There is so much to do and explore during the summer! Together with the Collaboration for Early Childhood, we’ve put together a collection of activities and free, fun, local community events happening all summer long—especially for families with young children. Take advantage of this beautiful season and drink in the sunshine and long days with … Read more
Update November 5, 2025: A second Oak Park Township location has been added at their Senior & Disability Services office, 130 S. Oak Park Ave. Announcing our newest pop-up library location at Oak Park Township‘s Youth & Family Services office, 105 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park. Pop-up libraries allow community members to use the library … 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
Your public library is here with books, resources, and experiences that can help us connect and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Titles we suggest More to explore Reading lists for kids From your digital library Upcoming events For all ages Book Bike: Out in the BurbsSaturday, June 7, 12-4 pm, downtown Oak Park The Book Bike … Read more
Collection Management Librarians Andrea, Dontaná, Jenna, and Kathy Jump into summer with these new books, movies, and TV shows—for all ages—that we think will be hot, hot, hot all summer. And don’t forget to register and track your reading for summer reading. Adult fiction | Adult nonfiction | Teens | Kids | Movies & TV … 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
Announcing our newest pop-up library location: The Daly Bagel, 130 Chicago 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. “We are thrilled and honored to be part of the Pop-Up Library initiative!” said Adrienne Guldin and Amanda Daly of The Daly Bagel. … 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
By Digital Learning Specialist Amelia Get ready for an awesome adventure at your public library this summer! We’re thrilled to kick off our summer reading program (for kids and adults), which runs all summer long—June 1-August 19. Once again, we’re bringing back Beanstack, a cool digital tracker, to help you keep track of your summer … Read more
Kids summer reading is coming soon. Mark your calendars to sign up for June 1! In the meantime, if you need help finding books to read, you are in luck! Here at the library, we want you to find books that spark joy, bring pleasure and comfort, and broaden your knowledge. We hope that by … 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
The American Library Association’s National Library Week is April 19-25, 2026, with the theme “Find Your Joy.” Award-winning librarian, author, and new host of the children’s program Reading Rainbow, Mychal Threets is the 2026 Honorary Chair of National Library Week. (Watch a recording of our interview with Mychal from April 2025.) Let’s get joyful! Here … 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
Spring is here—the perfect time to explore ways to start or strengthen your green living habits. Green living contributes to a healthier planet and a healthier future for all. By practicing sustainability, you’re contributing to a healthier environment and, therefore, a healthier future for everyone. Green living not only helps protect the planet but also … 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
