17 Sep 2013

Library, Writing Center Celebrate the Freedom to Read Next Tuesday

By Lisa Lockheart

Rock Island, IL - Rock Island Public Library and the Midwest Writing Center will partner to celebrate the freedom to read with a Banned Books Week Reception and Reading next Tuesday, Sept. 24 at the Rock Island Main Library, 401 19th Street.

The Rock Island Library event begins at 6:00 pm with a public reception. From 6:30 to 7:30 pm, readers will celebrate their First Amendment rights by offering public readings from their favorite banned or challenged works. The event is free and open to the public. No registration is required. Content of some readings may not be suitable for all ears.

Attendees may also show their support for intellectual freedom by entering to win Banned Books merchandise, such as cups, bookmarks, pins, bags, t-shirts, and more.

Banned Books Week is an annual event, held this year from Sept. 22 to 28. Since 1982, Banned Books Week has rallied librarians, booksellers, authors, publishers, teachers, and readers of all types to celebrate and defend the freedom to read. Each year, the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom records hundreds of attempts by individuals and groups to have books removed from library shelves and from classrooms. The list of banned or challenged works includes classic novels of the 20th Century, such as The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck, and To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.

While books have been and continue to be banned, part of the celebration is the fact that, in a majority of cases, the books have remained available. This happens only thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, students, and community members who stand up and speak out for the freedom to read. For a full list of Banned or Challenged Books, and more information on why books on the list were challenged, visit the Banned Books Week Web site at http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks.

For more events at Rock Island Library, visit the library website at www.rockislandlibrary.org, follow the library on Facebook or Twitter, or call 309-732-7323 (READ).

(End)

10 Sep 2013

Use Your Rock Island Library Card to Do Your Homework!

By Lisa Lockheart

Rock Island, IL - Rock Island Public Library is pleased to announce the launch of Brainfuse, a new online tutoring service that provides learning tools for learners from kindergarten through college, as well as adult learning tools for career, job searching and skill building.

"Brainfuse is a great new resource that the Rock Island Public Library now offers to the community.  With live tutors helping with homework assignments, papers, and practice tests, students will have a chance to get help outside the classroom.  Adults can use Brainfuse to work on their resumes, interview skills, and practice the GED, GRE, and citizenship tests.  Brainfuse packages a wide variety of services into one website," says Natalie Struecker, Reference and Adult Services Director for the Rock Island Library.

The Brainfuse eLearning suite consists of HelpNow and JobNow modules.  HelpNow offers personalized live homework help aligned with state standards in math, reading, writing, science and social studies. It also includes dozens of practice tests, including the ACT, SAT, ASVAB and more.  HelpNow tutoring covers Kindergarten through 12th Grades, with additional resources for college-age students.  The Adult Learning Center offers resume assistance, career resources, skill-building exercises, and practice for GED and citizenship tests. Also useful to adults will be JobNow module, which offers real-time resume and interview coaching and career service.

Brainfuse is available to Rock Island Library cardholders from the public computers at three Rock Island Library locations, or from any computer with an Internet connection. Live online tutors are available 2:00 pm to 11:00 pm, Sunday through Saturday. The free service started Sept. 3, and requires a Rock Island Library card. To use Brainfuse, go to www.rockislandlibrary.org, select Online Tools, and click either the HelpNow or JobNow logos.

When using the program for the first time, users will want to create an account to save and use many of the features in the HelpNow and JobNow modules.

For information about getting or renewing a Rock Island Library card, Rock Island and Milan-area residents should call the library at 309-732-7323.

HelpNow™

HelpNow™ provides differentiated learning solutions for users of diverse needs and background.  Students communicate with live tutors using an interactive whiteboard to chat, write, draw, copy/paste text or images and graph homework problems.  HelpNow offers live tutor access for homework help, skills building and test preparation where after taking a quiz; the user can connect directly to a live tutor from the test center without having to return to the main page. Because HelpNow is personalized, both the student and the tutor can access quiz questions to do an intensive test prep which may include loading lessons on the whiteboard. All live sessions are saved and can be replayed as well as shared with friends and teachers by email.

