Oelwein Public Library

06/13/2026

It's probably no surprise to you that libraries, as publicly-funded entities, keep track of a lot of numbers. Every year, these numbers are reported to the State Library of Iowa, who puts together a report on all of the libraries across the state. As the fiscal year comes to an end and we prepare for a new one, here are some statistics on the services that Iowa's libraries provided in Fiscal Year 25 (July 2024 through June 2025).

06/12/2026

Thursday, June 18, 5:00-7:00
Nasrine Abou-Bakr Gross will speak at the Oelwein Library about her advocacy for women's civil rights and education in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. She will share an exclusive short documentary, "Love Letters from Kabul", an an uncensored glimpse into the daily life of women in Kabul.

Send a message to learn more

06/12/2026

Library shenanigans alert 🚨 for Wednesday, June 17th! Swing by at 10:00 a.m. for a storytelling extravaganza featuring your hometown heroes! Special guests included in the lineup: Officer Will Ward, Lieutenant Shannon Cox, Officer Brandon DeJong, and Officer Gage Voshell. Fire up the excitement with Tim Palmer from the Oelwein Fire Dept., and keep your pulse racing with Jess Gordon from the EMS. Don’t miss out on this heroic hoopla!
Are you a LEGO lover with a need for speed? Zoom 🏎️ on over at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17th! Create your ultimate racer and challenge your pals on the library's epic Blu Track.

06/11/2026

We had a different sort of animal invasion yesterday when some of our youngest patrons brought their stuffed friends to stay overnight in the library. We had storytime with books and songs and fun, and then the animals were left unattended in the library while the librarians were working. (That might have been our first mistake.) There were a few moments where they had some trouble behaving (don't we all), but they had a lot of fun! We can't wait to invite them back next year for another visit.

06/10/2026

Thanks, Anna, from NIDA, for teaching us the Virginia Reel! What fun we had. The Friends cookies and cider were a welcome refreshment, too!

06/09/2026

We are getting ready for our Colonial Dance lessons. Come join the fun! June 9 at 6:00

06/08/2026

The Art Show is set up in the library. You'll be amazed by the talent! Stop by and have a look. Don't forget to cast your vote for People's Choice!

06/06/2026

Summer Reading Programs for next week! 😎
Tuesday, June 9th at 6:00 p.m. Colonial Dance Class. This program is a celebration of America's 250th. 🇺🇸
Wednesday, June 10th at 10:00 a.m. Stuffed Animal Sleepover. 🐻Bring your stuffed friend to Storytime. Let them stay overnight with us and pick up Thursday. You will see all the fun they have at the library.

06/06/2026

New Library Hours
Effective July 1st, 2026.
Monday: 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday: 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Thursday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Sunday: Closed
These changes are due to budget cuts resulting in reduction of staff hours.

06/05/2026

On Wednesday morning, as part of our Summer Reading Program, we had a visit from Dr. Bectel (aka Bec) from Wartburg College and some of his many animal friends. He told us about the animals and even some stories from his recent visit to Peru. For example, did you know that poison dart frogs are poisonous because of what they eat? They eat ants that are poisonous, and if these frogs are raised outside of this environment and not fed poisonous ants, the frogs aren't poisonous. Mind-blowing, right? Also, something is poisonous if it makes you sick when you eat it, and venomous if it makes you sick when it bites you.

Yes, the chicken that you see in a couple of these photos is fully grown. She's a Malaysian Serama chicken, which are kept as pets in Malaysia, sometimes in houses, and are therefore tame and smaller in size.

Then at the end of the program, those who were daring enough got a chance to hold a snake.

Thanks for teaching us about our wild friends, Bec!