Announcing our newest pop-up library location: Oak Park Township, 105 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park! Pop-up libraries allow community members to use the library when they’re out and about, no library card or checkouts needed. ‘A simple way to make our spaces more inviting’ The idea for this new book bin in the Township’s lobby … Read more
On Thursday, June 19, all library locations will be closed for Juneteenth. This national, state, and Oak Park holiday celebrates African Americans’ freedom from enslavement in the United States. Celebrations at the Main Library Juneteenth is a joyous celebration of freedom, but also a time to remember the countless sacrifices made to achieve it. Join … Read more
By Hal, Rainbow Services Librarian As the summer approaches, so does Pride Month. In the United States and many other countries around the world, we celebrate Pride during June in honor of the Stonewall Uprising of 1969. Nowadays, communities throughout the world celebrate Pride Month with parades of rainbows and glitter. These parades began as … Read more
It’s time to pull out your reading list and get warmed up for adult summer reading 2025! From June 1 through August 19, sign up via Beanstack, track your reading, complete activities, and earn badges for a chance to win gift cards to local businesses. No library card? No problem. You don’t need one to participate. If … Read more
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. 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, … Read more
Your public library is here with books, resources, and experiences that can help us connect and celebrate Jewish American history and culture. The month of May is recognized as Jewish American Heritage Month in Illinois. Title suggestions for all ages More to explore Special display Idea Box: Jewish American Heritage MonthMay 13-31, Main Library Local … Read more
UPDATE: The Main Library will open at 9 am Thursday, May 1, thanks to the diligence of our library’s facilities team, our mechanical contractor, and NICOR. The repair has been completed and related cleanup work is in process. Due to a small natural gas leak, the Main Library is now closed, and will remain closed … Read more
Spring is here, so it’s time again for Celebrating Seniors Week! Held this year from May 8 to 15, the weeklong celebration is dedicated to honoring, recognizing, and serving seniors in Oak Park, River Forest, and Forest Park. Celebrating Seniors Week is sponsored by the Celebrating Seniors Coalition, an organization dedicated to uplifting and advocating for older … Read more
We’re asking our community to stand up for libraries everywhere because the federal government is moving to cut off its modest but effective support for libraries, from withdrawal of funding for broadband to the elimination of the only source of federal funding for our nation’s 125,000 libraries, the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Watch: Spreading … Read more
Before and during National Library Week, we asked our staff and community members: What do you love about libraries? What do libraries mean to you? Here’s what they shared. Library staff | Community members Oak Park library staff ‘Magical, vital institutions’ “Libraries are places for all where possibilities seem endless. They are magical, vital institutions … Read more
Announcing our newest pop-up library location: Oak Park’s Village Hall, 123 Madison St., Oak Park! Pop-up libraries allow community members to use the library when they’re out and about, no library card or checkouts needed. This new shelf, located in the welcome center of Oak Park’s main municipal building, offers books about fire trucks, voting rights, community … Read more
Do you need an easier way to move text or images around without having to rewrite a whole paragraph or insert a new photo? The copy, cut, and paste tools are useful skills to know—whether you’re using Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Safari, Google Chrome, or many other browsers and applications. The instructions below will help … Read more
By Collection Management Librarians Dontaná & Andrea Poetry is good for our brains. Studies show that reading poems activates our brain’s cognitive functions differently than when we read novels and other nonfiction. Poetry helps us recognize rhymes and rhythms, and expands our “capacity to understand complex, multiple meanings.” This National Poetry Month, we’ve paired poetry collections … Read more
Your public library is here with books, resources, and experiences that can help us connect and celebrate Arab American history and culture. The month of April is recognized as Arab American Heritage Month in Illinois. Title suggestions for all ages More to explore Celebration event Arab American Heritage CelebrationSaturday, April 12, 12-3 pm, Main Library … Read more
After an extensive national search, the Oak Park Public Library Board of Trustees voted Thursday evening to hire Elsworth Carman as the library’s next executive director. “Elsworth’s compassionate, value-driven, and unifying leadership is a great fit for the Oak Park Public Library at this locally and nationally significant time,” said Madhurima Chakraborty, Search Committee Chair … Read more
In the shadow of the executive order aimed at dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, the Trump administration unleashed another attack on a vital public institution, the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Created in 1996 and annually funded by Congress, this independent agency played a crucial role as the primary source for federal funding … Read more
Encoded Memories is an art exhibit coming to the Main Library Gallery in May. Revolving around themes of time, place, and memory, it will feature images showing Oak Park past and present, including historical scenes from the library’s Special Collections. But there’s a twist! The work that will be on display in the second-floor gallery isn’t … Read more
Longer, lighter days this season make it easier to fit more into each and every one. Your public library, in partnership with the Collaboration for Early Childhood, has put together a collection of activities, events, and resources for you and your little ones. Here’s to exploring, learning, and playing this spring! Activities Storytimes Events
Announcing our newest pop-up library location: Kids Unlimited Therapy Services, 820 North Blvd., Oak Park! Pop-up libraries allow community members to use the library when they’re out and about, no library card or checkouts needed. Kids Unlimited is our fourth pop-up library location, adding to ones installed in 2024 at the Community Recreation Center, Wonder Works, and Styles … Read more
Using a mouse seems simple, but did you know there are shortcuts built into many computer mice? In this post, you’ll discover the different parts of the mouse, how to use the mouse, and what the mouse can do. How to hold the mouse Just like with any other tool, a better grip will help … Read more