The Writing Lab and the 24/7 Center options give users the freedom to receive assistance at any time of the day without connecting with a live tutor.  Users can submit papers through the Writing Lab for a detailed feedback.  24/7 Center is for non-writing assignments such as math or science.  All reviews and comments from our tutors are found and stored in the Message Center which is found on the student homepage. For students who prefer to work independently and form their own online study group, HelpNow offers a set of collaborative tools - Meet and Brainwave. Meet allows students to schedule their own online sessions using the Brainfuse Meet whiteboard which is specifically designed for a group setting.  Brainwave is a recordable whiteboard where students can draw, write on the whiteboard and chat then save and email it to others for feedback.

Adult Learning Center

Adult Learning Center is the adult learners' version of HelpNow™ where patrons can access GED prep, U.S citizenship test prep, resume assistance, Microsoft Office support, and Career Resources which lists popular job search links.  Microsoft Office support allows patrons to ask questions about Excel, Word and PowerPoint. Writing Lab, 24/7 Center and the Skills Building are also included in the Adult Learning Center suite.

JobNow™

JobNow™ provides library patrons with help in every step of the job search process.  Job coaches are available to help patrons with job search related questions.  In addition to helping beginning job seekers pinpoint their desired career field, coaches can also provide constructive suggestions on resumes, help write a professional cover letter, and give live interview practice and feedback.  If you do not have time for a live session, simply submit your resume at any time of day through the Resume Lab and a job coach will send it back to you within 1 business day with detailed feedback and suggestions for improvement.  The JobNow™ service also comes with an extensive collection of resources, including resume/cover letter templates, interview tips, sample interview questions, industry-specific sample interview questions, and a diverse array of online resources and links.

About Brainfuse™

Brainfuse is one of the nation's leading online tutoring providers, serving a diversified client base of libraries, school districts and colleges/universities. Brainfuse patrons receive one-to-one tutoring via a versatile and user friendly online classroom. Brainfuse clients include school districts, colleges, and library systems throughout the country including Dallas, Seattle, MELSA, Suffolk, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Sacramento, and San Diego. For more information about Brainfuse services, contact info@brainfuse.com.

30 Aug 2013

Rock Island Library September Art Exhibit Features Ripples of Inspiration

By Lisa Lockheart

Rock Island, IL: Teaching and mutual inspiration are at the center of "Ripples of Inspiration," a new group art show at the Rock Island Main Library in September. The group show features the works of art teacher Jane L. Koski and three former students, Megan Crandall-Cooper, Holly Kimball, and Jessica Bingham-Ott.  The show will be available for viewing during Main Library hours from Sept. 3 to 30 on the second floor of the Main Library, 401 19th Street.

"In this exhibit, I want to honor what teaching means to me," says Mrs. Koski. "In partnering with former students, I am reminded that where once I sought to inspire them, they now inspire me.  . . . They have chosen to make art a part of their lives. Like a pebble thrown into the water, we are inspired by the ripples that touch us and overlap."

The artists will present a public reception for their show on Wednesday, Sept. 11, from 5:00 to 7:30 pm in the second-floor art gallery space of the Main Library. The reception is free and open to the public.

About the artists:

Jane Leifheit Koski is an graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University with a bachelor of fine arts in art education. She also studied at Drake University, St. Ambrose University, and Black Hawk College. Mrs. Koski taught art at Rock Island High School, Orion Middle School, and Orion High School for 28 years before retiring in 2009. "I'm calling myself an escape artist these days, instead of a painter. When I work, I want my art to give the viewer the experience of a moment of peace and reflection. . . .Trees and nature are a common subject for me as I explore texture and color."

Megan Crandall-Cooper graduated from  Augustana College in 2005 with a degree in liberal studies and studio art. She went on to study web design at Black Hawk College. She currently works as the program coordinator at the Sherrard Public Library, with previous jobs including work as a freelance photographer, production assistant, graphic designer/web designer, florist, costumer, substitute teacher and wedding planner. Past activities creating pixie teas at the Quad City Botanical Center led her to create a line of polymer fairy doors, houses and gardens, in addition to costumes and fairy floral creations. Her webpage at www.spritefystudios.com features several of her creations.                               

