Mid-November is a great time to gather around the library “table” for enriching (and free) events for families, adults, and all-age audiences. The Rock Island Public Library has a whole feast of events to try out!
Mid-November is a great time to gather around the library “table” for a host of enriching (and free) events for families, adults, and all-age audiences.
Booklovers of all ages can take advantage of Book Bingo, Tuesday, November 18, from 4 pm to 5 pm at the Rock Island Downtown Library, 401 19th Street. It’s Bingo with a bookish spin, as the library hosts fast-paced games for families and all-ages with books as the bingo prizes. In addition to winning books, readers can take the fun home with them with special reader’s bingo cards. It’s free and open to all ages.
Kids interested in trading card games can connect at the MagiKids event on Wednesday, November 19, also from 4 to 5 pm at the Downtown Library. The event offers a chance to learn how to play Magic, The Gathering, which involves trading cards to deploy magic creatures and tactics against a series of foes.
The library will supply multiple packs of cards. Kids can learn how to play and keep the cards they choose. The event is free and open to any elementary-school age child, and does require registration. To sign up, visit www.rockislandlibrary.org or call 309-732-7360.
Adults can also connect with new people or interests through a variety of special events, too:
Adult Knitting Circle is Monday, November 20, from 2 pm to 4 pm in the Rock Island Downtown Library, 401 19th Street. The free event for adults invites crafters to bring their unfinished crafts to work on in the company of other crafters, or use library supplies to start a new project. This is not a class for those who want to learn to knit or crochet. It is a good way to wrap up a project or two. Knitting Circle is free and open to all.
Looking for uninterrupted reading time? Check out Silent Book Club, a monthly event for adults who want to read the book of their choosing. After an hour of silent reading, participants can talk about books or just keep reading. It’s Wednesday, November 19, 5:30 to 6:30 pm, Rock Island Library Watts-Midtown Branch, 2715 30th Street.
Downtown Movie Club will show a free movie about the most Super hero of them all, Thursday, November 20, from 1 pm to 3:30 pm at the Downtown Library. Popcorn is provided, and the event is free and open to the public.
Looking for something free to do on a Friday night? Check out Late Night at the Library, November 21, when the Watts-Midtown Branch, 2715 30th Street, is open until 9 pm. There’s a free event for teens at 7 pm, and all ages can stop by to check out books, play a board game, study, or other quiet activities. The special late night occurs on the third Friday of each month through May, when the library auditorium is being used for the Bucktown Review Music Show.
During the week of Thanksgiving, take a walk down memory lane with “Thanksgiving in 1950s America,” at 2 pm, Tuesday, November 25 at the Downtown Library. The presentation features two videos, “100 Forgotten Things from 1950s America,” and a 1951 public service film, “The True Meaning of Thanksgiving.”
Learn more about aromatherapy with a free talk by Dr. Cathy Rosenbaum on Wednesday, November 26. Her presentation will discuss evidence-based clinical uses, considerations, and precautions to keep in mind when using essential oils. The free Aromatherapy presentation is from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm in the Downtown Library Community Room. Registration is appreciated but not required. Dr. Rosenbaum is a holistic clinical pharmacist, certified fitness nutrition coach, and the Founder/CEO of Rx Integrative Solutions, a private health and wellness consulting practice in Cincinnati OH.
All Rock Island Public Library buildings close at 6 pm on Wednesday, November 26, and remain closed on Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday. The Downtown Library, Southwest Branch, and Watts-Midtown Branch are open from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday, November 29.
Upcoming December events include the return of Tuneful Tuesdays on December 2, featuring the Riverbend Bronze handbell choir, and A Visit with Jane Austen on December 6, featuring a professional actress who brings the noted author to life.
For more details about these, and other events at the Rock Island Public Library, visit www.rockislandlibrary.org, call 309-732-READ, or follow the library’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.