Cook Memorial Public Library District

Photograph of the Seed Library book cart.

Get your soil and pots ready because the 2026 #seedlibrary starts soon! Starting 3/1, visit Cook Park or Aspen Drive to pick up free seed packets—while supplies last—and get growing.

🌱What’s Available: Free flower, herb, fruit, vegetable & native seeds, helpful books & brochures

Readers' Advisor Marianne is an unapologetic Cat Lady 😻 Listen to her three-minute book review of AGNES AUBERT'S MYSTICAL CAT SHELTER on the Cook Memorial Public Library Podcast! Listen and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. cooklib.org/podcast

#podcast #listenandsubscribe #catlady

10 year anniversary of One Book One Community: Meet Author Ann Napolitano.

This Sunday! Author #annnapolitano shares the inspo behind her novel, #hellobeautiful, in the culminating event of our 10th annual #onebookonecommunity series. In-person seats are sold out, but you may still register to join online. 1book.org/programs.html

3/1, 1-2 pm • Stevenson High School

Tax Day is April 15. Visit cooklib.org/taxes for more information.

Tax day is April 15! Visit cooklib.org/taxes for state and federal forms, links to resources, and to sign up for AARP Tax Appointments.

#taxes #taxseason #taxforms

Photo of "Team Peru" who won the food-packing Olympics.

Group photo of all the volunteers.

Photo showing how many boxes were packed.

Thank you to our library team who brought family and friends and volunteered at Feed My Starving Children this week. Our group of 40 packed an incredible number of meals. Shoutout to "Team Peru" for winning the food-packing Olympics by packing 22 of the 58 boxes.
#fmsc #makeadifference #volunteer

Movie still of Daughters of the Dust with text overlaid that reads Celebrating Black History Month.

Movie poster of Move When the Spirit Says Move.

Movie poster of Daughters of the Dust.

Movie poster of Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking.

February is #blackhistorymonth! Honor the voices, stories, and achievements of Black individuals and communities with Kanopy's Black History Month collection or powerful #documentaries, acclaimed #films, and thought-provoking series — FREE with your library card! 🔗 cooklib.kanopy.com #kanopy

Today is Mardi Gras, the beginning of Ramadan, AND Lunar New Year! We've got all the books! 🎭🌙🔥🐴

#mardigras #ramadan #lunarnewyear #yearofthehorse #firehorse

Join us for a conversation with bestselling author R.L. Stine, who continues to keep readers afraid of the dark... #IllinoisLibrariesPresent #AuthorEvent #RLStine
📆 Date: 2/24 at 7 PM
🔗 Register now: https://loom.ly/CkEJ1j8

A photograph of an American flag flying overlaid with an illustration of stars and text that reads Happy Presidents' Day.

Happy Presidents' Day! 🇺🇸 We're open 9-9 today.

#presidentday #washingtonsbirthday #america250

Love is in the stacks 💖 Happy Valentine’s Day from your library 😘

#valentinesday #lovenotes #heatedrivalry #acotar #fourthwing

The Bookies are officially open for matchmaking! Come visit the library today and let us set you up with one of our friends...📚🩷 #blinddatewithabook #thebookies #Februaryreads #librarylove #mustlovebooks

1/2 — Check out these proud smiles and winning bookmarks from our annual Design-A-Bookmark Contest! 🎨🔖 View all bookmarks in the Youth Services areas at both Library locations. #creativekids #bookmarks #bookmarkcontest

Come take a closer look at the amazing portraits done by patrons! The #OneBookOneCommunity Tiny #Portrait #ArtShow is up now at both buildings until the end of February.

Don’t forget to register for our OBOC finale event with author Ann Napolitano: 1book.org

We're hiring: Adult Program Coordinator and After-school Associate

We're hiring for two positions 📣 Adult Program Coordinator & After-school Associate
Are you the right fit?! Find more info and apply at cooklib.org/jobs.

#lovewhereyouwork #libraryjobs #hiring

The Library may not have a groundhog to help us predict spring but we DO have GEESE, and they say there's #6moreweeksofreading ahead!

Help name our new friends by placing your vote on the tally sheet in the High School Zone at either Library location.

