Community Calendar

Sarah Michehl of The Land Conservancy of McHenry County will discuss native garden site preparation, favorite plant choices, the pollinator connection, and vital maintenance tips to make any garden a success. Free to attend. Advance registration is required.

April is Citizen Science Month, and the Library invites the community to take part in hands-on projects that contribute to 2.5 Million Acts of Science, a national America250 initiative celebrating civic participation and discovery. Citizen science empowers everyday people to support real scientific research by observing and sharing information about the world around them.

Featured projects include Stream Selfie, which helps document the health of local streams through shared photos; Globe at Night, an international effort to measure and raise awareness of light pollution; and iNaturalist, a global platform for recording plants and wildlife to help scientists monitor biodiversity. Information on how to participate in all three citizen-science projects is available at the Library. All projects are free and open to the public and are suitable for adults and families alike.

Free for All: The Public Library tells the story of the quiet revolutionaries who made a simple idea happen. From the pioneering women behind the “Free Library Movement” to today's librarians who service the public despite working in a contentious age of closures and book bans, meet those who created a civic institution where everything is free, and the doors are open to all. The film is 1 hour and 25 minutes, not rated. The program is free and open to the public and is in celebration of National Library Week.

Celebrate National Library Week with an author panel you won't want to miss. Join us for a lively and laughter-filled evening with a dynamic panel discussion featuring fiction authors Christina Clancy, Sonali Dev, Nancy Johnson, Sara Maurer, and Rachel Swearingen.

From inspiration and the writing process to what’s next on their creative journeys, this roundtable promises sharp insights, candid moments, and plenty of humor.

Read Between the Lynes will have books available for purchase and signing.

Event will be held in the Luecht Auditorium at McHenry County College. Free tickets are available from your local McHenry County library.

April is Citizen Science Month, and the Library invites the community to take part in hands-on projects that contribute to 2.5 Million Acts of Science, a national America250 initiative celebrating civic participation and discovery. Citizen science empowers everyday people to support real scientific research by observing and sharing information about the world around them.

Featured projects include Stream Selfie, which helps document the health of local streams through shared photos; Globe at Night, an international effort to measure and raise awareness of light pollution; and iNaturalist, a global platform for recording plants and wildlife to help scientists monitor biodiversity. Information on how to participate in all three citizen-science projects is available at the Library. All projects are free and open to the public and are suitable for adults and families alike.

The Friends of the DeKalb Public Library invite you to the Spring Book Sale! Visit the library’s lower level for an astonishing selection of great quality hardcovers and paperbacks at bargain prices. You’ll find children’s and teen books, graphic novels, fiction, history, science, art, film, cookbooks, gardening, biographies, mysteries, science fiction, and more. There’s a wide selection of jigsaw puzzles, DVDs, audiobooks, and music CD’s. Come back on Sunday for the $5.00 brown bag blowout sale.

All proceeds are used for library books, materials, and programs.

Donations of gently used books, puzzles, DVDs, and CDs are accepted year-round at the circulation desk; please, no textbooks, magazines, LPs, or videotapes.

The sale opens each day when the library does and ends at 4:30 p.m., half an hour before the library closes.

For additional information, contact the Friends at (815) 756-9568, ext. 1030 or email friends@dkpl.org.

Take part in the 2026 City Nature Challenge and join the Boone County Conservation District on guided hikes to explore different habitats and document the wildlife and plants that live in our community!

Join Brian Hale to uncover the wonder of Piscasaw Fen, a unique type of wetland! Expect around a mile hike and don't forget to take pictures! An intro to iNaturalist* will precede the hike.
*iNaturalist is a free, fun, and easy app and website that allows people to post observations about wildlife and plants. Researchers from around the world can use the data uploaded to help them make informed land management decisions and better understand local plants and animals.

City Nature Challenge is a worldwide movement to document nature and help fight biodiversity loss! Every observation made of WILD nature is a data point that helps scientists and researchers understand and protect nature for all. It began in 2016 as a friendly competition between San Francisco and L.A. and quickly grew to 159 cities across 6 continents in 2019. Last year alone, City Nature Challenge had 35,000 participants that made nearly 1 million wildlife observations and documented over 1,000 rare, threatened, and endangered species. It is organized by California Academy of Sciences and Natural History Museum Los Angeles County.

Happy Arbor Day!
Join the Boone County Conservation District's Natural Areas Technician Ben Davies to learn about the importance of our oak ecosystems!

Oak savannas and woodlands, collectively referred to as oak ecosystems, are imperiled in Illinois due to habitat loss, invasive species, and fire suppression. On conservation lands across the state, land managers are working to restore these critically important ecosystems, including here in Boone County. This presentation breaks down the history of oak ecosystems in Boone County, what has happened to them, and how we are working to bring them back!

This is a free program, but registration is required. To register, email dgrelecki@bccdil.org or call 815-547-7935.

April is Citizen Science Month, and the Library invites the community to take part in hands-on projects that contribute to 2.5 Million Acts of Science, a national America250 initiative celebrating civic participation and discovery. Citizen science empowers everyday people to support real scientific research by observing and sharing information about the world around them.

Featured projects include Stream Selfie, which helps document the health of local streams through shared photos; Globe at Night, an international effort to measure and raise awareness of light pollution; and iNaturalist, a global platform for recording plants and wildlife to help scientists monitor biodiversity. Information on how to participate in all three citizen-science projects is available at the Library. All projects are free and open to the public and are suitable for adults and families alike.

Take part in the 2026 City Nature Challenge and join the Boone County Conservation District on guided hikes to explore different habitats and see what's blooming!

Capture the beauty of Flora Prairie Nature Preserve, on the last remnant prairies in IL, as you discover the flowers that call this place home! Expect around a mile hike. An introduction to iNaturalist* will precede the hike.

*iNaturalist is a free, fun, and easy app and website that allows people to post observations about wildlife and plants. Researchers from around the world can use the data uploaded to help them make informed land management decisions and better understand local plants and animals.

City Nature Challenge is a worldwide movement to document nature and help fight biodiversity loss! Every observation made of WILD nature is a data point that helps scientists and researchers understand and protect nature for all. It began in 2016 as a friendly competition between San Francisco and L.A. and quickly grew to 159 cities across 6 continents in 2019. Last year alone, City Nature Challenge had 35,000 participants that made nearly 1 million wildlife observations and documented over 1,000 rare, threatened, and endangered species. It is organized by California Academy of Sciences and Natural History Museum Los Angeles County.