New year, fresh start: Title suggestions, health & wellness programs

New Year: Fresh Start 2023 text with colorful firework background

Happy New Year, Oak Park! Not big on resolutions? We understand! For some, the start of a new year is a time for wish-making and goal-setting. What would you like to feel, do, or experience more—or less—of this year? Might we suggest less stress, more movement, less clutter, or more color in 2023? Below you’ll … Read more

Engaging & hands-on tech learning is here

Two middle schoolers disassembling a computer

By Eileen Saam, Children’s Services Librarian Thanks to grant funding from TechGirlz—a nonprofit program of Creating IT Futures that provides free, fun, interactive workshops—the library now offers new ways to support engaging, hands-on learning for middle school girls. Recent additions in the library’s new Creative Studio include 3D printers, toolkits to dismantle and assemble computers, … Read more

Hooray! We’ve been named one of the nation’s best

Staff member taking a photo of all library staff members at the December 2, 2022 Staff Learning and Engagement Day

Oak Park Public Library earns Five-Star Library status from Library Journal We’re thrilled to share that our library has once again been named a “Five-Star Library” in Library Journal’s Index of Public Library Service. For 2022 and out of the 5,359 libraries reviewed, Oak Park was ranked No. 3 in the country in its expenditure … Read more

Best of 2022: Adult fiction & nonfiction

Best of 2022: adult fiction and nonfiction text next to a thumbs up icon with sparkles floating above, all on a misty fuchsia orb background

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 adult fiction and nonfiction 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 Adult fiction: … Read more

Best of 2022: Kids & picture books

Best of 2022: kids & picture books text next to a thumbs up icon with sparkles floating above, all on a misty blue orb background

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

Best of 2022: Teen fiction

Best of 2022: teen fiction text next to a thumbs up icon with sparkles floating above, all on a misty green orb background

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 teen fiction 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 Teen fiction Wildbound by … Read more

Best of 2022: TV shows, movies, & music

Best of 2022: Movies, music & more text next to a thumbs up icon with sparkles floating above, all on a misty orange orb background

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 some of our favorite TV shows, movies, and music 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 | … Read more

Creative Studio open for staff-led digital learning

Creative Studio space under construction

Open now for staff-led digital learning events is a shiny new Creative Studio on the Main Library’s third floor. Offering 3D printers and laptops today, we expect to introduce a laser cutter, a large-format printer for posters and other oversize print jobs, a sound booth for professional-quality audio and video content creation, and digital preservation equipment … Read more

Honoring Transgender Day of Remembrance

Transgender Day of Remembrance Idea Box display in the Main Library

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