From April 11 to May 23, the halls of local libraries and non-profits will resound with the beat of uniquely American musical genres, thanks to the grant-funded "America's Music" project.

Bettendorf, Davenport, Moline and Rock Island Public Libraries, in collaboration with River Music Experience and Western Illinois University-Quad Cities, will host the six-week series, which features documentary film screenings, scholar-led discussions of twentieth-century American popular music and live performances.

"America's Music: A Film History of Our Popular Music from Blues to Bluegrass to Broadway" covers a wide span of musical interests, including blues and gospel, Broadway, jazz, bluegrass and country, rock n' roll, mambo, and hip hop. Featuring 19 presentations in the Iowa and Illinois Quad Cities, the local effort is one of just 50 sites nationwide selected to host this program series, which is funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.

Starting with blues and gospel and ending with swing jazz, the general audience programs will explore the connections between six uniquely American genres of 20^th century music and the influence of music on the history, culture and geography of the United States. Each screening and discussion session will examine an important American musical genre in the context of key social and historical developments, giving attendees of all ages an opportunity to recognize the influence of these popular music forms on the cultural landscape.

A full list of performances and locations is available at www.americasmusicqc.com, but the basic line-up is as follows:

Program partners and sponsors will kick off the series with a live performance by Iowa Blues Challenge winners The Candymakers from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm at the River Music Experience. Blues and gospel fill the week of April 15, with film/discussion events of "Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues" and "Say Amen Somebody" at the Rock Island Main Library and Davenport Public Library, Eastern Avenue Branch. Broadway and Tin Pan Alley fill the week of April 22 with film/discussion events of "Broadway: The American Musical" at Moline Public Library and River Music Experience, along with a Broadway performance by The District Theatre and Tristan Layne Tapscott at the Moline Public Library.

Bluegrass and county music are the focus of the week of April 29, with film/discussion events of "High Lonesome: The Story of Bluegrass Music" at Western Illinois University-QC and the Bettendorf Public Library. Bettendorf Library will also host a bluegrass performance by River Town, a four-piece ensemble performing traditional bluegrass and folk favorites.

Classic rock and roll takes the stage during the week of May 6, with film/discussion events of "The History of Rock 'n Roll: Plugging In," at the Bettendorf Public Library and Rock Island Main Library. The Rock Island Library will also host a performance by Meet the Press, a dynamic three-piece band performing 80s and 90s originals.

Mambo and Hip Hop music will fill the week of May 13, with film/discussion events of "Latin Music U.S.A. and "From Mambo to Hip Hope: A South Bronx Tale," at Davenport Public Library Eastern Avenue Branch and Western Illinois University- Quad Cities. The Davenport Public Library will also present a Hip Hop dance performance and instruction event with Midwest Academy of Dance.

Swing Jazz events fill the week of May 19, starting with a jazz performance at the Polyrhythms Third Sunday jazz at the River Music Experience. The event, featuring the Bill Bell trio, is the only ticketed event in the series. Cost is $10 general admission or $15 for reserved seating. Tickets will be available at the door, or by calling 309-373-0790. Free swing jazz film and discussion events with excerpts from "Ken Burns Jazz" and the "International Sweethearts of Rhythm" take place during the week at River Music Experience and Moline Public Library.

Discussions, along with a call for stories about memories of the Quad City musical landscape, will be led by program scholar Dr. Daniel S. Malachuk, associate professor of English at Western Illinois University - Quad Cities, and several faculty colleagues, including Dr. Everett Hammer (English), Dr. Nancy Schaefer and Dr. Tammy Werner (Sociology), and two students in the English Masters program, Chelsea Clearman and Jill King.

With help from his students, Dr. Malachuk will present some of the local stories collected at the final event in the series, "Celebrating America's Music in the Quad Cities, " from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on Thursday, May 23, at the Western Illinois University - Quad Cities Riverfront Atrium. Attendees are encouraged to bring their stories about the great variety of music heard in the Quad Cities over the past 50 years. Musicians are encouraged to bring instruments, as the event will close with an open mic event of local performers.

