June 2026

 

June is here, and it comes with quite a few holidays and National observances that can inspire your To-Be-Read list.   

If you would like to learn more about Pride Month and the history of the LGBTQ community, you can check out The LGBTQ Almanac: 500 years of queer culture in American history by Deborah G. Felder.

 

For Audiobook Appreciation Month, you can browse our physical collection or check out what's available through our Libby app and their blog about the most popular audiobooks of the year (and all time!)

If you are looking to celebrate it being "Great Outdoors Month," you can check out our copy of 

 National Geographic national parks cookbook : dishes inspired by America's great outdoors

June is also National Ocean Month, which is dedicated to raising awareness of the beauty and wonder of the Ocean and the vital role it plays.  

Deep water: the world in the ocean by Bradley, James

Learn more Ocean facts with the National Ocean Service

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/news/ocean-month/welcome.html

The Summer Reading Program begins on June 8th, with our first Monday Family Event of the summer! Burpee Museum will be here to help us learn all about the scaly roommates that we share this planet with and you'll be able to meet some of them in person! Reptiles are so diverse and amazing in many different ways. There will be five stations of live reptiles and hands-on activities. All ages are welcome for this free event! 

         

Join us on Saturday, June 13th, for Junk Journaling and on Saturday, June 20th, for Bling-a-Book!  These drop-in programs for teens and adults will run from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Limited supplies will be available, so feel free to bring your own.

This month's Monday Mysteries will meet on June 22 at 1:30 p.m

to discuss mysteries solved by Senior Sleuths.

Literary Merits will meet on June 23rd at 2 p.m. to discuss Barbara Kingsolver's Demon Copperhead.

Orbital group meets at 6:00 pm on June 23rd to discuss sci-fi and fantasy with magical themes.

We are excited to welcome Laura Keyes back to the library! Laura graduated from UW-Madison with a Master’s Degree in Library Studies. She has been portraying women from history and lecturing on historic topics for over fifteen years.

The “Mothers” of America aren’t often mentioned – the women whose influence on the early years of the United States reverberated for centuries afterwards. Learn about soldiers, writers, printers, scholars, farmers, artists, and spies – all women, and all vital to our nation’s history. We hope you can join us for this free event sponsored by Dixon Public Library and Dixon Township. This program will take place upstairs in the Adult Department on Saturday June 27th at 11:00am. 

Calling All Artists: Americana-Inspired Works Wanted!! Be part of the upcoming Passport to Illinois Art Exhibition, celebrating the spirit of America through the lens of local creativity.

Exhibition Dates: June 15, 2026 - July 31, 2026

(The exhibit will be hosted at the Dixon Public Library)

Honoring the 250th Anniversary of America: We're seeking original artwork that captures the essence of Americana- think the heritage, landscapes, community, patriotism, and the stories that define us. All mediums are welcome!!

This is your opportunity to showcase how art can reflect the places we call home and the people who shape our shared history.

If you are interested in submitting your art, Contact The Next Picture Show for details.

Let your work tell the story of America

We are pleased to once again be a pick up location for Summer Eats beginning on Wednesday, June 3rd!

May 2026

May is "Get Caught Reading" month, and what better place to get caught reading than at the library!

Check out our various displays and our shelves to find your next adventure.

The theme for this year's Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is Power in Unity: Strengthening Communities Together. The goal is to highlight the role of AANHPI communities by sharing their stories and reflecting on their contributions to American History.

For further reading, check our catalog

Children's programming is on hold in May as we prepare for Summer Reading.

Sign up for Summer Reading begins May 11th!

We are getting prepped for all kinds of fun events, so stay posted to our socials to see what's going on when.

Create a Scent and Memory Garden with us on May 20th from 4:00-7:00 PM. Patrons will receive 3 pots and can choose from a selection of plants. Open to adult patrons, supplies are limited, and registration is required. Sign up either in person or by calling us at 815-284-7261, from May 4th to May 15th

In some circles, April 30th is considered May Eve. This is said to be when Fairies will gather on hilltops to battle each other over crops. Or it could be to cause mischief and mayhem, as fairies are wont to do. This is a night for people to remain indoors. Spreading yellow May flowers, such as marigolds and primroses, across window ledges and along the threshold, and placing branches from a rowan or willow tree above the door, is suggested for added security against a fae invasion. May 1st brings us Beltane, or May Day, which was a festival of fire and flowers, the midpoint between Spring and Summer.

