For more information call 708-452-3440.
If you need special accommodations to attend
any of these events please call 708-452-3471.
Attendance at Library programs and events constitutes
consent to be photographed for Oak Park Public Library
publicity purposes. It should be noted, however, that
names of individuals will not be used in photo captions.
=Main Library =Maze Branch =Dole Branch
= event for kids = event for teens

more events happening at the Library

Monday, February 1

Library Gallery Exhibit. Works by Sandra Dawson, Leslie Blair, Susan Bjornson, Christine Fisher, Betsy Grimm, Kathryn Hempel, Susan Jones, Janet Sodaro, Joan Steinback, Michelle Talbot, and Stephanie Yeager will be on display through February 28. A reception for the artists will be held February 6. Open to the public. Art Gallery, Second Floor, Main Library.

Chess Open Play. Open play for all ages, all skill levels. Every Monday. Drop in when you can. 5:30 pm to 9 pm Book Discussion Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Wednesday, February 3

Book Buzz! Stories and crafts are matched in this fun, interactive session which features longer books and art activities for children in kindergarten through second grade. 3 pm Storytime Room, First Floor, Main Library.

Open Boardgame Play. Love board games? The Oak Park Public Library has partnered with the Chicago Boardgames Meetup Group to offer regular evenings of open boardgame play for adults and teens. You bring it, we play it! Or just bring yourself, there will be quite a few games available. Join us on the first and third Wednesdays of every month. 6:30 pm to 9 pm Book Discussion Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Thursday, February 4

Great Decisions 2010: Special Envoys. The Great Decision discussion group begins in February and runs through May. Join the group for the entire eight sessions or to come to individual topics of interest. The February 4 and 11 (at the Main Library) discussions will cover Special Envoys. The series is cosponsored by the League of Women Voters of Oak Park and River Forest. 1 pm to 3 pm Maze Branch.

Film Showing: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Enjoy the sixth installment in the series. 153 minutes. Rated PG. 2 pm Storytime Room, First Floor, Main Library.

Ida Lupino Film Series: Ladies in Retirement. Lupino is a repressed, ready-to-explode housekeeper for an aging actress in this Victorian noir thriller. This 1941 film starring Ida Lupino is part of our "Queen of the B's" series presented by historian Doug Deuchler. Directed by Charles Vidor, 91 minutes. 2 pm Veterans Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Oak Park Job Club. Join local career coaches Peggy Kragie and April Kenfield for a free interactive workshop. No pre-registration required. Held weekly on Thursdays. Networking begins at 6 pm, topical presentation at 6:30 pm Small Meeting Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Rick Kogan with stories from Sidewalks II: Reflections on Chicago. Rick Kogan, senior writer for the Chicago Tribune and host of "Sunday Papers" on WGN Radio (720 AM), will tell entertaining stories from Sidewalks II: Reflections on Chicago. He will be joined by his award-winning photographer, Charles Osgood, who will show poster-sized photographs from the book which reprints 120 "Sidewalks" columns and photos. As always, these stories highlight the famous and not-so-famous Chicago places and people. The program is free and open to the public. Books will be available for sale and signing at the program. 7 pm Veterans Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Friday, February 5

Film Showing: G-Force. You've never seen guinea pigs like this! 88 minutes. Rated PG. 3 pm Veterans Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Beye School Art Opening. We'll celebrate a special Autumn Leaf Paintings exhibit by third graders from Beye Elementary with a gala opening featuring the artists, their families and friends, and snacks! 4 pm to 5 pm Children's Art Alcove, First Floor, Main Library.

Friday Friends Book Club. Join us for treats and a discussion of Shark Life by Peter Benchley, adapted by Karen Wojtyla. Shark Life is a fast paced and exciting look into the life of Peter Benchley, author of Jaws. Though Benchley was renowned for his tale of a killer shark, he was actually an avid scuba diver and shark activist. This book is full of his adventures under the sea. No registration is necessary. This program is best for middle school age groups. Copies of Shark Life will be available at the Dole Branch a month before the discussion. 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm Dole Branch.

