Your public library is here with books, resources, and experiences that can help us connect and celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander heritage.
- Browse: Curated title suggestions for all ages.
- View: A display in the Main Library Idea Box, May 18-30.
- Attend: Upcoming events.
- Explore: Librarian-curated resources.
The month of May is recognized as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in Illinois. Other organizations also honor this month as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, and Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Month.
Titles we suggest
More to explore
- Reading lists for kids: Titles by Asian and Pacific Islander creators
- Stream on Kanopy: Films and documentaries
- Available on Hoopla: Ebooks, digital audiobooks, comics, movies, and music
Display
Idea Box: Asian, Pacific Islander & Desi American Heritage Month
May 18-30, Main Library
Come see cultural artifacts from the Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi American Heritage Month (APIDA) community in Oak Park. The display also will feature a presentation on APIDA activists in American history. APIDA is a national observance that celebrates the contributions, cultures, and histories of East Asians, South Asians, Southeast Asians, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in the United States.
Upcoming events
Wednesday Movie Matinee: Moana
Wednesday, May 6, 1 pm, Main Library
A mythic adventure set around 2,000 years ago across a series of islands in the South Pacific, Moana follows the journey of a spirited teenager named Moana as she meets the once-mighty demigod Maui and, together, they traverse the open ocean, encountering enormous, fiery creatures and impossible odds.
Otherworldly Reads Book Discussion: The Empress of Salt & Fortune & When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain
Thursday, May 14, 6 pm, Main Library
At Otherworldly Reads, you can enjoy a bimonthly book discussion that alternates between science fiction and fantasy literature.
- The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo: At once feminist high fantasy and an indictment of monarchy, this evocative debut novella follows the rise of the empress In-yo, who has few resources and fewer friends. She’s a northern daughter in a mage-made summer exile, but she will bend history to her will and bring down her enemies, piece by piece.
- When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain: Author Nghi Vo returns to the empire of Ahn and the Singing Hills Cycle in a mesmerizing, lush stand-alone follow-up to The Empress of Salt and Fortune. In the novella, the cleric Chih finds themself and their companions at the mercy of a band of fierce tigers who ache with hunger. To stay alive until the mammoths can save them, Chih must unwind the intricate, layered story of the tiger and her scholar lover—a woman of courage, intelligence, and beauty—and discover how truth can survive becoming history.
Illinois Libraries Presents: Babel-On With RF Kuang
Wednesday, May 20, 7 pm, virtual
R.F. Kuang’s genre-bending fiction broaches ordinarily serious topics from a satirical and fantastical perspective. Academic yet approachable, Kuang’s work combines history, magic, and classical literary tradition to render powerful critiques of academia, the publishing industry, and even contemporary popular culture.
Kapwa!: A Celebration of Asian, Pacific Islander & Desi American Heritage
Saturday, May 30, 11 am-2 pm, Village Hall, Oak Park
Join our partners at the Village of Oak Park for the 2026 Kapwa: A Celebration of Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage from 11 am to 2 pm on Saturday, May 30 at Village Hall.
Subscription-based resources that Google can’t offer
Sign in with your Oak Park card and PIN:
For kids
- National Geographic Kids: Enter “Asian American,” “Pacific Islander American,” or “Native Hawaiian” in the search box to get started.
- PebbleGo (preschool-grades 3) and PebbleGo Next (grades 3-5): Check out the Social Studies module to explore.
Genealogy
- Ancestry Library Edition (in-library use only): Discover your family history.
Language learning
- Mango Languages: Reach conversational proficiency in Hawaiian, Hindi, Japanese, Malay, Mandarin Chinese, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese, and more.
Newspapers & magazines
- Global Newsstream: Get full-text access to newspapers, news wires, websites, and blogs from leading publishers in Asia. From the GlobalNewsstream front page, select “International Newsstream” and then “Asian Newsstream.” Publications include The Wall Street Journal Asia, China News, and The Bangkok Post.
- PressReader: Search publications by language or country.