The Iowa City Public Library recently launched its redesigned online calendar with the goal of improving the user experience.

The new default view of the calendar is a list, making it simpler to browse for events. Patrons can quickly scan the list to see what’s happening at ICPL that day, week or month. The grid calendar is available for anyone who anyone who prefers that look or, if requesting a meeting room, needs to see availability.

Events in the new calendar were re-categorized, making it easier to narrow down the event search. This will allow users to see all the events in a single age category or type. This means that when looking at a month’s worth of events, the public can easily see what’s coming up in their selected age and/or category type, and mark personal calendars accordingly.

Speaking of marking your calendar, patrons can also now add events directly from the event page to their personal calendars by clicking the calendar icon next to the date. There are several calendars available including Google Calendar, iCalendar, and Outlook Calendar.

In addition to upgrading the online calendar, the Library’s website also has a new look. The simpler layout is designed to help the public find the information they want easier and faster.

Have comments or feedback? Contact the Library through email or chat, or leave a note on the Website Feedback form.

The Iowa City Book Festival, in partnership with the Iowa City Public Library, will host a series of events designed to bring the authors of books about politics and social engagement to the library to discuss the ideas in those books: LIT Talks.

Building on the success of a similar track during the 2018 Iowa City Book Festival – including appearances by Ari Berman, Art Cullen, Dan Kauffman, and Silvia Hidalgo – the idea of LIT Talks is to shed light on the issues of the day and to promote the ongoing community dialogue about those topics.

The first event will be a reading and discussion by Peter Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Ind., and newly declared candidate for the Democratic nomination for president. Buttigieg is touring in support of his new memoir, Shortest Way Home: One Mayor's Challenge and a Model for America's Future. He will appear at 7 p.m. on March 4, in Meeting Room A of the Iowa City Public Library.

Buttigieg is in his eighth and final year as Mayor of South Bend. He was first elected mayor in 2011 at only 29 years old, and re-elected in 2015 with 80 percent of the vote. He served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserve, and took an unpaid seven months leave during his mayoral term for a deployment to Afghanistan. For his counterterrorism work, he earned the Joint Service Commendation Medal. A national lecturer and TEDx speaker, as well as a Rhodes Scholar, Buttigieg was educated at Harvard and Oxford. He and his husband, Chasten Glezman, live in South Bend.

Prairie Lights Books will be on site to sell copies of Shortest Way Home.

During the month of March, the Iowa City Public Library will host classes that highlight the addition of Wacom Intuos graphics tablets to its selection of Digital Media Lab equipment. These tablets will allow users to hand-draw images, animations, graphics, and more on the computer. Library patrons can look forward to these arts-based classes to learn more about this exciting technology.

Have you always wanted to learn brush calligraphy but felt nervous around all those special pens, inks, and papers? With the Wacom pen stylus and tablet, you are free to practice and play. Join us to learn how to start your calligraphy practice with Wacom tablets on March 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. and on March 22 from 1 to 3 p.m. No previous experience is necessary, though participants may need higher level computer skills to feel successful.

Join us for Portrait Painting with Photoshop Friday, March 15, from 1 to 3 p.m. and Monday, March 25, from 6 to 8 p.m. to learn the basics of Adobe Photoshop with a Wacom Intuos tablet. We’ll digitally “paint” a portrait for gift-giving or to adorn the walls of your home. No artistic talent is required! Higher level computer skills and comfort may be necessary to feel successful in this class though all are welcome.

Want to use the Digital Media Lab any time the Library is open? Stop by for a brief orientation so you can use the room’s technology to digitize your current photos, slides or VHS collections, or clean up and edit digital images or video, and more. You’ll also need a valid Library Card.

Classes are free and space is limited, so patrons should register early. To register for classes at the Library, visit https://www.icpl.org/events/digital-media-lab to register online. You can also register by calling the Library at 319-356-5200. All classes will be held in the Digital Media Lab on the second floor.