FROM THE DIRECTOR

Thank You to Our Donors!

I am pleased to announce we have reached our fundraising goal for the Library Outreach Vehicle. We'd like to thank the following donors for your tremendous support in achieving this momentous goal. 

A Month of Giving Thanks and Giving Back

During the month of November our library patrons can give back in a big way. Nearly 200 children are unable to use their library cards due to unpaid fees totaling over $11,000 dollars. Though we are a fine-free library, patrons are charged for items that are lost, damaged, or not returned. The library will be accepting donations all month long and applying them to children's fees randomly. Donations are being accepted online or inside the library. Click to donate now. 

For a limited time only, the library will be selling Thankful for Public Libraries shirts in the FRIENDS RAYGUN store. All sales for the month of November will be donated to paying off children's fees. 

Comfort Cabinet Coming Soon

We have recently received a donation that will allow us to provide toiletries and other essential supplies to community members in need. We are working on ordering items and putting everything together. We hope to be ready within the next couple weeks. 

Director’s Bookshelf

Into the Blue by Emma Brodie was one of the strangest mashups I've read. I thought I was going to read a story about a teen romance being rekindled later in adulthood. Instead it was more of a love story saga rooted in a shared love of Star-Trek-ish scifi and acting improvisation. I really like this book and gave it 4 stars.

This is Me: A Reckoning by Hayden Panettiere: I was very shocked and saddened when I heard of Hayden's passing. I have always enjoyed the characters she brought to life in TV and movies. Many do not know that just months before her untimely death, she released a memoir. Her book recounts her life as a child actor since she was thrust into acting by her mother at 8 months old. Hayden spent her entire childhood and young adulthood working constantly. She also talks about motherhood, postpartum depression, and her decent into alcoholism. 

Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep: Nearly everyone in America has read To Kill a Mockingbird and dissected its pages in their high school English class. What many do not know is that the success of Lee's first novel would lead to a lifetime of unfinished pages of writing that she never felt was good enough to publish. Go Set a Watchman was drafted before To Kill a Mockingbird and published without Lee's permission while she was in her final years of life in an assisted living facility. Furious Hours is part true crime part Harper Lee biography. In the 1970's Harper Lee traveled home to Alabama with the intent of writing a true crime novel about a string of murders committed by Reverend Willie Maxwell. The author tries to tie these murders and the life of Harper Lee together. The result is two short books in one, but I learned a lot about Harper Lee. 

The FRIENDS of the East Moline Public Library Store is open!

Pick out something for yourself, a family member, or someone you know that loves the library. "Readers are Leaders" will be leaving the shop in the next week, so make sure to buy one before they are gone! Part of the proceeds from every purchase will go towards our fine forgiveness initiative. Click here to shop!

DID YOU KNOW?

We just added three new digital resources available for our patrons! Check them out below!

ADULT PROGRAMS

TEEN PROGRAMS (Grades 9-12)

Our 10th Anniversary Haunted House was an incredible success, welcoming nearly 1,600 visitors over the weekend! A HUGE thank you to our amazing community, our 38 dedicated teen volunteers, patron volunteers, library staff, Library Board, Library Director, the FRIENDS of the East Moline Public Library, Snoops, Patty Marx, and Bridges Catering, community partners Dance 101 with Amy, Godfather's Pizza QC and Papa Johns for the generous donations, unwavering support, and continued love for our library and Teen Library Council. We couldn’t have done it without you!

This year’s Creepy Carnival theme was a hit, and our teen haunted house crew absolutely knocked it out of the park! We are so proud of the creativity, hard work, and dedication they put into making this year’s Haunted House so special. Click here to see more pictures from our Haunted House weekend!

Ten years of scares, memories, and community support is something truly worth celebrating. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this incredible tradition and helped make our 10th anniversary one to remember! 🖤👻

If you would like to donate to support the Teen Library Council and all the amazing things our teens do, you can find us on Venmo at @emplteens. Every donation makes a difference and helps us continue creating amazing opportunities for our teens!

TWEEN PROGRAMS (Grades 4-8)

CHILDRENS AND ALL AGES PROGRAMS

For more information on programming, please email outreachandprogramming@eastmolinelibrary.org

NOTES FROM THE FRIENDS

The Friends of the Library are excited to host our annual Book and Bake Sale on Saturday November 28th from 9-2! It’s a wonderful opportunity to find some great reads, enjoy delicious homemade treats, and support our local library. We are so grateful for the continued generosity and support of our community. Your donations, purchases, and encouragement help us make a difference, and we truly appreciate everyone who supports the Friends of the Library.

Thank you for helping us keep our library thriving!

Tami Cox, Treasurer of the FRIENDS of the East Moline Public Library