River East Public Library

05/27/2026

Messy Art made red, white and blue hats for Memorial Day!! This group has amazing, messy ways to make art, this time it’s wearable!!

05/27/2026

Wiggly Wednesday was really wiggly today! We had so much fun exercising our bodies! Be sure to pick up our June and July Calendars so you can sign up for this summer’s fun!!!

05/26/2026

Do you want to create some flowers for spring that allow you to show your creativity and artistic side? Heather has 3 spots left for the Wassi Tape Flowers Session on this Tursday, May 28. Register now!!!! call 815-385-6303 or email: [email protected]

05/19/2026

We LOVE a drop of New Books!
This drop has a little bit of every level of reading...Which will you be taking home!?

05/11/2026

This young man has been a contributor to Operation DropBox, a program to benefit McHenry County Veterans, each year. These pictures show just some of the items he brought in. He didn't want to pose for pictures, but we asked him if he would. There are good people everywhere, doing good things, everyday. It might be hard to realize that right now, but we need to remember and celebrate kindness. Our box will be here until May 31st, we encourage you to drop off whatever you can. A list of needed items is posted with the pictures. Thanks for your help.

05/08/2026

FYI

The McHenry Division of Transportation is redoing the Charles J. Miller Bridge southern deck starting in May, so access to McHenry's Miller Riverfront boat launch will be limited

05/06/2026

So many new books recently added and read for you to take home and enjoy!

05/06/2026

This mornings Messy Art was all about Mothers!
We made a garden out of our hand prints and added butterflies and bird houses to our hand flowers!

05/05/2026

Join us in conversation with popular best-selling authors Jane Hamilton and Elizabeth Berg at McHenry County College - Luecht Auditorium.

Call us at 815-385-6303 or email [email protected] to register.

Jane Hamilton’s novels have won literary prizes, have been made into films, and have been international bestsellers, and two of them, The Book of Ruth and A Map of the World, were selections of Oprah’s Book Club. Her nonfiction has appeared in the New York Times; The Washington Post; Allure; O, The Oprah Magazine; Elle; and various anthologies. She lives on an apple farm in Wisconsin. Her latest novel, The Phoebe Variations, published in September, 2025, is An Oprah Daily Best Book of Fall, An Indie Next Pick for October 2025 and A LibraryReads Pick for September, 2025.

Elizabeth Berg is the author of many bestselling novels, including The Story of Arthur Truluv, Open House (an Oprah’s Book Club selection), Talk Before Sleep, and The Year of Pleasures, as well as the short story collection The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted. Durable Goods and Joy School were selected as ALA Best Books of the Year. She adapted The Pull of the Moon into a play that enjoyed sold-out performances in Chicago and Indianapolis. Berg’s work has been published in thirty-one countries, and three of her novels have been turned into television movies. She is the founder of Writing Matters, a quality reading series dedicated to serving author, audience, and community. She teaches one-day writing workshops and is a popular speaker at venues around the country. Some of her most popular Facebook postings have been collected in Make Someone Happy, Still Happy, and Happy to Be Here. She lives outside Chicago. Her latest novel, Life, A Love Story, will be published on March 17, 2026.

This event is part of the McHenry County Libraries United - Let's All Read Together community reading program. County residents are encouraged to come together in a shared reading experience. This event is sponsored by Algonquin Area Public Library, Cary Area Public Library, Crystal Lake Public Library, Harvard-Diggins Library, Huntley Area Public Library, Johnsburg Library, Marengo-Union Library, McHenry Public Library, Nippersink Public Library, River East Library and Woodstock Public Library. Book sales and signing will be available following courtesy of Read Between the Lynes Book Store.

05/05/2026

There are just a few spots left for Monday May 11, Painting with Tisha. Tisha takes the summer off, so if you miss this one, your next chance is September! Call or email to register.