Photos: Exploring the art of fingerprints at the Hiawatha library

Children gathered at the Hiwatha Public Library on Friday for the monthly Doodlebug program, led by Cedar Rapids Museum of Art education director Erin Thomas. The art-based storytime highlights art in unique places like the art of fingerprinting.

Savannah Blake

Nov. 21, 2025 3:14 pm

Cedar Rapids Museum of Art Education Director Erin Thomas reacts as she reads a detective themed story to young children during the Doodlebugs program at Hiawatha Public Library on Friday. The program is an art-based story time and happens once a month. The activity for this month was about detectives and the art of fingerprinting. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Cedar Rapids Museum of Art Education Director Erin Thomas uses a magnifying glass on her fingerprint to show young children how to look at the unique pattern on their fingers during the Doodlebugs program at Hiawatha Public Library on Friday. The program is an art-based story time and happens once a month. The activity for this month was about detectives and the art of fingerprinting. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Mardella Stoecker of Cedar Rapids helps her granddaughter, Zara Zumwalk, 2, scribble with a pencil to create a layer of graphite to stick her finger on and create a fingerprint during the Doodlebugs program at Hiawatha Public Library on Friday. The program is an art-based story time and happens once a month. The activity for this month was about detectives and the art of fingerprinting. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

A young boy rubs his finger on pencil graphite dust to stamp his fingerprint during the Doodlebugs program at Hiawatha Public Library on Friday. The program is an art-based story time and happens once a month. The activity for this month was about detectives and the art of fingerprinting. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Zara Zumwalk, 2, of Cedar Rapids (left) tries to recreate the unique pattern of her fingerprint during the Doodlebugs program at Hiawatha Public Library on Friday. The program is an art-based story time and happens once a month. The activity for this month was about detectives and the art of fingerprinting. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

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