Saturday, February 6

Donuts with Dads. Hey big guys! Bring your little ones with you to storytime and enjoy books, songs, and snacks in a relaxing environment with other dads. (Moms are also welcome!) Best for kids 2 to 6. No registration is required. 10 am Storytime Room, First Floor, Main Library.

Reception for Gallery Exhibit. Works by Sandra Dawson, Leslie Blair, Susan Bjornson, Christine Fisher, Betsy Grimm, Kathryn Hempel, Susan Jones, Janet Sodaro, Joan Steinback, Michelle Talbot, and Stephanie Yeager will be on display through February 28. Reception is open to the public. 2 pm to 4 pm Art Gallery, Second Floor, Main Library.

Smell the Glove: Guitar Hero World Tour Competition. Oak Park Public Library's genre X group will host this competition. Teams of four can pre-register to compete for first, second, and third place prizes in this rock band blowout. Judging will be based on score and accuracy, showmanship, and audience response. Costumes and personas are highly encouraged. For more information please visit the genre X blog. 7 pm to 11 pm Veterans Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Monday, February 8

Chess Open Play. Open play for all ages, all skill levels. Every Monday. Drop in when you can. 5:30 pm to 9 pm Book Discussion Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Oak Park Photography Club. All skill levels welcome. Members share photos via digital slide show. Club meets second and fourth Mondays. 7 pm Veterans Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Wednesday, February 10

Valentine's Craft. Come on in to the Library to make and take a great craft! This program is best for kids 4 and up. No registration is required. 3 pm Storytime Room, First Floor, Main Library.

Martin Scorsese Film Series: Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. A recently widowed woman on the road with her precocious young son, determined to make a new life for herself as a singer. This 1974 film starring Ellen Burstyn is part of our Martin Scorsese film discussion series. Refreshments will be served. 6:30 pm Veterans Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Book Discussion: Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris. Sooki Stackhouse is thrilled when a real vampire walks into her local bar. Vampires aren't dead people. They are infected by a virus which makes them allergic to sunshine and garlic. They eat only synthetic blood. At least they're supposed to eat only synthetic blood. For Sookie, who isn't exactly normal herself, vampire Bill is the perfect companion. Now adapted as the HBO series True Blood. Copies of Dead Until Dark will be available at the Maze Branch a month before the discussion. 7 pm Maze Branch.

Free Training for Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage. Standard & Poor's is a leading source of independent financial research and analysis - now Standard & Poor's has created a hands-on computer class to show investors how to use the company's online computer resource site, NetAdvantage. The class will include investment tutorials and personal finance information. Reservation required, call 708-452-3465. 7 pm to 8:30 pm Computer Classroom, Third Floor, Main Library.

Great Books Discussion: The Rocking Horse Winner by D.H. Lawrence and The Inherited Clock by Elizabeth Bowen. The Great Book Discussions occur the second Wednesday of every month. Continuing in February with GREED, the group will discuss readings from The Seven Deadly Sins (Great Books Foundation). 7:30 pm Book Discussion Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Hemingway Foundation Discussion. Discussion of The Old Man and The Sea led by Redd Griffin 7:30 pm Book Discussion Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Thursday, February 11

Computer Class: Job Searching Online. Learn to use the Internet to find and apply for jobs. Learn to search job sites and sort and refine search results. Also learn formatting choices and tools for resumes. Prerequisite: valid email account. Registration with an Oak Park Public Library card is required. Sign up at the Third Floor Service Desk at the Main Library or call 708-452-3480. Non-residents with a library card can sign up one week before the class date. 9:30 am to 11:30 am Computer Classroom, Third Floor, Main Library.

