Mahomet Public Library

Library Crawl 2024
2024-10-01 - 2024-11-01
Welcome to the 6th Annual IHLS Library Crawl! As a bibliophile, we know you will enjoy the interesting and beautiful buildings that house our library collections throughout central and southern Illinois.
To Participate in the Library Crawl:

Pick up a Library Crawl passport at the Mahomet Library between October 1-31.
Choose five libraries from the passport (other than the Mahomet Library) to visit. See all the participating libraries on this map.
When you arrive at a new library, be sure to go to their main circulation desk to ask for a stamp in your passport.
Visit five or more libraries between October 1-31 to complete the Library Crawl.
Bring your passport back to the library and receive a raffle ticket (for a gift card to local business), coupon for free book from sale shelf or book sale, and a freebie!

Each library has a page in the online 2024 Library Crawl Guidebook. Be sure to check this out for a list of local eateries and places of interest the Library staff recommend. Remember, you can use your library card along the way to check out items at the libraries you visit. Then simply return them at your home library. Our statewide courier service will take care of the rest. This awesome service brings items back and forth making our collections available to all patrons.
Share the joy – take pictures along the way and post them with #IHLSLibraryCrawl2024 on social media!
Happy Crawling!

Preschool Storytime
2024-10-02 10:00 - 10:30, 2024-10-16 10:00 - 10:30, 2024-10-23 10:00 - 10:30 (America/Chicago)
Join us on Wednesday mornings for storytime for preschoolers and caregivers. There will be songs, movement, and books!
Ages 3-5. No registration required.
Please note: There will NOT be Preschool Storytime on October 9 or November 6.

Elementary Explorers
2024-10-02 15:30 - 16:30, 2024-10-16 15:30 - 16:30, 2024-10-23 13:30 - 14:30
Join us every Wednesday for a fun, one hour after school program! Activities will rotate monthly. We’ll usually meet from 3:30-4:30 pm, but we’ll move it up to 1:30-2:30 pm on early dismissal days.
September: Art Club

September 4, 11, 25: regular time (3:30-4:30 pm)
September 18: early dismissal (1:30-2:30 pm)

October: Pokémon Club

October 2, 16, 30: regular time (3:30-4:30 pm)
October 9: no meeting
October 23: early dismissal (1:30-2:30 pm)

November: LEGO Club

November 6 and 27: no meeting
November 13: early dismissal (1:30-2:30 pm)
November 20: regular time (3:30-4:30 pm)

December: Art Club

December 4, 11: regular time (3:30-4:30 pm)

Grades K-5. No registration required.

Senior Treats and Topics
2024-10-03 10:00 - 11:00
Join us for a thrilling blend of knowledge…and indulgence! Each month promises an exciting speaker with insights on various topics, accompanied by delightful treats! It is not necessary to be a senior to attend.
Dates and Topics:

September 12: Adult Healthcare Options with Sandy Hockman from Evergreen Place

This session will explore the senior living options in the area and covers the spectrum from independent living and assisted living to skilled nursing and hospice care.

October 3: Estate Planning with Theodore Facer from Facer Law Office

Estate planning is a necessary, but often complex area of legal and financial management. This session will cover key topics to help you understand and navigate the process.

November 7: Dementia and Communication with Sandy Hockman from Evergreen Place

Communicating with someone living with dementia can be challenging. This session will provide knowledge on how to positively interact to create a successful and less frustrating experience for everyone involved.

December 12: Holiday Music Memory Game with Library Staff

Enjoy a festive activity to challenge your memory!

For adults. No registration required.

Public Q&A for Upcoming School Referendum
2024-10-03 18:30 - 20:00
This program will take place in the Edgar Room at the Mahomet Library.
As part of our mission to provide Mahomet residents with the information they need, the Library has asked Mahomet-Seymour to send representatives to the Library to answer resident questions about the upcoming school referendum.
This Thursday, October 3 at 6:30 pm, we welcome Superintendent Kenny Lee, a member of the Board of Education, and former superintendent Lindsey Hall to the Library. From 6:30 to 8:00 pm they will be available to answer questions. A library representative will facilitate the sessions.
The Library does not officially support or oppose this referendum, and no one at this meeting will be telling anyone how to vote. Our goal is for community members to have the chance to learn for themselves the details and facts about the school plans so that they can make the most informed decision possible. We plan to hold one additional meeting of this sort later in October, but hurried to get this one done since voting has started for some folks.
There are also resources at the Library for those who want to learn more about the school plan and referendum but cannot attend this meeting.

