In December, we celebrated 175 years of Iowan statehood. Our remarkable history has been captured by many Iowans who've written works about their state. If you want to learn more about Iowa history and tradition, the Library's collection is a great place to start. Our collection features many unique works on Iowa history, in both print and ebook.
You'll find memoirs of the early years of farming and what is was like to grow up in Iowa, like Little Heathens : Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm during the Great Depression by Mildred Armstrong Kalish, which explores life in rural Benton County.
You can travel around Iowa without leaving your chair with Creating the Black Utopia of Buxton, Iowa by Rachelle Chase or Marquette: the Biography of an Iowa Railroad Town by Cecil Cook.
Explore the lives of local heroes with biographies such as Simon Estes: In His Own Voice and Bix Beiderbecke: Jazz Age Genius.
Whether it's the Iowa State Fair or the history of the Iowa caucus, these are the writers who know our state best - Iowans!
We've created a bookmark featuring "Iowans on Iowa" to help you choose your next Iowan read. Find it on the second floor near the elevator, or ask the friendly librarians at the Adult Services desk. You can also search the catalog for "Iowa Authors" to explore our collection.