Time is the only thing you can spend once. As we go into Father’s Day weekend, that’s something to definitely remember. Being a father, bringing another life into the world, is an amazing experience and responsibility, and it gives you a blessing in time to spend with a person who will always be a part of your life, and who is beholden to you for helping to shape them as a person. You can literally make the world a better place by making the time and effort to make your children better people. To be there for them. To enjoy your time with them. To be a parent and friend to help guide... Read More

Change. We undergo transformations every day of our lives, in ways small and significant, in ways good and bad. Sean Leary’s “Does The Shed Skin Know It Was Once A Snake?” offers 11 award-winning short stories dealing with the life changes many of us face, and the positive ways in which our lives can transform, even in difficult times. “Shed Skin” is available in bookstores and webstores worldwide  as a print book and eBook for every eReader format. It is also available direct from the author at seanleary@seanleary.com and Leary will be signing copies of the book from noon... Read More

The discussion over mental health challenges can be a difficult one. Admitting concerns can be daunting and treatment options and social stigmas surrounding the issue are often intimidating to those suffering from this disease, as well as those whose lives are touched by those suffering. The issue of mental health and the facilitation of discussion about its perspectives is the driving force behind the inspirational book “Courage To Rise Above,” by Quad-Cities author Jennifer Sergeant. Sergeant’s book, which is available at the Davenport Book Rack store as well as online at all retailers,... Read More

Western Illinois University History Professor Peter Cole recently launched a second edition of his book, “Ben Fletcher: The Life and Times of a Black Wobbly,” an expanded and revised version of the first edition. The second edition has drawn readers’ attention far more than the first because more Americans are focused on fighting racism, compared to past years. Cole was originally inspired to write his book when searching for a dissertation topic back in the mid 1990s. While in a graduate seminar, Cole read a book about the history of the Industrial Workers of the World, a powerful... Read More

September is Library Card Sign Up Month, when libraries everywhere remind residents about the awesome benefits of a simple plastic library card. Rock Island Public Library offers insider tips on using that card through free “library university” online courses. The four Library University sessions are offered at 2:00 pm on Tuesdays in September via the Zoom meeting platform. Each week offers a new look at amazing things RIPL cardholders can access with their free library card.  Topics include: September 28: Streaming movies, music, and more. Maybe you already knew that libraries offer DVDs,... Read More

Summer reading and events at the Rock Island Public Library begin the first week of June in full technicolor style with a summer reading “colorama” kickoff, a take-home pinwheel kit for kids, the start of Summer2Go events around the library bookmobile, a Friends and Family seminar with NAMI, and more. Through July 31, Reading Colors Your World summer reading challenges and events at the Rock Island Public Library will encourage readers of all ages to be creative, try new things, explore art and color, and see the beauty of diversity. Library summer reading programs help children and teens... Read More

Summer reading and events at the Rock Island Public Library begin the first week of June in full technicolor style with a summer reading “colorama” kickoff, a take-home pinwheel kit for kids, the start of Summer2Go events around the library bookmobile, a Friends and Family seminar with NAMI, and more. From June 1 to July 31, Reading Colors Your World summer reading challenges and events at the Rock Island Public Library will encourage readers of all ages to be creative, try new things, explore art and color, and see the beauty of diversity. Library summer reading programs help children and... Read More

Join Davenport Public Library in learning how to practically care for and preserve materials at home with tips and tricks from the staff of the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center. Each workshop will showcase different techniques and share applicable knowledge on creating tools and demonstrating methods of preservation for photographs, letters, books, and more. In this month’s Preservation Workshop on Tuesday, April 20th at 2:00 pm, we will demonstrate how to make homemade book weights. Books weights are a perfect tool for gently holding a book open, propping them up, and other... Read More

It’s baaaaaaaack. If you are looking to just buy comics and live in the QCA (or willing to drive there) you should come to the Quad Cities Comic Book Convention. No guests mean that you do not have to pay for the guests to come to the con, nor do the dealers so they pay less to set up and are more apt to give you a good deal. You can also attend as a fangirl or fanboy for FREE so if you are just looking for comics to buy then this is the place to go The Quad Cities Comic Book Convention will be held on Saturday March 6 at the Ramada Inn in Bettendorf, IA. The Ramada Inn is located at 3020 Utica... Read More

In honor of Women’s History Month, Western Illinois University (WIU) Libraries will hold a virtual presentation of Robert Lopresti’s award-winning book, “When Women Didn’t Count” in March. Robert Lopresti, a retired government information librarian from Western Washington University, (WWU) will discuss his award-winning book, “When Women Didn’t Count”(Praeger, 2017). The presentation is sponsored by WIU Libraries in acknowledgment of Women’s History Month. It will be held virtually at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 18. Lopresti retired in 2018, after... Read More