Library Blog
Posted on Thu, August 11, 2022 - 08:00pm
Here’s the latest news.
Part 1: The Robin.
If you recall, last Friday a dramatic thunderstorm passed through our region. It began to sprinkle as I headed to my car; soon there was a deluge. As I readied myself for the commute, I looked towards the robin’s nest and wondered how it would fare…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Sun, August 07, 2022 - 08:00pm
Ever been curious what your neighbors are reading or watching? Here are just some of their suggestions! As we receive more recommendations, we'll post them here on the AFL Blog.
If you would like to suggest something you've loved to your neighbors, fill out our Your Neighbors Recommend form!
The…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, August 04, 2022 - 08:00pm
As I was watering the library’s tomatoes and fall greens, I spotted a small object just outside the entrance. It was new, and its color stood out from the gray and pink masonry.
Here’s a closer look.
“What Is It!”
A handful of Massachusetts birds lay small, unmarked blue eggs. These include…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, July 28, 2022 - 08:00pm
Dragonflies have been among the library’s most conspicuous animals during July – if you’ve been outside long enough to notice them! This summer’s scorching heat sometimes leaves me immobilized, but the dragonflies, and their relatives, the damselflies, keep on going. In fact, they need warmth and…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Wed, July 20, 2022 - 08:00pm
I’ve always enjoyed wrestling with a project – asking questions, making observations, doing research, testing ideas – digging deeper. This temperament and habit informs my natural history study, my writing . . . my lesson plans, garden, home repairs, meals, and just about every creative undertaking…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Mon, July 18, 2022 - 08:00pm
Welcome to AFL Staff Stories! Every month we'll introduce you (or REintroduce you!) to a different member of the AFL Staff and tell you a little about their favorites.
This month, meet AFL's Head of Reference & Adult Services, Megan Tully. Click here for Megan's stories.
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, July 14, 2022 - 08:00pm
On a quiet June afternoon, I was scouting the grounds to see what might be seen and, truth be told, hoping to get another look at the painted turtle . . . or any turtle, for that matter. I didn’t. It was about about six o’clock when I circled back towards the pergola, close to the bocce court, when…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Sun, July 10, 2022 - 08:00pm
Ever been curious what your neighbors are reading or watching? Here are just some of their suggestions! As we receive more recommendations, we'll post them here on the AFL Blog.
If you would like to suggest something you've loved to your neighbors, fill out our Your Neighbors Recommend form!
The…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, July 07, 2022 - 08:00pm
Hello Gardeners,
We have a winner for the first round of The Great Seed Experiment! Congratulations to Connor, Nathan, and Trenton Forth (and their parents) for winning the prize for “Sprouting Reports and Documentation.” They not only created an amazing backyard garden, they also documented and…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Wed, July 06, 2022 - 08:00pm
Welcome to the special summer reading edition of the Librarian’s Lounge! I wrote a little bit about the preparations for the program last month, but now that summer reading is officially underway, I wanted to share some tips to make your summer of reading the best it can be.
Stock up on books!
This…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, June 30, 2022 - 08:00pm
When was the last time you saw a turtle? Where was it and what was it doing?
Perhaps it was swimming in a local pond or perched on a muddy bank ready to slip into the water in response to a perceived threat.
Painted Turtle, June 27, 2021, Halifax
The inland turtles of Massachusetts have…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Tue, June 28, 2022 - 08:00pm
I have a complicated relationship with JK Growling – not with the bear herself, of course (she’s my BFF!), but with her name. First, a bit of history:
When I began working at the Ames Free Library, back in the Fall of 2019, I found a slightly mangy, decidedly grumpy, and hugely adorable bear…
Category: Youth Services, Kids
Posted on Thu, June 23, 2022 - 08:00pm
If you brought home seeds from the library this spring -- and planted them -- now's the time to report your rate of germination. The "Sprouting Report" has three easy questions, and one of them is your name! Submit the report online here, or stop by the library to complete a paper form.…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Mon, June 20, 2022 - 08:00pm
Most visitors to the Ames Free Library know and love Queset Garden’s reflecting pool which is a lovely spot to visit in all seasons.
