Mahomet Public Library

Preschool Playdate
2024-04-12 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-04-26 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Chicago)
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.
Please note: There will NOT be Preschool Playdate on April 5 or 19.

Pen to Paper: Creative Writing Workshop for Adults
2024-04-13 14:00 - 15:30
Get creative! This monthly writing workshop is for adults (ages 18+). Writers will have a chance to share their work and receive feedback from fellow writers.
Registration is required. Please note: Your registration includes all the sessions. Please let us know if you are unable to attend one of the sessions.

Baby Storytime
2024-04-16 09:30 - 09:50, 2024-04-23 09:30 - 09:50
Bring your baby to storytime on Tuesday mornings at the Library! There will be songs, bounces, and books!
Please note: There will NOT be Baby Storytime on Tuesday, March 19.

Toddler Storytime
2024-04-16 10:00 - 10:30, 2024-04-23 10:00 - 10:30
Join us on Tuesday mornings for storytime for toddlers (ages 18 months – 3 years) and caregivers. There will be songs, rhymes, and stories!
Please note: There will NOT be storytime on Tuesday, March 19.

Stitching Circle
2024-04-16 13:00 - 15:00
Enjoy a crafty hobby and conversation each month! Participants are welcome to bring their own fiber arts projects (crochet, knitting, embroidery, etc…) or any crafty hobby. Beginners are welcome! A selection of basic supplies will also be available for use.
Dates:
January 23
February 20
April 16

No meeting in March or May.
Stitching Circle is a part of our Adult Craft Connection Program series. No registration required.

Preschool Storytime
2024-04-17 10:00 - 10:30, 2024-04-24 10:00 - 10:30
Join us on Wednesday mornings for storytime for preschoolers (ages 3-5) and caregivers. There will be songs, movement, and books!
Please note: There will NOT be Preschool Storytime on Wednesday, April 3.

Elementary Explorers
2024-04-17 15:30 - 16:30, 2024-04-24 15:30 - 16:30
Join us every Wednesday for a fun, one hour after school program! Activities will alternate monthly between Art Club and LEGO Club. 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.
December: LEGO Club

December 6: early dismissal (1:30-2:30 pm)
December 13: regular time (3:30-4:30 pm)

January: Art Club

January 10, 17, 24: regular time (3:30-4:30 pm)
January 31: early dismissal (1:30-2:30 pm)

February: LEGO Club

February 7, 14, 28: regular time (3:30-4:30 pm)
February 21: early dismissal (1:30-2:30 pm)

March: Art Club

March 6: early dismissal (1:30-2:30 pm)
March 20, 27: regular time (3:30-4:30 pm)
No Art Club on March 13.

April: LEGO Club

April 3, 17, 24: regular time (3:30-4:30 pm)
April 10: early dismissal (1:30-2:30 pm)

Grades K-5. No registration required.

Spring Book Sale
2024-04-18 17:00 - 20:00, 2024-04-19 09:00 - 18:00, 2024-04-20 09:00 - 17:00, 2024-04-21 13:00 - 16:00
Thursday, April 18 | 5:00 – 8:00 pm (preview night for Friends members only; you can join at the door)
Friday, April 19 | 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday, April 20 | 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday, April 21 | 1:00 – 4:00 pm

Senior Treats and Topics
2024-04-22 14:30 - 15:30
Designed for our retired adults, each month promises an exciting speaker with insights on various topics, accompanied by delightful treats! Join us for a thrilling blend of knowledge…and indulgence!

January 22: Understanding Medicare with Nicole Mitchell of Champaign County Healthcare consumers – RESCHEDULED for Thursday, March 21 from 2:00-3:00 pm (more info here)
February 26: Using Library e-Resources with Library Director John Howard
March 25: Improving Mood & Finding Happiness as We Age with Staci McNicholl from The Rock Counseling Group
April 22: Ways to Pay Online with Nick Schneider of First State Bank of Forrest

No registration required.

Teen Art Night: Beaded Friendship Bracelet or Keychain
2024-04-25 18:00 - 19:30
Calling all creative teens! Each session is a unique opportunity to explore a craft or art project tailored just for you. This program is open to students in grades 6-12. Unleash your artistic talents and join us for a fantastic journey of creativity and self-expression!

Dates and Projects:
February 29: Book Nook
April 25: Beaded Friendship Bracelet or Keychain

Grades 6-12. Registration is required.

CANCELED: Spring Critical Conversations Book Club
2024-04-25 19:00 - 20:00
THIS BOOK CLUB HAS BEEN CANCELED. STAY TUNED FOR FUTURE CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS BOOK CLUB SESSIONS.
Join us on Zoom for Critical Conversations, a book club focused on important cultural topics in contemporary society. This spring, we’ll be reading 400 Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019, edited by Ibram Kendi and Keisha Blain.
Dates:
March 21
April 11
April 25

Adults. Registration is required. After you register, you will receive the link for the Zoom meeting.

