Want to reduce your use of the Earth’s natural resources and live a more eco-friendly life? Check out these titles and resources, handpicked by our librarians, to help you learn more about sustainable and eco-friendly living, just in time for Earth Day on Monday, April 22. Find it on the shelf (physical books) Read it … Read more
Every Saturday, a group of families gathers at the public library for Arabic Calligraphy Club. Using free meeting room space at the Main Library, they bring supplies: plain white paper, pens and markers, canvases, bottles of ink. And, of course, snacks—a tin of butter cookies, a few tomatoes, falafel, chocolate. “It’s good family time,” says … Read more
Last month we enjoyed sharing stories, creating, and discovering more about the Hindu spring festival Holi at Dole Branch Library! During the event, kids created a craft and learned more about Holi, also known as the “festival of colors” and the “festival of love,” through the Multicultural Collection. Mark your calendars for upcoming events featuring … Read more
Lively Athletics didn’t always sell kids’ shoes. In 2014, Anne Pezalla opened the store at 109 N. Oak Park Ave. with her sister Kate, selling women’s athletic clothing and shoes. In 2016, she started kicking around the idea of adding shoes for kids. She was participating in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at … Read more
Join us at the Main Library during Money Smart Week to learn how to better manage your finances: Saturday, March 30, 12:30 pm: How to Protect Your Retirement Savings Saturday, March 30, 2 pm: Building a Financial Foundation Tuesday, April 2, 11 am: Building Wealth & Asset Accumulation Wednesday, April 3, 10 am: Investing in … Read more
On Monday, April 22, join us as we dig in for the first full season of the Maze Branch Sensory Garden. Launched last fall with local families who have kids with disabilities, the garden is completely accessible and offers programs through summer and fall. “We have a wide range of supports so anyone can come … Read more
The following piece by Executive Director David J. Seleb was originally published as a letter to the editor in the March 13 edition of the Wednesday Journal, and has been lightly edited for our website. How do we bring people together when it feels like our society is breaking apart? That is one of the … Read more
Navin doesn’t start kindergarten until fall 2020, yet he’s already read more than 1,000 books! Committed to the long-term goal of reading together well before kindergarten, Navin and his family participated in the library’s 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program. It’s designed to prepare babies, toddlers, and preschoolers to arrive ready to learn come kindergarten. “We … Read more
As an 18-month grant-funded initiative to empower youth for college and career builds to a finish at the Main Library, those involved are calling it a “community catalyst” for the way it’s sparking opportunities, strengthening relationships, and energizing young people, families, and those who work with young people. “To catalyze something means you can walk … Read more
To better serve our community, now and into the future, we routinely commit to investing in two of Oak Park’s two greatest assets: library staff and library space. In 2018, the Board of Library Trustees approved a 2019 budget that enables us to do two important things this year. One is to take a big-picture … Read more
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