Upcoming Events

Featured Events

Cherry & Jerry ragtime music

Tuneful Tuesday Series: Cherry & Jerry Ragtime Music

Tuesday, April 7, 2026 at 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Downtown Community Room at Downtown Library
Library Branch: Downtown Library
Room: Downtown Community Room
Age Group: Adult, Everyone
Program Type: Performance
Event Details:

Join us for a FREE ragtime concert with Cherry & Jerry! This concert is suitable for music lovers of all ages. Light refreshments will be provided.

Storyteller Brian "Fox" Ellis costumed as Robert Ridgway, Illinois bird scientist and conservationist

Brian "Fox" Ellis presents - Robert Ridgway, Illinois's Bird Man

Thursday, April 9, 2026 at 2:00pm - 3:15pm
Downtown Community Room at Downtown Library
Library Branch: Downtown Library
Room: Downtown Community Room
Age Group: Teen, Adult, Family, Everyone
Program Type: Presentation
Event Details:

Renowned storyteller and author Brian “Fox” Ellis presents a first-person impression of Robert Ridgway and the story of his lifelong work at the Smithsonian Institution.

RIPL Citizen's Academy - Shield with stylized open book and star under text

Library Citizens' Academy

Monday, April 20, 2026 at 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Watts-Midtown: Norm & Janet Moline Conference Room at Watts-Midtown Branch
Library Branch: Watts-Midtown Branch
Room: Watts-Midtown: Norm & Janet Moline Conference Room
Age Group: Teen, Adult
Program Type: Special Event
Registration Required
Event Details:

To kick off National Library Week, we're opening the book on what it takes to run a public library! Join us on four Mondays for the first-ever RIPL Library Citizen's Academy, and become a library expert.

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Age Group

Summer Art Club

2:00pm–3:00pm
Children, School Age
Downtown Library
Open
Registration Required
Library Branch: Downtown Library
Room: Downtown Community Room
Age Group: Children, School Age
Registration Required
Event Details:

Art Series

Four weeks of summer art instruction for ages 8 to 14 with Ms G. Recommended for children entering 3rd through 8th grades. Registration required. Classes fill fast!

Dig into the artistic side of plants with this Plant-A-Seed Read art series. Registering for the first class will sign you up for all four.

Outreach ~ Longview Park

3:00pm–4:00pm
Children, Early Learning, School Age
Outreach
Offsite Event
Library Branch: Outreach
Age Group: Children, Early Learning, School Age
Program Type: Outreach
Event Details:

A Youth Services Librarian and the Mobile Library will be at Longview Park sharing children's stories and an activity.  

Summer Math Club

3:15pm–4:00pm
Children, School Age
Downtown Library
Open
Registration Required
Library Branch: Downtown Library
Room: Downtown Community Room
Age Group: Children, School Age
Registration Required
Event Details:

Math Series

Four weeks of fun math activities and games for ages 8 to 12 with Ms. Elizabeth Russell. Recommended for children in 2 to 6th grades. Keep those skills sharp over the summer! Registration required.

Math is in everything, including the plant world! Dig into fun math games with a look at the real-world use of math concepts. Plant-A-Seed, READ this summer at Rock Island Library. 

Dissection Event

3:45pm–4:45pm
School Age, Teen, Adult, Family
Downtown Library
Upcoming
Registration Required
Library Branch: Downtown Library
Room: Downtown Collaboration Area
Age Group: School Age, Teen, Adult, Family
Program Type: Special Event
Registration Required
Event Details:

Join us for a unique evening of learning about animal biology with science educator Andrea Martinez!

Library Board of Trustees Meeting

5:00pm–6:00pm
Downtown Library
Library Branch: Downtown Library
Room: Downtown Community Room
Purpose of Meeting

Monthly meeting of the Library Board of Trustees. Open to the public. 

Midtown Readers Book Club

6:30pm–7:30pm
Adult
Watts-Midtown Branch
Library Branch: Watts-Midtown Branch
Room: Watts-Midtown: Norm & Janet Moline Conference Room
Age Group: Adult
Program Type: Book Club
Event Details:

Join us as we discuss Tom Lake by Ann Patchett! Reserve a copy through our library system HERE.

Disclaimer(s)

Accessibility

The library makes every effort to ensure our programs can be enjoyed by all. If you have any concerns about accessibility or need to request specific accommodations, please contact the library.

Toddler Tales @ Southwest Branch

11:00am–11:30am
Early Learning
All locations
Offsite Event
Library Branch: All locations
Age Group: Early Learning
Program Type: Storytime
Event Details:

Children and their caregivers are invited to enjoy this story time full of books, action rhymes and songs. 

For ages 0 - 5 years old. 

Outreach - Skip a Long - Milan - School Age

1:00pm–2:00pm
School Age
Outreach
Offsite Event
Library Branch: Outreach
Age Group: School Age
Program Type: Special Event
Event Details:

A youth services librarian will be visiting Skip A Long summer camp.  

