Held in conjunction with the October 5 through 11 Banned Books Week – a celebration of our collective freedom to read – the Midwest Writing Center's and Rock Island Public Library's annual Banned Books Read-In will take place on October 6, with more than a dozen participants gathering at the library's Watts-Midtown Branch to read from frequently challenged works and unite in the fight against censorship.

Enabling visitors to explore the remarkable ways in which animals across 500 million years have adapted armor for survival, and how these adaptations continue to inspire human innovation, the traveling exhibition Animal Armor takes residence in Davenport's Putnam Museum & Science Center from September 20 through February 15, the fascinating exhibit exploring the evolutionary battle between protection and predation.

A rising touring comedian who can boast acclaimed America's Got Talent performances, late-night TV appearances, and a massive TikTok fan base of 3.2 million followers, Preacher Lawson brings his national standup act to Davenport's Adler Theatre on September 27 and the University of Dubuque on September 30, the 34-year-old recently lauded by Range for "captivating crowds with his boundless energy."

A massive display of one of the venue's six collections storerooms, the long-awaited open-storage locale The Vault is officially viewable at Davenport's Putnam Museum & Science Center. its shelves featuring countless pieces of fine China dinner sets, 16th-century saddles, a ship wheel, turn-of-the-century furniture, and a full-sized shrine.