Holly Kimball is a native of Orion and a 2011 graduate of Coe College in Cedar Rapids. She earned a bachelor of arts in art with an emphasis on painting and drawing, and was the co-recipient of the Marvin Cone Art Prize. Her paintings and drawings have been exhibited in various shows, galleries and library exhibitions in Illinois and Iowa. "My personal response to subject matter is highly crucial to my working method. It is imperative that I seen something extraordinary in my chosen subject," writes Kimball. "I use a variety of materials to allude to my underlying process and the amalgamation of transient moments. My work, then, is more than just a final product; it serves as a record of the full experience."

Jessica Bingham-Ott is currently a masters-level graduate student in fine arts,  and a gallery assistant and photographer at Bradley University. She received her bachelor's degree in art in 2012 and post-baccalaureate fellowship certificate in 2013, both at Monmouth College. Her paintings focus mainly on organic abstraction through oil and mixed media paintings. "Using Mother Nature as a factual beginning, I explore various elements of what she has provided me. I look for organic patterns, textures, and movements to influence and use those images as guidelines to expand each piece to its full capacity," she writes.

For more details about Rock Island Library events, visit the Rock Island Library website at www.rockislandlibrary.org, sign up for an email newsletter, follow the library on Facebook or Twitter, or call 309-732-7323 (READ.)

 

(End)

30 Aug 2013

Local History Highlighted in September at Rock Island Library

By Lisa Lockheart

Events part of library participation in East West Riverfest, Sept. 6-22, 2013

Rock Island, IL: From a walking tour of Rock Island saints and sinners to a lecture program on how the early brewing industry affected the lives of women, local history is on tap at the Rock Island Library in September. The events are part of the library's partnership with Experience Quad Cities and its second-annual East West Riverfest focus on arts, culture and heritage from Sept. 6-22.  Rock Island Library events are free and open to the public.

Lace up your shoes for a walk among "Reformers and Reprobates." From local reformers such as Miss Ellen Gale and Minnie Potter to the reprobates of the John Looney era, Rock Island history is full of fascinating saints and sinners.

Hear their stories through a downtown walking tour sponsored by the Rock Island Public Library on Thursday, Sept. 12, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. Local historian Jill Doak will lead a tour that encompasses several Looney-era sites, including Bill Gabel's "soft drinks" establishment, Anthony Bilburg's saloon, the Looney and Kelly office building, and the former sites of the Como and Sherman Hotels, as well as the sites of Rock Island reformers, including the Rock Island Argus building,  the Potter House, Dr. DeSilva's home, the YMCA, several historic churches, and of course, the Rock Island Library. The tour meets at 6:00 pm inside the Main Library, 401 19th Street, and then leaves the library to move around the downtown.

Registration is not required, but is appreciated. Walk-ins are welcomed.  Call 309-732-7303 or email lockheart.lisa@rigov.org to sign up, so we know not to leave you behind!

Learn About the WPA in the Quad Cities: The Rock Island Public Library will present Dr. Jeff Hancks from Western Illinois University for a program on The WPA in the Quad Cities on Monday, Sept. 16 at 2:00 pm in the Main Library, 401 19th Street. This free program will meet in the second-floor Community Room and is open to all ages.

The Works Project Administration (WPA) and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) were federal work relief programs begun under Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal. As the largest and most ambitious of the Depression-era agencies, these programs employed millions to carry out construction, parks, and arts projects. Dr. Hancks will speak generally on the various relief projects carried out nationwide during the Great Depression and specifically on projects benefiting the Quad City area, such as the Rock Island Longview Park Greenhouse, Lock & Dam #15, the Moline Municipal Airport and Black Hawk State Park. Rock Island native Jeff Hancks is a special collections librarian at Western Illinois University in Macomb.

Proper Ladies & Painted Women: Women, Work, and Reform in a Wet City: Learn about the rich history of brewing in the Quad Cities, and how that industry affected the lives of local women, with a free lecture program by Augustana College professor Dr. Jane Simonsen on Thursday, Sept. 19 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. The free program takes place in the Community Room of the Rock Island Main Library, 401 19th Street, and is open to the public.  Dr. Jane Simonsen is an associate professor of history at Augustana College, where she specializes in U.S. women's history, gender studies and Native American studies.