Silent Book Club®

5:30pm–6:30pm
Teen, Adult
Watts-Midtown Branch
Library Branch: Watts-Midtown Branch
Room: Watts-Midtown Community Room
Age Group: Teen, Adult
Program Type: Book Club, Mental Health
Event Details:

Looking for a book club with no assigned reading or focused discussions? Then joining our Silent Book Club® may be for you!

Closed for Juneteenth

All Day
All locations
Closing
Branches:
All locations
Description:

Rock Island Public Library buildings and bookmobile routes are closed for the Juneteenth holiday. See us online! 

Garfield's 50th Birthday Bash

10:00am–11:30am
School Age, Teen
Watts-Midtown Branch
Library Branch: Watts-Midtown Branch
Room: Watts-Midtown Teen Area
Age Group: School Age, Teen
Program Type: DIY
Event Details:

It's Garfield's 50th Birthday!* Join us for a morning of retro crafts at the Watts-Midtown Branch: you can create your own perler bead or pony bead keychain art, or make a button celebrating the famous feline!

OUTREACH ~ RIFAC Preschool Storytime

10:00am–11:00pm
Early Learning
Outreach
Offsite Event
Library Branch: Outreach
Age Group: Early Learning
Program Type: Storytime
Event Details:

Miss Ranell will visit RIFAC preschool for storytime. 

Drop-in Computer Skills & Job Search Assistance w/ Goodwill of the Heartland

3:00pm–4:00pm
Adult
Downtown Library
Library Branch: Downtown Library
Age Group: Adult
Program Type: Discussion
Event Details:

Looking for assistance with computer skills and searching for jobs?

Toddler Tales @ Watts-Midtown Branch

10:30am–11:00am
Early Learning
Watts-Midtown Branch
Library Branch: Watts-Midtown Branch
Age Group: Early Learning
Program Type: Storytime
Event Details:

Young children and their caregivers are invited to enjoy this story time full of short books, action rhymes and songs.

For ages 0 - 5 years old.

Freedom to Read 'em Book Club -- Crank by Ellen Hopkins

2:00pm–3:00pm
Adult, Everyone
Downtown Library
Library Branch: Downtown Library
Room: Downtown Historical Room
Age Group: Adult, Everyone
Program Type: Book Club
Event Details:

Crank #1 by Ellen Hopkins

Summer Art Club

2:00pm–3:00pm
Children, School Age
Downtown Library
Open
Registration Required
Library Branch: Downtown Library
Room: Downtown Community Room
Age Group: Children, School Age
Registration Required
Event Details:

Art Series

Four weeks of summer art instruction for ages 8 to 14 with Ms G. Recommended for children entering 3rd through 8th grades. Registration required. Classes fill fast!

Dig into the artistic side of plants with this Plant-A-Seed Read art series. Registering for the first class will sign you up for all four.

Outreach ~ Longview Park

3:00pm–4:00pm
Children, Early Learning, School Age
Outreach
Offsite Event
Library Branch: Outreach
Age Group: Children, Early Learning, School Age
Program Type: Outreach
Event Details:

A Youth Services Librarian and the Mobile Library will be at Longview Park sharing children's stories and an activity.  

Summer Math Club

3:15pm–4:00pm
Children, School Age
Downtown Library
Open
Registration Required
Library Branch: Downtown Library
Room: Downtown Community Room
Age Group: Children, School Age
Registration Required
Event Details:

Math Series

Four weeks of fun math activities and games for ages 8 to 12 with Ms. Elizabeth Russell. Recommended for children in 2 to 6th grades. Keep those skills sharp over the summer! Registration required.

Math is in everything, including the plant world! Dig into fun math games with a look at the real-world use of math concepts. Plant-A-Seed, READ this summer at Rock Island Library. 

Outreach Skip A Long - Milan - Preschool Visit

9:45am–10:15am
Early Learning
Outreach
Offsite Event
Library Branch: Outreach
Age Group: Early Learning
Program Type: Outreach, Storytime
Event Details:

Miss Ranell will visit Skip a Long preschool for storytime. 

Toddler Tales @ Southwest Branch

11:00am–11:30am
Early Learning
All locations
Offsite Event
Library Branch: All locations
Age Group: Early Learning
Program Type: Storytime
Event Details:

Children and their caregivers are invited to enjoy this story time full of books, action rhymes and songs. 

For ages 0 - 5 years old. 

Outreach - Skip a Long - Milan - School Age

1:00pm–2:00pm
School Age
Outreach
Offsite Event
Library Branch: Outreach
Age Group: School Age
Program Type: Special Event
Event Details:

A youth services librarian will be visiting Skip A Long summer camp.  

Rock Island Knows Tractors Part 2 -- Rock Island's Heider Tractor

2:00pm–3:00pm
Adult, Family, Everyone
Downtown Library
Library Branch: Downtown Library
Room: Downtown Community Room
Age Group: Adult, Family, Everyone
Program Type: Movie
Event Details:

The Heider Tractor

Coffee & Conversations

10:00am–12:00pm
Adult
Southwest Branch
Library Branch: Southwest Branch
Room: Southwest Community Room
Age Group: Adult
Program Type: Discussion
Event Details:

Meet neighbors and create community at Coffee & Conversations every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at the Southwest Library! Coffee, light refreshments, and optional activities will be provided.