Events

Adults of all ages are welcome to join us the first or second Saturday of every month in the Library Commons for tea, coffee, snacks, and an art project. This month we will be painting stemless wine glasses. Grab a brush and get inspired by one of our provided designs or improvise your own! Once dried and baked in your oven at home, the glasses will be fully functional to use.

Registration is required.

Writer's Workshop (Led by James Pressler)

Are you an aspiring author looking for tips and tricks to improve and perfect your craft? Are you interested in sharing your work with other authors for constructive criticism? Are you skeptical of the writing process and looking for answers from your peers? We've got the club for you! Join local author and writer James Pressler twice a month on designated Saturdays at the Writer's Workshop.

In collaboration with the Park Forest Office of Sustainability, we will be hosting a pop-up through artist Holly Greenberg's project, Bird Collisions in the Anthropocene.

Be a part of something big! Make a replica songbird from upcycled fabric that will be labeled with your name and used in Greenberg's final art installation. We will also be presenting information about small steps that you can take to make your windows safer for birds. All ages are welcome to participate.

Notes from Bird Collisions in the Anthropocene: In an effort to raise awareness about one of the leading causes of bird deaths, we are making replicas of every bird killed from a window collision and collected on the streets of Chicago in 2023 and we need your help! Chicago lies in the migratory path of over 300 species of birds, making it the most dangerous city in the country for our avian friends. In one night alone, 966 birds struck just one building on Chicago’s lakefront. Through crowdsourcing the crafting of these bird replicas, we will create a “carpet” of birds running over 300 feet in length. Using upcycled cloth and donated materials to create the birds, we invite all to help.

Understanding how you can protect your home from bird-window collisions is paramount to the project, which is why teaching about how to identify and modify your problematic windows is at the forefront of our mission. 

Holly Greenberg's Bird Collisions in the Anthropocene

Registration is encouraged.

Adults of all ages are welcome to join for our monthly DIY series! This month we will be learning to grow our own microgreens. Attendees will receive instructions and a kit to assemble for growing at home. Microgreens can add exciting color, variety, texture, and nutritional value to meals. They can be used in soups, salads, sandwiches, as garnishes, and more!

Registration is required.

Computer Workshop: Microsoft Excel Basics

In this session, we will focus on Microsoft Excel, a versatile tool for organizing data, performing calculations, and analyzing information. Whether you're managing personal budgets, tracking expenses, or simply looking to improve your skills, this class is perfect for beginners. In this class, you’ll learn:

• Understanding the Excel Interface: Familiarize yourself with the layout, worksheets, rows, columns, and cells in Excel.
• Creating and Saving Spreadsheets: How to start a new workbook, save your work, and organize your files for easy access.
• Entering and Editing Data: Learn to enter text, numbers, and dates into cells, and how to make basic edits.
• Formatting Spreadsheets: Adjusting the appearance of your data using font changes, colors, borders, and alignment.
• Sorting and Filtering Data: How to organize and find specific information quickly in large sets of data.
• Printing and Sharing Workbooks: Learn how to prepare your Excel sheet for printing and share it with others.

These classes are designed with a slower pace, providing time for questions and hands-on practice. You'll be guided through each step to ensure a comfortable and supportive learning environment. Whether you want to track expenses, create a simple budget, or organize your information in a more efficient way, this class will help you master the basics of Excel. 

Registration is required.

Join us as we read and bring intention to small actions. For more information call 708-748-3731.

This month, we're reading The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson.

Dressed in her native regalia, Illinois Humanities Road Scholar Kim Sigafus will be giving a history of the natives in Illinois with a focus on native women, or what was considered “The Hidden Half.” Her primary focus will be women such as Singing Bird (Blackhawk’s wife), and Hononegah.

Kim will bring the audience into these women’s day-to-day lives, including courting, marriage, and child-rearing. She will also talk about their role in their husbands’ lives, and how those lives affected the history of Illinois.

Kim will bring native items that women would have used in their daily lives, as she discusses the role women played within the family unit. 

The audience will be able to pick up and view the items, learn native language and music, and get the chance to play the drum in this interactive experience.

Registration is encouraged.

Upcycle your jewelry with Sherri of Precious One Designs Handmade! Empty your jewelry box for old necklaces and bracelets that can be taken apart, an earring that doesn't have a match, or charms that you need a use for. We will learn to give these elements a second life and create new, unique pieces of jewelry! 

Registration is required.

An Afternoon of Laughs: Improv Show

-Available in-person at 1:30pm-

Looking for something fun, free, and full of surprises? Come enjoy a high-energy improv comedy show featuring the award-winning troupe It's Improv Baby (IIB) - Led by the unforgettable Classic Kryzzie!

This interactive show is packed with spontaneous scenes, audience participation, and laugh-out-loud moments the whole family can enjoy. Whether you're 8 or 80, there's something for everyone. This one-of-a-kind event is the perfect way to bring the community together for a shared hour of joy, creativity, and connection.

Registration Required

Registration opens on July 19th

Writer's Workshop (Led by James Pressler)

Are you an aspiring author looking for tips and tricks to improve and perfect your craft? Are you interested in sharing your work with other authors for constructive criticism? Are you skeptical of the writing process and looking for answers from your peers? We've got the club for you! Join local author and writer James Pressler twice a month on designated Saturdays at the Writer's Workshop.