Additional events going on at the Rock Island Library during the East West Riverfest time period include free morning and evening children's storytimes,  three "Smart Start" Saturday storytimes, free Lego block construction times, the "Ripples of Inspiration" art exhibit at the Main Library, adult classes in how to use Email and Microsoft Word, and an eBook demo at the Southwest Branch. For more details about library events, visit the Rock Island Library website at www.rockislandlibrary.org, sign up for an email newsletter, follow the library on Facebook or Twitter, or call 309-732-7323 (READ.)

Free copies of the East West Riverfest guide are also available at all Rock Island Public Libraries. More than 300 events at 60 different community venues are posted on the East West Riverfest website at www.eastwestriverfest.com.

(End)

05 Aug 2013

Library Lines: Organizing Tips, Computer Class, Hug-A-Book and more!

By Lisa Lockheart
More for Adults in August!
Overdrive Ebook and Audio Book download service Want to learn about eBooks and how to use them to read anywhere, anytime? Begin with a free eBook/eAudiobook Demo, 6:30 pm, Thursday, Aug. 8, at the Rock Island Main Library, 401 19th Street. You'll learn how to use the Library's eBook/audiobook service OverDrive, to download books to your personal devices and computer.
Learn 5 Ways to Becoming More Organized

Do you spend more time looking for things than actually using them? Want some tips for getting better organized when the kids go back to school?

If any of those statements describe either you or someone you live with, take advantage of a free program in August from the Rock Island Public Library, "5 Steps to Getting Organized." The free presentation by professional organizer and national speaker Mona Brantley of "Organize That"  is Tuesday, Aug. 20 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm at the Rock Island Main Library, 401 19th Street.

Mona will provide logical and helpful hints, tips, and tricks that will make a difference in your life.  You will discover the one difference between organized and disorganized people, while also understanding why you have trouble getting or staying organized.

The program is free and open to the public.
Share the Joy at Hug-A-Book!

Join us for "Tunes for Tots" at this year's Hug-A-Book event for early learning! 

Musician Chris Dunn, of Rock Island, will provide music for children ages two to five from 6:30 to 7:30 pm on Thursday, August 22 at the Rock Island Main Library, 401 19th Street. Each child attending the event will also receive a free children's book and Hug-A-Book bag to keep, courtesy of the Merrill Harris Hug-A-Book Memorial Fund of the Rock Island Public Library Foundation.

Each Hug-A-Book event includes an educational program aided to support the early learning needs of two-to-five-year-olds. Music helps very young children practice language, recognize sounds and develop reasoning ability - all skills that help your child become more ready to read and learn!

Hug-A-Book is free and open to the public.
Two More Events for Teens
Teen Gaming Night: 6:00 to 7:30 pm, Thursday, Aug. 15, Main Library. Play Xbox 360 and Wii Games on the library's big screen, try out some board games, and enjoy snacks, For ages 12 to 18 only. 

City of Bones Teen Party, Wed., Aug. 21, 6:00 to 7:30 pm, Main Library. Celebrate the release of the film based on the popular teen novel, "City of Bones," by Cassandra Clare. Shadowhunter trivia, snacks for mundanes and downworlders, and a movie. Ages 12 to 18 only.
Midwest Prairie Paintings on Display

See a vanishing slice of the environment, with an exhibit of Midwest Prairie Paintings by Davenport artist Pamela Bradner Ohnemus. You can view the show during library hours from Aug. 2 to 30 on the second floor of the Main Library, 401 19th Street.

Ohnemus works in acrylics and notes that, "Prairies have been reduced to isolated fragments that require conservation and preservation.  Less than one percent of the pre-settlement tall grass prairie remains."

Her highly detailed works involve layers of color over complementary under paintings, bringing delicate flowers and plants to life with subtle texture and natural patterns. Her website is www.pamohnemus.com.
Confused about computers? Let us help!

Getting Started with Computers, Monday, August 26th, 2:0 0 to 3:00 pm, Main Library. If you've never used a computer before or just are not comfortable with one, this is the class for you!  This one-hour class starts with the very basic lessons on computers and how to start using them.