For details, please visit www.americasmusicqc.com or contact americasmusicqc@gmail.com or 309-524-2470.

"America's Music" is a project by the Tribeca Film Institute in collaboration with the American Library Association, Tribeca Flashpoint, and the Society for American Music. "America's Music" has been made possible by a major $2,500 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.

Additional funding for the Quad City effort was received from the Riverboat Development Authority, Sedona Technologies, UAW Local 2282, Friends of the Moline Public Library and Friends of the Rock Island Public Library, along with in-kind sponsorships from River Cities Reader, WQAD-TV Newschannel 8, STAR 93.5, WQPT Quad Cities PBS and WVIK Augustana Public Radio.

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Rock Island, IL: Looking for things to do with your school-aged children during the Rock Island/Milan School District spring break? The Rock Island Public Library has planned a number of programs from March 11 to 22

Programs for children include

Animoto Workshops: Children in grades 3 and up will create their own videos using pictures, video clips and music. Registration is required. Sign up for one of the dates below by calling 309-732-7360.

• 6:00 to 7:00 pm, Tuesday, March 12, Main Library Community Room, 401 19^th Street, or
• 4:00 to 5:00 pm, Tuesday, March 19, Main Library Community Room, 401 19^th Street.

Writer's Contest Help Session: Children in Kindergarten through 3^rd grades can get help with writing an entry for the WQPT PBS-Kids Go! Story Contest. 6:30 pm, Monday, March 18, 30/31 Branch, 3059 30^th Street.

Make & Take Days at Your Library: Families can visit the Rock Island Children's areas anytime for drop-in make and take craft sessions. Craft supplies and materials will be available all day on these days and locations:

• Thursday, March 14, Rock Island Main Library Children's Room, 401 19^th Street, and
• Thursday, March 21, Rock Island Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road.

Book Craft: Children in grades 3^rd and up can make a book in a workshop on Friday, March 22 from 3:00 to 4:00 pm in the Rock Island Main Library Children's Room, 401 19^th Street. Please sign up by calling 309-732-7360.

Additional activities for children during the school break include 10:30 am storytimes for ages birth to five on Tuesday, March 12 at the 30/31 Branch, 3059 30^th Street; Wednesday, March 13 at the Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road,

and on Friday, March 15, in the Main Library Children's Room. An evening storytime for the same ages will be offered at 6:30 pm on Monday, March 18, at the 30/31 Branch. Lego Clubs for children in pre-kindergarten through 6^th grades are scheduled for 4:00 pm on Wednesday, March 13 at the 30/31 Branch and March 20 at the Southwest Branch.

Programs for ages 12 to 18 during the Rock Island school break include :

Teen Gaming Night: Tuesday, March 12, 6:00 pm, Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road. Come to the Southwest Branch for snacks, games, and time to play Xbox 360 with Kinect or Wii games. Traditional board games will be available as well.

Teen Movie Day: Thursday, March 14, 2:00 to 4:00 pm, Main Library. Free teen movie on the library's big screen.

Teen OZ Party: Monday, March 18, 6:00 pm, Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road. Celebrate the release of the new movie "Oz the Great and Powerful." Teens will enjoy food, games, and the chance to make some Oz-inspired creations while watching an Oz-themed movie.

Teen Murder Mystery Party, Thursday, March 21, 6:00 pm, Main Library. Here's the scoop: A murder has been committed on library property, and only you can solve the mystery! Follow clues, gather the evidence, and determine who the murderer is; the sleuths who solve the crime will win great prizes!

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February Library Programs Combine Cars, Culinary Creativity and Computers

Rock Island, IL: Driving tips for car owners, culinary creativity and computer skills are among the things adults can learn about in February at the Rock Island Public Library.

