National Library Week: Ready, Set, Library!

Experience something special at your Rock Island Public Library during National Library Week, April 7–13, 2024. The week kicks off in a truly phenomenal way, with a partial solar eclipse, and ends with a special Saturday book club and Saturday morning bird watching walk (note, this event requires registration, and spots may not be available.) 

Libraries give us a green light to experience something truly special: a place to connect with others, learn new skills, and pursue our passions through book clubs, storytimes, movie nights, crafting classes, lectures, and more. The Rock Island Public Library offers a wide array of programs, classes and resources. Collections and services include a wide variety of books, movies, music, in both print and digital formats, unique Library of Things collections, a seasonal Seed Library, study rooms and areas, meeting rooms, and special services, such as Book-A-Librarian help and homebound delivery.

Events: 

The Stars Align: The week starts in a big way with the partial eclipse on Monday afternoon, April 8, so it’s time to plan. Solar eclipses happen when the moon partially or totally blocks the earth’s view of the sun. Weather permitting, this phenomenal event starts at 12:47 pm local time. Maximum eclipse coverage is at 2:03 pm, and the end of the event at 3:18 pm.

While there’s no public library event planned, anyone is welcome to watch from library grounds. Bring a chair, and check out something to read while you wait. If you haven’t been able to find eclipse viewers beforehand, day of event eclipse glass supplies will be available while supplies last. The Rock Island Public Library will also show the NASA eclipse livestream from noon to 3pm on large screens at the Downtown Library, 401 19^th Street; Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road, and Watts-Midtown Branch, 2715 30^th Street.

Read Newspapers Online – Without Paywalls: Also, on Monday, April 8, the library features a how-to session on using the library’s Newsbank subscription, which offers access to thousands of digitized newspapers, including The Dispatch-Argus. In the “How to Print the Dispatch Argus Crossword” workshop, participants will learn how to "clip" items from the digital edition (crossword, obit, recipe, etc.). The event starts around 3pm on Monday, April 8, in the Downtown Library Community Room, 401 19^th Street. Registration is requested, and it’s helpful to bring a current Rock Island Public Library card.

Seek Out Jobs and Computer Skills: Every Tuesday, the Rock Island Library supports economic development and personal advancement with drop-in job search and computer skills help. Offered through a partnership with Goodwill Industries, one-on-one individualized help is available from 4:30 pm to 6pm on Tuesday, April 9 at the Downtown Library computer lab, 401 19^th Street.

The library also supports school success and career development with online HelpNow tutoring and JobNow career services through its Brainfuse subscription. For details on using this service, visit www.rockislandlibrary.org or call the Reference Desk at 309-732-7341.

Stories for Little Ones:  Weekly storytimes offer quality time for caregivers and preschoolers to enjoy stories, songs, and action rhymes. The weekly sessions are offered at 10:30 am on Tuesday, April 9 at the Rock Island Watts-Midtown Branch, and again at the same time on Friday, April 12.

Little ones can explore their creative sides with Petite Picassos, offered at 11am on Wednesday, April 10 at the Rock Island Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road. All are suitable for children ages 5 and under with a caregiver present.

All Ages Family Craft: Try out a craft that merges creativity and upcycling, with the CD Suncatcher craft, offered Tuesday, April 9, at 6 pm at the Rock Island Southwest Branch. Participants need to register for the free craft, which uses CDs and embellishments to make a single suncatcher or string of CDs for a unique garden mobile. To sign up for the craft, visit www.rockislandlibrary.org

Lifelong Learning: Explore the history of the Civil War with another in a series of lectures by Rock Island Arsenal historians. On Wednesday, April 10 at 2pm, Army Sustainment Command historians from the Rock Island Arsenal present a talk on the April outbreak of the war, with “War Begins!” The lecture at the Downtown Library is free and open to all.

Movies and Books: On Thursday, April 11, the Library’s Downtown Movie Club shows the latest movie based on Alice Walker’s classic book, The Color Purple. The free movie for adults is shown from 1 pm to 3:30 pm in the Downtown Library Community Room. Popcorn will be available.

Booklovers can gather for a Coffee Break Book Club on Saturday, April 13, at 2:30 pm, at Theo’s Java Café, 213 17^th Street, Rock Island.  The club is free and open to all, and will be discussing “This is How You Lose the Time War,” by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone. Drinks may be purchased from Theo’s to enjoy during the book discussion.

No matter where you find yourself in life - raising a family, preparing for a new career, launching a business, or settling into retirement, the Rock Island Library offers resources and support to learn through books and events, develop new interests, and connect with others, in an inclusive environment where all are welcome. Whatever you’re starting, Begin Here!

For more information about these, and other library services and events, visit us online or in person, call 309-732-READ, or follow the Rock Island Library Facebook and Instagram social media sites.

Rock Island Public Library cards are available at no added cost to residents of Rock Island and the Milan-Blackhawk Area Public Library district. Rock Island cards can also be used at other PrairieCat network libraries in the Illinois Quad Cities (and vice versa,) and also in Davenport and Augustana College, due to special agreements with those libraries. For details, please visit “Get a Card” at the library website.

First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association and libraries of all types across the country each April. Special celebrations during the week include Right to Read Day on April 8, Library Workers Day on April 9, Library Outreach Day on April 10, and Take Action for Libraries Day on April 11.