By Children’s Librarians Shelley Harris and Genevieve Grove 5,100 challenges completed. 2,000 books read, in 285,000 minutes. 975 readers. 11,000 beads earned. AND COUNTING! Six weeks into our new virtual summer reading program, kids are blowing us away with their enthusiasm and determination. Adults know that kids who read at least 20 minutes a day … Read more
Our library’s Executive Director David J. Seleb has joined the board of directors of The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation. He began serving on the 11-member board in June 2020, as he continues to lead the library using the Harwood Institute’s “turning outward” approach. “The Harwood Institute has profoundly influenced my professional and personal life … Read more
Like so much else these days, our monthly library groups for writers, performers, language learners, and more are now meeting virtually. While all in-person programs are canceled through August, these online programs are drawing new participants as well as regulars. For example, Oak Parkers who joined the virtual French Conversation Hour in April met new … Read more
We are living in uncertain times with a lot of fear and suffering. As library employees, we recognize this reality for ourselves, our households, our communities, and our world. And yet, even as library buildings are closed during the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, we’re striving to connect, collaborate, and make a positive impact. Now more than … Read more
Becoming a ‘Dementia Friendly Community’ We know aging in place is a community aspiration. That’s why, last October, the library joined the Village of Oak Park, the Oak Park Township, and the Park District of Oak Park in the effort to become a designated “Dementia Friendly Community” by the nonprofit organization Dementia Friendly America. A dementia-friendly … Read more
Photo above: Staff Engagement Day provides dedicated time for everyone to gather, learn, and connect with and from each other. See holiday hours and browse a list of all scheduled days closed in 2021 » Stewardship is one of the library’s key priorities. It means we sustain, share, and respect community resources. That includes the … Read more
About the library’s budget Each year, seven publicly elected Trustees of the Library Board review and approve the budget of the Oak Park Public Library. In accordance with Illinois law, because we are structured as a local village library, the approved budget is then submitted as a levy resolution to the Village of Oak Park, … Read more
Thanks to a unique partnership with Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, people without adequate health care coverage have been receiving confidential mental health assessments from a licensed clinical psychologist at the Main Library since last fall. “Rush University Medical Center is recognizing that our library is where people are coming every day,” says the … Read more
As your public library, we love to share! And that includes sharing space with our neighbors. “The ethical cornerstone of public libraries is that we want to benefit the public good, and sharing what we have is the way we do it,” says Skye Lavin, Manager of Adult Services at the Forest Park Public Library. … Read more
“Every time I walk through the doors of the library, the mantra I keep in my mind is: ‘To provide excellent customer service,’” says Rashmi Swain, Adult Education and Job Seekers Librarian. With 15 years of service to the library, Swain (pictured above, center) is among those celebrating milestone anniversaries this year. She and other … Read more
