The Illinois Library Association (ILA) Youth Services Forum has awarded Children’s Librarian Shelley Harris with the 2021 Golden Ticket Award for her “outstanding local contribution” to young people through programs that “promote a love of literature and instill positive feelings about libraries.” Shelley’s “creativity, incredible work ethic, and commitment to serving young patrons and their … Read more
Our first Leading Edge Teen Advisory Board Ice Cream Social event in June was a huge success! Community members young and old came to meet the board members, get ice cream treats, take pictures, and play chess with our Teen Services Librarian, Alex Gutierrez. “This event truly brought a ray of sunshine to the Oak … Read more
Last summer, we held a logo design contest to help spread the word about the Leading Edge Teen Advisory Board (LETAB), one of the library’s Teen Services initiatives. A volunteer group for students ages 13-17, LETAB’s mission is to offer guidance and a teen-centered perspective to the Oak Park community and the Teen Services team. … Read more
This spring, join us for anti-racism community discussions using the model of circles, a restorative practice which honors our stories, community relationships, and ability to keep learning from each other. Register for upcoming anti-racism circles What are circles? Circles are a structured process to build community where everyone feels connected and respected in their authentic selves. … Read more
Please join the Anti-Racist Book Group on Wednesday, January 13 at 6:30 pm, as we dig deeper into How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. ‘We had so much more to unpack’: Book group invites us to keep talking We first discussed Kendi’s How to Be an Antiracist in December, and we’re continuing the discussion in January. All are … Read more
Joining our Teen Services team is Librarian Alexander Gutierrez! “I’ve always wanted to be a librarian and have the opportunity to work with youths because of their energy and optimism,” he says. His path from library volunteer to librarian Alex has been with the Oak Park Public Library since 2016, when he started as a … Read more
Register now for December 1: Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You Join us on Tuesday, December 1, 6-7:30 pm for the third family and community discussion of Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Dr. Ibram X. Kendi. Stamped offers a history of racist and anti-racist ideas in America, from their roots in Europe until … Read more
The Medicine Wheel: Balancing Humanity Oak Park’s third annual Restorative Justice Conference has been taking place virtually all October, and it wraps up on Friday, October 30. This year’s theme is The Medicine Wheel: Balancing Humanity. The goal has been to provide the community with strategies to cope in these extreme times. “2020 has been … Read more
‘The kind of project that makes us love Oak Park’ With funding from the Illinois State Library, we’ve launched an initiative to distribute new, free books to community members who are most in need of resources. Recipients will be able to keep these books forever and use them to build their home libraries. This new … Read more
“Schools are a reflection of our society, so in the wake of social justice and anti-racism demonstrations, we must support our students in becoming global citizens in a diverse democracy.” —Oak Park Elementary School District 97, Anti-Racism in District 97 All Oak Park Elementary School District 97 middle school students are reading and discussing Stamped: … Read more
