Community Calendar

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.

The Presidential Commission on Well-being proudly present NIU’s annual Well-being Fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, April 16 in the Holmes Student Center’s Duke Ellington Ballroom.

Faculty, staff and students are all invited to attend and engage in a variety of free prizes, treats and opportunities. Campus and community partners will provide attendees with interactive activities, services and information focused on “Healthy Body, Healthy Mind and Healthy Spirit.”

This fascinating film tells the story of one of the greatest rescues in cultural history. In 1623, two former colleagues of William Shakespeare—John Heminges and Henry Condell—undertook the extraordinary task of preserving their friend’s work by collecting his plays into a single volume known as the First Folio.
The First Folio preserved 18 plays that had never been printed before, including Macbeth, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest. It was also the first book to organize Shakespeare’s plays by genre and includes an engraved portrait believed to be one of the most authentic likenesses of the playwright. Presented by Shakespearean scholar Emma Smith, the film explores Heminges’ and Condell’s fear that Shakespeare’s words might fade after his death. Featuring performances by Mark Rylance, Stephen Fry, Roger Allam, and others, the documentary brings to life the enduring legacy of Shakespeare’s work and the remarkable effort that saved it. The film is 58 minutes, rated PG, and is made possible through Hoopla.

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.

“When we plant trees, we plant the seeds of peace and seeds of hope.” – Wangari Maathai

The public is invited to pick up the bare-root saplings at Nature At The Confluence on Friday, April 17th from 12:00 – 6:00pm (or while supplies last). We will have red oak, burr oak, white oak, and pecan saplings available and you can take up to three per household. Each sapling is 1-2 feet long and will need to be planted in a pot or in the ground within a few days of pick up. Planting instructions provided.

This is the 16th year that the Rock River Trail will distribute oak saplings along the Rock River corridor, with over 137,000 trees given away thanks to Chad Pregracke, president of Living Lands and Waters located in East Moline, Ill. Nature At The Confluence hosts the visitor center of the Rock River Trail, a 320-mile National Water Trail that winds through Wisconsin and Illinois.

For Bat Appreciation Day, discover the fascinating world of bats with special guest Dr. Joy O'Keefe during this engaging virtual presentation. Dr. O'Keefe, a leading researcher in bat ecology, focuses on promoting coexistence between bats and humans in changing landscapes. In this session, she’ll introduce participants to the bats of Illinois, explore their ecological roles and the vital services they provide, and share practical tips for supporting bat conservation efforts in your own community.

This all-ages program will be provided virtually. Watch from home with Zoom link provided below or join us in the Nancy D. Castle Collaboration Studio for group viewing. A recording will also be available on the library’s YouTube channel after the event.

Zoom link:
https://illinois.zoom.us/j/82292304990?pwd=0gJfCb7ZOYMZn485N6ky6CUIS6Gf95.1
Meeting ID: 822 9230 4990
Password: 089589

For more information, please contact Susan at susang@dkpl.org or (815) 756-9568 ext. 2114.