Programs & Events - Fondulac District Library

National Library Week

Last week was National Library Week. We invited patrons to share what they love most about the library, and here’s what they had to say:

“It teaches my daughter lots of new things. She can look at books and play and make new friends. We also love all the activities that are offered!!!”

“It is family time together!”

“My daughters and their children visit all of the area libraries. We all love the story times, craft projects, special children’s programs, family days…too much to mention. The availability of movies to borrow has come a long way since my kids were small. Of course, they always go home with a bag full of books. Where else can we go and have so many free resources? Such a great place for young families, seniors, and those in between…”

“Free internet and unlimited source of knowledge.”

“I love books!”

“It provides book, internet access, movies and stuff!”

“I have very fond childhood memories of all our time at the library. Later I used it a great deal during my years teaching preschool. (Our local RSA is completely amazing, btw!) Now that I have children of my own, our lives are basically centered around the programs we attend at all the libraries in this area, sometimes 4 days a week. The teachers are wonderful and we have made many lasting friendships. The kids have benefited socially and academically. The library is a lifeline for us. We appreciate all the time and effort everyone voluntarily puts in to special events as well. My 3 year old still talks about the Tiny Tot Drive in Movie you arranged almost a year ago and Star Wars Day is the highlight of the year! There are just too many reasons that libraries are important, but they sure are wonderful and we will continue and use their resources for the rest of our lives.”

Congratulations to Becky and Andrea on winning library prize packs for their comments!

We’d like to thank everyone who commented about the library and its services during National Library Week. Your support is greatly appreciated as we continue to provide quality programming, services, and resources for the community.

Elizabeth Anderson2016-04-19T12:59:50-05:00April 19th, 2016|

Spring Newsletter Available

The latest issue of Community Connection, Fondulac District Library’s quarterly newsletter, is now available! It is mailed to residences within the library district and also is available for download and printing from our website. Printed copies can also be picked up at the library.

Whether you are into history, writing, gaming, music, science, movies, or crafts, we’ve got something planned for everyone at the library this spring! Please take a moment to review the newsletter and mark your calendars with the great lineup of programs happening at Fondulac District Library through June. Enjoy!

Download (PDF, 4.22MB)

Elizabeth Anderson2016-03-23T14:21:49-05:00March 23rd, 2016|

Star Wars Day 2016

Fondulac District Library announces Star Wars Day, which celebrates reading and the stories of one of the most popular sagas of all time. The all-ages event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 16, 2016, at Fondulac District Library in East Peoria, Illinois.

Free activities and programs for all ages will run throughout the day and include Jedi training, crafts, a Star Wars Science Station, games, Star Wars Bingo, prize drawings, and much more. Special guests from the 501st Legion, the Rebel Legion, and the Mandalorian Mercs costume clubs will be in attendance and available for photographs. Additionally, members of the East Peoria Robo Raiders, a local First Tech Challenge (FTC) team, will participate in a presentation and demonstration of the real-life “droids” they design, build, and take to competition. The library also offers Star Wars-related books and movies on display and available for check out to library cardholders.

For more information about this special event, visit www.fondulaclibrary.org or call (309) 699-3917.

Special Activities

10:30 Star Wars Bingo
11:00 Costume Parade
11:30 Jedi Training (both Jedi training sessions are the same)
12:30 Jedi Training
2:00 Real-Life Droids: East Peoria Robo-Raiders

Ongoing Activities

I Spy with My Jedi Eye: Starting at the Children’s Information Desk
Craft Cantina: Children’s Department: Story and Craft Room – Paper plate BB8 and paper Darth Vader.
Star Wars Puppet Theater: Children’s Department
Photo Booth: Children’s Department
X-wing Miniature Game: Library Lobby
Video Arcades: Second Floor (Teen Space)
Tattooine Tattoo Parlor: Second Floor
Perler for Padawans: Second Floor
Boba Fett’s Badge Factory: Second Floor
Force Fair: Atrium – Star Wars Bowling, Light Side vs. Dark Side Tic Tac Toe, and Blast-a-Trooper.
Star Wars Science Station: Atrium
Makers Space: Atrium – Take a closer look at R2D2, a battle droid, and a jawa.
Admiral Ackbar’s Snack Bar: Treats for sale from the Friends of the Library
Niima Outpost: Homemade Star Wars crafts for sale from the Friends of the Library

genna2016-03-17T10:34:14-05:00March 17th, 2016|

International Games Day 2015

Fondulac District Library will join more than a thousand libraries around the world on November 21, 2015, for the eighth annual celebration of gaming in libraries – International Games Day @ your library.

