Baby Storytime
2025-04-15 09:30 - 09:50, 2025-04-22 09:30 - 09:50, 2025-04-29 09:30 - 09:50 (America/Chicago)
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 April 1 due to the election.

Toddler Storytime
2025-04-15 10:00 - 10:30, 2025-04-22 10:00 - 10:30, 2025-04-29 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 April 1 due to the election.

Adult Crafternoon: Decoupaged Wooden Boxes
2025-04-15 13:00 - 14:30
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:
January 21: Yarn Wrapped Letter Craft
February 18: Tote Bag Decorating
March 18: Introduction to Paper Quilling
April 15: Decoupaged Wooden Boxes
For adults. Registration required (register for each session individually).

Preschool Storytime
2025-04-16 10:00 - 10:30, 2025-04-23 10:00 - 10:30, 2025-04-30 10:00 - 10:30
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 April 2 due to the election.

Elementary Explorers
2025-04-16 15:30 - 16:30, 2025-04-23 15:30 - 16:30, 2025-04-30 15:30 - 16:30
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.
January: LEGO Club

January 15 & 29: regular time (3:30-4:30 pm)
January 22: early dismissal (1:30-2:30 pm)

February: Art Club

February 5, 12, 26: regular time (3:30-4:30 pm)
February 19: early dismissal (1:30-2:30 pm)

March: Pokémon Club

March 5 & 26: regular time (3:30-4:30 pm)
March 12: early dismissal (1:30-2:30 pm)
March 19: no meeting

April: Maker’s Club

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

Grades K-5. No registration required.

Save Money with Zero-Waste
2025-04-17 18:00 - 20:00
Join Linda Stroh, Zero-Waste Advocate, to learn money-saving strategies that also sustain the future of our planet. Discover the benefits of the five R’s (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rot), and how to implement them to detox your home and reduce clutter. Walk away with resources and tips to lessen unnecessary consumption, improve your health, and preserve the Earth for the next generations.
Adults. Registration required.

Preschool Playdate
2025-04-18 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 April 25 due to the book sale.

Trash to Treasure: Earth Day Crafts for Kids
2025-04-22 15:00 - 16:30
Exchange trash for treasure! Celebrate Earth Day by making some fun, upcycled crafts. We will provide all the supplies and materials for the crafts; you bring your creativity!
Grades K-8. No registration required.

Poetry Concert: Poetry and Music with Carl Reisman and M.J. Walker
2025-04-22 18:30 - 20:00
Celebrate National Poetry Month with an evening of poetry and music that speaks to the heart of the adult experience. Performers Carl Reisman and M.J. Walker are storytellers in verse and song, exploring emotions and dilemmas we hesitate to discuss. The program will feature M.J. Walker’s musical interpretations of poems by former U.S. Poet Laureate and National Book Award winner Philip Levine, as well as original songs and poetry by Carl Reisman.
Philip Levine’s (1928-2015) poetic work continues to give us glimpses and truths of Industrial and post-Industrial America, via his own, his friends’ and family’s work within the massive car production industry in Detroit Michigan. He was able to use his factory work to help others see what American life was like for men and women working in factories in factory towns in Twentieth-century, Midwest America. Following his younger years in Detroit, Levine lived, worked and wrote his poetry in Chicago and elsewhere, and in his later years, in California, where his poems also consider work there, including wildfire fighters’ experiences. Philip Levine’s poetry continues to be relevant because in each poem he brings together very large forces like a massive industry or wildfire disasters with very individual experiences of specific people like his brother (his twin), his son, childhood friends, or a woman co-worker — all of whom continue to live rich and thoughtful lives as they navigate work and life.
MJ says, “This essential combination of specific personal lives within big endeavors, events and changes is what drew me to Philip Levine’s poetry, and also inspired me to put some of his poems to music. In my own life, I have loved playing guitar and singing since I was a child and have used my music to ponder my experiences, and to share them with others. I have one CD of my own songs, Gold Mill (2000) and have performed solo and with Carl Reisman in Shy Folk and many other musicians in the Champaign-Urbana area, including Amasong Women’s Chorus and The Coneflowers. Philip Levine’s poetry in the collection What Work Is (1991) transported me into the lives of his subjects so that I felt I could ‘live a little of their lives’, which is what all good storytelling can do. I was moved to use my musical ideas to attempt to, hopefully, deepen my own and others’ experiences of some of Levine’s poetic work. That said, his poems stand alone quite strongly and with much integrity to this day. One of the things I have found so hard in this project is how songs differ from poems, in both rhythm and structure, which is part of the challenge of putting poetry to any song form. Regardless, I hope to continue to encourage interest in his work and for new readers to seek it out, in order to get to know it in their own ways.”
For adults. No registration required.

