Chicago Public Library

09/07/2026

This photo showcasing the some of the people who built Chicago Public Library’s first central library (now the Chicago Cultural Center) is a beautiful reminder that this city owes everything to Chicago’s workforce. From our nurses to our waiters, our teachers to our small business owners, each one of you has made this city the wonder that it is today. Happy Labor Day!

Photo credit: Workmen building the upper stories of the Chicago Public Library, Central Library, circa 1896, Chicago Public Library, Special Collections

09/03/2026

Calling all fans of the “No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” series! Join us at Harold Washington Library Center for a special discussion with Alexander McCall Smith about his latest addition to the series: “The Big Cats Dance Party.” McCall Smith will be in conversation with EveryLibrary founder John Chrastka and will be available for book signings at the conclusion of the event. Learn more here: chi.gov/EveryLibraryAuthorEvent

Thursday, September 17
6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Harold Washington Library Center

Search the catalog, browse recommendations, place holds and renew titles. Check out eBooks and use online resources. Find events and…

09/01/2026

In honor of Latine Heritage Month starting on September 15, we invite you to explore a critical examination of what it means to be American through September’s Book of the Month. "Citizenship: Notes on an American Myth" by Daisy Hernández will grip you with Hernández’s powerful life stories and ground you through her background in journalism. Place a hold on the book here: chi.gov/SeptemberBOTM

09/01/2026

Make your wallet happy with the card that adds value to your life at no cost: your CPL library card! If you don’t have one or have been putting it off, the American Library Association’s Library Card Sign-up Month is the time to get one and gain immediate access to audiobooks, The New York Times digital newspaper, Consumer Reports and thousands of physical items like books, CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays and vinyl. Plus, don’t forget you have access to a growing collection of unique items through our Library of Things including karaoke machines, projectors, musical instruments and more. Visit your neighborhood CPL location and get your library card today.

08/27/2026

AI is already impacting the ways that millions of Chicagoans work, learn, communicate and live.

On Saturday, October 3, the CHI+AI Summit will take over Harold Washington Library Center's Lower Level. This free tech summit will host leaders, thinkers, planners, experts and your fellow citizens as we work together to make Chicago the most AI-literate city in the nation.

The day will include thought-provoking panels, actionable demonstrations and an info fair showcasing organizations working to expand AI education, access, opportunity, safety, creativity and ethical use across Chicago.

Learn more and register here: chi.gov/CHI-AI

08/26/2026

Strengthening your child’s reading skills is one of the best gifts you can give them. Don’t know where to start? Explore our Jump Into Reading resources and discover in-person events and online resources to support your child’s reading journey.

Get started here: chi.gov/jumpintoreading

08/17/2026

Thank you all for stopping by Q***r Radical Fair! This year, we had over 500 young adults attend in their fiercest looks to dance, enjoy some delicious treats and uplift the Radical Fit Fashion Incubator’s creations. A special thank you to all the organizations who showed up to make the event possible and shared invaluable resources with our teens. We can’t wait to do it all over again next year.

Partners include:
Sky Cubacub of Rebirth Garments
Vulpinic Vestements
Chicago Park District Night Out in the Parks
The Original Rainbow Cone

Photos by Sandra Ovideo, Colectivo Multipolar

08/11/2026

Chicago Public Library present a panel of fascinating authors of new memoirs, featuring Melissa Fraterrigo (The Perils of Girlhood), Timothy J. Hillegonds (And You Will Call It Fate: A Memoir) and Alex Poppe (Breakfast W**e), moderated by Miles Harvey.

08/10/2026

Summer challenge complete! We hope you enjoyed your summer full of reading, from board books to chapter books and from novels to nonfiction. You’ve made this Summer at CPL one for the books.

Thank you for participating in our reading challenges, attending events and spending your summer with us. We look forward to doing it all over again with you next year!

08/06/2026

Travel back in time to discover a piece of American history considered to be a crucible of Black creativity, intellect and political imagination. CPL’s exhibit, “Praise & Protest: Voices of the Chicago Black Renaissance,” will transport you through the archival records preserved in the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection and teach you about this transformative cultural movement. The exhibit is on display for its final days at Woodson Regional Library through Wednesday, August 27.

View the exhibit’s hours here: chi.gov/praiseandprotest