Firm Foundations Social: Sensory Exploration Stations
2024-04-27 11:00 - 12:00
Have a sensory and social experience with pre-school children of all ages! Stations will include Play-doh, water, and more!
This is a social mixer for children ages 0-5 who are enrolled in our Firm Foundations program and their caregivers.

CANCELED: Role With It! Play Reading Group
2024-04-28 14:00 - 16:30
Join the Library’s play-reading group for theatre enthusiasts! We’ll get together every other month to do a live reading of a full-length play. Participants will be assigned roles and receive their own copy of the script at the meeting. After the reading, we’ll discuss our thoughts about the play.

February 25: Our Town by Thornton Wilder
CANCELED – April 28: The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

For teens and adults. Registration for each session is required.

Adult Take and Make Kit
2024-04-29 - 2024-05-01
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 29: Wooden bead keychain
Beginning February 26: Yarn stamped greeting cards
Beginning March 25: Pinecone clothespin
Beginning April 29: DIY lip balm
Beginning May 27: Clay pot mushroom

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.

Firm Foundations Parenting Session: Preparing Your Child for Preschool or Kindergarten
2024-04-29 17:30 - 19:00
Join Mahomet-Seymour School teachers as they discuss preparing your child for preschool or kindergarten!
This session takes place at Middletown-Prairie, with pizza and childcare provided.

Schedule for the evening:
5:30 pm: Pizza
6:00-7:00 pm: Speaker

If you need childcare, please register. Otherwise, no registration is required. For parents of children enrolled in our Firm Foundations program.

Fifth Annual Jigsaw Puzzle Contest
2024-05-04 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.

Illinois Libraries Present: The Many Lives of Kal Penn
2024-05-07 19:00 - 20:00
Kal Penn is an actor, writer, producer, and former Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. He is known for his starring roles in Designated Survivor, House, Mira Nair’s The Namesake, the Harold & Kumar franchise, and the Christmas comedy The Santa Clauses for Disney+. His first book, You Can’t Be Serious, was released on November 2, 2021 from Simon and Schuster/Gallery Books. He also narrates the audiobook.
He was a national co-chair for the Obama/Biden re-election campaign in 2012 and served on the President’s Committee for the Arts and Humanities, focusing on arts education and cultural diplomacy, including the first-ever US Government arts delegation to Cuba. Penn taught courses at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, Los Angeles. Originally from New Jersey, he received his undergraduate degree in sociology, theater, film, and television at the University of California, Los Angeles, and received a graduate certificate in international security from Stanford University. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Earlier in the year, Penn wrapped production on the Bloomberg Green climate change docuseries, Getting Warmer, and the Viacom/Paramount+ comedy, Surina & Mel. Following the departure of Trevor Noah from The Daily Show, Kal was named as an upcoming guest host.
Kal Penn will be joined in conversation with Bridget Petrites, Evanston Public Library.
Via Zoom. Please register below.

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
2024-05-11 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? Beginning May 5 at 1 pm through May 10 at 6 pm, artists and crafters can drop off supplies in good condition that they’re ready to part with. Then, on May 11 from 10:00-11:00 am, the Library will be the place to be for an Art Supply Swap – where everyone is welcome to snag some supplies for their creative adventures, completely free of charge!
Swap Schedule:
10:00-10:15 am: Anyone who donated items can enter the swap by showing the donation ticket they received when dropping off donations. (Those who donate will receive one ticket per person.)
10:15-11:00 am: All participants will be able to fill one bag.
11:00 am and beyond: If there is anything left, there will be no bag limit and anyone can take whatever they want.

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

Confidential Document Shredding Event
2024-05-11 10:00 - 12:00
Looking for a way to dispose of confidential documents? Attend our shredding event in the Mahomet Library parking lot!
Details:

Limit 3 banker boxes of documents
No cost (optional $10/box donation suggested to help with Rotary projects)
Accepted materials: Paper, index cards, spiral notebooks, hanging and file folders, 3-ring binders

Sponsored by: Fisher National Bank, Mahomet Public Library, Mahomet Rotary Club

Tuesday Night Book Club
2024-05-14 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 16: The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal
February 13: Maame by Jessica George
March 12: The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
April 9: Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
May 14: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
June 11: Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutano
July 9: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
August 13: The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
No registration required.

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

Summer Reading Programs
2024-05-21 - 2024-08-02
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 2024 theme is “Read, Renew, Repeat,” which encourages reading as a restorative method of self-improvement and self-preservation. 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 and earn beads for your brag tag!
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: Rainbow Doodle Tablets
50,000 Minutes: Duplo LEGO Table
100,000 Minutes: Yoto Players
175,000 Minutes: Mini Golf in the Library

School's Out! Ice Daddy's Party
2024-05-21 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!
