Waterloo Public Library

05/28/2026

Why pay for language learning apps when your library card is already out here working overtime? 😌

Skip the subscription guilt and learn a new language for FREE with Transparent Language through the library.

Spanish? Japanese? Gaelic? Romanian? We’ve got you.

Meanwhile, your Duolingo owl is outside your window demanding payment.

Get started here: https://library.transparent.com/waterlooia/game/ng/ #/login

05/27/2026

Our Reference Librarians and Library Assistants have been hard at work adding local history postcards to the library’s Historical Cedar Valley database, uncovering fascinating pieces of Waterloo’s past along the way. We’re excited to share some of their favorite finds with you.

Today’s postcard features the Waterloo Savings Bank at the corner of West 4th and Commercial Streets. Organized in 1902, the bank moved into the landmark 10-story Waterloo Building in 1910. The building, constructed by the Leavitt & Johnson National Bank, featured a steel frame, concrete foundation, and marble interiors (The Courier, September 1, 1915, pgs. 3 and 5).

This mid-century view captures downtown Waterloo in a moment of change, including the striking modern facade added to the bank, the Woolworth’s Department Store, and the then-new municipal parking garage at the corner of W. 5th and Commercial Streets. The Waterloo Savings Bank remained in the building until 1973.

Love local history? Discover more historic postcards, photographs, and Cedar Valley stories in the Historical Cedar Valley database:
https://historicalcedarvalley.omeka.net/

05/24/2026

Reminder: we will be closed tomorrow for the holiday!

The library will be closed Monday, May 25, for Memorial Day.

05/21/2026

The library will be closed Monday, May 25, for Memorial Day.

05/19/2026

Meet your library’s new catalog app: Aspen LiDA 📚✨⁠
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Everything you need from the library, right in your pocket.⁠
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With Aspen LiDA, you can:⁠
✔ Search the collection⁠
✔ Browse new discoveries⁠
✔ Check out eBooks and eAudiobooks⁠
✔ Manage your account⁠
✔ Create and save lists⁠
✔ View library hours and contact info⁠
✔ And more!⁠
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Available now on Google Play and the Apple App Store. Download it today and take the library with you wherever you go!

05/18/2026

Come work with us! We help people, create great experiences, and have a lot of fun along the way.

We’re hiring a 20-hour Library Assistant to join our team. If you enjoy connecting with the community and making a difference every day, we’d love to hear from you.

See details and apply here: https://www.waterloopubliclibrary.org/job-openings

05/14/2026

Plant a seed, read! Explore the beautiful gardens of the Cedar Valley Arboretum, compete against friends in Mario Kart World Relay on our brand new Switch 2, Paint your favorite book cover onto a Teen Area ceiling tile, celebrate the end of summer with pizza and a free pool party at the Sportsplex, and so much more at the 2026 Teen Summer Library Program! Join Teen Librarian Dusty and other library staff for a fun-filled summer! Click the following link to view the full Teen summer program calendar: https://tinyurl.com/TeenSLP2026WPL
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SOME PROGRAMS REQUIRE REGISTRATION. ALL PROGRAMS ARE FREE.⁠
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The 2026 Teen Summer Library Program is made possible by the Friends of the Waterloo Public Library.

05/12/2026

Plant a seed, read! Make a mess at Mess Fest, enjoy lots of take-home and in-library crafts and contests, learn all about veggies at the Waterloo Farmers Market, meet your favorite farm animals, and so much more at the 2026 Youth Summer Library Program! Our Youth staff have prepared an amazing summer for you. Click the following link to view the full Youth summer program calendar!⁠ https://live-waterloopl.pantheonsite.io/youth-summer-library-program
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SOME PROGRAMS REQUIRE REGISTRATION. ALL PROGRAMS ARE FREE.⁠
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The 2026 Youth Summer Library Program is made possible by the Friends of the Waterloo Public Library.

05/05/2026

We’re excited to launch a brand-new early literacy program at the library! 🎉📚

Join 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten and help your little one build a lifelong love of reading. Track the books you share at home and at the library, earn fun prizes, celebrate milestones, and watch your critter climb the tree! 🐿️🌳✨

Signing up is easy—just stop by the Youth Department anytime we’re open. The program is open to children from birth through kindergarten.

We can’t wait to see you and your little reader! 💛

More information about this program may be found here: https://www.waterloopubliclibrary.org/1000-books-kindergarten

05/04/2026

Check out what's happening in the Hive!⁠
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https://tinyurl.com/WPLHiveWorkshopsUpcoming