Downtown Main Library

The Button Book Club is here! Kids and teens can read, share, and collect fun book-themed pins all month long. Choose a book at the right level—Picture Books, Beginning Reads, Middle Grade, or Teen—then come back anytime to write or draw your favorite part. June picks include:

Picture Books: “Fairy Walk” by Gaia Cornwall
Beginning Reads: “Danger in the Dragon’s Den” by Megan Reyes
Middle Grade: “Sona and the Golden Beasts”�by Rajani LaRocca
Teen: “The House of Saphir” by Marissa Meyer

Each book earns a new button, and your first one comes with a free lanyard!

Join public historian and author Jacob Hogue on Friday, June 5, from 4-6 p.m., for a special author talk and book signing for his debut book, "Cincinnati Before Stonewall: The Untold Q***r History of the Queen City." In this engaging presentation, Hogue explores the hidden LGBTQ+ history of Cincinnati, uncovering remarkable stories of community, resistance, scandal, and resilience long before the modern gay rights movement.

Thank you for an amazing Summer Reading Kickoff! 🙌

Get help with SNAP, Medicaid, OWF, and child care applications and renewals on Tuesday, June 2, from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. with the Job & Family Services Community Resource Team. Support is available every first Tuesday. No appointment needed. Walk-ins only.

Why do birds live in flocks, families, and complex social groups? Explore the science at the Bird Nerds Book Club on Tuesday, June 16, from 6–7:30 p.m. We’ll discuss “The Social Lives of Birds: Flocks, Communes, and Families” by Joan Strassmann, an accessible look at cooperation, behavior, and community in the avian world. Reserve your copy at --> https://bit.ly/4fK3lRb

Find legal help and reliable information on Thursday, June 4, from 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. with partners from the Clerk of Courts Help Center, Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center, and VoteRiders: Voter ID Help. Support is available every first Thursday.

Relax and recharge on Monday, June 1, from noon–1 p.m. with a guided meditation led by Aria Reed, featuring soothing sound healing instruments to quiet the mind and restore a sense of balance.

Create alongside the Contemporary Arts Center's Artist-in-Residence Ciara LeRoy tomorrow 4–6 p.m. in the Teen Programming Space. Drop in to observe, experiment, and make art—no experience needed and all supplies provided.

Celebrate contemporary book arts on Sunday, May 31, from 3–4 p.m. at a reception with the Cincinnati Book Arts Society, featuring artist Gabrielle Fox Butler. Explore diverse techniques, meet artists, and connect with the local book arts community.

Step Into the Story at our Summer Reading Kickoff on Saturday, May 30, from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Meet favorite storybook characters, explore hands-on activities with Cincinnati Museum Center and Newport Aquarium, and celebrate the start of a summer full of reading and discovery.

Made possible by The Johnson Foundation and The Thomas W. Jones Fund.