Ask CITYVIEW

Where can I donate used books?

This question was posed by a reader who used to donate books to Planned Parenthood, which is no longer accepting book donations after ending its annual book sale. The good news for this reader, and those also looking to donate books, is that there are plenty of options around the Des Moines metro.

All Des Moines public libraries accept donations, as long as they are in good condition. Books can also be donated to area thrift stores such as Goodwill, the Salvation Army, Hope Ministries and others. To go even more local, plenty of “little free libraries” are spread throughout the metro. Check out www.littlefreelibrary.org/map/ and type in your neighborhood, along with Des Moines, and the map will show where books can be placed in one of the little free libraries in your neighborhood. Hundreds are spread throughout Des Moines and resemble birdhouses.

Local bookstores may also accept donations. Check their website or call to confirm. Even some hospitals, especially children’s hospitals, accept book donations. Books can be donated to several national organizations, too, such as Books for Africa, Book Aid International, Room to Read and more. 

Who pays for the ‘I voted’ stickers?

We submitted a public record request to see how much Polk County spent on the “I voted” stickers that are handed out during each election cycle. In February 2019, Polk County spent $2,250 on 250,000 “I voted” stickers, which they still use today. To gauge how many Polk County voters are grabbing the stickers, we looked at the Secretary of State’s voter turnout reports for 2020 and 2022. The final report for 2024 is not out yet. According to the reports, there were 118,128 election-day voters in 2020 and 138,467 in 2022. That adds up to be a little more than 250,000, not counting the 2024 election cycle.

When do political campaign signs need to be removed?

According to the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Board, never. 

“There are no restrictions in Iowa’s campaign sign laws on how long a campaign sign can be displayed. However, there may be community-specific restrictions that apply, such as from a city or homeowners association,” according to the board’s website. 

As long as the sign is not placed on someone else’s property without their knowledge, is not within 300 feet of a polling location, on public property, or somewhere it may be a hazard, political signs can stay up all year round in Iowa. This used to be different until an Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals case dictated a state legislative change in the early 2000s.