For more information on May Eve and May Day, you can check out these links:

https://emeraldisle.ie/bealtaine-the-month-of-may

Medium: April 30th is May Eve — Summer is Almost Here!

May Eve and the Fairies in Irish Folklore

How to Spot a Fairy: a field guide to sprites, sylphs, spriggans, and more by Marsh, Sarah Glenn

This stunning compendium explores the history & mythology of fairies and offers information on how/where to find these magical beings. From boggarts and pixies to weeping women, water nymphs, moon maids, and more, this book organizes fairies by habitat and offers tips on how to seek out the mystical beings in our midst. Complete with interactive elements like quizzes ("Which Type of Fairy Are You?"), crafts ("Build Your Own Fairy Garden" and "Make Your Own Fairy Potion"), and recipes ("Brew Your Own Fairy Tea"), there's endless fun to be had while on the search for fairy folk.

A Natural History of Fairies: from the notebook of Professor Elsie Arbour by Hawkins, Emily

Fairies are all around us - you just need to look carefully and you'll see signs of them everywhere. Written and compiled by the esteemed botanist Professor Arbour, prepare to be amazed as we discover everything there is to know about the natural history of fairies.

The Magical Wheel of the Year by Demoncy, Bérengère

Join sisters Selene and Gaia on a magical adventure to celebrate the 8 festivals of the Pagan Wheel of the Year.

Party with ghosts at SAMHAIN, decorate a tree with forest animals at YULE, dance with elves and fairies on BELTANE, and enjoy some midsummer fun at LITHA!

Bursting with beautiful illustrations and 40 engaging activities, this book invites young readers to experience nature's magic all year long. Families can enjoy crafting, baking and celebrating together, from carving pumpkins and making wish trees to baking bread and making leaf prints.

This is the perfect way to make every pagan festival feel extra special!

Support your library by joining the Teen Advisory Board at Dixon Public Library. This group will meet once per quarter to discuss a variety of library-related content. This includes ideas for teen programming, library strengths and improvements, media trends, and more. Snacks are included! The next meeting will be on Monday, May 4th. Join today to earn volunteer hours and have your voice be heard.

Book Groups:

This month, Monday Mysteries will meet on the 18th due to Memorial Day. The goal for this month is to read a mystery written by a local (give it a 150-mile radius) author, for example: Julia Buckley, Julie Hyzy, Terri Reid, Shannon Bailey, Alex Bledsoe, Kathleen Ernst, and Annelise Ryan. Meeting time is at 1:30 p.m.

In recognition of Short Story Month, Literary Merits gets to read a short story collection of the patron's choice. Books to look for include: "The Souvenir Museum": stories by McCracken, Elizabeth, "You Like It Darker": stories by King, Stephen, "Seasonal Work": stories by Lippman, Laura, and Table for Two": fictions by Towles, Amor

It's a choose-your-own month for orbital, where you can pick your own book to read, so long as it's a part of the Sci-Fi genre.

Suggested Titles:

Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots: The Boys meets My Year of Rest and Relaxation in this smart, imaginative, and evocative novel of love, betrayal, revenge, and redemption, told with razor-sharp wit and affection, in which a young woman discovers the greatest superpower--for good or ill--is a properly executed spreadsheet.

Red Rising by Brown, Pierce

Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children. But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and sprawling parks spread across the planet. Darrow and Reds like him, are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class. Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity's overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society's ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies . . . even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.

 

The Doors of Eden by Tchaikovsky, Adrian

"Four years ago, two girls went looking for monsters on Bodmin Moor. Only one came back... Lee thought she'd lost Mal, but now she's miraculously returned. But what happened that day on the moors? And where has she been all this time? Mal's reappearance hasn't gone unnoticed by MI5 officers either, and Lee isn't the only one with questions. Julian Sabreur is investigating an attack on top physicist Kay Amal Khan. This leads Julian to clash with agents of an unknown power - and they may or may not be human. His only clue is grainy footage, showing a woman who supposedly died on Bodmin Moor. Dr Khan's research was theoretical; then she found cracks between our world and parallel Earths. Now these cracks are widening, revealing extraordinary creatures. And as the doors crash open, anything could come through."-- From publisher's description.

