Oak Lawn Public Library

10/24/2026

Stop by OLPL for another one of these highlighted programs before October ends, or find other great options on our online event calendar: www.olpl.org/calendar

(R) Register for this program on the calendar above.

10/23/2026

Check out some of the wonderful creations by our patrons from the Who's Got Game: Paint Your Own Pumpkin program on Tuesday, Oct. 13, sponsored by Home Depot. Their locations at 300 Commons Drive, Chicago Ridge, IL 60415 and 4060 W. 95th St., Oak Lawn, IL 60453 donated pumpkins for our patrons to paint.

(R) Register for additional sessions of Who's Got Game at: www.olpl.org/calendar

10/22/2026

Join OLPL for in-person book discussions in November!

Find more information and future dates for each book club on our online event calendar: www.olpl.org/calendar

Exploring the Outer Limits (Sci-Fi Short Stories) will discuss “The Sea Raiders” by H.G. Wells on Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. The group meets in OLPL's Study Room 1.

Friends Short Story Discussion Group will discuss “The Perfect Problem”
by Alton Brown from “Food For Thought” on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 1 p.m. The group meets in OLPL's Mary Nelson Room.

20’s/30’s at Heart will discuss “Firekeeper’s Daughter” by Angeline Boulley on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m. The group meets at Cork & Bean, 4931 W. 95th St.

Plot Twist! A Horror Book Club will discuss “The Cabin at the End of the World” by Paul Tremblay on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 6:30 p.m. The group meets in OLPL's Book Nook.

Sage Stories Culture Club will discuss “Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century” by Jessica Bruder on Thursday, Nov. 19 at 10 a.m. The group meets in OLPL's Encore Room and on Zoom. Find Zoom access on the online event calendar.

Mysteries in the Morning Book Group, led by the Friends, will discuss “Roseanna” by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö on Friday, Nov. 20 at 9:30 a.m. The group meets in OLPL's Book Nook.

Refreshing Reads will discuss “Twice” by Mitch Albom on Tuesday, Tuesday, Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m. The group meets at Avenue W**e Bar, 10632 S. Cicero Ave.

Friends Book Discussion Group will discuss “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” by Betty Smith on Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 1 p.m. The group meets in OLPL's Meeting Room C.

10/21/2026

Thank you to everyone who stopped by the Library for another spectacular OLPL Halloween Trick-or-Treat on Sunday, Oct. 18! The annual all ages event featured free candy and fun activities throughout the entire Library. Please enjoy these photos and stay tuned to our Facebook for an upcoming photo album dedicated to the event.

Thank you to our community partners that distributed free candy to the many patrons who attended the event. Among the other fun activities that day, families were treated to a fun dance performance by Diverse Dimensions Dance Center.

Several patrons had amazing costumes, including who took photos with patrons.

10/20/2026

Spooky Season is here, and this is a friendly reminder of the remaining programs that Adult Young Adult Services has prepared for it!

(R) Register at: www.olpl.org/calendar

Witchy Workshop (R) Thursday, Oct. 22; 6:30 p.m.
Create your own "witch's bells" to take home while learning its history. Explore a few simple, protective rituals and symbolic spells inspired by folk traditions. Registration opens two weeks in advance.

Craft Cinema: "Hocus Pocus"
(1993, PG, 95 minutes)
Tuesday, Oct. 27; 6:30-8:15 p.m.
Craft and stitch with the lights on while watching “Hocus Pocus.” Three 17th century witches are resurrected on Halloween in modern-day Salem.

Crow Party (R) Wednesday, Oct. 28; 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Bring small trinkets to exchange with others, like crows do! Dress in all black or get in the spirit with feathers, cloaks, accessories, or even beak-inspired masks and makeup. Light refreshments provided. Trinkets can include: beads, buttons, shells, mini figures, charms, pretty rocks, marbles, feathers, keys, coins, handcrafted, nature-inspired items, and anything you make. Please no sharp, dangerous or high-value items.

10/20/2026

Here's a reminder of the remaining story times from Youth Services has storytimes coming up this fall.

Baby Lapsit (T)
Ages 0-12 months with an adult
Tuesdays, Sept. 15, 22 & 29; Oct. 6 & 13; Nov. 3, 10, 17 & 24
9:30-9:50 a.m.
Babies and pre-walkers will experience songs and fingerplays one-on-one with their caregivers.

Toddler Storytime (T)
Ages 13-36 months with an adult
Wednesdays, Sept. 16, 23 & 30; Oct. 7 & 14; Nov. 4, 11, 18 & 25
OR
Thursdays, Sept. 17 & 24; Oct. 1, 8 & 15; Nov. 5, 12 & 19
9:30-10 a.m.
Young children who are standing and walking will sing, dance, listen to stories and more with their caregivers.

Preschool Storytime (T)
Ages 3-5
Tuesdays, Sept. 15, 22 & 29; Oct. 6 & 13; Nov. 3, 10, 17 & 24; 10:15-10:45 a.m.
A variety of stories and active fun for preschoolers who are ready to practice independent learning.

