October is the perfect month to explore all your Rock Island Public Library has to offer, and with a wide number of events, it’s easy to scare up fun and learning for all ages. Read on for the wide variety of events from October 4-8.
Kick Off October Fun & Learning with Birding, Sewing, Astronomy Viewing, and More
It's spooky season, but for those looking for calmer pursuits, the library offers options with both a guided bird walk and a quilting class on Saturday, October 4. The bird walk with the Quad City Audubon Society is from 9 am to 10:30 am at Black Hawk Historic Site, and is for all ages. It’s an ideal time for the fall migration. The library will supply binoculars if needed. To register for this free event, visit www.rockislandlibrary.org
The Saturday Stash Busters quilting class is also Saturday, from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm at the Downtown Library. In “Exploring Angles,” teen and adult participants with basic sewing machine skills will create an improvisational quilt block from angled strips. Participants may also swap fabric with each other to “bust” their stash of unused material at home. Registration is required if planning to sew. Sign up at the library website.
On Tuesday, October 7, the library, in partnership with Rock Island Parks & Recreation, kicks off the first full week of Rock Island Schools intersession with a free Astronomy Night for the whole family. View stars and planets with the help of the Quad Cities Popular Astronomy Club between 6 pm and 8 pm at Longview Park off 17th Street and 18th Avenue in Rock Island. Popular Astronomy Club members will bring high-powered telescopes and help participants spot stars, constellations, star clusters, and planets in the night sky. The meeting location is across from the parking lot for Whitewater Junction, 1601 Longview Drive. In the event of rain or excessive cloud cover, the event will move to Thursday, October 9.
Also on October 7, the library hopes to take the scare out of Medicare enrollment with a free Medicare 101 presentation at 2 pm on October 7 at the Rock Island Library Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road. The free information session by insurance specialist Kara Wolf, of Huiskamp Collins Insurance Solutions leads participants through Medicare terms and basics, coverage options, and updates to know for 2026. It’s for both new enrollees and those looking to understand their current plan better. The event is free and no registration is required.
At 6 pm on Wednesday, Oct. 8, take time to relax and destress with Yoga for Beginners, Movement for Mental Health, offered in the Rock Island Library Watts-Midtown Branch auditorium, 2715 30th Street. Yoga instructor Sarah Stevens, of Sanctuary Studios, will lead participants through gentle, low-intensity yoga moves. The event focuses on helping participants improve mental health by creating an accessible movement routine. It’s free, open to all ages, and is made possible by ARPA dollars designated for mental health programs by the City of Rock Island.
Also on Wednesday, Goodwill of the Heartland brings its World of Work job readiness training to Rock Island Downtown Library. The free workshop for adults is from noon to 1:30 pm on October 8 in the Downtown Library Community Room. Register to gain inside tips on interviews, workplace skills, and standing out to employers during the job search process. To sign up, visit the library website or call 309-732-7341.
Library events are free and open to the public. For more library events and services, visit the library website, call 309-732-READ, or follow the library on Facebook and Instagram.