Ida Lupino Film Series: The Hard Way. Manipulative, pushy Ida shoves her younger sister into a showbiz marriage. This 1944 film starring Ida Lupino is part of our "Queen of the B's" series presented by historian Doug Deuchler. Directed by Vincent Sherman, 109 minutes. 2 pm Veterans Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Oak Park Job Club. Join local career coaches Peggy Kragie and April Kenfield for a free interactive workshop. No pre-registration required. Held weekly on Thursdays. Networking begins at 6 pm, topical presentation at 6:30 pm Small Meeting Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Great Decisions 2010: Special Envoys. The Great Decision discussion group begins in February and runs through May. Join the group for the entire eight sessions or to come to individual topics of interest. The February 4 (at the Maze Branch) and 11 discussions will cover Special Envoys, led by moderator Ed White. The series is cosponsored by the League of Women Voters of Oak Park and River Forest. 7 pm Book Discussion Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Friday, February 12

BookTrek to China! Ever wanted to travel to China? Your passport to fun and facts starts at the Library. This month we'll explore China through games, food, crafts, and stories. This program is best for ages 7 to 11. Registration starts February 1. Register at the Main Library or call 708-452-3420. 4 pm to 5 pm Storytime Room, First Floor, Main Library.

Saturday, February 13

Computer Class: Introduction to Spreadsheets. Learn to create, edit, format, save, and print simple spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Basic Computers for Beginners and Microsoft Word. Registration with an Oak Park Public Library card is required. Sign up at the Third Floor Service Desk at the Main Library or call 708-452-3480. Non-residents with a library card can sign up one week before the class date. 9:30 am to 11:30 am Computer Classroom, Third Floor, Main Library.

Donuts with Dads. Hey big guys! Bring your little ones with you to storytime and enjoy books, songs, and snacks in a relaxing environment with other dads. (Moms are also welcome!) Best for kids 2 to 6. No registration is required. 10 am Storytime Room, First Floor, Main Library.

Sunday, February 14

The Assassination of Fred Hampton. Attorney Flint Taylor will discuss litigating the Fred Hampton case. Hampton, the 21 year old head of the Illinois Black Panther Party and former head of the Maywood NAACP, was killed on December 4, 1969 by Chicago police in an operation planned by the FBI. 2 pm Veterans Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Monday, February 15

Branch Libraries Closed for Presidents' Day. More Library closings.

Barefoot Hawaiians. Warm up Presidents' Day with Polynesian dance and music, including the Samoan Fire Knife dance and Hawaiian Hula dancing. Choreographed to music, this high-energy program will include audience participation! Tickets available at the Main Library starting February 1. 2 pm Veterans Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Chess Open Play. Open play for all ages, all skill levels. Every Monday. Drop in when you can. 5:30 pm to 9 pm Book Discussion Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Tuesday, February 16

Dole's Brown Bag Book Group. Pack a lunch and join fellow book lovers for a discussion of favorite books. This book group meets the first and third Tuesday of the month. On February 16 "All you need is love..." 11:30 am to 12:30 pm Dole Branch.

Make a Mask. Celebrate Mardi Gras by dropping in to craft a silly or scary mask with Miss Ellen. This program is best for kids 4 and up. No registration required. 4 pm to 5 pm Dole Branch.

Library Board of Trustees Meeting. Open to the public. 7:30 pm Dole Branch.

Wednesday, February 17

Book Discussion: Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson. Copies of Three Cups of Tea are available at the Second Floor Service Desk. 1 pm Book Discussion Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Book Buzz! Stories and crafts are matched in this fun, interactive session which features longer books and art activities for children in kindergarten through second grade. 3 pm Storytime Room, First Floor, Main Library.

Open Boardgame Play. Love board games? The Oak Park Public Library has partnered with the Chicago Boardgames Meetup Group to offer regular evenings of open boardgame play for adults and teens. You bring it, we play it! Or just bring yourself, there will be quite a few games available. Join us on the first and third Wednesdays of every month. 6:30 pm to 9 pm Book Discussion Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Thursday, February 18

Great Decisions 2010: Kenya and R2P. The Great Decision discussion group begins in February and runs through May. Join the group for the entire eight sessions or to come to individual topics of interest. The February 4 and 11 (at the Main Library) discussions will cover Kenya and R2P. The series is cosponsored by the League of Women Voters of Oak Park and River Forest. 1 pm to 3 pm Maze Branch.