Movin’ and Groovin’ (T)
Ages 2-5 with an adult
Fridays, Sept. 18, Oct. 9 & Nov. 13
Mondays, Oct. 26 & Nov. 23
9:30-10 a.m.
Dance, jump and shake your sillies out with fun songs and props!

(T) Admission tickets will be distributed at the Youth Services Desk 15 minutes before the start of the program.

10/19/2026

This is a friendly reminder that early voting for Suburban Cook County at OLPL starts today!

OLPL will host early voting for the Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026 Gubernatorial General Election from Monday, Oct. 19 through Monday, Nov. 2 in Meeting Room C.

Library staff cannot answer questions regarding voting nor accept any ballots. For more information about early voting in Suburban Cook County, visit: www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/ways-to-vote/early-voting

MONDAYS–FRIDAYS
Oct. 19-23
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Oct. 26-30
9 a.m.-7 p.m.
Nov. 2
9 a.m.-7 p.m.

SATURDAYS
Oct. 24
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Oct. 31
9 a.m.-5 p.m.

SUNDAYS
Oct. 25
10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Nov. 1
10 a.m.-4 p.m.

10/18/2026

OLPL Halloween Trick-or-Treat is today, Sunday, Oct. 18! Stop by from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. for a spook-tacular day at the Library!

OLPL's Halloween Trick-or-Treat is a frightfully fun, all-ages celebration packed with eerie-sistible activities throughout the entire Library. Costumes are highly encouraged. There will be prizes and candy while supplies last, so be sure to bring your trick-or-treat bag and sweet tooth!

The Library may be louder than usual due to the festivities.

10/17/2026

The Library will be loud tomorrow, Sunday, Oct. 18, due to the ghastly festivities of OLPL Halloween Trick-or-Treat from 11 a.m-2 p.m.

Library operations will proceed as normal during the event, so please stop by to make use of them or partake in the fun!

10/16/2026

OLPL Halloween Trick-or-Treat will kick of this upcoming week! There's plenty more programming after this annual event, so stop by for these highlights or any programs on our online event calendar: www.olpl.org/calendar

(R) Register for this program on the calendar above.

10/15/2026

The Library was treated to a wonderful Mexican Folklorico Dance Performance by Mintsita Uarhari on Tuesday, Sept. 29, including colorful skirts, rhythmic heel-stomping and rich cultural storytelling. Please enjoy this glimpse into the program.

Find more programming at: www.olpl.org/calendar

10/15/2026

Adult Young Adult Services has three programs prepared for their Punk November series!

Punk Show at the Library
Tuesday, Nov. 3; 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Oak Lawn garage rock band Silver Dollar jams with rock, punk and ‘60s inspired covers of bands like the Ramones, the Rolling Stones and the Who, plus energetic originals. Head banging is permitted, but no mosh pits at the Library.

“Repo Man”
(1984, R, 92 minutes) – Punk Month Movie
Thursday, Nov. 5; 7-8:30 p.m.
A young punk, recruited by a car repo agency, finds himself in pursuit of a Chevrolet Malibu with a huge $20,000 bounty and something otherworldly stashed in the trunk.

Punk Craft: Safety Pin Jewelry Tuesday, Nov. 24; 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Transform safety pins into wearable art to unleash your inner rebel! We'll learn techniques to craft custom bracelets or chokers. All materials provided, including safety pins of various sizes, beads and chains.

10/14/2026

OLPL provided database NoveList is running their 2026 Genre Challenge, Find What You Like, which encourages you to get out of your comfort zone by reading books from a different genre each month. Try some eerie, scary stories in October's genre, Horror.

In addition to the books recommended by NoveList, OLPL is providing additional books from our catalog within the genre, as recommended by our staff.

Place a hold on your next read at: ols.swanlibraries.net

Find more reading recommendations from Novelist by going to: www.olpl.org/resources

From Novelist:
"It Came From Neverland" by Cynthia Pelayo

"Dead but Dreaming of Electric Sheep" by Paul Tremblay

From OLPL:
"The Cursed Moon" by Angela Cervantes recommended for ages 8-12.

"Dead Girls Walking" by Sami Ellis recommended for teens.

"Uzumaki" by Junji Itō recommended for adults.

10/14/2026

Residents of Oak Lawn that have a child up to 8 months of age can request a free bag of materials to support early literacy for their young child. Each bag includes two board books, a sensory toy, educational materials and other community goodies.

Bags are sponsored by the Oak Lawn Community Library Foundation.

To learn more about Born to Read bags, please contact Youth Services by emailing [email protected] or calling 708-422-4990 ext. 400.

Request a Born to Read bag: www.olpl.org/RequestBornToReadBag

10/13/2026

Customer Services has planned two educational programs with Pathlights.

(R) Register for this program at: www.olpl.org/calendar

Making Sense of Medicare (R)
Wednesday, Oct. 21; 6:30-7:30 p.m.; Encore Room
Medicare A, B, C, D! Who can make sense of it? Attendees will get a thorough overview of Medicare and learn how SHIP counselors can assist in navigating the Medicare system.