About the Performers:
Carl Reisman is a singer-songwriter, poet, and retired lawyer who lives in rural Mahomet with his wife, veterinarian Robin Hadley, three horses, and their dog, Friday. He’s the founder, lead singer, and song writer for the Americana group, Ticketless Traveler, which has produced one CD and is currently finishing a second album of songs recorded at studios in New Orleans and Urbana. Carl has published two collections of poetry, Kettle (Hot Lead Press, 2005) and Home Geography (Stone City Press, 2007), as well as essays and poems in various very sweet and very obscure literary journals. Ticketless Traveler’s songs and videos can be streamed on Spotify and YouTube. Carl most recently played the singer songwriter listening room showcase at Yellow and Co. in Mahomet.
Carl and M.J. Walker began collaborating a decade ago in the group that they started, Shy Folk. They continue to collaborate. M.J. has provided back up vocals on Ticketless Traveler’s recordings and Carl has provided M.J. with occasional backup vocals and percussion for her Phillip Levine songs, including a typewriter.

Spring Book Sale
2025-04-24 17:00 - 20:00, 2025-04-25 09:00 - 18:00, 2025-04-26 09:00 - 17:00, 2025-04-27 13:00 - 16:00
Thursday, April 24 | 5:00 – 8:00 pm (preview night for Friends members only; you can join at the door)
Friday, April 25 | 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday, April 26 | 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday, April 27 | 1:00 – 4:00 pm

Adult Take and Make Kits
2025-04-28 09:00 - 2025-04-29 20:00
Take home a craft to make! Our take-and-make crafts come with all the supplies needed for a project.

Dates and Crafts:
Beginning January 27: Wool Dryer Balls
Beginning February 24: Hand Warmers
Beginning March 31: Seed Starter Kit
Beginning April 28: Wind chime

Stop by the Library to pick up a free kit. Kits are available while supplies last. Limit one kit per person, please!
Adult take-and-make crafts are part of our Adult Craft Connection series.

Sixth Annual Jigsaw Puzzle Competition
2025-05-03 13:00 - 15:00
This popular event is back! Get ready to piece together a victory at the Library’s yearly puzzle competition. Race against the clock and complete a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle faster than competing teams. Are you up for the challenge?
Registration as a team of up to 4 people is required. All ages welcome.

ILP: Art and Adventures with Author/Illustrator Dan Santat
2025-05-03 14:00 - 15:00
Join bestselling author and illustrator Dan Santat for an afternoon event all about books and art with friend and collaborator, author Minh Lê.
Dan Santat is the author and illustrator of over a hundred books for young people! Many of his books are New York Times bestsellers, including The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, Are We There Yet?, and After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again). His latest works include the best-selling graphic novels, The Aquanaut and A First Time for Everything. He is also the creator of the Disney animated hit, The Replacements.
Santat won the Caldecott Medal for most distinguished picture book in 2015, the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature in 2023 and Golden Kite Award for Middle Grade Fiction in 2024. In addition to writing books, Dan serves on the board of We Need Diverse Books, and has been a contributor to a variety of national publications, including NPR, HuffPost, and the New York Times.
Minh Lê is the award-winning author of picture books including Drawn Together (winner of the 2019 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature), The Blur (with Dan Santat!), Real to Me, Lift, and graphic novels such as Green Lantern: Legacy and Enlighten Me.
For all ages. Via Zoom. Registration required.
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.

Arts and Crafts Supply Swap
2025-05-10 10:00 - 11:00
Got a surplus of gently-loved or even brand-new art and craft supplies collecting dust at home? Eager to dive into a new hobby without breaking the bank on fresh materials? From May 4-9, drop off supplies in good condition that you’re ready to part with. Then, at the swap, snag some supplies for your creative adventures, free of charge!
Swap Day Schedule:
10:00-10:15 am: Those who donate will receive a voucher for early entry to the swap.
10:15-11:00 am: Public entry (everyone who did not donate supplies) begins
11:00 am: Anyone is welcome to take the remaining materials, even if you have already filled a bag.

All ages. No registration required. Part of our Adult Craft Connection series.

Tuesday Night Book Club
2025-05-13 18:30 - 20:00
Join us at the Library on the second Tuesday of each month as we discuss that month’s great read!
January 14: West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
February 11: The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center
March 11: Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
April 8: The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
May 13: True Biz by Sara Novic
No registration required.