Registration is required - space is limited.  Call the Rock Island Library's Reference Desk, 309-732-7341, to register. No computer skills required.
Psst ... The City Wants to Hear from YOU!

City of Rock Island Logo The City of Rock Island is asking for resident input to help officials create a comprehensive plan of growth, development and policy for the next 20 years. During August, residents are asked to complete an online community survey. Those without computers can use one at Rock Island Public Library branches or the Martin Luther King Center. You can find the survey at this link. Thanks!
29 Jul 2013

Time to Get Organized? Learn How with a Free Rock Island Library Program

By Lisa Lockheart
Rock Island, IL: Would your desk be a contender for "messiest office" award? Are your closets flowing over with items you can't find a place for? Do you spend more time looking for things than actually using them? Want some tips for getting better organized when the kids go back to school?

If any of those statements describe either you or someone you live with, take advantage of a free program in August from the Rock Island Public Library, "5 Steps to Getting Organized." The free presentation by professional organizer and national speaker Mona Brantley of "Organize That" will occur on Tuesday, Aug. 20 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm at the Rock Island Main Library, 401 - 19th Street.

In an entertaining presentation, Ms. Brantley will provide logical and helpful hints, tips, and tricks that will make a difference in your life.  You will discover the one difference between organized and disorganized people, while also understanding why you have trouble getting or staying organized.  Mona holds certificates on "Chronic Disorganization" and continues to educate herself to help her clients and to help you. The program is free and open to the public.

For details on other events for all ages, see www.rockislandlibrary.org, follow Facebook/rockislandlibrary, visit any Rock Island Library or call 309-732-7323 (READ).

About our speaker: Mona Brantley is a certified Advanced International Organizing Professional, a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers, and a member of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization. Mona has worked behind the scenes for "The Nate Berkus Show;" and appeared on local media.  She is dedicated to helping others simplify and declutter their spaces so they can focus on the important people and events in their lives. She has earned Certificates of Study in Chronic Disorganization, Basic ADD issues with the CD Client, Basic Hoarding Issues with the CD client, and Client Administration from the Institute for Challenging Disorganization.

A resident of Bettendorf, Mona Brantley started her own organizing business after a career in education. Holding a BA and MA in English Language and Literature, Mona has taught in multiple universities and colleges throughout the US. Her business, Organize That, adheres to green organizing principles, which involves repurposing, reusing, or recycling as much as possible. She will donate items for her clients to the appropriate local organizations, taking the burden of disposal off her clients. Organize That serves the greater Iowa and Illinois Quad Cities Area.

(End)

12 Jul 2013

Only Two Family Performances Left in Rock Island Summer Reading Program

By Lisa Lockheart
Still Time to Stow Away for Free Summer Performances in July at your Rock Island Library

Rock Island, IL: With acts ranging from hands-on science fun to musical comedy antics, the final two performers in the Rock Island Public Library's Have Book, Will Travel free summer reading program will be something children and families will want to write home about.

On Thursday, July 18, the Rock Island Public Library hosts its first visit from the Bluedorn Science Imaginarium of Waterloo, Iowa, with the Mad Mixtures live science demonstration. The library will host two free performances, with an 11:00 am show at the Main Library, 401 19th Street, and a 1:00 pm show at the Southwest Branch Library, 9010 Ridgewood Road.

The hands-on shows bring science alive for school age children of all ages, and include such experiments as finding out how to make a fire extinguisher, why different things burn at different temperatures, and how cold it is on Pluto using liquid nitrogen. Kids might even come face-to-face with a live snake. The Carl A. and Peggy J. Bluedorn Science Imaginarium is a three-floor, interactive science center in the heart of the Grout Museum District of Waterloo.

On Thursday, July 25, the Rock Island Library becomes a stage for the  high-energy musical antics of Babaloo Music and Fun, with free shows offered at 10:00 am in the Main Library and at 1:30 pm at the Southwest Branch Library. Best described as a one-man musical comedy act for children of all ages, Babaloo has been wowing children with a raucous, zany brand of entertainment for nearly 20 years.  The interactive shows get kids smiling, laughing and up their feet, featuring singing, stomping, dancing, bucket-beating and bubble-busting fun. And with award-winning songs like "My Toothbrush Fell in the Toilet" and "The Wee Wee Dance," what kid could resist?