Are You Ready for Medicare D Open Enrollment? (R)
Wednesday, Oct. 28; 6:30-7:30 p.m.; Encore Room
Many Medicare enrollees don’t realize that plan and drug prices can change substantially from year to year. A Pathlights SHIP counselor provides an unbiased explanation of prescription drug plan options for those approaching Medicare, current enrollees and caregivers of enrollees.

10/12/2026

Here's a friendly reminder for the remaining sessions of Genealogy Nights!

The Computer Center will host Genealogy Nights (R) on Thursdays, Oct. 1, 15 & 29 from 6-8 p.m.

Research your family history using genealogy databases. Staff will assist with your questions.

(R) Register at: wwww.olpl.org/calendar

10/12/2026

Here's a friendly reminder of the remaining two programs Customer Services has planned to be presented by LaVon Lenaway MA, CTVDT, DCS, DCSCT of Dragonfly Senior Navigation Services and sponsored by Arden Courts of Palos Heights this fall.

(R) Registration is required, go to: www.olpl.org/calendar

Call Customer Services at 708-422-4990 ext. 100 with questions.

The Toll Caregiving Takes: An Honest Look Inside the Shoes of a Family Caregiver (R) Monday, Oct. 19; 2 p.m.; Encore Room
I hear you! “I wish people would stop asking me how I am doing and what I am doing to take care of myself! I don’t have time to take care of myself!” We promise, we won’t ask those questions or boss you around. This presentation takes the
time to stand in the shoes of a family caregiver and invites you to stop for a moment, look up, and not only look for something beautiful (like a dragonfly or some wildflowers), but also think of a few things you might not have considered. It is the hope that caregivers do not feel bogged down by this hour, but that you feel seen, heard, stood by, recharged, encouraged and motivated to step back into the sacred role of caregiving just a little bit lighter.

National Memory Screenings (R)
Friday, Oct. 23; 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Encore Room
Arden Courts is proud to offer the Alzheimer's Foundation of America's National Memory Screening, a series of questions and tasks gauging memory, language and thinking skills. Screenings are scheduled at 30-minute intervals and last just 5-10 minutes. Results are not a diagnosis, but someone scoring below the normal threshold may want to receive a full evaluation with a clinician. A person could be experiencing memory issues for a number of reasons. To schedule a free, confidential memory screening, please contact Zac Frazier at 708-422-4990 ext. 505.

10/11/2026

Here's a friendly reminder that OLPL Halloween Trick-or-Treat will take place on Sunday, Oct. 18 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Get ready for a spook-tacular day at the Library! OLPL's Halloween Trick-or-Treat is a frightfully fun, all-ages celebration packed with eerie-sistible activities throughout the entire Library. Costumes are highly encouraged. There will be prizes and candy while supplies last, so be sure to bring your trick-or-treat bag and sweet tooth!

10/10/2026

Stop by OLPL for one of these highlighted programs coming up this week, or find all programs on our online event calendar: www.olpl.org/calendar

(R) Register for this program on the calendar above.

10/09/2026

If free candy and fun activities throughout the Library weren't enough, we also have raffles prizes for our annual OLPL Halloween Trick-or-Treat on Sunday, Oct. 18 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Stop by the welcome table to learn how to participate in our raffles for these great prizes: Teen Movie Basket, Teen Boo Basket, Kids Movie Basket, KPop Demon Hunters Basket, Luigi's Mansion Basket, Craft Basket-Kids, Adult Everything Pumpkin Basket, Adult Pumpkin Carving Basket, Haunted Trails Voucher and Kerlin Walsh Law Basket

This event is open to all ages and we encourage kids to dress up in their favorite costumes. Candy and giveaways while supplies last.

10/09/2026

Here's a quick clip from OLPL's Business After Hours on Thursday, Sept. 17 showing the Teen Services Button Maker in action. This is one several pieces of equipment available in the teen makerspace. Learn more about Teen Services at: www.olpl.org/teens

Call Teen Services with questions at 708-422-4990 ext. 550.

10/08/2026

10/08/2026

35 libraries participated in Explore the Suburbs: Library Passport Adventure, running from Tuesday, May 26 through Saturday, Sept. 5, and 345 patrons participated, logging 2,825 Library visits. Three lucky winners received a $100 Amazon gift card from the raffle, including one young OLPL patron!

Thank you to everyone who participated.

10/07/2026

Here's a friendly reminder for this upcoming concert at the Library!

The Chris White Trio will perform a set of classic rock covers reimagined in a jazz style in Jazz Does Classic Rock on Sunday, Oct. 11 from 1-2 p.m. Featuring music by bands like Pink Floyd, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Boston, these familiar songs will be given fresh takes with new energy and improvisation.

This free concert is open to all and sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

10/07/2026

Youth Services will host Franken-toys (T) for Ages 8-14 on Wednesday, Oct. 21; 4:30-5:30 p.m.

It’s alive! Can you make the creepiest monster? Cut, tear and fuse together old toys to create a spooky new monstrosity!

(T) Admission tickets will be distributed at the Youth Services Desk 15 minutes before the start of the program.