In cooperation with Indie Lens Pop-Up, the Rock Island Public Library will host a very timely preview film screening of “Free for All, The Public Library," on April 8, just in time for National Library Week.
Free for All: The Public Library, The Story of a Simple Idea that Shaped a Nation
Presented by Indie Lens Pop-Up and the Rock Island Public Library
Free Screening and discussion during National Library Week:
WHAT: FREE preview screening of “Free for All: The Public Library” followed by a community discussion
WHO: Presenters: Indie Lens Pop-Up and Rock Island Public Library
WHEN: Tuesday, April 8, from 2 pm to 3:30 pm
WHERE: Downtown Library Community Room, 410 19th Street, Rock Island
In cooperation with Indie Lens Pop-Up, the Rock Island Public Library will host a very timely preview film screening of “Free for All, The Public Library,” produced by ITVS, INDEPENDENT LENS.
Presented by special arrangement during National Library Week, “Free For All, The Public Library “tells the story of the quiet revolutionaries who created a civic institution where everything is free and the doors are open to all. The Indie Lens Pop-Up event features a shortened preview version followed by community discussion.
Filmmakers point out that public library is one of America’s most valued, yet endangered, institutions. Director Dawn Logsdon travels the United States, discovering historic and modern-day figures, especially women, who contributed to the library’s integral position within democracy. “Free for All: The Public Library” chronicles the evolution of the nation’s public libraries, tracing the battles over who can enter, what belongs there, and who makes these decisions, while exploring how public commons are defined and defended.
After the screening, library staff will host an engaging and interactive discussion about how public libraries shaped the country and continue to be a sanctuary for Americans everywhere, despite the threats the civic institution has faced in recent years.
The full version of “Free for All: The Public Library” will debut on April 29, 2025, at 10 p.m. ET on PBS and the PBS app (check local listings).
For more information, visit Independent Lens.
Rock Island Public Library events are always free and open to all. For more information about Rock Island Library services and events, visit the library website, call 309-732-READ, or follow the library on Facebook or Instagram.
About Indie Lens Pop-Up
Indie Lens Pop-Up is a community series that brings people together for film screenings and conversations. Featuring documentaries seen on PBS's INDEPENDENT LENS, Indie Lens Pop-Up draws local residents, leaders, and organizations to discuss what matters most. Learn more at pbs.org/indielenspopup.
About INDEPENDENT LENS
INDEPENDENT LENS is an Emmy® Award-winning PBS documentary series. With founding executive producer Lois Vossen, the series has been honored with 10 Academy Award nominations and features documentaries united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement, and unflinching visions of independent filmmakers. Presented by ITVS, INDEPENDENT LENS is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Acton Family Giving, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, Park Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, and National Endowment for the Arts. Stream anytime on the PBS app. For more visit pbs.org/independentlens.
About the Rock Island Public Library
Founded in 1872, the Rock Island Public Library was one of the first public libraries in Illinois to open after the Illinois Local Library Act made tax-supported public libraries possible. Previous libraries in Rock Island were privately funded through generous donors and subscriptions. Its flagship building, the historic Downtown Library opened in 1903. Today, the Rock Island Public Library serves and connects the public through three physical locations (the Downtown Library, Southwest Branch, and Watts-Midtown Branch,) its Library2Go bookmobile, and an online “branch” of digital and online services.
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