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Fine Free + Fare Free Returns |
We're excited and grateful that CityLink Peoria has agreed to continue the Fine Free + Fare Free initiative to celebrate September being National Library Card Sign-Up Month.
Starting Sept. 1, show your library card, and you can ride CityLink buses for free. Offer is good from Sept. 1-30 for these participating libraries: Peoria Public Library, Peoria Heights Public Library, Pekin Public Library and Fondulac District Library in East Peoria. (Regular CityLink bus routes only.) This year marks the 5th anniversary of Peoria Public Library going fine free.
What does that mean exactly? Of course, it doesn’t mean you can keep things forever, but it does mean that you won’t have to pay any fines if you miss the due date to return. We want to make our library as accessible as possible – and that means we don’t want fines (or the fear of fines) to keep anyone away.
Why sign up for a library card? With it, you can access our extensive physical and digital collection. Physical books and magazines. E-books and audio books. Music and movies and a whole host of online educational resources. Reserve (for free) one of our many rooms for study, work or community meetings.
We offer free Wi-Fi, access to public computers at all locations and computer labs at our Main Library and Lincoln Branch. Explore our Local History and Genealogy Department. Staff there is ready to help you research – be it about Peoria or your own family tree.
All this and we also offer dozens of programs every month – something for all ages.
So, the better question is, why doesn’t everyone have a library card.
Did you know we’ve also streamlined our process so it only takes mere minutes to get your Peoria Public Library card? Just bring a photo ID and a piece of mail with your name and address, and you can have a library card that unlocks the world within 5 minutes.
Are you a Peoria resident without a home address or know someone who is currently unhoused? We can still work with you. Come talk to us. | |
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| Peoria Reads 2025: Holding the Note | Every year, Peoria Public Library chooses one book to feature for our one city/one book initiative. We call it Peoria Reads.
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This year, we’ve chosen Holding the Note: Profiles in Popular Music by David Remnick. We will be officially launching Peoria Reads at the Sept. 9 City Council meeting, but you can get started reading now. Place a hold
In Holding the Note, David Remnick writes about some of the most influential musicians, songwriters and performers of the past 50 years. Icons including Paul McCartney, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Patti Smith and more.
Remnick, editor of The New Yorker since 1998, is also a Pulitzer Prize-winning author for his book, Lenin’s Tomb: The Last Days of the Soviet Empire. |
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Given Peoria’s rich musical history, we thought Peorians would enjoy the in-depth peek into these musicians’ lives and careers that Remnick is able to give.
We will also offer a variety of programming related to Peoria Reads over the next several months. For September: Sean Gaskell: Music of the West African Kora (All ages)
Sat., Sept. 13 ~ 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. North Branch, 3001 W. Grand Pkwy.
Upcycled Crafts: Sheet Music Coasters (Teens/Adults: Please RSVP)
Thurs., Sept. 18 ~ 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. North Branch, 3001 W. Grand Pkwy.
Backstage Tour and Rent mini performance (All ages; Registration required)
Weds., Sept. 24 ~ 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Peoria Players Theatre, 4300 N. University St.
Check our future event calendars – print or online – for upcoming Peoria Reads events.
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| Coming Soon(ish): New Website | Peoria Public Library is excited to bring a streamlined new website to our patrons in the coming months.
| We’d love to hear from you. What works? What doesn’t? What 3-5 pages do you visit the most?
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Tell us more if you’d like, but we know that short surveys are the most often completed surveys.
Click on this link and take a few minutes to tell us how we can improve our website for you. We truly want to hear your thoughts. |
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| McClure Branch: Beautiful Inside and Out! | Check out McClure Branch's Glow Up!
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Our old fence is gone, replaced by a shorter, new one. Our great maintenance crew has also done some landscaping work. |
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Everything looks great, and we love the clear view we have now across the back of Columbia Park! Come check us out!
McClure Branch regular hours are 9 AM to 6 PM, Mondays through Saturdays.
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| Storytime at Luthy Botanical Garden is Back! | A favorite of parents and children alike returns this month: Storytime at Luthy!
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Enjoy a special StoryTime among the flowers at the Luthy Botanical Garden, 2520 W. Prospect Rd in Peoria's historic East Bluff. |
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If it’s nice, we’ll be outside. If it’s not, we can bring our stories and songs inside the tropical conservatory.
Spread across over 5 acres in Glen Oak Park, Luthy is home to a tropical conservatory, a theme garden and seasonal floral displays. Admission is free. Join us every Wednesday in September from 11 a.m. to noon. For children of all ages.
And, you can get to Luthy via CityLink buses. Flash your Peoria Public Library card and ride for free in September.
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| Save the Date for our Annual Fall Fest: Sept. 27 | Our annual Fall Fest returns to North Branch on Saturday, Sept. 27 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. for all ages.
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Enjoy a variety of activities for all ages happening throughout the library (inside and out)! |
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Barnyard Discoveries’ mobile petting zoo is returning, as well as a reprisal of pumpkin bowling, fall-themed crafts for children and adults, and food trucks.
New this year, we'll have face painters from Wild Style Designs, a classic car cruise-in, a presentation from the Route 66 Museum director, raffle prizes, and more. Free and for all ages! North Branch is located at 3001 W. Grand Pkwy. |
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| Help Wanted: Outreach Services Manager | Peoria Public Library is looking for a full-time manager of our Outreach Services.
Deadline to apply is 5 PM, Monday, Sept. 22.
| Salary range is $52,000 – $62,000 and includes a generous benefit package. |
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The ideal candidate will oversee daily operations and staffing of our Outreach Department, including home delivery and deposit collection services. We are also looking for an enthusiastic library cheerleader to coordinate community engagement for PPL, including outreach to local schools, businesses, and non-profits; participation in community events, and serving on local boards and committees.
Learn more and apply at https://peoriapubliclibrary.org/about-ppl/careers/ |
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| You’re invited to a free community event, Finding Titanic with Dr. Robert Ballard on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 6:30 p.m. at Bradley University.
| You’ll find us there thanks to our ties to OLLI, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute based at Bradley. |
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