All performances are free and open to the public. For details on other summer events for all ages, see www.rockislandlibrary.org, follow Facebook/rockislandlibrary, visit any Rock Island Library or call
309-732-7323 (READ).

2013 Summer reading contests and programs are funded by Friends of the Rock Island Public Library, the Milan-Blackhawk Area Public Library District (Southwest Branch location), and the Rock Island Public Library Foundation.

(End)
09 Jul 2013

Library Lines: Summer Fun Continues This Week, Next!

By Lisa Lockheart

See Serengeti Steve on Thursday, July 11
Boa constrictor
For children & families: 
Serengeti Steve reptile show: 3:30 pm, July 11, Main Library Community Room. Serengeti Steve brings his show of snakes, spiders, lizards and other crawly things to the library. You may have seen him on America's Got Talent, but you'll see him up close at the library. Find out what a snake feels like!  
eBook Demo @ Southwest on Wednesday

 

Overdrive Ebook and Audio Book download service eBook Demo @ Southwest Branch. July 10,  Learn how to check out eBooks and eAudiobooks for free from your library with our OverDrive Media service. Learn how to checkout free eBooks and eAudiobooks for a variety of portable devices - eReaders, tablets, personal computers, even smartphones! 6:00 pm, Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road.
Stow Away for Weekly Children's Programs!
Compass Rose illustration with globe in middle

Have photos from your family travels? Learn how to keep your memories together with:

 

Kids' Scrapbooking Mondays: Free for 2nd grades and up. Materials supplied! 3:00 to 4:00 pm, July 8 at 30/31 Branch, and July 15 at Southwest Branch.

 

Want some more free family fun? Check out:

 

Storytimes for ages birth to five at 10:30 am on Tuesday, at 30/31 Branch and Wednesday at Southwest and Friday at Main Library. Last storytime of summer session is July 19.

 

Global Math Club: 3:30 pm, Two sessions left! July 9 & 16.  Main Library. Fun with math, from tutor Elizabeth Russell.

To see all your traveling options, pick up a brochure or calendar today! Or visit our website.
Library Mini Golf, Candy Architecture for Teens!

Teen Gaming Night - 4:00 pm, Tuesday, July 9, Southwest Branch.

 

Library Mini-Golf - 6:00 pm, Thursday, July 11, Main Library. Play our library mini-golf course for prizes!

 

And coming up next week:

 

Show off your building skills with Candy Architecture, 6:00 pm, Tuesday, July 16, Main Library. Using the materials provided, create an architectural masterpiece for prizes!

 

Get creative with Tie-Dying for Teens, 10 am to noon, Friday, July 19, outside the 30/31 Branch. Bring your own clothes to dye - other materials will be supplied. Free.

 

Teen events are for ages 12 to 18. Bring your bingo card summer reading form and complete a square for attending these programs!
More Next Week!
Mad Mixtures Science Shows: Free science shows for kids with hands-on experiments from the Bluedorn Science Imaginarium in super cold, combustion, kitchen science and more. Great for students of all ages! 
Two shows on Thursday, July 18: 11:00 am, Main Library, and 1:00 pm, Southwest Branch. 

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter book cover Free movie flick for adults - See the movie based on the book Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith. In this action-horror history mash-up, President Lincoln turns to vampire hunting when he discovers vampires are trying to take over the United States Rated R for action and some violence. Free. 6:00 pm, Thursday, July 18, Main Library.
Check out a pass for free summer fun

You can now check out a free family pass for:

 

The Figge Art Museum - Pass admits four

 

Niabi Zoo  - Admits two adults /up to 4 children,

 

The Quad City Botanical Center - Admits 4

Sorry, passes can't be reserved for a specific day. Each pass checks out for seven days, and must be picked up and returned in person at the issuing library branch.
More Ways to Stay in Touch!
Find us on Facebook Follow us on TwitterBookletters logo 75 pix Library Logo
09 Jul 2013

Serengeti Steve to Visit Rock Island Main Library on Thursday

By Lisa Lockheart

Reptile handler and reality show contestant "Serengeti Steve" will visit the Rock Island Main Library at 3:30 pm on Thursday, July 11 with a show of snakes and more. The free performance for all ages is in the library's second-floor Community Room at 401 19th Street.

