Library News

Dinosaur Stomp

Saturday, Sept. 30, 10 a.m.

The City of Newton’s Community Services/Parks and Recreation and the Newton Public Library are partnering for a Dinosaur Stomp at Agnes Patterson Memorial Park. Join us for a walk around the StoryWalk for a dinosaur story, meet and greet with a dinosaur, and more! This event is open for kids 2 to 8 years old, but siblings of any age are welcome. Sea Turtle Ice Cream Truck will be at this event and kids will get a free ice cream treat!

Bookish Birdhouses Art Show

Sept. 8 - 30

Visit the Newton Public Library to view our first-ever Bookish Birdhouses Art Show! Artists of all ages decorated birdhouses in honor of their favorite book or author. The decorated birdhouses will be on display inside the library Sept. 8 - 30.

October Mystery Bag

Wondering what to read next? Check out our FREE monthly mystery bags for adults! Mystery bags have a different theme every month and contain a surprise selection of 4-5 books and an adult craft. Return the library books when you’re done with them - keep the craft! The October theme is “Thrills & Chills.” The October bag will include a variety of mysteries, thrillers, and spooky spine-tinglers. The craft is a decorative haunted house with DIY clay ghosts. Registration opens Sept. 25. Ages 18+

B.Y.O.B Book Club

Thursday, October 5, 3 p.m.

Join our new afternoon book club for adults! Choose your own book to read, based on our monthly theme, and share what you read at the meeting. It’s like a potluck for books! The October theme is “Nonfiction.”

Halloween Pet Photo Booth

Oct. 6 and 7

Gather your furry ghouls and goblins and creep on down to our Halloween pet photo booth! Bring your pet and your own camera or phone and take photos in our decorated photo booth. Pets must be leashed or otherwise contained and house-trained. Pets should be accompanied by an adult, but the whole family is welcome to attend. Costumes encouraged! Freewill donations for Paws-N-Claws Iowa will be accepted. Registration is required to reserve your private photography time slot. Registration opens Sept. 25. Call 641-792-4108 to register.

We Shall All Be Monsters: Mary Shelley and the Creation of Frankenstein

Monday, Oct. 16, 5:30 p.m.

The daughter of 18th-century radicals, Mary Shelley was disowned by her family and ostracized by society when she ran off with a married man at the age of 16. Despite continued criticism of her morals, her husband’s philandering, and the death of loved ones, she still managed to write one of the most popular novels of all time while still a teenager. In this program, historian Kathy Wilson looks at the life of Mary Shelley to learn more about the author and understand not only what influenced her writing, but why we still are fascinated with Frankenstein today. This program is free to attend and open to the public.