Honoring Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander heritage

Collage of book covers

Your public library is here to connect you with books, online resources, and learning experiences that honor Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander history and culture all year long. On this page, you can: The month of May is officially proclaimed as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month by the White House but … Read more

Supporting the freedom to read

All across the United States, there is an unprecedented campaign to censor books in school and public libraries. In March, the American Library Association (ALA) reported that 2022 saw the highest number of attempted book bans in 20 years, nearly double the number in 2021. “Overwhelmingly, we’re seeing these challenges come from organized censorship groups … Read more

Highlighting the role libraries play in our lives

National Library Week April 23-29, 2023: There's More to the Story text with a collage of book covers below

Sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA), National Library Week is a weeklong celebration—held this year April 23-29—to highlight the essential role libraries play in strengthening the lives of individuals and their communities as a whole. It’s also about Supporting the Freedom to Read » So what better way to celebrate than by checking out … Read more

Meet Christine, our new Environmental Programming Specialist

Christine Poreba with a background of trees

Christine Poreba is the library’s new Environmental Programming Specialist. In this position, she helps connect people to resources, information, programs, and community groups focused on sustainability. A poet and former teacher, Poreba has been working for the library since last May. As she shifts into this new role, she’s taking on an area of strategic … Read more

Happy Autism Acceptance Month! Videos & activities for early learners & caregivers

Embrace Differences

By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian April can be a challenging month for many autistic people. Many organizations that aren’t run with or by autistic leaders have campaigns about “lighting it up blue”—furthering stereotypes that autism only affects boys—or about curing autism. These organizations often push for autism awareness. Many autistic people, however, prefer to celebrate autism … Read more

A ‘Wellness in the Workplace’ Win

Library staff member receiving an award on Staff Day 2022

Oak Park receives 2023 Citation for Wellness in the Workplace Awarded annually by the American Library Association (ALA)’s Sustainability Round Table (SustainRT), this citation recognizes our library’s strategic commitment to “supporting all library staff to achieve happiness, well-being, and success.” From the SustainRT announcement: ‘Well-being activities and initiatives a priority’ “We are grateful to be … Read more

Poet Hila Ratzabi is exploring the big questions & speaking for Earth

Hila Ratzabi and book cover of "There Are Still Woods"

By Kristen Romanowski, Staff Writer & Editor Hila Ratzabi became a poet at age 7. As a New York City kid growing up in Queens, she was composing poems about pigeons, steeping herself in Shel Silverstein, and falling in love with the music of language, the joy of playing with words. “From that young age, … Read more