Serengeti Steve began his career in herpetology over 20 years ago and now performs over 600 shows a year.  He has raised and maintained over 200 species of reptiles, arachnids and insects from around the globe. He recently appeared on NBC's "America's Got Talent," making it to the Las Vegas finals.

The thrilling, yet comical, presentation involves audience participation. Attendees will have an opportunity to help hold these unique creatures in a safe environment. The free show is part of the library's "Have Book, Will Travel" summer programming for children and families.

In other Rock Island Library events on July 11, the library's teen department will present a free "library mini-golf" event for ages 12 to 18 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm in the Main Library. Teens can play a mini-golf course throughout the library for fun and prizes in the Beneath the Surface teen reading program.

For details on other summer events for all ages, see www.rockislandlibrary.org, follow Facebook/rockislandlibrary, visit any Rock Island Library or call 309-732-7323 (READ).

2013 Summer reading contests and programs are funded by Friends of the Rock Island Public Library, the Milan-Blackhawk Area Public Library District (Southwest Branch location), and the Rock Island Public Library Foundation.

(End)

02 Jul 2013

Hours, Holiday Changes, and Summer Events at Rock Island Library for Fourth of July Week

By Lisa Lockheart

Due to the Independence Day holiday, all Rock Island Public Libraries will close at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, July 3, and remain closed for the July 4th holiday. Libraries will reopen at the regular time on Friday, July 5.

Despite the shortened week, the library is still offering plenty of summer reading events as part of its "Have Book, Will Travel" and "Beneath the Surface" programs for children, adults and teens.  Events next week include :

·         Scrapbooking Mondays for kids, 3:00 pm, on Monday, July 1 in the Rock Island Main Library Children's Room, 401 19th Street. All materials will be supplied.

·         Storytimes for ages birth to five at the Rock Island 30/31 Branch Library at 10:30 am on Tuesday, July 2, and at the Rock Island Southwest Branch Library on Wednesday, July 3.

·         Global Math Club for kids, 3:30 to 4:30 pm, Tuesday, July 2, at the Rock Island Main Library, 401 19th Street.

·         Cake Archeology cake decorating program for teens ages 12 to 18, noon to 1:00 pm, Tuesday, July 2, at Rock Island Southwest Branch Library, 9010 Ridgewood Road.

·         Using your Apple iPad program for adults and seniors, 6:30 pm, Tuesday, July 2, Rock Island Main Library, 401 19th Street.  For Apple devices only; participants should bring their device with them to the class.

Due to the holiday, there will be no Friends of the Library half-price book sale and no Independent movie in July. The Wednesday Lego block club and Friday Storytime programs previously announced at the Main Library have also been cancelled for this week only.

For details on other summer events for all ages, see www.rockislandlibrary.org, follow Facebook/rockislandlibrary, visit any Rock Island Library or call 309-732-7323 (READ).

2013 Summer reading contests and programs are funded by Friends of the Rock Island Public Library, the Milan-Blackhawk Area Public Library District (Southwest Branch location), and the Rock Island Public Library Foundation.

(End)

Pages

Subscribe & Listen to Reader Podcasts

On Stands Now

 

Tagged Content

Two Ways to Subscribe

1. Subscribe to free weekly e-mail content updates.

You'll get both the current official narrative challenge and What's Happenin' in the Quad Cities.
(Did you know we publish a new Amy Alkon Advice Goddess, Real Astrology, Red Meat cartoon and RCR Crossword every week?) 

* indicates required

View previous campaigns.

2. Get 12 monthly issues mailed first class for $48

Get 12 issues mailed monthly for $48 per year.

Get the printed Reader edition mailed to you (or anyone you want) first-class for 12 months for $48.
$24 goes to postage and handling, $24 goes to keeping the doors open!

Click this link to Subscribe now.