Tech Tips: How to translate webpages

Traducir al español | Przetłumacz na polskiBy John Gargiulo, Supervising Librarian of Creative Technology (translated by Oak Park Public Library staff) Have you ever tried to translate a webpage from one language to another? While some webpages provide a button to switch between certain languages, this is not always the case. Fortunately, most web browsers include translation functions … Read more

Tech Tips: How to use Creativebug

Creativebug logo on top of a table with a floral watercolor and painting supplies

Whether you are new to crafting or a seasoned master crafter, there is something for everyone on Creativebug. An inspirational resource for DIY, crafters, and makers, Creativebug features more than 1,000 award-winning art and craft video classes taught by recognized design experts and artists. You can take a class on art, sewing, food techniques, knitting … Read more

Gift Guide 2025

Gift Guide 2025 text alongside two gift boxes wrapped in white and gold paper with ribbons.

Looking for gift ideas for this holiday season? Might we suggest a great book? Our collection management librarians have curated a range of excellent gift ideas for the book, movie, TV, or music lover in your life. Adults | Teens & kids Adults: for the… Teens & kids: for the…

‘We never thought we’d hear his voice again’: How digitizing an old tape helped one library patron reconnect with her grandpa

A screenshot from a home video. An older man with glasses sits on a couch facing the viewer, smiling and appearing to be midsentence. The date May 20, 2001 appears on the lower left.

One evening when Danielle Désiré was small, about 3 or 4 years old, she was running around in the backyard. It was time to settle down for the night and get ready for bed, but Danielle was too busy watching birds flying in the sky.  Why, she asked her grandpa, were there birds flying at … Read more

Celebrating Native American heritage

Collage of books.

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, learning experiences, and online resources that celebrate … Read more

Helping kids with homework & studying: Brainfuse HelpNow

Student studying while holding a notebook and pencil and interacting with a laptop.

Need a tutor to help reinforce concepts learned in class or prepare for a test? Are you a parent looking for academic support for your child? Or are you a teacher seeking supplementary resources to assist your students? Your library is here to the rescue with Brainfuse HelpNow. Find this resource on the Homework Help … Read more

New pop-up library at Oak Park River Forest Museum

Interior of Oak Park River Forest Museum. A stuffed Dalmation wearing a firefighter's hat sits next to a bin of books, and a person sits on a stool with a picture book.

Announcing our newest pop-up library location: Oak Park River Forest Museum, 129 Lake 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. The new collection is in the second-floor children’s section at the historical museum. Curated for kids and families, it includes board … Read more

What are Ms. D and Mr. G reading?

Librarians Ms. D and Mr. G between shelves of teen fiction

Need a good book? Middle School Librarian Fiona Dolce (aka Ms. D) and Middle and High School Services Supervising Librarian Alexander Gutierrez (aka Mr. G) are here with lots of great fiction and graphic novels for students in grades 6–12. Below, see what the librarians have to say about each book. Then, click on each … Read more

Chilling reads, thrilling tales & lots of Halloween fun

Collage of book covers.

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 to explore HORROR FOR ADULTS HORROR FOR TEENS HALLOWEEN FOR KIDS Attend: Upcoming events ADULTS Wednesday Movie Matinee: Practical … Read more

5 ways to take charge of your health, with help from your library

Older adult sitting on a couch smiling and looking at a tablet

October is Health Literacy Month, a time to recognize the importance of making health information easy to understand and the healthcare system more accessible to navigate. Did you know that our library offers a range of resources and programs focused on health and wellness? Explore our collection of resources and find support for your health and … Read more

Celebrating Hispanic heritage

Collage of book covers

Traducir esta página al español 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: Titles we suggest More to explore Available in Spanish from your digital library Upcoming events For adults … Read more

Tech Tips: Fact-checking media

Person sits on a couch next to a fireplace and looks at a tablet computer.

We are living in a time with a never-ending stream of information and media that seeks our time and attention. How can you know what is true, what is false, and what is simply taken out of context? It is up to you to fact-check the information you consume, which means taking time to go … Read more

Have fun & save money with a library card

Person shows off their T-shirt that says "Having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card" while standing outside the Main Library.

By Collection Management Librarian Kathy Folks have said that their library card is the most valuable card in their wallet. Okay, former First Lady Laura Bush (a former librarian!) is generally attributed with saying this, but I bet a lot of people would agree. Why? Unlike those other cards you use to spend money, your library … Read more

Tech Tips: A guide to navigating Google search results

Google Search

Searching for information using search engines like Google can feel overwhelming at times. The results can seem cluttered, making it difficult to sort through. Search results may appear alongside a variety of ads, knowledge panels, featured snippets, and AI-generated overviews. This post will help identify some of the ways Google presents various information on a … Read more

The 2025 Booker Prize Longlist

By Collection Management Librarian Kathy The UK’s most prestigious literary award, The Booker Prize is awarded annually to the best novel of the year written in English and published in the UK or Ireland. Check out the longlist titles below—featuring all of the titles currently or soon to be available in the U.S.—and look for the shortlist … Read more

STEAM Discovery Kits: At-home learning & exploration for grade schoolers

A grouping of icons: a calculator, gear, paintbrush and paint palette, beaker, computer, and tablet

By Children’s Librarian Eileen Saam At the Oak Park Public Library, we are always looking for ways to foster learning experiences for children who we serve. We have developed a sizable collection of Discovery Kits, which are filled with everything you need to foster the kinds of exploratory, hands-on experiences that are inherent in STEAM … Read more

Disability Pride Month: Building community, with a side of ice cream

Children making buttons and fidgets and a cup of ice cream.

We had such a fun month of intergenerational disability pride! Thanks to all who participated, collaborated, and supported our events this July and gave us feedback for next year. See just a few of this year’s highlights below, plus: 3rd Annual Disability Pride March & Rally We made signs with messages like “We celebrate our … Read more

Celebrity book club round-up, summer 2025

Text 'Read with the stars' on a background of sparkling stars with a book collage above

By Collection Management Librarian Dontaná Since Oprah’s first book club pick in 1996, we have been reading as the celebrities do, falling in love with, or hating, characters with our fellow book club readers. Book clubs offer an opportunity to be in community with others, even if we’re not together in person. Other celebrities who love … Read more

Watch now: ‘Life of a Book’

Life of a Book

How do you think a book gets to the shelf in a library? Where does it go after that? We’ve got a video to answer these and other questions, thanks to our Collections Services Team members who do the work! A tell-all tale In this tell-all tale of mystery and wonder, Supervising Librarian Maya Conde-Kalmijn and colleagues will … Read more