Saturdays at the MJB Library are filled with young patrons who like to hang out. These guys are busy coloring some Halloween pages.
By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette
Guthrie Center residents with a library card, have you been utilizing your Iowa Adventure Pass (IAP)? As many of you are aware, due to the financial commitment of the Friends of the Guthrie Center Library, which sponsors the IAP, patrons with a Guthrie Center address are currently able to use their library cards to obtain Iowa Adventure Passes for two central Iowa destinations.
The Iowa Adventure Pass will still allow two adults and two children to have admission to the Blank Park Zoo and the Science Center of Iowa, but it also offers new perks. Blue Zoo Aquarium in West Des Moines will have a Buy One, Get Two Free offer: Buy one adult admission and get two free child admissions. This feature should be active at the IAP link on our library website.
Located on Mills Civic Parkway, The Blue Zoo Aquarium offers many things to see as well as touch and feed opportunities. Programs change daily and include touch and feed stingrays and reptiles, opportunities to feed birds as well as sharks, clown fish, seahorses, birds and lizards. Visitors can watch mermaid shows and pirate ships, as well as enjoy the freshwater center and the saltwater center. Water play tables and opportunities for interactive play are available as well.
The final addition to the Iowa Adventure Pass is available only to students aged 7-18 years of age. In conjunction with the Des Moines Performing Arts, the IAP is offering admission to the Wellmark Family Series shows this year to students. Ticket passes are reserved on the IAP website and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The pass confirmation will need to be reserved in person up to 60 days before the event. These reservations must be made in person at the box office of the Civic Center or Hoyt Sherman Place. Students present their library card and proof of reservation at the box office of the appropriate venue, select their seat, and leave with either a paper or electronic ticket to the shows. For more information, contact the venues directly.
The first show is “Sugar Skull! A Dia de Muertos Musical Adventure” on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 11 a.m. Other shows in the series include “Forward,” Sept. 3-19; “The Nutcracker,” Oct. 27 – Dec. 5; “Nothing Holds Still,” Jan. 13 – Feb. 20; and “Cinderella,” April 3 – May 8.
Remember that our annual Li-BOO-ary Bash will be Thursday, Oct. 30, from 5-7:15 p.m. at the MJB Library. The event will feature plenty of not-so-scary fun and a treat.
Story hour for preschoolers and their caretakers is each Friday at 11 a.m. The final story hour of October will be all about witches. On Nov. 7, the library will have a special guest, as Lori with Overall Buddies will be here. Lori will have her guitar and puppet friends to entertain our young guests. For adults attending, she will offer tips for improving reading readiness in preschoolers.
For our patrons who are looking for the latest releases in our new book section, thank you for being patient with us. Baker and Taylor, the main book vendor for public libraries, is in the process of closing following financial difficulties. This unexpected situation has created a difficulty in our supply chain, as some of our other vendors were not prepared to meet the increased demand that Baker and Taylor’s closing has caused. Consequently, we are dealing with severe back orders and delays. If there’s a specific book you thought we would have, be sure to mention it to us, and we will do our best to get it in.