By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian The grasshopper chirpeth, the lamb bleateth, the owl hooteth. Animal sounds are found in so many books and songs for children, including the first-known picture book written for children, published in 1659! What makes animal sounds so important that they’ve been taught to young children for centuries? Not only are … Read more
Oak Park’s Best of 2022 returns! Our annual librarian-curated selection of titles features some of the titles most requested and checked out by Oak Parkers. See our kids and picture books favorites on this page or browse more using the links below. Adult fiction: General | Adult fiction: Romance, lives & relationships | Adult fiction: Mystery, history & sci-fi | Adult nonfiction | Teen fiction | Kids books | Picture books | TV shows | Movies | Music Kids books … Read more
Extended: ‘Gender Is a Galaxy, Gender Is a Weapon’ This Idea Box exhibit has been extended to hold space for mourning and to honor the victims of the shooting that took place on November 19 at Club Q, an LGBTQ Nightclub in Colorado Springs. One day before Transgender Day of Remembrance, a shooter attacked Club … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian Welcome to the -ber months: September, October, November, and December! Most people celebrate the start of a new year in January. Not me. I graduated more than ten years ago, but the start of the school year is still the start of my personal new year. For a lot of young … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian School supplies are everywhere you look and first days of school and preschool are looming on your calendar, but it’s still solidly summer here at your library. Oceans of Possibilities runs through August 31, so there are still a few more weeks of summer reading! Many families start the summer strong, logging … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian By now, you’re very familiar with our new Early Bird Learning video series, right? Each week we share a new video, alternating between content to watch with your kids and content just for caregivers. To help create content for these videos, we’ve partnered with our friends at Collaboration for Early Childhood, … Read more
By Children’s Librarian Eileen Saam This summer at Oak Park Library we have so much to explore, including music! I invite you to explore music in different ways and see what it brings to your life. Music may help you relax and unwind. It may bring you joy and excitement or allow you to feel … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian Let’s take a walk through memory lane! In January 2016, Jenny (pictured above with Ruthie the camel) and I launched the Early Bird Reader program, with weekly literacy tips texted out and monthly videos for caregivers that dug a little deeper into a specific literacy topic. In March 2020, we had … Read more
By Children’s Librarian Genevieve Grove School’s out, but learning is in at the Oak Park Public Library this summer! Sure, we have books, but also so many other options to engage your brains and bodies. Check out these fun ways to use your library today. Need a library card? Apply at any library branch or … Read more
For the past four years, Oak Park library patron Lindsay Olson has hosted a weekly Zoom storytime with her granddaughters on the West Coast. “We were so grateful we had our storytime sessions in place when the pandemic hit,” Olson says. “Not seeing our family for two years was made easier by our Sunday storytimes.” … Read more
