Forty is a milestone birthday, even if you’re a fictional literary wizard. The Rock Island Public Library will celebrate Harry Potter’s fictional birthday on July 30 with a virtual trivia game for muggles and wizards of all ages. The Happy Birthday Harry Potter Trivia game will be presented via Facebook Live from 6:00 to 7:00 pm on Thursday, July 30.  Questions come from all seven books. The just-for-fun game consists of five rounds of five questions each. Answers will be given after each round for scoring at home. Competition is just for fun, and participants can either play with their home... Read More

Rock Island Public Library (RIPL) has vastly expanded its selection of digital magazines available through RBdigital, a service of Recorded Books (Prince Frederick, MD.)  After a year on the RBdigital platform, RIPL moved from a basic subscription of just 50 magazines to an unlimited subscription offering access to 3,200 magazines. RBdigital features full-color, digital magazines for instant desktop reading, mobile streaming, and mobile-app download, available anytime with an internet connection. Rock Island Public Library patrons can add new and back issues to their personal reading libraries... Read More

In addition to offering remote WiFi access, the Rock Island Mobile Library2Go vehicle is now serving as a contactless holds pickup point and taking returns. To pick up, patrons pull up to a Mobile Library stop and call the number posted outside the vehicle. Library staff will bring reserved items out for contactless pickup. To place a hold, library patrons can use the online catalog, or call the library at 309-732-7341 for staff assistance. Don’t have a hold? Suddenly in the mood for a good book? Ask Mobile Library staff for a “Story Bundle2Go.” Item categories include choices for children,... Read More

The Rock Island Public Library has introduced limited building access and hours at both its Downtown and Southwest Library locations. This phase of the library’s gradual reopening coordinates with Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan. Buildings will be open to the public at both locations from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Saturdays are reserved for curbside pickup only, which is from 9:00 am to noon. Face coverings and social distancing must be maintained while inside library buildings. Library books, magazines, and audiovisual collections will be available for “grab and go”... Read More

The Rock Island Public Library will introduce limited building access and hours starting Monday, July 6 at both its Downtown and Southwest Library locations. This phase of the library’s gradual reopening coordinates with Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan. Buildings will be open to the public at both locations from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Saturdays are reserved for curbside pickup only, which is from 9:00 am to noon. Face coverings and social distancing must be maintained while inside library buildings. Library books, magazines, and audiovisual collections will be available... Read More

To help fill the need for digital connectivity while library buildings are closed for COVID-19, the Rock Island Public Library is temporarily repurposing its Library2Go vehicle as a traveling hotspot. Starting Tuesday, May 26, the mobile library will make stops Monday-Thursday in selected neighborhoods to provide mobile WiFi connections for up to 30 devices at a time. The new service assists Rock Island and Milan residents who need an internet connection to fill out the Census, apply for jobs, check on unemployment, or other tasks. There will be no public entry onto the vehicle. Weekly WiFi stops... Read More

If your idea of the perfect day involves chocolate, the Rock Island Public Library is the place to be on February 22.  The Rock Island Public Library will offer a Chocoholic Paradise evens that allow chocolate lovers to learn more about their favorite treat. The library will offer a hands-on learning experience in chocolate making with Randyl Mohr later in February. The Chocoholic Paradise Create class occurs from 1:00 to 2:00 pm on Saturday, February 22, also at the Downtown Library. Participants will develop their own chocolates. Registration is required, with enrollment opening at 1:00... Read More

The Midwest Writing Center will host Young Writers Studio for young writers in the Quad Cities at their offices on the ground floor of the Rock Island Public Library Downtown branch on the third Thursday of each month in 2020. Dates are Feb. 20, March 19, April 16, May 21, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. The Young Emerging Writers (YEW) Studio is a new casual writing workshop/critique group for young writers in and around the Quad City area. The YEW Studio is an extension of MWC’s successful Young Emerging Writers Summer Internship Program, which is currently accepting applications for the summer of 2020. All... Read More

If your idea of the perfect day involves chocolate, the Rock Island Public Library is the place to be on February 22.  The Rock Island Public Library will offer a Chocoholic Paradise evens that allow chocolate lovers to learn more about their favorite treat. The library will offer a hands-on learning experience in chocolate making with Randyl Mohr later in February. The Chocoholic Paradise Create class occurs from 1:00 to 2:00 pm on Saturday, February 22, also at the Downtown Library. Participants will develop their own chocolates. Registration is required, with enrollment opening at 1:00... Read More

Dance your way to early learning with free fun for children five and under and their families at the Rock Island Public Library! Experience the Hug-A-Book Dance Party at the Rock Island Downtown Library (401 19th Street Rock Island) on Wednesday Jan 22 from 6 – 7 p.m. Learn as you jump, move, and twirl and stomp, to the soundtrack of favorite children’s performers. It’s a rocking good time! Each child receives a free book to take home, thanks to funding from the Merrill Harris Hug-A-Book fund of the Rock Island Public Library Foundation. No registration required. Don’t miss out... Read More