Reflecting Pool at Queset Garden
As we’ve previously noted, the reflecting pool supports a robust population of American toad tadpoles throughout the spring.…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, June 16, 2022 - 08:00pm
This Summer, families can "Read Beyond the Beaten Path" and play Nature Bingo! We have five themed bingo cards waiting for you in the Children's Room: Flora, Fauna, Sky, Water, and Rainbow. You can check off at least one square on each card by reading a book from the list on the back of your bingo…
Category: Youth Services, Kids
Posted on Thu, June 16, 2022 - 08:00pm
This Summer, families can "Read Beyond the Beaten Path" and play Nature Bingo! We have five themed bingo cards waiting for you in the Children's Room: Flora, Fauna, Sky, Water, and Rainbow. You can check off at least one square on each card by reading a book from the list on the back of your bingo…
Category: Youth Services, Kids
Posted on Thu, June 16, 2022 - 08:00pm
This Summer, families can "Read Beyond the Beaten Path" and play Nature Bingo! We have five themed bingo cards waiting for you in the Children's Room: Flora, Fauna, Sky, Water, and Rainbow. You can check off at least one square on each card by reading a book from the list on the back of your bingo…
Category: Youth Services, Kids
Posted on Thu, June 16, 2022 - 08:00pm
This Summer, families can "Read Beyond the Beaten Path" and play Nature Bingo! We have five themed bingo cards waiting for you in the Children's Room: Flora, Fauna, Sky, Water, and Rainbow. You can check off at least one square on each card by reading a book from the list on the back of your bingo…
Category: Youth Services, Kids
Posted on Thu, June 16, 2022 - 08:00pm
This Summer, families can "Read Beyond the Beaten Path" and play Nature Bingo! We have five themed bingo cards waiting for you in the Children's Room: Flora, Fauna, Sky, Water, and Rainbow. You can check off at least one square on each card by reading a book from the list on the back of your bingo…
Category: Youth Services, Kids
Posted on Wed, June 15, 2022 - 08:00pm
On June 17, 2021 President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act which made June 19 a federally observed holiday. However, what is Juneteenth and what are its origins? The legacy of Juneteenth began in Galveston Bay, Texas in 1865, two years after the Emancipation…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Sun, June 12, 2022 - 08:00pm
Ever been curious what your neighbors are reading or watching? Here are just some of their suggestions! As we receive more recommendations, we'll post them here on the AFL Blog.
If you would like to suggest something you've loved to your neighbors, fill out our Your Neighbors Recommend form!…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, June 09, 2022 - 08:00pm
Recently I witnessed a dust storm . . . a very small dust storm on the far side of Queset House. Disappointed that I had spooked a bird, I sat quietly in a less conspicuous place and amused myself by watching a gray squirrel scurry off with a black walnut. Then the bird returned and kicked up…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Wed, June 08, 2022 - 08:00pm
Welcome to AFL Staff Stories! Every month we'll introduce you (or REintroduce you!) to a different member of the AFL Staff and tell you a little about their favorites.
This month, meet AFL's Youth Services Specialist, Alyisha Wasilewski. Click here for Alyisha's stories.
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Tue, June 07, 2022 - 08:00pm
Summer is in the air!
Truth be told, I’ve had summer on the brain for what feels like months now, because we’re officially just weeks away from the kickoff of our 2022 Summer Reading Program! The fun starts on Wednesday, June 22nd. As always, we have programs for kids, teens, and adults.
When you…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, June 02, 2022 - 08:00pm
Neighbors don’t always get along, especially when they live in close proximity without sharing the same goals. Recently this has become apparent in the library’s neighborhood where noisy conflicts occur almost every day. Last Saturday the din could be heard inside the library building. Just listen…
Category: Staff Picks