Home Space for Everyone

Space for Everyone

Library
A colorized graphic logo featuring the phrase "Reach for the Stars." The words "REACH" and "STARS" are written in prominent, tall purple letters, while "FOR THE" is stacked in smaller purple text on the left. A gold outline of a shooting star trails curved gold lines and dark blue dots underneath the text. The background is scattered with small gold four-point stars, dark tiny stars, and small blue braille dots.

What a stellar weekend! On Saturday, October 3, we officially launched Experience the Cosmos: The James Webb Space Telescope Traveling Tactile Exhibit, and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience for our visitors!

Visitors of all ages and backgrounds filled the exhibit to explore space through touch, sound, sight, and community art. While we are proud to serve as Iowa’s library for the blind and print disabled, this exhibit was truly created for everyone—and Saturday proved just how universal the wonder of space really is!

An adult wearing a brown sweater and yellow cap stands beside a young child in a yellow dress who is standing on a small wooden step stool. They are looking at an interactive, lighted space display featuring colorful astronomical nebula images mounted on a black wall.
An older man wearing a green jacket, baseball cap, and holding a white cane stands in a doorway alongside a woman wearing a light purple shirt that reads "REACH FOR THE STARS." Both smile directly at the camera in a brightly lit hallway.

🎨 Creative Touch: “Felt the Stars” Workshop with Jill Wells

Local artist Jill Wells led a hands-on drop-in workshop where guests crafted a two-piece tactile ornament set using wool felt pom-poms on metal frames to make a beautiful ornament to take home as a keepsake of their experience.

Artist Jill Wells wearing novelty paper glasses, and dark activewear poses in front of a blue star-filled backdrop. They hold a paper rocket ship on a stick in one hand above their head and a small chalkboard sign reading "Reach For The Stars @IDB" in the other.
A white tabletop is set up with craft supplies, featuring small white baskets filled with organized felt pom-poms sorted by color. Next to the baskets are finished star-shaped felt bead crafts and paper rocket cutouts.
A person seated at a table works on a craft project using colorful felt pom-poms and a hot glue gun near a bright window. Metal star-shaped wire frames and additional craft supplies rest on the table around them.

⛺ Camping Under Constellations & Exploring Tactile Galaxies

Guests also relaxed inside our popular starry tent, stargazing at constellations accompanied by ambient outdoor sounds and chirping crickets. Nearby, visitors marveling at the 3D tactile display tables traced the intricate details of galaxies, nebulae, and Webb telescope components to experience space science in a whole new way.

🚀 Visit the Exhibit Through December 21!

If you missed Saturday’s Grand Opening, don’t worry—the journey has just begun!

Experience the Cosmos will be hosted at the library through December 21, 2026. Whether you’re stopping in with family, a school group, or exploring on your own, there is something remarkable to see, touch, and hear.

Thank you to everyone who joined us to make opening day so special, and a huge thank you to Jill Wells for sharing her artistic vision with our community!

Join the Voyage

The Library has two t-shirts to commemorate Experience the Cosmos: the James Webb Space Telescope Tactile Exhibit and the Reach for the Stars STEM Fest on October 24th.  You can order your own Reach for the Stars t-shirt!

Both shirts are crew neck and short sleeved. All sizing is unisex and all shirts are $25.00 + shipping.  T-shirts will be shipped to the address you provide.  The online store will be open until December 9, 2026.  

Link to the online store – Order Here. Let’s all Reach for the Stars!

Option 1: A navy blue shirt with light purple lettering. On the front it has Reach for the Stars in print with a large shooting star and in the tail of the star it says Reach for the Stars in braille. The back of the shirt says, Reach for the Stars in braille and includes the logos of the Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled and the South Central Iowa Region Governor’s STEM Council. Option 2: A heather lavender shirt with dark purple lettering. It has the words Reach for the Stars in print around the graphic of a stick man figure with a white cane wearing an astronaut helmet. The stick man figure appears to be walking in space. Underneath the graphic is Reach for the Stars in braille. The back of the shirt says, Reach for the Stars in braille and includes the logo of the Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled

All proceeds from the t-shirt sales will benefit the Friends of the Iowa Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. The Friends have generously given the library money every year for library programs, 3D printers, equipment, and special projects.
Prev

Library News 1.0: October 2026
Next

Weekly Dose of Braille

You might also like...
Monthly Book Review from Deena
Library News 1.0: October 2026
Tomorrow is the Grand Opening of Experience the ...

Footer