Fondulac District Library will celebrate its largest gaming event of the year from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and will offer special gaming programs and events suitable for the whole family.

The library will create a vintage-to-modern videogame arcade, with console games spanning decades. Visitors will be able to try Minecraft or duel with a fellow Yu-Gi-Oh! players. Classic and modern board and card games for all ages will be available to play. Additionally, a human-sized Connect Four will be set up for all to enjoy.

International Games Day is part of a comprehensive gaming initiative at Fondulac District Library. Benefits of offering gaming in the library include, but are not limited to, encouraging social interaction and educating and entertaining the individuals who participate in them. Studies indicate that games aid perception, cognition, and decision making, as well as encourage team work.

International Games Day @ your library is an international initiative supported by the American Library Association, the Australian Library and Information Association, and Nordic Game Day. For more information on International Games Day please visit https://www.ilovelibraries.org/article/international-games-day-2015.

genna2015-11-05T16:50:35-06:00November 5th, 2015|

Big Library Read is Back!

Fondulac District Library is taking part in OverDrive’s Big Library Read program featuring two eBooks. Library card holders will be able to borrow and read The Door in the Hedge by Robin McKinley and/or In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters starting midday Wednesday, October 7 and concluding on Wednesday, October 21 (U.S. EST) by visiting https://alliance.lib.overdrive.com. These two popular eBooks are available to all patrons without waitlists or holds during the program.

The Door in the Hedge opens a door into an enchanted world in this collection of original and retold fairy tales. Four short stories, two original and two cherished classics, take you into a magical world of whimsy, wonder, princesses and talking frogs. In the Shadow of Blackbirds is a young adult historical fiction story of war, ghosts, friendship, mystery, love and perseverance. This coming-of-age tale takes you on a heroic journey through the eyes of Mary Shelley Black as she’s forced to face a world war, a deadly strain of flu and a troubled spirit who is desperate for help. Patrons will be able to select a lending period of one, two, or three weeks, which begins at the date of checkout.

Big Library Read is an international program that gives libraries and library patrons unlimited simultaneous access to a popular title during the program dates, creating a virtual, global eBook club. Interested patrons will be able borrow The Door in the Hedge and In the Shadow of Blackbirds using a valid library card, and read on all major computers and devices, including iPhone®, iPad®, Nook®, Android™ phones and tablets, and Kindle® [U.S. Libraries] without worrying about wait lists or holds. Titles will automatically expire at the end of the lending period, and best of all, there are no late fees!

The Big Library Read program is made possible through a partnership between OverDrive, the leading supplier of eBooks, audiobooks and more to libraries and schools, Open Road, publisher of Robin McKinley’s fairy tale short stories and Abrams Books, publisher of Cat Winters young adult historical fiction. To borrow the eBook version of The Door in the Hedge and In the Shadow of Blackbirds as part of Big Library Read, patrons can visit https://alliance.lib.overdrive.com.

genna2015-10-08T09:05:00-05:00October 8th, 2015|

Fall Newsletter Available

The latest issue of Community Connection, Fondulac District Library’s quarterly newsletter, is now available! It is mailed to residences within the library district and also is available for download and printing from our website. Printed copies can also be picked up at the library.

Whether you are into history, writing, gaming, music, science, movies, or crafts, we’ve got something planned for everyone at the library this fall! Please take a moment to review the newsletter and mark your calendars with the great lineup of programs happening at Fondulac District Library through December. Enjoy!

Download (PDF, 2.12MB)

genna2015-09-28T10:01:14-05:00September 28th, 2015|

Fun Fair on 8/1

Fondulac District Library announces its first-ever Fun Fair, which celebrates the end of its popular “Read to the Rhythm” summer reading program with a day of live music, activities, food, and fun. The free, all-ages community event will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, August 1, 2015, outside at Fondulac District Library in East Peoria, Illinois. The event is open to all. (Participation in the summer reading program is not required in order to attend.)

