To make it a super September, use that library card

Contributed photo | rockislandlibrary.org

By South West Illinois News Reports

Aug 30, 2021

Rock Island Public Library recently issued the following announcement.

Happy September! In the news this month for families and children: Holiday hours and special Downtown closing for the cart races, new mask mandates, opportunities to WIN during Library Card Sign Up Month, new materials, and special events just for kids. We've also attached our general newsletter, for a look ahead through November.

Our Downtown Library location only will close early at 5:00 pm on Friday, September 3, and remain closed all Saturday as the result of the Rock Island Cart Races. If you need to return books, we recommend using the Southwest Library or any other PrairieCat library, as access to our drive-up book drop will be unavailable.

All Rock Island Public Library locations will be closed Monday, September 6 for Labor Day.

Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset on September 6. Our best wishes to our patrons who celebrate this holiday.

Tell a Friend: September is Library Card Sign Up Month!

All of September is Library Card Sign Up Month, and just by getting this newsletter, we can guess that you're probably a library cardholder. So, help us spread the word by telling a friend about all the GREAT things you can do with a library card. More books than you'd ever be able to buy, new authors to check out, special collections like our Library of Things, movies, computer use, amazing digital collections, and the ability to research 24/7 - and that's just the short list!

All month, we'll automatically enter all new and renewed cards into drawings for special prize baskets. Each cardholder also receives I'm a proud library cardholder window cling, while supplies last.

If your card expires this September, run down to your library (or use our online form) to renew. RIPL cards are available at no added charge to residents of Rock Island AND our extended service territory of the Milan-Blackhawk Area Public Library District. For questions about applying, just call our Circulation line at 309-732-7323 or see our website.

You could also win with this social media contest!

This Library Card Sign-up Month, I Love Libraries and the American Library Association encourage you to spread some library love by posting to social media about how the library empowers you. You could earn a chance to win!

How to enter the Libraries Empower contest: Post to Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #LibrariesEmpower. You can also enter by posting as a comment or wall post on the I Love Libraries Facebook page. Remember to tag us at #rockislandpubliclibrary or @RILibrary.

One randomly-selected post will receive a $100 Visa gift and an ALA Graphics The Child Poster. Three second-place winners will receive an ALA Graphics The Child Poster.

#LibrariesEmpower promotion begins Wednesday, Sept. 1, at noon CT and ends Wednesday, Sept. 22, at noon CT. It's open to librarians and library lovers alike!

September Also Brings a New Storytime Option

Beginning in September, you can choose to attend a children's storytime virtually on Tuesdays, or an in-person on Fridays at our Southwest Library location. (Or attend both. More stories!)

Join us:

Tuesdays at 10:30 am, via Facebook Live. Or watch on demand, via Facebook or the RIPL YouTube channel.

Fridays at 10:30 am, from September 3-October 1, at our Southwest Branch location (9010 Ridgewood Road.)

COVID precautions: Whenever weather allows, the Southwest storytime will be offered outside. Masks for adults and children over age 2 are required when inside the library.

Storytimes feature a story with Miss Ranell, a song or rhyme, and an activity, for ages five and under. Please note, no SW storytime on September 17.

Pick Up a Hug-A-Book PLAY kit, September 20-25

Pick up a free at-home learning through play activity kit and free book with our Hug-A-Book PLAY take-home event. The kit is for ages 2-5.

Register now for the kit, then pick it up at our Downtown, Southwest, or Mobile Library during the week of September 20-25. Please indicate preferred pick-up location when registering.

The event is offered through AOK Network's Learning Through Play team of Child Abuse Council, Aldridge Center, Rock Island Office of Education, Rock Island/Milan School District 41, and East Moline School District 37.

Now in its 25th year, Hug-A-Book is made possible by a generous legacy made in memory of Merrill Harris to the Rock Island Public Library Foundation.

Need to encourage school-time reading? Try our Back-to-School Challenge, which runs through September 30. The challenge offers gentle reminders and positive encouragement to read with a variety of digital badges for meeting reading and activity goals. It's open to Grades K-12. To get started, log into your Beanstack account.

New items in our Children's collection

Our thanks to Rock Island Rotary and Sue Rector for donating a wide variety of Book By Me titles. Written by kids for kids, these books offer perspectives on a variety of topics, from the Holocaust to human rights in general.

Other events that might interest you:

Our Fall Newsletter with events and services for all ages is available now. It's a sample of events running through November (including a heads up on our popular Shred Day, and a new eWaste drive up day.)

Pick one up at Rock Island Public Library locations, or view it here!

Mask Up, Quad Cities

As a result of the Governor's executive order, masks are now required for all patrons above age 2, regardless of vaccination status.

If it's easier for you to pick up from your car, remember that we still offer a Curbside Pickup option at both Downtown and Southwest. Just call to let us know when you'll be here.

4 members of the same family may also enter the bookmobile. Or, we can also run your books to your car.

At last report, the fundraising campaign for this new facility was about five percent away from its total goal! The site will offer a modestly-sized additional branch for the RIPL inside the Two Rivers YMCA building that complements our existing library network of the Downtown and Southwest Library locations. Each location has a different role to play. For a look at how our locations work together, please download this infographic.

For more details, please see the RI YMCA/Library project website.

Other questions? Please contact Kathy Lelonek, executive director of the Rock Island Public Library Foundation, at 309-752-3014 or via her RIPL Foundation email.

The Rock Island Public Library Foundation is a private 501c3 foundation set up in 1986 to support special needs of the Rock Island Public Library with the added advantage of tax-deductibility. Please consult the Foundation or your tax advisor for details.

Rock Island Public Library