Warm Regards.

With bittersweet excitement, I share the news of my upcoming departure as Library Director. I have accepted a new position as a Director at another library, serving a community of 150,000 residents. My time serving this community will come to a close at the end of this month.

Reflecting on my two-year tenure, I am incredibly proud of what has been accomplished together to strengthen our library as a civic asset and community connector, welcoming everyone to play and learn. From launching new literacy programs, adopting new digital resources, curating new material collections, expanding The Nourished Reader Project, enhancing the space with public art, and earning nearly $120,000 in grant funds for the $250,000 renovation, it has been an absolute honor to watch the library grow.

I am deeply grateful to all of you—our patrons, community partners, dedicated library staff, and the Board of Trustees—for welcoming me so warmly and supporting our new mission over the past two years. La Porte City is truly special, and I will deeply miss the conversations and shared stories that make this library the heart of the community.

Thank you for an unforgettable two years, and I wish my successor the very best as she continues to expand the library’s reach and strategic initiative.

With warm regards and gratitude,

Jake Rochford-Volk, Library Director, La Porte City Public Library.


Plant a Seed, Read!

Registration opens Monday, June 1st, and reading logs are due Saturday, July 25th.

During our eight -week program, library staff will host a range of free activities for children, tweens, teens, and adults to encourage and support a love of reading.

Participants can win prizes for reaching reading goals.

This year’s summer program theme is titled “Plant a Seed, Read,â€� which is rooted in the concept of farm to table. In rural Iowa, we understand that farms grow food that nourishes our bodies; a library grows ideas that nourish our minds. Both food and stories connect us to our family, culture, economy, and ecology. The idea of this theme looks at the library as a community table where, instead of food, we feast on ideas.

Join us this summer in a field of books as we nurture a love of reading!

The Nourished Reader Project

Thanks to our 2026 funders, The Nourished Reader Project opens June 1st. The project is the library’s commitment to fueling young minds and bodies all summer long. From June through August, we provide free, nutritious meals to kids ages 0- 17.

Kids can drop into the library during all regular hours to request a meal or just a snack that can be eaten outside the library or at home.

On Wednesdays at 11:00 AM in June and July, join us for our signature Picnic in the Park series: eight special storytime events in City Park featuring good food, great books, fun activities, and community connection. At the library, we believe that every child deserves a summer full of healthy meals and even better stories.

Please join us in thanking our sponsors: The La Porte City Police Department, Hoppy’s PRIMitive & Proper, LPC Council on Aging, LPC Insurance, Hager Insurance, LPC Care Initiatives, Pipho Dentistry, Cedar Valley Bank & Trust, Cans for Community, and Witham Auto Centers (as of May 19, 2026).

This Month’s Programs

Monday, June 1 @ 9am | Plant A Seed, Read Launch Party

Tuesday, June 2 @ 5pm | Tabletop Games With The Dealt Hand

Wednesday, June 3 @ 11am | Picnic In The Park @ City Park

Wednesday, June 3 @ 4pm | BINGO For Families

Tuesday, June 9 @ 3:30pm | STEM Lab For Tweens & Teens

Wednesday, June 10 @ 11am | Picnic In The Park @ City Park

Wednesday, June 10 @ 6pm | Makerspace Drop-in

Thursday, June 11 @ 3pm | Family Film

Monday, June 15 @ 1pm | BINGO For Families

Monday, June 15 @ 6pm | Library Board Meeting

Tuesday, June 16 @ 6pm | Color, Craft, & Connect

Wednesday, June 17 @ 11am | Picnic In The Park @ City Park

Thursday, June 18 @ 10am | Miniature Golf In The Stacks

Friday, June 19 @ 10am | Miniature Golf In The Stacks

Friday, June 19 @ 2pm | Library Closing Early

Saturday, June 20 @ 10am | Yard Games With The Dealt Hand

Monday, June 22 @ 9am | Movies All Day

Tuesday, June 23 @ 6pm | Novel Notions Book Club

Wednesday, June 24 @ 11am | Picnic In The Park @ City Park

Thursday, June 25 @ 10am | Perler Beads All Day

Friday, June 26 @ 10am | Perler Beads All Day

Saturday, June 27 @ 10am | Perler Beads All Day

Tuesday, June 30 @ 4pm | Academy Of Fandom