Preschool Playdate
2024-10-04 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-10-18 10:00 - 11:00
Children (ages 3-5) and their caregivers are welcome to join us on Friday mornings for open-ended playtime! Each session will feature a different assortment of toys and activities.
Ages 3-5. No registration required.
Please note: There will NOT be Preschool Playdate on October 11 or November 29.

Stitching Circle
2024-10-05 10:00 - 11:30
Connect with fellow crafters, share your skills, and learn from others! Whether you are an expert or novice, there is something for everyone in our circle. We’ll provide some materials, or you can bring your own project (maybe one you’ve been procrastinating on!).
All skill levels are welcome and there is not need to register. Spread the word and invite your friends. We can’t wait to see you there!

Dates and Times:
Saturday, September 7: 10:00-11:30 am
Saturday, October 5: 10:00-11:30 am
Saturday, November 2: 1:00-2:30 pm

Stitching Circle is a part of our Adult Craft Connection Program series. No registration required.

Voter Registration & Voting Information Table
2024-10-06 14:00 - 16:00
Your vote matters! Volunteers from the nonpartisan Champaign County League of Women Voters will have a voter information-registration table at the Mahomet Library on Sunday, October 6 from 2:00-4:00 pm.
Stop by the table to:

Confirm you’re registered to vote at your current address.
Register to vote if you’re not already registered.
Learn about upcoming candidate forums, candidate meet-and-great opportunities, and nonpartisan candidate resources.
Get answers to your questions about voting and elections.

Role With It! Play-Reading Group: And Then There Were None
2024-10-06 14:00 - 16:30
Join the Library’s play-reading group for theatre enthusiasts! Enjoy a live reading of a full-length play. Participants will be assigned roles and receive a script at the meeting. This session, we’ll read through the play And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie.
Adults. Registration required.

Tuesday Night Book Club
2024-10-08 18:30 - 20:00
Join us at the Library on the second Tuesday of each month as we discuss that month’s great read!
August 13: The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
September 10: Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan Henry
October 8: Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
November 12: Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See
December 10: Holiday Party
No registration required.

More information about our December meeting:
Our December meeting will be a festive gathering to celebrate a year of reading! We will not feature a specific book, but we will have bookish fun and camaraderie. We will play some games (including gifts and free books), enjoy snacks, and reflect on our favorite reads from the past year. No need to bring anything but yourself and a list of some of your favorite recent reads.

Wondering what books we’ve previously read for Tuesday Night Book Club? Check out our Tuesday Night Book Club Picks list!

Illinois Libraries Present: Being Imperfect with Erika Sanchez
2024-10-09 19:00 - 20:00
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Illinois Libraries Present and Erika Sánchez, award-winning author of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter. She will be joined in conversation by Cythia Pelayo.
Erika L. Sánchez is the daughter of Mexican immigrants. Her debut poetry collection, Lessons on Expulsion, was a finalist for the PEN America Open Book Award. Her debut young adult novel, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, was a New York Times bestseller, National Book Award finalist, and Tomás Rivera Award winner. Recognized by Time as one of the best YA novels of all time, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter has also been adapted for the stage at Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago and is being made into a film directed by America Ferrera.
Sánchez’ critically acclaimed memoir-in-essays, Crying in the Bathroom, won the Chicago Review of Books Nonfiction award. Sánchez was a Fulbright Scholar, a Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent fellow from the Poetry Foundation, a Princeton Arts Fellow, a recipient of the 21st Century Award from the Chicago Public Library Foundation, and a recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. She lives in Chicago with her family.
Cynthia Pelayo is a Bram Stoker Award winning and International Latino Book Award winning author and poet. Pelayo writes fairy tales that blend genre and explore concepts of grief, mourning, and violence. She is the author of Loteria, Santa Muerte, The Missing, Poems of My Night, Into the Forest and All the Way Through, Children of Chicago, Crime Scene, and The Shoemaker’s Magician.
This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present (ILP), a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering premier events. ILP is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).
ILP is committed to inclusion and accessibility. To request accommodations, please email illinoislibrariespresent@gmail.com.

For adults. Via Zoom. Please register.

