Update: The pop-up event at ICPL on Saturday was postponed due to a winter weather advisory. The new event date has yet to be announced. The Banned Wagon is coming to the Iowa City Public Library (ICPL) on Saturday, as the library hosts a pop-up event where Annie’s Foundation will be giving away free copies […]
ICPL
Iowa City Public Library reopens after bomb threat Tuesday afternoon, continued threats Wednesday morning
The Iowa City Public Library was evacuated on Tuesday afternoon, after it received a bomb threat at approximately 3:30 p.m. The library remained closed on Tuesday, even after bomb-detection dogs from the University of Iowa Police Department swept the building. ICPL reopened on its regular schedule Wednesday morning. According to a written statement issued by […]
Fully Booked: Self-help books that aren’t B.S.
Can’t decide what to read next? Librarians at the Iowa City Public Library have some ideas. This month, Melody Dworak highlights great nonfiction advice books. Browse print books and audiobooks available for checkout at the ICPL. As a reader who loves to learn about conflict-resolution strategies, I embrace books on negotiating agreements and finding win-win […]
Fully Booked: Romantic comedies that feel like a hearty meal
Can’t decide what to read next? Librarians at the Iowa City Public Library have some ideas. This month, Melody Dworak highlights great romance. Browse print books and audiobooks available for checkout at the ICPL. Scottish author Mhairi McFarlane has become a rom-com-writing critical darling, and is hands-down my favorite author right now. (Mhairi is pronounced […]
Iowa City Public Library stops charging overdue fines
The Iowa City Public Library will no longer charge fines for overdue books or other materials. ICPL eliminated overdue fines on books for children and young adults in May 2019. Now that no-fine policy will apply to everything on loan at the library. “Creating financial barriers to public library use is counterproductive and goes against […]
A library card could earn you a free pass to museums, gardens and more in cities across Iowa
Library cards have always allowed you to read about other people’s experiences for free, and now they can help have your own experiences. Also for free. Adults with active library cards from the Iowa City Public Library (ICPL), the Cedar Rapids Public Library (CRPL) and the Des Moines Public Library (DMPL) — as well as […]
Kids can get a free bus ride to downtown Iowa City summer weekdays by showing their library card
Starting Wednesday, Iowa City kids will be able to get a free bus ride downtown by showing their library card, as the Summer Library Bus program returns. The Iowa City Public Library (ICPL) partners with Iowa City Transit every year for this program to make it easier for school-age kids to access the library during […]
The Iowa City Public Library wants to know what the heck you experienced during the pandemic
For Candice Smith, the pandemic blurred the last few years. “It has wiped my sense of time from my brain,” she said. The pandemic was another heavy stone tied to the heels of an already terrible year. Smith was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer on April Fool’s Day in 2019. At the same time, […]
Iowa City Public Library is closed, but offering services and storytime online
The Iowa City Public Library will not be answering its phones as staff begin working remotely in an effort to help limit the spread of COVID-19, the library explained in a press release on Monday. People will still be able to contact the library with questions via online chat. The chat will be live 10 […]
Iowa City Public Library names its new director
The Iowa City Public Library Board of Trustees announced on Thursday it has hired Elsworth Carman as the library’s new director. Carman was formerly the director of the Marion Public Library. “We agree that he has the right leadership, communication, and financial skills to deliver the best possible public library service going forward,” Robin Paetzold, […]
Iowa City Public Library hopes you’ll say ‘Knope’ to Penn State, and vote them best library in the U.S.
Leslie Knope may not have been a fan of libraries, but the Iowa City Public Library is up for a local government award named in her honor. Voting for the current round ends today.
Now available for library checkout: laptops
Books, DVDs, video games and now laptops: This week, the Iowa City Public Library adds computers to its collection of items available for checkout. As of today, Mar. 1, five Lenovo laptops equipped with the Windows 7 operating system and Microsoft Office Professional 2013 software will be available to patrons. Currently, there are 40 computer […]

