A long, curved shelf full of books

Wherever you live in Illinois, there are numerous clubs, resources and events available to you at your local library! Library Lovers’ Day, celebrated each year on Feb. 14, is a time to celebrate libraries and the life-changing books and offerings they hold. The day has been celebrated in many different ways and in many different places. This year Gallatin County is having a Library Lovers’ celebration focused on the Junie B Jones book series.

Libraries in Illinois have so much to offer. Almost every library in Illinois has multiple book clubs and some even have free yoga classes! Through a program called Explore More Illinois, library card holders from participating libraries can get free and discounted tickets to museums, science centers, sporting events, zoos, park districts and theatres.

There’s a ton going on at your local library during the month of February. One of the many services from Lincoln Library in Springfield is a book match. Throughout February, you can take a survey to get customized book recommendations curated by the librarians. The Normal Public Library holds a teen D&D club as well as a Death Café discussion group. The Peoria Public Library’s JobNow program connects job seekers with live, expert coaches for every stage of the job search, and the Launch Business Center at the Champaign Public Library offers workshops, online tools and one-on-one consultations for starting a growing a business. On Feb. 22, Reddick Public Library in Ottawa is hosting a night with Melanie Holmes, author of “100 Things to Do in Illinois Before You Die,” where she will present travel tips for day outings, weekend trips and weeklong excursions around Illinois.

Don’t miss out on the fun! Use Library Lovers’ Day and the month of February to find out what’s going on at your local library.