As a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Friends of the Oak Park Public Library have been raising funds and building valuable bridges between the library and community since 1948.
The Friends are probably best known for the annual Book Fair, a much-loved community tradition they put on with tons of volunteer support. On the first day of the fair every July, people line up outside the Main Library, waiting for the doors to open so they can shop for treasures for a few dollars.
This year’s Book Fair, held July 10–12 at the Main Library, generated $60,841 in sales across 2,710 transactions—”eclipsing last year’s then-record sales by 50 percent,” as Friends President Russ Glidden put it in a recent Wednesday Journal editorial.
Friends fund programs & more
Volunteer commitment is critical to the success of the sale and a strong signal of community ownership. Thank you to the 126 volunteers who put in 1,402 hours of work to make this year’s fair a success.
Shoppers also can feel good about supporting their library, because all Book Fair proceeds go directly back into the library. For example, the fair has funded items like an inkjet printer and a cutting plotter that patrons of all ages use to make stickers in the Creative Studio Makery.
Proceeds also sponsor highly popular community programming, including the library’s annual Folk Music Series, the signature Barbara Ballinger Lecture series, and Illinois Libraries Present programs.
Learn more about these programs, and more ways to support the Friends, below.
Barbara Ballinger Lecture:
Beyond the Headlines: Civics, Community & Democracy
Thursday, October 29, 6:30 pm, Main Library
Move past the noise of the daily news cycle and join us for a panel discussion on what active, meaningful citizenship looks like today. This year’s Barbara Ballinger Lecture brings together local leaders and thinkers—Dr. Michael A. Spikes, Heather Cherone, Marie Newman, and Monica Eng—to explore how strong communities build stronger democracies, and where you fit into the picture.
Friends Folk Music Series
Anne Hills
Tuesday, September 8, 7 pm, Main Library
Anne Hills is one of the most beloved voices of the contemporary folk music scene, receiving awards and recognition for her live performances, her unique solo and collaborative recording projects, and her overall artistry and benefit work. Her song “Follow That Road” was the title cut of the Martha’s Vineyard Songwriter Retreat and has been a certified folk classic since the late 1990s.
Claudia Russell and Bruce Kaplan
Thursday, October 8, 7 pm, Main Library
California singer/songwriter Claudia Russell and her trusty sidekick, Bruce Kaplan, traverse a wide Americana landscape, stopping at wondrous musical landmarks along the way, tipping their hat to string bands, blues divas, jazz cats, Village folkies, Bakersfield cowboys, and Laurel Canyon troubadours. Driven by Claudia’s expressive voice and distinctive guitar style, it all comes together beautifully.
Chris Walz
Tuesday, November 10, 7 pm, Main Library
Nationally acclaimed bluegrass multi-instrumentalist Chris Walz combines a joy of performing with a reverence for America’s musical story. He spent many years touring with the Grammy-nominated bluegrass group Special Consensus, and is a gifted and much sought-after teacher at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music.
Illinois Libraries Present
Inside the Empire of AI With Karen Hao
Thursday, September 17, 7 pm, virtual
Karen Hao, an award-winning journalist and author of Inside the Empire of AI, will explore the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, the social, political, and ethical questions surrounding AI development today, and the path forward.
Preserving History With Geoffrey Baer
Tuesday, October 20, 7 pm, virtual
Beloved Chicago historian, storyteller, and PBS host Geoffrey Baer will be joined in conversation by Shermann “Dilla” Thomas, an Emmy Award-winning Chicago historian, cultural worker, and social media educator.
Words, Power, and Community: Dr. Eve L. Ewing
Thursday, November 12, 7 pm, virtual
Dr. Eve L. Ewing, an acclaimed author, educator, poet, and cultural organizer whose work explores race, education, identity, and community, will be joined in conversation by WTTW’s Brandis Friedman.