Community Calendar

Representatives from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) will present an informational program highlighting free, accessible audiobook services available to eligible individuals. The program is designed for those who experience temporary or permanent visual or physical challenges that make reading standard print difficult, as well as for caregivers, family members, and service providers. Participants will learn how eligible patrons can receive free access to audiobooks, a simple, easy-to-use audiobook player, and audiobook materials provided at no cost through NLS.

This program is free and open to the public and is in celebration of National Library Week.

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.

Lowden Gallery Artist: Ellen "Ellie" R. Bartels
March 1 - April 30

​Ellie has a BA degree in Education and a BFA in Studio Art , both from the University of Washington. She taught art, K – 12, in Orangeville, Il for 12 years. She currently lives in Freeport, Il.

Ellie states, “ The process of transforming paint and canvas into an appealing and effective image scares, frustrates, excites and inspires me.

My work starts out with a subject or theme in mind, usually based on my personal response to nature or a past experience, and a general plan on how to accomplish my goal. As it progresses spontaneity and intuition take over and my unconscious becomes the director.
​
I have found that both oils and acrylics work well as vehicles for translating my inner vision to outer reality. Both comply with my enjoyment of layering paint and working the canvas by scraping, rubbing, scratching through, dry brushing, etc., to create depth and texture and to bring the surface to life.

It is my wish that the viewer will want to spend time with my work, to contemplate its meaning, discover its complexities, or to just enjoy the colors and shapes.

The Black & White PLUS Photography Show is a juried exhibition celebrating the strength and versatility of monochrome photography. This show invites photographers to explore imagery created without full color (including traditional black-and-white, sepia-toned and cyanotype), focusing instead on composition, contrast, light, shadow, texture, and visual storytelling.

The gallery is open Wednesday-Saturday 10-4 or by appointment.

Narrated by actress Asia Argento, Frida: Viva La Vida offers an intimate and layered portrait of Frida Kahlo, the feminist icon, painter, and complex soul whose legacy transcends borders. Through Frida’s own writings, personal reflections, and a stunning visual journey through her artwork and homeland, this film reveals the duality of an artist who turned pain into power and suffering into strength.

Banned Together is a powerful documentary that follows three teenagers fighting to reinstate 97 books removed from their school libraries. What begins as a local challenge quickly grows into a national movement, as the students confront book bans, curriculum censorship, and the forces shaping public education today.
Featuring banned authors, First Amendment advocates, legal scholars, and elected officials, the film offers an urgent look at who decides what young people are allowed to read, and why it matters. The film is 1 hour and 32 minutes, not rated, and is made possible through Kanopy. The program is free and open to the public and is in celebration of National Library Week.

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.

Lowden Gallery Artist: Ellen "Ellie" R. Bartels
March 1 - April 30

​Ellie has a BA degree in Education and a BFA in Studio Art , both from the University of Washington. She taught art, K – 12, in Orangeville, Il for 12 years. She currently lives in Freeport, Il.

Ellie states, “ The process of transforming paint and canvas into an appealing and effective image scares, frustrates, excites and inspires me.

My work starts out with a subject or theme in mind, usually based on my personal response to nature or a past experience, and a general plan on how to accomplish my goal. As it progresses spontaneity and intuition take over and my unconscious becomes the director.
​
I have found that both oils and acrylics work well as vehicles for translating my inner vision to outer reality. Both comply with my enjoyment of layering paint and working the canvas by scraping, rubbing, scratching through, dry brushing, etc., to create depth and texture and to bring the surface to life.

It is my wish that the viewer will want to spend time with my work, to contemplate its meaning, discover its complexities, or to just enjoy the colors and shapes.

The Black & White PLUS Photography Show is a juried exhibition celebrating the strength and versatility of monochrome photography. This show invites photographers to explore imagery created without full color (including traditional black-and-white, sepia-toned and cyanotype), focusing instead on composition, contrast, light, shadow, texture, and visual storytelling.

The gallery is open Wednesday-Saturday 10-4 or by appointment.