand books! It may sound like alot but you’ve got this. It doesn’t matter if your child is three years, three months, or just three days old – there’s no better time to start toward a goal of reading 1,000 books before they enter kindergarten than now!
Reading helps build social and emotional skills, sparks creativity and imagination, promotes bonding, and helps kids do well overall in school. Take that motivation, open one book, and get started. For the kids that want to read a certain book over and over again – don’t worry! You can count that book each time you read it. And remember, 1,000 is just a number. The goal is to work reading aloud together into your regular routine, and let the magic of stories do the rest.
Log your child’s reading at DCL Beanstack or download the app to your mobile device.
StoryWalk @ Arbor Lake
The StoryWalk® at Arbor Lake is a way for kids and adults to enjoy reading and the outdoors. Laminated picture book pages have been inserted into metal frames, which are installed along the paved east walking path at Arbor Lake beginning at the parking lot at Washington Avenue. The StoryWalk® will be updated with new stories every 6 to 8 weeks.
The StoryWalk® encourages readers to move their bodies while gaining early literacy skills. The story is a great way to introduce numbers and colors with vivid illustrations, and engage readers of all ages.
The StoryWalk® was funded by a grant from Greater Poweshiek County Foundation’s 2022 Community Fund Grants as well as a 5-2-1-0 Community Grant, part of Iowa’s Healthiest State Initiative.
StoryWalks® have been installed in 50 states and 13 countries including, Germany, Canada, England, Bermuda, Russia, Malaysia, Pakistan, and South Korea. StoryWalk® was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT, and has developed with the help of Rachel Senechal, formerly of the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. For more visit www.kellogghubbard.org/storywalk.