#librarygoose #honkhonk

A collage of soup-related books.

Whether you're a fan of the Seahawks or the Patriots, we can all get behind (or in front of) *this* kind of SOUPer Bowl!

#superbowl #soup soupseason

Check out the creativity on the Reverse Coloring Board in the High School Zone at Cook Park Library!

Add 1 book to your #tbr for every degree below zero today. 🥶🥶 What are you snuggling up with this weekend?!

#frigid #windchill #snuggleupandread

Now you can read your book and watch it too! Are you a "read before you screen" purist, or do you like to be surprised when you watch? Let us know... 💭 #thebookies #booktofilm #readbeforeyouscreen

A screenshot of the Kanopy listing of Martin Luther King, Jr media. An overlay says "Stream for free with your library card on Kanopy. cooklib.org/eLibrary"

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 🇺🇸 Use your Library card to stream free movies and TV shows from Kanopy. Get started at cooklib.org/eLibrary.

#mlkjrday #kanopy #ihaveadream

A young patrons holds up her koala artwork.

A young patrons holds up her koala artwork.

A young patrons holds up her koala artwork.

This week, we hosted 16 pajamas partiers as they learned about nocturnal animals and animals that sleep a lot. 💤 We enjoyed two books and made a koala craft.

#zzz #nocturnalanimals #isittimeforbedyet

Good news! We’ve extended the #TinyPortraitArtShow submission deadline to January 26. www.1book.org

🎨 Ages 10+
🎨 Artwork must be on a 4x6" canvas
🎨 Include your name, contact info, and age on the back of your canvas
🎨 Return art to either Library location by 1/26

Two staff members pose with books; one in a pink snowflake sweater and another wearing red hearts.

“Cute sweater!” ❄️❤️ “Jinx!”

📘MIGRATIONS by Charlotte McConaghy
📕HEARTS IN CIRCULATION by Sarah Monzon

#cutesweater #snowflakes #hearts #cozyreads #romance

Which books do you think have amazingly beautiful covers? 😍 🖼️🎨

In honor of our One Book One Community read, #hellobeautiful by Ann Napolitano, we’re sharing books we think have #prettycovers! Stay tuned for the young adult and adult editions.

1book.org

Screenshot of the Cook Library Vinyl Club January Mix playlist on Spotify.

Last night's #vinylclub spun quite an eclectic mix of music — from Cat Stevens, the Moody Blues, and A Perfect Circle to an Australian nun! Check out our #playlist on Spotify: https://loom.ly/abkqY10

Watch for the next Vinyl Club date in our upcoming newsletter.

📚 Join us for an unforgettable evening with Jonathan Eig! Author of Pulitzer Prize-winning "King: A Life," will share insights you won’t want to miss. Register now: https://loom.ly/FrjWIHE #IllinoisLibrariesPresent #JonathanEig

Silent Read-In Book Club graphic. Friday, January 9, 7-8:30 pm, Aspen Drive Library.

With the holiday hustle and bustle behind us, now’s the perfect time to slow down and treat yourself at our Silent Read-In Book Club! We hope to see you there! 📚✨

Jan 9, 7-8:30 pm, Aspen Drive Library -- DROP IN

#shhhh #silentreadin #metime

A simple graphic with the words 'Happy New Year!'

✨Happy New Year! ✨ We look forward to another year serving our amazing patrons. Thanks for making the Library a place of learning, inspiration, and community! #HappyNewYear #Hello2026 #LibraryLove #CheckOutYourHappy

Photo of a library tote bag with the Winter Reading Club enamel pin pinned to it.

The 2026 Adult and High School Winter Reading Club prize pins are in! Register online at cooklib.readsquared.com starting January 1 or in-person starting January 2 at either Library location! #WinterReadingClub #libraryretro

Cover images of Our Favorite Fiction of 2025 and Our Favorite Nonfiction of 2025 booklets.

They're here—our favorite titles of 2025! Stop by Cook Park Library, Aspen Drive Library, or the Bookmobile to pick up your copy of the booklets and let us know what your favorites of the year were! #favoritebooks #booksof2025