Fall Book Sale
2024-10-10 17:00 - 20:00, 2024-10-11 09:00 - 18:00, 2024-10-12 09:00 - 17:00, 2024-10-13 13:00 - 16:00
Thursday, October 10 | 5:00 – 8:00 pm (preview night for Friends members only; you can join at the door)
Friday, October 11 | 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday, October 12 | 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday, October 13 | 1:00 – 4:00 pm

Baby Storytime
2024-10-15 09:30 - 09:50, 2024-10-22 09:30 - 09:50
Bring your baby to storytime on Tuesday mornings at the Library! There will be songs, bounces, and books!

Ages 0-18 months. No registration required.
Please Note: There will not be Baby Storytime on October 8 or November 5.

Toddler Storytime
2024-10-15 10:00 - 10:30, 2024-10-22 10:00 - 10:30
Join us on Tuesday mornings to enjoy storytime for toddlers and caregivers. There will be songs, rhymes, and stories!
Ages 18 months-3 years. No registration required.
Please note: There will NOT be Toddler Storytime on October 8 or November 5.

Adult Crafternoon: Upcycled Ghost Painting
2024-10-15 13:00 - 14:00
Join us for creativity, conversation, and fun each month at the Library! Learn a new skill and make a craft with supplies provided by the Library.
Dates and Crafts:
September 17: Painted Quilt Block
October 15: Upcycled Ghost Painting
November 19: Intro to Needle Felting
For adults. Registration required (register for each session individually).

I-Cash Event
2024-10-17 15:00 - 18:00
Are you missing out on unclaimed money? The Illinois State Treasurer’s office holds over $5 billion in unclaimed funds for Illinois residents, and some of it could be yours! Illinois State Treasurer’s office staff will be on hand to help you discover and claim yours. They will also have information about many of their programs including College Savings, ABLE and Financial Education classes.
For adults. No registration required.

Firm Foundations Social: Dance Party and Sing-Along
2024-10-19 10:00 - 11:00
Join us for dancing, singing, and socializing as we play some all-time favorite songs in the Edgar room!
Ages 3-5. No registration required, but you must be enrolled in our Firm Foundations program.

Dungeons & Dragons Club
2024-10-20 13:30 - 16:00
Join us for exciting DnD adventures that encourage creativity, strategy, and teamwork! There’s sure to be fun at every session.
Grades 6-12. Registration required (register for each session individually). There is a max of 7 students for each session, so participants should be ready to commit to attending if they register.

Dates and Registration:

September 15
September 29
October 20
November 10

Note: Please click on one of the dates above to register for that specific session.

Beginner Sourdough Workshop
2024-10-22 18:30 - 19:30
Sourdough bread is trending, but do you know how to make it? Join us for a fun and interactive beginner class at the Library! We’ll learn how to make and maintain a starter, the science behind the sourdough fermentation process, and tips and techniques for making the perfect loaf. Attendees will make starter in class to take home.
Adults. Registration required.

Illinois Libraries Present: Raise Your Voice with Jason Reynolds
2024-10-22 19:00 - 20:00
Welcome Jason Reynolds, #1 New York Times bestselling author, advocate, mentor, and 2020-2022 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. The recipient of a Newbery Honor, a Printz Honor, a Carnegie Medal, an NAACP Image Award, and multiple Coretta Scott King honors, Reynolds’ beloved and award-winning titles include Stamped (with Ibram X. Kendi), Stuntboy, the Track series (Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and Lu), Miles Morales, All American Boys (with Brendan Kiely), When I Was the Greatest, The Boy in the Black Suit, Look Both Ways, Ain’t Burned All the Bright, and Long Way Down. He has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Late Night with Seth Meyers, CBS Sunday Morning, and more.
The short documentary “Dear, Dreamer” is a lyrical portrait of Reynolds’ life and work as a rising literary star, as well as a testament to shared experiences and the power of seeing yourself in books. In his podcast, My Mother Made Me, he and his mother, Isabell, explore their shared history and what they’re teaching each other.
Reynolds lives in Washington, DC, where he is on faculty at Lesley University, for the Writing for Young People MFA Program.
This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present (ILP), a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering premier events. ILP is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).
ILP is committed to inclusion and accessibility. To request accommodations, please email illinoislibrariespresent@gmail.com.

For youth and adults. Via Zoom. Please register.