Ida Lupino Film Series: The Man I Love. Tough, wisecracking Ida works as a singer in a mobster's nightclub. This 1947 film starring Ida Lupino is part of our "Queen of the B's" series presented by historian Doug Deuchler. Directed by Raoul Walsh, 96 minutes. 2 pm Veterans Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Oak Park Job Club. Join local career coaches Peggy Kragie and April Kenfield for a free interactive workshop. No pre-registration required. Held weekly on Thursdays. Networking begins at 6 pm, topical presentation at 6:30 pm Small Meeting Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Pleasant Home Annual Lecture Series
Global Influences: Women in the Arts and Crafts Movement. A free lecture series focusing on important women in the Arts and Crafts movement around the world, including architecture, decorative arts, interior design, and social influences. Held in partnership with Pleasant Home. 7 pm Veterans Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Friday, February 19

Teen Coffeehouse/Open Mic. Teen Coffeehouse brings together area teens to showcase their skills on our stage every third Friday. Bring poetry, dance, hip-hop, music, comedy-whatever you do! Food and drinks are always provided. No registration is required. 7 pm to 9 pm Veterans Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Saturday, February 20

Donuts with Dads. Hey big guys! Bring your little ones with you to storytime and enjoy books, songs, and snacks in a relaxing environment with other dads. (Moms are also welcome!) Best for kids 2 to 6. No registration is required. 10 am Storytime Room, First Floor, Main Library.

Sunday, February 21

Lyric Opera Lecture Series: "The Marriage of Figaro." "The Marriage of Figaro" by Wolfgang Mozart. Lyric Opera fans are invited to the final program in the Lyric Opera Lecture Series. The series is hosted by the Oak Park Public Library and the River Forest Public Library through the end of February. The lectures are free and open to the public. 2 pm Small Meeting Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Free Readers Ensemble: "Mary, Mary." A sparkling comedy that offers a warm and witty examination of a marriage gone hilariously awry. Nine months after they split up, Bob and Mary meet at his New York apartment to sort out some tax matters. Bob is getting married to healthy-eating Tiffany as soon as the divorce becomes final - Mary is attracted to fellow tenant Dirk Winston, a Hollywood star. Mary, Bob? Bob,Tiffany? Mary, Dirk? - Mary, Mary. By Jean Kerr. For more information see the Free Readers Ensemble website. 3 pm Veterans Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Monday, February 22

Chess Open Play. Open play for all ages, all skill levels. Every Monday. Drop in when you can. 5:30 pm to 9 pm Book Discussion Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Oak Park Photography Club. All skill levels welcome. Members share photos via digital slide show. Club meets second and fourth Mondays. 7 pm Veterans Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Tuesday, February 23

Computer Class: Travel Planning on the Web. Join us for ideas, sites, and strategies that will help you plan upcoming travels economically, with local insights, utilizing the experience of others, and more. Begin with these resources for travel in the United States. Registration with an Oak Park Public Library card is required. Sign up at the Third Floor Service Desk at the Main Library or call 708-452-3480. Non-residents with a library card can sign up one week before the class date. 9:30 am to 11:30 am Computer Classroom, Third Floor, Main Library.

Wednesday, February 24

Computer Class: Consumer Information Online. Learn to access Consumer Reports, other consumer information, and newspaper articles using online tools available at the Library. Registration with an Oak Park Public Library card is required. Sign up at the Third Floor Service Desk at the Main Library or call 708-452-3480. Non-residents with a library card can sign up one week before the class date. 9:30 am to 11:30 am Computer Classroom, Third Floor, Main Library.

Foreign Exchange Film Program: Mongol. The film recounts the early life of Genghis Khan who was a slave before going on to conquer half the world including Russia in 1206. Part of our Foreign Exchange Program, refreshments served. 2 pm Maze Branch.

Book Buzz! Stories and crafts are matched in this fun, interactive session which features longer books and art activities for children in kindergarten through second grade. 3 pm Storytime Room, First Floor, Main Library.