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

ILP: Poverty - A Discussion with Matthew Desmond
2025-05-13 19:00 - 20:00
Join us to close out our fourth season with bestselling author Matthew Desmond in conversation with award-winning journalist, Natalie Moore.
Desmond is a professor of sociology at Princeton University and author of the award-winning book, Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City. The recipient of a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, Desmond was named one of “fifty people across the country who are most influencing the national political debate” by Politico 50 in 2016. His research focuses on poverty in the United States, city life, housing insecurity, public policy, racial inequality, and ethnography.
Natalie Moore is an award-winning journalist based in Chicago, whose reporting tackles race, housing, economic development, food injustice and violence. She is the author of the acclaimed The South Side: A Portrait of Chicago and American Segregation and co-author of The Almighty Black P Stone Nation: The Rise, Fall and Resurgence of an American Gang. Moore is the recipient of Chicago Library Foundation’s 21st Century Award and a Studs Terkel Community Media Award among many others. Her work has helped shift the way Chicagoans today think about segregation in the region.
For adults. Via Zoom. Registration required.
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.

Summer Reading Programs
2025-05-21 - 2025-08-02
Summer reading time is here! The much-anticipated Summer Reading Programs kick off on May 21, the last day of school (you can sign up that day!), and conclude on August 1 (the last day to log minutes). This year’s iREAD 2025 theme is “Level Up! at Your Library,” an all ages summer reading program based around puzzles and games. Play is one of the ways we learn to relate to others, to think in new ways, and to foster friendships, new and old. Level Up! reminds us that libraries are not just a space for knowledge, they’re a space for fun! There will be child, teen, and adult prizes (even prizes for the community) based on minutes read.

Kids (Birth-Fifth Grade):

Use your reading log to track your minutes read and earn beads for your brag tag!
Finish your whole log and receive a FREE BOOK, Monicals coupon, and star to put up on the wall in the children’s area.
Earn stickers for your badge book full of bonus reading challenges. Complete all the challenges get a water bottle or tote bag.

Teens (Sixth-Ninth Grade):

Use your reading log to track your minutes read.
Get a raffle ticket for every hour you read.
Finish your whole log and receive a FREE BOOK and Monicals coupon.

Adults (Tenth Grade and Up):
For every 10 hours you read, fill out a raffle ticket for a chance to win a gift card from a local business!

Community Prizes: Help Us “Unlock” Prizes for Everyone!

Download the “Reader Zone” app or log in on their website.
Enter your total number of minutes read.
If the community reads a certain number of minutes in total, we will unlock the following special community prizes:

25,000 Minutes: New train set for the train table
75,000 Minutes: Botley 2.0 Coding Robot
150,000 Minutes: 6 new Wonderbooks
200,000 Minutes: Foam party

School's Out! Ice Daddy's Party
2025-05-21 13:30 - 15:30
School’s out, and the fun begins! Let’s celebrate with free frozen Ice Daddy’s treats for kids, courtesy of Classic Plumbing, Inc. Don’t forget to get signed up for summer reading!

I Spy Summer at the Library
2025-05-24 09:00 - 14:00
Get ready for the ultimate summer kickoff bash! Join our “I Spy” themed walk from Barber Park to the Library, followed by inflatables, carnival games, face painting, temporary tattoos, music, summer reading sign-up, and more. Free hot dogs and chips begin at 11:00 am, while supplies last. Ice Daddy’s shaved ice will also be available for purchase. Don’t miss the fun!

The “I Spy” Walk
You won’t want to miss out on our “I Spy” walk from Barber Park to the Library. All ages are welcome!

FOUR STOPS with special displays! Kids who collect stickers from the red buckets at all 4 stops will get a free book at the end. Grownups will get a free coupon for our Keurig station.
An I Spy hunt all along the route, with plenty of items, some big and some small, to find! This year’s walk will feature dragons, hats, and fish, plus many unique items. We’ll give you a scoresheet to keep track of what you find.

The shuttle will drop you off at Barber Park, then you’ll follow the bike path to the Library. At the end of the trail, you’ll find the rest of the summer party fun! We encourage people to park at the Library and take the provided shuttle to the starting line.

The Course

It’s a 1.3-mile route following the bike path the entire way, and stroller friendly!
All hidden items will be located close to the trail in grassy areas. You will not need to venture into the woods or nearby yards.
The bike path runs along Route 150 for a while. Please make sure you have enough adults in your party to supervise young children for these stretches along the road. The route also crosses a few intersections.
We are offering free shuttle service 9am-1:30pm from the library to the start of the walk.

This fundraising event supports your community through the Rotary Club of Mahomet and the Friends of the Mahomet Public Library.

Proudly sponsored by:
