Community Calendar

Homecoming: In Color celebrates the reopening of Rockford Art Museum after a year-long renovation closure. This exhibition features a selection of popular pieces and hidden gems, showcasing the rich diversity of our revered collection. Come witness the power of art and community as we welcome you back to a vibrant space of creativity!

Chicago-based artist Michael x. Ryan gathers the quiet imprints we leave behind — from sidewalk stains and river paths to shower puddles and fallen tree limbs — and gives them form, weight, and voice. Through drawing, mapping, wood relief, and 3D printed objects, Ryan captures traces of human presence — the edge of a river, the imprint of a wet body, the marks on a street — and renders them as physical forms that evoke movement, memory, and place.

This exhibition brings together key installations spanning over four decades, from early works shaped by the Ox-Bow landscape to large-scale reliefs inspired by the streets of Chicago to one tree of interest on the family property in Woodstock, Illinois. By drawing attention to overlooked details, Ryan invites us to consider how our everyday movements shape the spaces we inhabit — and how those spaces, in turn, record and reflect our presence and passage through time.

Did you know that DeKalb County’s next General Primary Election is on March 17?

Visit the library for a simple, friendly, no-pressure opportunity to register to vote! Our trained staff will be on hand to guide you through the registration process and answer any questions you may have. Come as you are and take an easy step toward making your voice heard.

What to Bring:

A valid photo ID (such as a driver’s license or state ID)
Proof of current address, if it’s different from what’s on your ID
Yourself — no appointment needed!
This program is free to attend. Registration is not required. You must be 18 or older to register to vote. This event is part of the America 250 initiative; celebrating our nation throughout the year.

For additional information about the program, please contact Amy at amyf@dkpl.org or call (815) 756-9568 ext. 6108.

For more information about the upcoming election, visit the DeKalb County Clerk’s website.

Good news: compost is back!

After a winter hiccup, we’re thrilled to bring back one of our most-requested conversations - Composting as Collective Climate Action.

Join DeCarbon DeKalb for an energizing, neighbor-led evening all about how composting cuts methane, stores carbon, improves soil health, and builds real community resilience. We’ll dig into why composting is one of the most accessible, low-tech climate solutions available - and how individual scraps add up to collective impact.

Whether you’re compost-curious, already composting at home, or wondering what community-scale composting could look like in DeKalb County, this Dialogue is for you.

Expect real talk, practical takeaways, and plenty of “oh, that makes sense” moments. Snacks included, because climate action is better with carbs.

This program is intended for adults. It does not require registration.

For more information, please contact Britta at brittak@dkpl.org or (815) 756-9568 ext. 2100.

This is an invitation to bring your antiques and questions to the Durand Library on Tuesday February 10. Jay Friburg, a retired antiques dealer, will share his knowledge about the piece: how old is it, how was it used, what does the piece tell us about daily life going back decades if not a century or more.

Jay is a retired Life Science faculty member from Rock Valley College and has been an active antique dealer for twenty years, doing shows throughout the Midwest and upper South. He specialized in 19th century furniture and antiques of the Ohio River and upper Mississippi Valley.

This event is free and open to all. We encourage everyone to attend who is interested in “old” things, be they collectible items or antiques, and whether or not you bring a piece.

Homecoming: In Color celebrates the reopening of Rockford Art Museum after a year-long renovation closure. This exhibition features a selection of popular pieces and hidden gems, showcasing the rich diversity of our revered collection. Come witness the power of art and community as we welcome you back to a vibrant space of creativity!

Chicago-based artist Michael x. Ryan gathers the quiet imprints we leave behind — from sidewalk stains and river paths to shower puddles and fallen tree limbs — and gives them form, weight, and voice. Through drawing, mapping, wood relief, and 3D printed objects, Ryan captures traces of human presence — the edge of a river, the imprint of a wet body, the marks on a street — and renders them as physical forms that evoke movement, memory, and place.

This exhibition brings together key installations spanning over four decades, from early works shaped by the Ox-Bow landscape to large-scale reliefs inspired by the streets of Chicago to one tree of interest on the family property in Woodstock, Illinois. By drawing attention to overlooked details, Ryan invites us to consider how our everyday movements shape the spaces we inhabit — and how those spaces, in turn, record and reflect our presence and passage through time.

The art of David Van Delinder is now on display in the Lowden Gallery from January 1 – February 28.

David’s career actually began in the music business. Blessed with talent in both art and music, he was a premier area guitarist at a young age, recording and performing with Chicago folk legends Bonnie Koloc, Steve Goodman, John Prine and others. His songs have been published and recorded by name artists.

When the road became unsuitable for a married man and father, he turned to his other muse, art. He worked his way up to senior art director for a well-known Chicago agency before deciding to go out on his own. He became a successful and respected freelance illustrator and graphic designer creating art and designs for billboards, magazines, packaging, and books.

David’s fine art is rooted in traditional technique and classical composition. His pen and ink drawings of abandoned barns and jazz musicians, impressionistic florals, landscapes, and classical oil portraits all display both virtuosity and inspiration.

Mr. Van Delinder also accepts commissioned portraits and other works in oil, pastel, charcoal and pen and ink. His pencil portraits of musicians and dancers are very popular and highly sought after.

He lives and works in Cherry Valley, IL.

Learning English can be difficult, and pronouncing the words correctly is a real challenge. In this six-week workshop you’ll learn to pronounce consonant and consonant blend sounds, practice hearing and saying the 20 vowel sounds of English, and learn how to pronounce common prefixes and suffixes.

This program is for adults. Registration is required.

For more information or to register, please contact Britta at brittak@dkpl.org or (815) 756-9568 ext. 2100.

Homecoming: In Color celebrates the reopening of Rockford Art Museum after a year-long renovation closure. This exhibition features a selection of popular pieces and hidden gems, showcasing the rich diversity of our revered collection. Come witness the power of art and community as we welcome you back to a vibrant space of creativity!