Library News

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Thank you to everyone who signed up to enter the Ravinia Words + Music ticket lottery. We have received an unprecedented number of ticket requests and will contact those selected. Sign ups are now closed. 


  • If selected in the drawing, you will receive an email from the library within 48 hours of the sign-up window closing. 

  • If not selected, you will not hear back from Ravinia or the library. 

  • If you are selected to receive tickets, two printed tickets for the show selected will be held at the library’s drive-up window. **

  • Please pick up your tickets as soon as

The Arlington Heights Memorial Library celebrated the art of making with the grand opening of its newest exhibit, Community & Craftivism, showcasing how art can become an opportunity to build community and advocate for change, one stitch at a time. 

Partners, community members and more stopped by the library on Thursday, June 12 to be among the first to view the exhibit including community-driven quilts, art projects created through craftivism and more, all curated by the library in partnership with artist and activist Shannon Downey. In the spirit of community, 279 people contributed to the pieces that are on display

June 19, 1865 is the day when the last enslaved people in the United States were told they were free in Galveston, Texas - two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. June 19 is now known as Juneteenth, a holiday that commemorates the end of slavery and celebrates African-American freedom, culture and achievements.

Our Readers Advisors and Youth Services staff have created lists of books for all ages to explore and learn more about Juneteenth plus a selection of films. View lists here: 

Juneteenth adult fiction

Juneteenth adult nonfiction

Juneteenth films

Juneteenth for youth

Juneteenth for teens

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride Month is celebrated each year in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, the tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. The purpose of this commemorative month is to recognize the impact that LGBTQ+ individuals have had on history locally, nationally and internationally. A highlight of Pride Month 2025 will be the library's unveiling of the Pride Community Quilt, community created squares patched together into a quilt featured at the center of the new Community & Craftivism summer exhibit. A panel from the National AIDS Memorial

I Can Learn About My Family’s History  
Learning about and doing genealogy can be a rewarding experience, especially if you have good tools to help along the way. The library offers one of the premier regional genealogy collections and many online resources, including: 

Ancestry Library Edition (Available in-library only)
Search thousands of collections, census documents, voter lists, immigration documents, vital records, military records and more. 

ArkivDigital (Available in-library only)
Swedish genealogy source containing historical documents, church records, court records and estate inventories. 

HeritageHub
Obituaries and death notices from U.S. and international sources, including the Chicago Tribune (1860-1984). 

HeritageQuest
Census records

Whether you are browsing the shelves at the library, making and sharing with others at the Makerplace, enjoying a quiet moment in the Senior Center Reading Room or visiting the bookmobile in your neighborhood, we invite you to discover something new at your Arlington Heights Memorial Library. Learn more about the library's impact in Arlington Heights through community building and engagement, in the 2024 Impact Report. 

Click here to view the library's 2024 Impact Report.

This summer, the library is celebrating the art of making with Community & Craftivism, an exhibit showcasing how art can become an opportunity to build community and advocate for change, one stitch at a time. 

From June 12 to July 23, this exhibit will display community-driven quilts, art projects created through craftivism and more, all curated by the library in partnership with artist and activist Shannon Downey. An opening event celebration will also take place on the library’s first floor on June 12 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. 

The centerpiece of the exhibit is the unveiling of the library's Pride Community

More than 1,000 people including parents, students, teachers and community members stopped by the library on Tuesday, May 6 and Thursday, May 8 to celebrate the opening of the 31st Annual District 25 Student Art Show.  

The receptions featured light refreshments and the opportunity for students and their families to see their art in person and meet with their art teachers.  

This year's show featured the artwork of 482 students from seven elementary schools and two middle schools that can be seen on the library's first floor and in the display cases near the Dunton Ave. entrance. 

These pieces ranged from 2D

The library's May newsletter is available online now. Discover what's happening at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library including upcoming programming for Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, a new campaign for the library's bookmobile, upcoming outreach events and more.

The online edition includes live links to easily register for your favorite programs and services. You can also register through our online calendar or call 847-392-0100.

Read the May newsletter here.

Share your community spirit and step out with the library at the Arlington Heights Fourth of July Parade, Friday, July 4, at 10 a.m. Walk alongside the library’s bookmobile and help hand out giveaways to thousands of spectators along the way. This community event is open to all ages, but you must be able to walk the entire 1.5-mile parade route. Families with strollers and scooters are also welcome to join. Participants will receive a special library-themed T-shirt to wear on the day of the parade. Space is limited, so sign up early. Arlington Heights cardholders only. Participants under the