The Iowa City Public Library will have adjusted hours during the Thanksgiving holiday. We’ll be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 27, closed on Thursday, Nov. 28, and open again from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 29. While planning your visits to the Library, please also take note of upcoming Bookmobile closures during the holiday season. As we take this time to celebrate and recharge, we encourage you to plan ahead for your Bookmobile visits.
Please note the following dates when the Bookmobile will not be in service:
Wednesday, November 27, 2024 (Thanksgiving Eve)
Thursday, November 28, 2024 (Thanksgiving)
Friday, November 29, 2024 (Day after Thanksgiving)
Friday, December 13, 2024 (Inservice Day)
Monday, December 23, 2024, to Friday, January 3, 2025 (Bookmobile Seasonal Service Break)
To stay up-to-date on the Bookmobile's schedule and get information about its regular stops, please visit the Iowa City Public Library website at icpl.org/bookmobile. Here, you can find the latest updates, route information, and other resources to enhance your Bookmobile experience.
Remember, even when the Bookmobile and Library are closed, online services are available 24/7 at icpl.org/digital. This includes account access and, for those within our service area, access to ICPL's Digital Library, which features eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines, The New York Times, Kanopy video streaming, and more.
Stay healthy and safe over the holiday!
I Survived the Black Death, 1348 By Lauren Tarshis "The Black Death was a pandemic of unimaginable proportions, taking the lives of 75–200 million people worldwide. Lauren Tarshis's story of one girl surviving the plague pulses with terror, action, and hope. The deadliest disease in the history of the world..."
Elsie dreams of becoming a brave warrior like her father, an archer fighting in England's war against France. But in 1348 Europe, peasant girls like Elsie can’t be archers or knights—or anything exciting. When Elsie and her best friend Humphrey discover a chest filled with stolen treasures and a dangerous secret, she finally has a chance to prove her bravery. Little does she know, the Black Death has begun its deadly attack on England.
The Cookie Crumbles By Alechia Dow and Tracy Badua Laila dreams of winning the Golden Cookie Competition, which offers a full ride to the prestigious Sunderland boarding school. But when a celebrity judge collapses after tasting her showpiece, Laila and her best friend Lucy find themselves tangled in a sweet but dangerous mystery.
Sandwich By Catherine Newman During her family’s annual Cape Cod getaway, Rocky finds herself sandwiched between her half-grown kids and aging parents. Reliving the tenderness and sorrow of past summers, she must confront her family’s history, secrets, and future while coming to terms with truths she can no longer hide.
Ever wondered what it’s like to work on the Iowa City Public Library Bookmobile? Sarah Miller-Jacobs,Community Assistant, gives us a peek into her day-to-day experience, sharing stories about the rewarding connections she makes and the unique opportunities the Bookmobile offers to patrons in the community.
Can you describe a typical day working on the Bookmobile? A typical workday on the Bookmobile starts with arriving to cart all our NEW! books and holds down to the Bookmobile! We have a busy Tuesday morning shift with stops at SideKick Coffe, Melrose Meadows, Oaknoll Retirement Community and the UI College of Medicine. We are utilized by mulitple patrons at all stops with at least 1 patron thanking us for all we do on the Bookmobile, if not more. It's a very rewarding morning!
How has your experience on the Bookmobile influenced your perspective on library services? My experience on the Bookmobile has enabled me to see how patrons continue to seek us out; once you find your love of a library, you look for all the ways libraries serve you and your community. We have patron power users of the Bookmobile who will hunt us down to find a book they have been waiting to read.
Reflecting on your interactions with the community, can you share a memorable experience or story that stands out from your time on the Bookmobile? The Bookmobile attended FryFest this last Summer and it was a great party. I noticed that most of the patrons popping in to escape the heat were from out-of-town. We took that opportunity to let people know that you can have a card with the ICPL, even if you don't live locally in Iowa City area. We told many folks, seven of whom said, "Yes! I'd like a card!" We promoted Open Access services to Iowa residents. It was a great point of making sure that Iowa residents knew how to use their libraries and how to do so in new ways. Several families said they travel to Iowa City regularly enough that they would use their cards while visiting.
What do you find most rewarding about your role on the Bookmobile? I find that the most rewarding part of serving on the Bookmobile is not just one thing. It's meeting patrons that happen upon us in a new location that are so excited to see us in a new location. It's finding that one kid that is remarkably shy but leads their siblings after school to select books on the Bookmobile stop near their home. It's helping people onto the Bookmobile using our lift, providing accessibility to those who want select books themselves. It's telling the person who didn't have WiFi at home this month that, "YES! We have WiFi! Step onboard so you can download that document you need!"
The Adventure Pass Program, which offers free access to select Iowa attractions and museums with an Iowa City Public Library card, will be paused indefinitely starting December 31, 2024.
You can still make new reservations through December 31, 2024. If patrons have already booked and printed their passes for dates in 2025, they can use them, but no new reservations will be accepted for dates after December 31.
This pause is due to the unexpected discontinuation of our reservation software, as the vendor is ceasing operations. The statewide administrator for the Adventure Pass Program is actively working to secure a new vendor to bring this popular service back as soon as possible.
This pause affects all libraries participating in the Adventure Pass Program. We understand how much our community values this program and appreciate your patience and support as we work on a solution.
