Library Blog

Friday, September 15
On June 29 I installed the trail cam behind Queset Garden and hoped for the best. My first set of photos included this image which encouraged me to continue. Can you identify this animal? Send...

Friday, September 08
No doubt about it! White-tailed deer dominate the library’s nightlife. They are the largest mammalian visitors to the library campus and, based on my trail cam’s videos, the most frequent. Indeed...

Friday, September 01
Who visits the library campus after dark? Submit your thoughts on the most frequent mammalian visitors to lrubinacci@amesfreelibrary.org. Then, check back next Friday to see what my new trail cam...

Friday, August 25
Last week, several readers correctly pinpointed California as the home of my giant pinecone. “Terrific!,” I thought, “These folks traveled to the northern Sierras where they saw the same wonderful...

Friday, August 18
Where do pine cones grow this large? Identify the species and its location by sending an email to lrubinacci@amesfreelibrary.org. Hint: It’s not Easton!

Friday, August 11
The library welcomes everyone; well, almost everyone. Last week, I escorted a young visitor to the door . . . and a little beyond. This individual was certainly charming and, for all I know, well-...

Saturday, August 05
Congratulations to Joyce F. for correctly identifying last week’s “What Is It!” on the Ames Free Library’s Facebook page. This surrealistic creature is, indeed, a spicebush swallowtail caterpillar...

Friday, July 28
This week’s mystery creature seems to ask, “Who are you looking at?” If you think you know, email your identification to lrubinacci@amesfreelibrary.org. Next Friday, we’ll reveal its name and...

Wednesday, July 19
So, who saw a monocot this week? I guarantee you all did, whether or not you were paying attention or taking my assignment seriously. I chose the orange daylily, Hemerocallis fulva, to introduce...

Wednesday, July 19
Babytime is moving inside for the rest of the summer!
Between the UV rays, heat, humidity, and air quality, storytime attendees and Miss Hannah have decided to make the switch and hold Babytime in...