Pride is more than a month of rainbows and parades, and June isn’t the only time of year we celebrate the lives, accomplishments, and activism of LGBTQ+ people. October is LGBTQ+ History Month, and in November, we honor Trans Awareness Week. … Read more
We want everyone to get the most out of their public library, so we’re sharing five great reasons to get a library card—especially for kids and families. 1. Save more Did you know you can check out up to 200 … Read more
Chess challenges young minds to think critically. It teaches sacrifice and strategy, and exercises the ability to think ahead. And it’s fun! Whether kids are new to chess or have been playing for some time, check out these resources. On-demand … Read more
Have you ever wished you could explore the worlds of your favorite characters? Do you dream of running off on a grand adventure with your friends by your side? If you answered yes to either of those questions, then you … Read more
This year, the theme for kids summer reading is Plant a Seed, Read, so let’s learn more and celebrate a beautiful, transforming creature who pollinates our gardens—the butterfly. Find books and resources below to explore. Discover facts about monarch butterflies … Read more
Did you know that children’s staff have created more than 400 early learning videos since March 2020?! You can watch them all in a YouTube playlist and find them organized into 16 different categories on the Early Learning page—including art, … Read more
Have you ever seen origami art at the Main Library Children’s Services desk? Miss Margaret has made and displayed so many over the years: Carmen Sprung’s Carambola Flower, an Omega Star, a Traditional Star Box, and various Tomoko Fuse Modular boxes. Origami helps kids … Read more
Are you looking for a great resource for kids to do research online? Did you know that World Book is accessible with your library card? World Book offers a comprehensive suite of engaging content for learners of all ages, all … Read more
Have curious kids in grades K-5 who want to explore the world? Log in to Pebble Go and Pebble Go Next with your Oak Park library card and find answers to questions like “What do axolotls eat for breakfast?” and … Read more
In honor of Black History Month, let’s learn more about Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, a Puerto Rican historian, writer, curator, and activist! Born in Santurce, Puerto Rico in 1874, Schomburg was the son of a Puerto Rican merchant of German descent … Read more
Our understanding of gender and the language we use to describe it is constantly evolving. Often, we learn a limiting definition of gender that tries to put everyone into just two categories—boy or girl. Those categories come with many unfair … Read more
With hoopla‘s BingePass and your Oak Park library card, you can get unlimited streaming for seven days with a single borrow! Let’s get started… How do I use hoopla’s BingePass? Watch the video below for an overview. For more detailed … Read more
Experts at the Educational Development Center say that digital media can help young children make sense of their world, especially when screen time is facilitated and guided by parents or caregivers. Below, you will find screen time guidelines for parents … Read more
From Diwali, Christmas, and Hanukkah celebrations to the observance of the winter solstice, Oak Park library staff love sharing their own winter holiday traditions with you in our annual Holidays Around the World! In addition to stories, videos, and photos, … Read more
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 … Read more
As school projects are assigned throughout the year, know that your library is here to help! In addition to books, your Oak Park library card gives you access to a number of subscription-based resources that you can use to help you … Read more
As mentioned in my first post in this series, Google is a great resource of information and can be a useful first source when researching for school projects. But did you know that there are many subscription-based library resources that … Read more
Welcome to the -ber months: September, October, November, and December! Most people celebrate the start of a new year in January. Not me. I graduated from library school more than 15 years ago, but the start of the school year … Read more
There are so many ways to use your library, and we’ve rounded up a few special ones for kids and families here. Not all of them require a library card, but we encourage Oak Park residents of any age to … Read more
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 … Read more
