Celebrating Pride Month

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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 *The Advocate is now part of Out magazine (new standalone issues of The Advocate are no longer available). Upcoming events For all … Read more

Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander heritage

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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

Celebrating Jewish American heritage

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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

Celebrating Arab American heritage

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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

Transgender Day of Visibility: Books, virtual tutorials & more resources

Transgender Day of Visibility text with a blue, pink, and white striped flag in the background

Held each year on March 31, Transgender Day of Visibility (TDoV) celebrates the lives and accomplishments of transgender and nonbinary people. Trans advocate Rachel Crandall founded TDoV in 2010 because stories in the media about transgender and nonbinary people so often focus only on violence. As legislation across the country continues to target and discriminate … Read more

Honoring women’s history

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Your public library is here to connect us through books, resources, and experiences that celebrate women’s history. Browse titles we suggest More from your digital library Register now to attend events Illinois Libraries Present: Exploring Space With Coralie AdamTuesday, March 4, 7 pm, virtual Get an inside look at the space industry with Illinois’ own Coralie … Read more

Connecting you to Black history, then & now

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Your public library is here with books, resources, and experiences that can help us connect and celebrate Black history and culture. Browse titles we suggest More to explore View exhibits Art Exhibit: Stories My Camera Tells by Howard SimmonsThrough February 22, Main Library Gallery Still photography tells its stories through captured moments in time. Stories told with … Read more

Best of 2024: Teen fiction & nonfiction

Best of 2024: Teen fiction & nonfiction

Oak Park’s Best of 2024 is back! See our teen fiction and nonfiction staff favorites on this page or browse more using the links below. Adult fiction: General | Adult fiction: Romance, lives & relationships | Adult fiction: Thriller, graphic novel, sci-fi & fantasy | Adult nonfiction |Teen fiction & nonfiction | Kids books | Picture books | Movies & TV shows | Music Teen fiction & nonfiction Creature: Paintings, Drawings & … Read more

After-school program serves up tea, snacks & space for middle schoolers to talk about feelings

Group of middle schoolers sit around a table and talk with each other and an adult who's standing up

Every Wednesday after school, middle schoolers gather at the Main Library for tea and snacks with their friends and a couple of trusted adults. It’s called Tea Talk, and it’s a time for everyone to talk about mental health and emotions. This mentoring group, now in its second year, draws about 10-15 kids each week, … Read more

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month

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Oak Park Public Library acknowledges that Oak Park is situated on the ancestral land of the Bodewamiadkiwen (Potawatomi), Myaamia (Miami), Oceti Sakowin, Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), and Peoria. We honor them and thank them for their stewardship of this land. Source: native-land.ca Your public library is here to connect you with books, videos, online resources, and learning experiences that … Read more

Chilling reads, thrilling tales & lots of Halloween fun

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Feel that chill in the air? Halloween season is here! Your Oak Park librarians are back with spine-tingling reads, creepy tales, and plenty of Halloween fun for all ages. Browse: Spine-chilling tales & scary stories More from your digital library HORROR FOR ADULTS HORROR FOR TEENS HALLOWEEN FOR KIDS Attend: Upcoming events FOR ADULTS Wednesday … Read more

Hispanic Heritage books, events, videos & more

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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

‘I am interested in working in libraries’

Two interns stand outside the library entrance

Latonia Jackson, Manager of Middle and High School Services, says the number one question she consistently gets from teens and their parents is, “Can you help me get a job?” To help prepare teens for getting jobs—as well as providing exposure to library career paths and the field of library work in general—we welcomed five … Read more

Learn for the fun of it: How-to, hobby & crafting at your library

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Develop a new skill, dive deep into a hobby you love, or expand your knowledge on a topic you’ve always wanted to explore with these how-to books and resources our librarians love, plus upcoming events where you can expand your knowledge, make, and create. How-to books How-to resources from your digital library Browse how-to ebooks, … Read more

Disability Pride books, a display & supported events

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Your public library is here to connect you with books, learning experiences, events, and online resources that celebrate people with disabilities and disability as an identity in July and all year long. On this page, you can: What is Disability Pride Month? Disability Pride celebrates people with disabilities and disability as an identity, honoring the … Read more

Partnering for teen mental health

Three people pose in front of a backdrop reading Northwestern Medicine Feinberg School of Medicine. Two hold framed certificates.

American teens are in a mental health crisis, according to the Office of the Surgeon General and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—and it began even before the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s why, since 2019, assistant professor and researcher Ashley Knapp (pictured above, left), who studies teens, technology, and mental health at Northwestern University’s Feinberg … Read more

Pop-up library launches at CRC

Librarian stands next to bookshelf in a lobby

In our continued quest to be a library for everyone, we strive to offer the widest possible access with the fewest barriers as possible. So we’re thrilled to offer a new way for community members to use the library and read library books when they’re out and about in the community: pop-up libraries!  Pop-up libraries … Read more

Best of 2023: Teen fiction & nonfiction

Best of 2023: Teen fiction & nonfiction

Oak Park’s Best of 2023 is back! Our annual librarian-curated selection of titles features some of the titles most requested and checked out by Oak Parkers. See our teen 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, thriller, sci-fi & fantasy | Adult nonfiction | Teen fiction | … 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