Driving After 60: Keeping Your Most Important Accessory, Your Keys

2:00 to 3:00 pm, Tuesday, Feb. 12

Rock Island Main Library, 401 19^th Street

This free program with tips on safer driving for retirees and seniors is presented by AARP Driver Safety program instructor Caryl Altemus. The program also includes an overview of what is included in the full AARP Driver Safety programs, with information about upcoming courses. No registration is required.

The library's "driven to read" winter reading challenge for adults also continues in February. Adults may enter once for each book, eBook or audiobook they complete during the contest period, which ends Friday, March 1. Top prize in the random drawing is a Kindle Fire HD, along with drawings for Botanical Center passes, and restaurant/retail gift cards.

Book Lovers Edible Book Contest

11:00 am - 2:00 pm, Saturday, Feb. 16

Rock Island Main Library Community Room, 401 19^th Street

February is Book Lovers month, and what better way to celebrate that love than by eating your words? Local cooks are invited to enter a tasty edible book baked good to be judged in one of three categories: Best Tasting, Most Elaborate and Best Looking. The only requirements are that entries must be edible and must relate to a book in some fashion. For example, entries may look like a book or book cover, may refer to a character, or may play off a title or quote in a book.

Bakers should call 309-732-7330 by Wednesday, Feb. 13 to indicate that they will enter the contest. Completed works of edible book art should arrive at the library by 11:00 am on Saturday. Each item should be accompanied by an information card listing the title of the entry, the name of the book it is based on, author and creator's name.  Prize in each category is a gift card to a cooking store.

Participation in the contest is not required to attend the event. Volunteer judges will be drawn from the list of attendees, with voting starting at 11:30 am. The event is open to the public.

Getting Started with Downloading eBooks

6:00 pm, Tuesday, Feb. 19, Rock Island Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road

2:30 pm, Thursday, Feb. 28, Main Library, 401 19^th Street

Participants will learn how to use a library card and the OverDrive digital media service to check out eBooks and eAudiobooks to read and listen to on a wide variety of portable devices, including Android and Nook Color tablet, iPads and iPhones, computers, iPods and Mp3 players, Kindle, NOOK, Sony, and Kobo eReaders. The same content is presented at both sessions.

Getting Started with Email

2:30 pm, Thursday, February 21, Main Library, 401 19^th Street

Attendees will learn how to create and use an email account, or become more comfortable with one they already have. Enrollment for this class is open from Feb. 5 to Feb. 16, with limited slots available. Registration is required to attend: Call 309-732-7341 on or after Feb. 5 to sign up.

The program is free and open to the public. For more news about Rock Island Public Library events, visit www.rockislandlibrary.org, call 309-732-7323 (READ) or follow the Rock Island Library on Facebook and Twitter. A monthly calendar of library events is available online and at Rock Island Library locations.

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Rock Island, IL: With the nation's 55th presidential inaugural address nearing on Jan. 21, the Rock Island Library has announced a special program to help put the event into its historical perspective.

"American Identity in the Inaugural Address" will be presented at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, Jan. 9 at the Rock Island Main Library, 401 19^th Street, by Dr. Steve Klien of the Communication Studies Department of Augustana College.

For nearly 224 years, the inauguration of newly elected presidents has been an important national ritual celebrating American democracy. Inaugural addresses delivered by Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy have been among the most powerful and important orations in US history. Dr. Klien will discuss the role of these speeches in shaping American political and cultural identity.

Dr. Klien teaches courses in political communication, rhetorical theory and criticism, media studies, and communication research, including "Communication, Politics, and Citizenship" (an introduction to political communication and rhetorical studies), and "Critical Analysis of Messages" (a course in the rhetorical criticism of public address.)

The program is free and open to the public. For more news about Rock Island Public Library events, visit www.rockislandlibrary.org, call 309-732-7323 (READ) or follow the Rock Island Library on Facebook and Twitter. A monthly calendar of library events is available online and at Rock Island Library locations.

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