Celebrate National Hobby Month

Banish winter doldrums by taking up a new hobby, and let Peoria Public Library help you with our new digital resource, Craft & Hobby.

All you need is your Peoria Public Library card to explore more than 4,000 hours of in-depth online instructional videos spanning 22 different creative categories – from crochet to woodworking.

You’ll have unlimited access so you can learn at your own pace in the comfort of your own home. Choose beginner to advanced step-by-step tutorials. Check out Craft & Hobby here

Another hobby that Peoria Public Library can help with is researching your family tree.

Visit our Local History & Genealogy Department at Main Library to use our archives and genealogy databases:

FamilySearch
The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world. From the Church of Latter Day Saints family history library.

FamilySearch adds over 300 million free genealogical records and images online yearly from all over the world and manages the famous Family History Library in Salt Lake City. It has amassed billions of birth, marriage, death, census, land and court records from more than 130 countries.

Peoria Public Library is a FamilySearch affiliate library. As such, we have access to additional FamilySearch records, but this service is only accessible inside the Local History & Genealogy Dept.

Ancestry.com
Access the Ancestry.com Library Edition at Peoria Public Library and search billions of historical documents, millions of historical photos, plus local narratives, oral histories, indexes and other resources in over 30,000 databases that span from the 1500s to the 2000s. In library use only.

HeritageQuest Online
Includes family histories, genealogical serials, local histories, the U.S. Federal Census, 1790-1930 and primary sources in full images.

Special Event: Saturday, Jan. 18 ~ 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Railroad Records Research Seminar: Tracing Family History on the Tracks

Virtual presentation. Click here to register

Did someone in your family work on the railroad? Wondering how to research these records to find family history?

Join us to learn from nationally recognized expert Paula Stuart-Warren, Certified Genealogist®, FMGS, FUGA via Zoom for a two-part webinar session. Your ancestors and the train whistle are calling you to board this exciting learning opportunity.

Attending this seminar will help you know where to turn to find out more about specific railroads, their history, records, employees, and much more. An extensive handout will be provided.

This seminar will not be recorded.

Winter Reading Challenge

Super easy because you read what you want.

Each of our 5 locations will have a winner (Amazon gift card) and one lucky Grand Prize winner gets a new Kindle Fire (with case.)

All you have to do is read 4 books (ages 6 to adult) or 10 (story)books (0-5 years old) or a combo of books and activities to get your badges.

And you have 2 whole months to do it!

You can grab a paper entry form at any Peoria Public Library location or just set up a free Beanstack account to track your reading digitally.

Still Time to Pull Out Those Blue Suede Shoes…

Elvis has NOT left the building.

Join him and all his fans this Friday, Jan. 10 at North Branch as we celebrate his 90th birthday.

Music (of course!), trivia, refreshments and more. Free and open to all adults, but we just ask that you register so we can party plan.

Friday, Jan. 10 ~ 6:30 to 8:30 PM @ North Branch, 3001 W. Grand Pkwy.

Adulting 101

Peoria Public Library is starting a new Adulting 101 series to help teens feel more secure in their futures, covering topics from finances to relationships to how to find a job.

These programs are designed specifically for students in Grades 8-12. To foster open communication, adults will not be permitted in these programs.

Saturday, Jan. 18 ~ 3-4:30 PM @ North Branch
Financial Literacy, including saving, budgeting, and credit.

Saturday, Feb. 8 ~ 11 AM to Noon @ Lakeview Branch
Healthy Relationships with The Center for Prevention of Abuse.

March: Resumes
April: Internet Safety
May: Cooking Basics

Chess & Checkers Meetup

@ Lakeview Branch ~ 5-7:45 PM

Every first Monday of the month, drop in and play your favorite game of strategy with friends or new faces.

Bring your own board or use one of ours.
For ages 10+

Dungeons & Dragons for Tweens and Teens

@ North Branch ~ 2-5 PM

Every second Saturday of the month, join us at North Branch for a few hours of D&D fun.

Free and open to all tweens and teens, but registration required so we can maintain adequate staffing.Register

First meeting: Saturday, Jan. 11

Pokemon Club

@ Lakeview Branch ~ 1-3 PM

Every second Sunday of the month, drop in and play Pokemon with friends or new faces.

During each club session you can play Pokemon TCG, work on a Pokemon craft or coloring page, and join in for some light-hearted trivia.

You’re also welcome to play Pokemon on your own Switch or play Pokemon Go while you’re here.

To participate in TCG, please bring your own cards, but the library will have a few decks on hand if you don’t have any.
For ages 13-18.

First meeting: Sunday, Jan. 12

Holiday Blues and Bills? Let us help.

Peoria Public Library is your savings headquarters.

Did you know?

** Peoria Public Library added 35,785 new titles to our shelves in 2024 -- and that's not counting our digital resources, including ebooks, audio books, movies, etc. With an active library card, you can explore them all for free.

** You can learn how to code and so much more via Udemy, a top-rated online course provider. FREE with your PPL card or $240/year on your dime.

** You can access Consumer Reports and hundreds of other magazines for FREE with your PPL library card. Check out all the new magazine offerings via your Libby app. (Savings: $40-$110+ per magazine annual subscription)

** Your children can get FREE tutoring from experts via Brainfuse. Free, personalized online help is available 7 days a week from 2-11 PM (CST)

(Savings: $20-$40/hour for tutors)

** Check out movies & music at all our locations or use our digital platforms -- hoopla and Kanopy -- to stream movies and TV. FREE. (Savings: Too much to calculate!)

Learn all about these great resources and more at www.peoriapubliclibrary.org

Now Hiring

Peoria Public Library is seeking a new Public Programming & Projects Manager.

PPL benefits include medical, dental, vision, paid vacation, sick time & holidays, IMRF pension plan, Employee Assistance Program and optional deferred compensation plan.

The salary range for this position is $52,000 to $80,600.

Application form is available here

Deadline to apply is 5 p.m., Feb. 5

PEORIA PUBLIC LIBRARY
107 NE Monroe St., Peoria, Illinois 61602
www.peoriapubliclibrary.org