Ottumwa Public Library

Preschool Storytime Partnership with Luxury Learning
2025-08-22 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Chicago)
Join us for storytime where we’ll be reading stories, singing, rhyming, and doing a craft. This storytime is aimed at children aged 3-5 but older or younger children are welcome.

Chat, Craft, and Create
2025-08-23 10:00 - 12:00
Adults and teens, do you enjoy crafting? Crafting is always more fun when you can craft along with a friend! Join us in the library meeting room and bring along your current project. This is an opportunity to meet other crafters, show off your current or recently finished projects, and to share crafting knowledge with others! Whether you knit, crochet, diamond paint, cross stitch, embroider, etc., as long as your project can travel, you are welcome to join!

Painting Class
2025-08-23 14:00 - 15:30
Join us for a monthly painting tutorial class from 2-3:30 pm. Class limited to 15 participants and registration is required. Patrons can sign up themselves and one other patron multiple spots cannot be booked by one person. Please contact us at 641-682-7563 or email amanning@ottumwapubliclibrary.org to reserve your spot.

Songs and Stories
2025-08-27 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-09-03 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-09-10 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-09-17 10:00 - 11:00
Join us every Wednesday at 10:00AM for songs, rhymes, singing and dancing! This storytime is aimed at kids 0-4 with a caregiver, but all children are welcome.

Virtual Author Talk: Dr. Tasha Eurich
2025-08-28 13:00 - 14:00
Learn how to master the daily grind and become shatterproof in a tumultuous world with key insights by Dr. Tasha Eurich as she talks about her newest book, Shatterproof: How to Thrive in a World of Constant Chaos (And why resilience alone isn’t enough).
Login to register or view the recording at: https://libraryc.org/ottumwapubliclibrary/84397

Preschool Storytime
2025-08-29 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-09-05 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-09-12 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-09-19 09:00 - 10:00

Library Closed in honor of Labor Day
2025-09-01

Kids Grab and Go Craft Bags
2025-09-03
Kids! Join us for another grab and go craft bag event. Stop by the children’s desks to pick up a craft bag. No registration required, craft bags are available while supplies last.

Adult Take & Make Craft Giveaway
2025-09-03
Our next Adult Take and Make Craft give away is today! Drop by anytime today to pick up a craft bag kit, limit two per patron while supplies last.

Online Author Talk: On Writing Darkly Charming Villainous Love with Hannah Nicole Maehrer
2025-09-03 18:00 - 19:00
Embrace your dark side (and your best evil laugh) and join us in conversation with Hannah Nicole Maehrer, creator of the New York Times bestselling Assistant to the Villain series.
Login to register or view the recording at: https://libraryc.org/ottumwapubliclibrary/88087

Cuentos Y Cantos
2025-09-04 10:00 - 11:00
Únase a nosotros para la hora del cuento en español donde leeremos cuentos, cantaremos, rimaremos y haremos manualidades. Esta hora del cuento está dirigida a niños de 1 a 5 años, pero los niños mayores o más pequeños son bienvenidos. Join us for spanish storytime where we’ll be reading stories, singing, rhyming, and doing a craft. This storytime is aimed at children aged 1-5 but older or younger children are welcome.

Shelf-Indulgent: A Book Fair for Grown-ups
2025-09-05 17:00 - 19:00 | 210 W Main St, Ottumwa, IA, United States
Come shop our book fair for grown-ups! Meet local Iowa Authors, buy books, trinkets and more! This even will be held at the Railroad Clubhouse located on 210 W Main St, Ottumwa, IA 52501, USA.
For any questions, please call us at 641-682-7563

Music and Movement
2025-09-08 10:30 - 11:30, 2025-09-15 10:30 - 11:30
Join us every Monday for singing, dancing, finger play and stories that build early literacy skills. This program is for children 18 months to 4 years old with an adult caregiver.

Library Board Meeting
2025-09-08 17:00 - 18:00 | Meeting Room
The monthly meeting of the Ottumwa Public Library’s board.

Snacks in the Stacks
2025-09-09 17:15 - 18:15
Join us in the meeting room for some snacks, then listen to the first chapter (or two) of a book and take a copy home to keep! Registration not required, limit one book per family, books available while supplies last.

Online Author Talk: Argue Less and Talk More with Communication Expert Jefferson Fisher
2025-09-10 13:00 - 13:30
Join us (and be ready to take notes) for an afternoon virtual conversation with communication expert Jefferson Fisher, as we chat about his book, The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk More. Log in to register or view at: https://libraryc.org/ottumwapubliclibrary/88645

Reader's Ink Book Club
2025-09-10 17:00 - 18:00
We read a new book each month and discuss together on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at the Ottumwa Public Library. Ask at the Circulation desk for this month’s selection or call 641-682-7563.

Wisdom & Wonder: Multi-generational Storytime
2025-09-13 10:00 - 11:00 | The Haven Memory Care, 2 Pennsylvania Pl, Ottumwa, IA, United States
Don’t miss this special Saturday storytime on Saturday, at 10AM at The Haven! Do you have loved ones living in The Haven at Pennsylvania Place? This would be the perfect storytime for your family to attend! Any little ones (and their grown-ups) in the community are welcome! Pennsylvania Place residents love to be around youthful energy; bring a smile to their faces and your kiddos by joining us!

Online Author Talk: Our Failed Attempts to Make English Eezier to Spell with Author Gabe Henry
2025-09-17 13:00 - 14:00
Have you ever wondered why the English spelling of words is sometimes… well… just weird? Come on a surprisingly hilarious journey with us and author Gabe Henry through the history of the English language, while we discuss troublemakers like Mark Twain who broke all the rules.
Log in to our Online Author Talk Consortium Website tp register or view: https://libraryc.org/ottumwapubliclibrary/89203

Kids Science Club
2025-09-17 16:00 - 17:00
Kids! Join us for science club at the library. We’ll be doing a different STEAM activity or two every month during the school year!

Reminisce Society Meeting: Ann Hanigan Kotz Suffrage & WWI: The Iowa View
2025-09-23 10:00 - 11:00
Join us Tuesday September 23rd at 10 am in the Ottumwa Knights of Columbus Hall for the first Reminisce Society Meeting of the Fall Season! This month we will be hosting Ann Hanigan Kotz and her program, Suffrage & WWI: The Iowa View.
Reminisce Society Meetings are free and open to the public. For any questions, or to be added to the Zoom list, please call us at 641-682-7563 or email Director Sonja Ferrell at sferrell@ottumwapubliclibrary.org.

Nonfiction Book Club
2025-09-25 17:30 - 18:30
A book club focusing discussion of non-fiction works.

Pages 4 Pennies Book Sale
2025-09-26 12:00 - 20:00 | Bridge View Center, 102 Church St, Ottumwa, IA, United States
Annual Pages 4 Pennies Book Sale at the Bridge View Center Inc. Books, DVDs, Games, Puzzles all mostly under $2!