Entertainment and activities will run throughout the day and include performances from The Boogers, a highly-acclaimed children’s punk rock band, and SideTracked, a local musical group that plays a “smooth mix of jazz, pop, and soul.” Library staff will be on hand with kids’ crafts, as well as hands-on technology-based music activities.

Playing two sets – the first at 11:30 a.m. and the second at 1:30 p.m., Chicago-based The Boogers make developmentally-appropriate rock music for kids and their families to enjoy together. About.com music expert Warren Truitt notes, “The Boogers bring a breath of fresh air to the kids music scene.” Monte Melnick, author and Ramones Tour Manager, says “If the Ramones had ever decided to make a children’s CD, this is what it would have sounded like. There will be no stoppin’ the kiddies from hoppin’ after listen to this music.” The group has played venues across the nation and have won praise and awards in both the music and parenting industries.

A favorite at events and establishments in central Illinois, SideTracked is a Peoria-based band that plays an eclectic mix of jazz, pop and soul. The group will play for two hours starting at 3 p.m.

Concessions will be available for purchase from local service organizations. The Kiwanis Club of East Peoria will offer a pork chop and hot dog cookout from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. All proceeds from the cookout will benefit the all-accessible playground at East Peoria’s Neumann Park. The Friends of Fondulac District Library also will have a popcorn stand from 1 to 4 p.m., with proceeds supporting library programs, services, facilities, and collections.

As the event will held outside, attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and picnic blankets for a day of fun in the sun. (Entertainment and activities will be moved indoors in event of inclement weather.)

For more information about this special event, visit the Fun Fair webpage or call (309) 699-3917.

genna2015-07-08T18:16:43-05:00July 8th, 2015|

Attn: local organizations

Library staff is planning an outdoor “Summer Reading Finale Fun Fair” for all ages to take place Saturday, August 1, from 11 am to 5 pm and is seeking East Peoria non-profit organizations to sell concessions. This is a community event open to anyone that celebrates music, the library, and the readers of all ages who have completed our summer reading program. Organizations must provide the items to sell, any setup (table, tent, etc.), and any permits needed and get to keep all profits. We still have some spots available. If your organization is interested, please contact Genna Buhr at genna@fondulaclibrary.org or 309-699-3917 x2181.

genna2015-06-15T15:40:44-05:00June 15th, 2015|

BIG Book Sale Coming Soon

The Friends of Fondulac District Library sponsors its annual BIG Book Sale June 11 through 13, 2015, at Fondulac District Library at 400 Richland Street in East Peoria. Hardback and paperback books, as well as other media, for all ages and in excellent condition, will be sold at a reasonable prices.

A Preview Night for members will be held Thursday, June 11, 2015, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Anyone can attend the Preview Night by purchasing a membership for $5 at the door. New members will also receive a free book with the purchase of a membership.

The sale is open to the public Friday, June 12, 2015, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday, June 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Shoppers can enter a drawing each day for a door prize, and buyers purchasing ten books will receive one additional book of equal or lesser value for free.

After the BIG Book Sale, remaining paperback books are mailed to military facilities to support the U.S. Armed Forces and families using the non-for-profit organization Operation Paperback.

The Friends group also maintains an ongoing book sale at the library. The ongoing sale is open during all library hours. The Friends accepts donations of books, movies, and music at the library at any time.

Please contact the library at 699-3917 to learn more about this organization, the Big Book Sale, or to donate items.

genna2015-06-01T12:02:49-05:00June 1st, 2015|

Musicians wanted!

Musically-inclined or know someone who is? The 2015 summer reading theme is “Read to the Rhythm,” and library staff is planning a “Summer Reading Finale Fun Fair” for all ages (Saturday, August 1, 11 am–5 pm) and wants to include live music. We are currently seeking bands/musicians that teens and adults could enjoy in the afternoon. (Don’t worry, kids! We’ve got you covered in the morning!) If interested, please contact genna@fondulaclibrary.org directly with your information, type of music, fees (if any), setup requirements, etc.

genna2015-04-27T15:43:23-05:00April 27th, 2015|