April 2026

Welcome to April at the Library,

A month to enjoy all things prose,

to celebrate beauty in diversity,

and hopes to see how a garden grows.

The 19th begins Library week.

Monday for your right to read,

Tuesday is for the workers there,

Wednesday for the Outreach needs,

Thursday is to share support,

And "Find Your Joy" says Mychal Threets

Thanks to the Master Gardeners of Lee County, we have plenty of free seeds available!

EVENTS

Youth Department

-Tot Tales will be meeting on April 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th from 9:30-10:30 a.m.

-Raising Readers will meet on April 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th from 10:00-11:00 a.m.

On April 14th there will be a birth to 5 screening with ROE from 3:00-7:00 p.m.

Join us on April 23, for a Family Bingo Event from 2:45-4:45!

When visiting the Youth department, be sure to check out some of our latest additions, such as an upgraded kitchen and farmers market stand!

Adults:

No craft available for April, but please check back in May for the take-and-makes!

March 2026

Happy National Reading Month!

The goal for this month is to create not just a habit, but a love and enjoyment of reading for everyone. 25 million children in the U.S. lack proficient reading skills. Recent NAEP scores show that 31% of fourth-graders and 30% of eighth-graders are at the expected proficiency level.  54% of Adults in the U.S. read below a 6th-grade level; 21% of U.S. adults are functionally illiterate; and 40% of U.S. adults didn't open a book last year.  773 million adults and youth lack basic literacy skills worldwide. 

https://nces.ed.gov/

https://yougov.com

 A great way to cultivate a love for reading is by celebrating the different observations, birthdays, holidays, and heritages that occur each month.

March is a month full of celebrations. It's Women's History Month, Irish-American Heritage Month, Red Cross Month, National Craft Month, and MS Awareness Month.  There are also several literary celebrations on top of it being National Reading Month, beginning with Read Across America Day, which is celebrated on Dr. Seuss' birthday, March 2nd.

There's also National Grammar Day on the 4th, National Write Your Story Day and Pi Day on the 14th, Freedom of Information Day on the 16th, World Storytelling Day on the 20th, World Poetry Day on the 21st, and Tolkien Reading Day on the 25th.

Check out our catalog to find books highlighting these events:

Women's History

Irish-American Heritage Month

Fiction

Children's Storytime Hours:

Raising Readers: March 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, and 31st from 10 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Tot Tales: March 4th,11th, 18th, and 25th  from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.

Join us for some family fun with Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics, on March 19th from 2:45-4:45

• "Amber Winslow's life has taken a serious turn for the worse. When an impulsive decision forces her to flee her former life carrying nothing but the clothes on her back, she heads to the sunny state of Arizona...and to the luxury accommodations of her grandmother's retirement community. But as soon as she sneaks her things into Seven Ponds-a place she technically doesn't qualify for and definitely can't afford-she finds that her Grandma Jade is about to be arrested for murder. With the help of the other retirees and her grandma's true crime podcast friends, Amber must work to find the real killer"--. Provided by publisher.

Monday Mysteries will meet on March 23rd at 1:30 to discuss "Murder Runs In the Family" by Tamara Berry

This month, Literary Merits will venture forth into the 7 Seas to see what treasure or tragedy awaits by diving into the history of Pirates.  

Meetup is on March 24th at 2:00 to discuss the Nonfictional History of Pirates.

Orbital book group will meet on March 24th at 6:00 to discuss what happens inside the libraries of Science Fiction and Fantasy 

 Craft Month wouldn't be complete without Take-and-Make Crafts. Stop in at the adult circulation desk for a kit to make your own wooden bookmark.  Only 25 kits are prepped, so it's a limit of 1 person while supplies last.

The first week of March is Read and Ebook week! If you haven't yet, you can explore what e-books we have to offer via Libby, Biblioboard, and The Palace Project