Author/WBEZ Commentator Al Gini to Share Stories from Even Deadlier. Al Gini, WBEZ radio commentator and author of multiple books as well as a professor of business ethics at Loyola University Chicago, will share stories from the new Even Deadlier: A Sequel to The Seven Deadly Sins Sampler published by the Great Books Foundation. The program is free and open to the public. 7 pm Veterans Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Hemingway Foundation Discussion. Discussion of The Old Man and The Sea led by Redd Griffin 7:30 pm Book Discussion Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Thursday, February 25

Computer Class: Microsoft Word. Learn to type and format text, insert images and graphics, and other word processing skills. Registration with an Oak Park Public Library card is required. Sign up at the Third Floor Service Desk at the Main Library or call 708-452-3480. Non-residents with a library card can sign up one week before the class date. 9:30 am to 11:30 am Computer Classroom, Third Floor, Main Library.

Ida Lupino Film Series: Deep Valley. An escaped convict changes the dreary existence of Lupino, a lonely rural woman. This 1947 film starring Ida Lupino is part of our "Queen of the B's" series presented by historian Doug Deuchler. Directed by Jean Negulesco, 104 minutes. 2 pm Veterans Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Kids Book Discussion: The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd. Join us for snacks and a book discussion. We will be discussing The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd. Copies will be available at the Dole Branch a month before the discussion. No registration is necessary, but RSVP is appreciated. This program is best for 3rd and 4th graders. 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm Dole Branch.

Oak Park Job Club. Join local career coaches Peggy Kragie and April Kenfield for a free interactive workshop. No pre-registration required. Held weekly on Thursdays. Networking begins at 6 pm, topical presentation at 6:30 pm Small Meeting Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Great Decisions 2010: Kenya and R2P. The Great Decision discussion group begins in February and runs through May. Join the group for the entire eight sessions or to come to individual topics of interest. The February 18 (at the Maze Branch) and 25 discussions will cover Kenya and R2P, led by moderator Ed White. The series is cosponsored by the League of Women Voters of Oak Park and River Forest. 7 pm Book Discussion Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Pleasant Home Annual Lecture Series
Global Influences: Women in the Arts and Crafts Movement. A free lecture series focusing on important women in the Arts and Crafts movement around the world, including architecture, decorative arts, interior design, and social influences. Held in partnership with Pleasant Home. 7 pm Veterans Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Saturday, February 27

2nd Annual Oscar Fest. Camp out all day with a bagged lunch or drop in for your top picks. Coffee and bagels in the morning and popcorn in the afternoon as well as trivia quizzes throughout the day with three prizes from Bruegger's Bagels, one worth $150. These are the four Best Picture Nominees we will be presenting at our all-day Oscar marathon:

9 am District 9 (Neil Blomkamp, 112 min) Produced by Peter Jackson, an extraterrestrial race forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth suddenly finds a kindred spirit in a government agent who is exposed to their biotechnology.

11 am Up (Pete Docter and Bob Peterson, 96 min) In Pixar's latest masterpiece, a 78-year-old named Carl sets out to fulfill his lifelong dream to see the wilds of South America, by tying thousands of balloons to his house. Right after lifting off, however, he learns that Russell, a wilderness explorer 70 years his junior, has inadvertently become a stowaway on the trip.

12:45 pm A Serious Man (Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, 105 min) From the Coen brothers, a black comedy set in 1967 and centered around a Midwestern professor who watches his life unravel when his wife prepares to leave him because his inept brother won't move out of the house.

2:40 pm The Hurt Locker (Kathryn Bigelow, 131 min) Iraq. Forced to play a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse in the chaos of war, an elite Army bomb squad unit must come together in a city where everyone is a potential enemy and every object could be a deadly bomb.

9 am and running until 5 pm Veterans Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

Donuts with Dads. Hey big guys! Bring your little ones with you to storytime and enjoy books, songs, and snacks in a relaxing environment with other dads. (Moms are also welcome!) Best for kids 2 to 6. No registration is required. 10 am Storytime Room, First Floor, Main Library.

Sunday, February 28

Urban Gardening. As part of the documentary series programmed by OPCTJ in cooperation with the Oak Park Public Library, Oak Parker Julie Samuels, Community Outreach Coordinator of the Open Lands Project, will present a slide show on gardening in urban areas focusing on organic planting, composting, wise weed control, garden design, and a woody plant primer. Cosponsored by Oak Park Coalition for Truth and Justice. 2 pm Veterans Room, Second Floor, Main Library.

January 2010