April 4 through 10th is National Library Week, when the nation celebrates libraries, library workers, and the use and support of libraries. The 2021 theme is “Welcome to Your Library.” The Rock Island Public Library kicked off their Grow a Reader giving campaign this week to welcome young users back to the library. Grow a Reader donation “trees” are on display at the Rock Island Downtown and Southwest Libraries. Each display contains tags with an account balance of over $5 or more for an anonymous young person between 6 and 18 years of age with an active library card. Donors can choose... Read More

It’s like rain on your wedding day…Isn’t it ironic? During National Library Week, the Moline Public Library, 3210 41st St., temporarily laid off all its 29 employees Wednesday. It’s been closed to the public since March 17 because of Covid-19, but Tuesday the library board and city council agreed to remove $450,000 from its 2020 budget of $3.9 million, board president Sue Blackall said. “We’re just gonna adjust to find out how we can recoup the cost of that,” she said, noting the city recommended furloughing employees last Sunday, and the board met at noon Tuesday. The library... Read More

Although more than 60 years have passed since the first National Library Week celebration, the original goals of celebrating libraries, promoting reading for leisure, improving incomes and health, and developing strong and happy family life are still relevant today. National Library Week began Sunday, April 19, and though the celebration looks different than in any previous year, the goal is the same: to educate about what libraries offer, and to inspire use. Due to social distancing restrictions, this year’s theme has shifted to “Find the Library at YOUR Place.” That theme recognizes the... Read More

The Rock Island Library invites patrons to transform their ideas about the library by visiting during National Library Week, April 9 to 15. Rock Island Library joins libraries nationwide in celebrating the many ways libraries transform their communities through library services and expertise. The week highlights the changing role of libraries, which open up a world of possibility through the work of library staff, innovative programming, creative collaborations, maker events, job-seeking resources, reading, and new types of shared resources. For instance, a Rock Island Public Library patron may... Read More