Programs to help you better understand gender identities & be an ally

Hand holding a rainbow

In November, please join us for two adult programs focused on trans and nonbinary identities. As a Library for Everyone, we believe that offering programs like these are a necessary component of us striving to be an anti-racist and equitable organization. Trans & Non-Binary 101 & Allyship Workshop Do you want to better understand trans … Read more

Celebrate Día de Muertos at library & in community

Front row, left to right: Jessy Martinez, Latine Language & Culture Librarian Nora Sanchez, Alma Martinez, Laura Pulido, and Maya Puentes. Back row: Omeyocan Dance Company

Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) is typically celebrated on November 1 and 2. The celebration, which originated in Mexico, is rooted in indigenous practices that existed long before Spanish settlers arrived.  Together with community members, our Latine Language & Culture Librarian Nora Sanchez has been working to bring the celebration to the library … Read more

Partnership for teen mental health wins award

Group photo with Marché Pernell, Stephen Jackson, Dominique Hickman, Robert Simmons, Vann Harris, Ashley Knapp, Latonia Jackson, Synovia Knox, and Alexander Gutierrez in front of a wall mural

Since 2019, the library has been partnering with researchers from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine to develop a digital tool to help teens with anxiety. Now in the fourth year of a five-year grant, the research partnership has won an award for its strong collaborative research principles and work to impact health and equity … Read more

50 years of hip hop: How we celebrated

Hip Hop graphic with text This project was made possible by: above the Institute of Museum and Library Services logo

Hip hop is more than music and dance, says Director of Equity & Anti-Racism Stephen Jackson. “It is culture. It permeates every fabric of American life. It is the way people talk, the words they use, the way people wear their clothes.” This year, our library was one of more than 30 organizations around the … Read more

Hispanic Heritage books, events, videos & more

Collage of books

Your public library is here to connect you with books, events, learning experiences, and online resources that celebrate Hispanic heritage and culture this month and all year long. On this page, you can: This commemorative month (held September 15-October 15) was officially designated as Hispanic Heritage Month by the U.S. Congress in 1968. Learn more at … Read more

Disability Pride: ‘I really want to go big’

People pose during Disability Pride Month programs. At right, a girl holds a sign reading "Disability is not a bad word!"

When Children’s Librarian Shelley Harris was gearing up for Disability Pride Month celebrations at the library earlier this year, she kept thinking to herself: “I really want to go big. I want to go so big.” Harris spoke recently with WBEZ Chicago’s Reset about the library’s third year celebrating Disability Pride Month, which marks the … Read more

The Work continues

A glass wall with the words "A library for everyone" in frosted letters

By Joslyn Bowling Dixon, Executive Director More than halfway through my first year as Oak Park Public Library’s executive director, I’m pleased to report back on what we’ve accomplished so far. As I said I would do in my initial job interview, I took ample time and great care to watch, review, observe, and listen … Read more

Celebrating Pride Month: Books, learning experiences & more

A collage of book covers

Your public library is here to connect you with books, learning experiences, events, and online resources that celebrate the LGBTQ+ community in June and all year long. On this page, you can: Browse titles we suggest Just for kids From your digital library Ebooks, audiobooks & movies Magazines Join us for upcoming events Celebrate Pride: … Read more

Juneteenth 2023: Commemorate & celebrate

Juneteenth banners and photos in the Main Library Idea Box; artist Tia Etu in her studio with Juneteenth-inspired artwork "The Call"

Above left: June 2022 Main Library Idea Box exhibit. Above right: Local artist Tia Etu with her Juneteenth-inspired artwork. Read more about The Call. On Monday, 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. Juneteenth titles … Read more

Preparing for Pride Month: Books for kids

Book icon on a rainbow background

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