To mark National Library Week, "Say More" invites Chicago Public Library Commissioner Chris Brown to share what he loves the most about libraries. Brown says the city is doing more to get young people using libraries. He also shares his favorite library branch.

Having a CPL card shows the world how vital and important libraries are. Help CPL thrive today and for future generations this #TakeActionForLibrariesDay How can you support? 1) Visit your local library 2) Get your library card 3) Start using your new library card!

Applications are now open for the Artist Alley at this year’s Gamer’s Universe, taking place Saturday, June 13 at Harold Washington Library Center. Get your work in front of hundreds of gamers across Chicago – with no tabling fee. Learn more: chi.gov/artistalley

Which one is he reading? 🤔

Find your joy with the Chicago Public Library this National Library Week! Thank you to the hardworking @chipublib.bsky.social employees who keep our libraries running and provide essential services to Chicagoans in every neighborhood.

Every day, CPL staff work together to serve their communities. In honor of National Library Workers Day, we invite you to join us in championing CPL staff by shouting out the workers who have made a positive impact on your library experience in the responses below!

On this #RightToReadDay, CPL encourages you to protect books at risk of being banned. On September 21, 2022, CPL officially became a Book Sanctuary, furthering our mission to create safe reading spaces for patrons across Chicago's 77 neighborhoods.

Show your appreciation for your local CPL location this #NationalLibraryWeek! Whether you have built a community through CPL's events or discovered your favorite book through CPL, let us know your favorite CPL memory below. 🦉📚

Discover why VICE News calls the expansion of The 81 Club “a seismic shift that could potentially change the course of thousands of lives” here: chi.gov/vice @mayorofchicago.bsky.social @chipubschools.bsky.social

Today we celebrate the legacy and birthday of Harold Washington, Chicago's first Black mayor and the namesake of CPL's central library. Enjoy these photos of the former Mayor’s birthdays. 🎂 Press greeting Harold Washington for his birthday, April 15, 1986 (📸 Michelle V. Agins)

Join us for Día de los niños y libros: A Celebration of Children and Books to unleash your child’s creativity with music, storytelling, giveaways and more. This year’s guests include Mama Edie, Yin He Dance, @littlemissannmusic.bsky.social and @wttw.bsky.social's Nature Cat. chi.gov/dia2026

CPL's new exhibit, Stories That Click: Reimagining Chicago Brick-By-Brick, features LEGO models from professional and passionate builders alongside archival materials from CPL’s Special Collections. Learn more chi.gov/storiesthatclick On display through April 2027.

Every student—no matter their ZIP code, school enrollment, or their age—deserves access to libraries, enriching programs, and learning resources that ensure their continued success.

Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Public Library announced a new partnership that automatically registers more than 315,000 Chicago Public School students for the city's libraries.

Chicago Public Schools students can now access books, tutors and other resources at city's 81 public libraries with just their student ID number.

Chicago has turned all public school IDs into library cards to boost student access. blockclubchi.co/3NTWvNM

Chicago Public Schools students can now access books, tutors and other resources at city libraries with just their student ID number. It’s the latest effort by CPS and the Chicago Public Library to expand access to library materials.

CPL is happy to announce this year's Poetry Fest, taking place on Saturday, April 25 at Harold Washington Library Center! The keynote will feature Chicago's Poet Laureate, Mayda del Valle. chi.gov/poetryfest2026

Celebrate International Jazz Day with a jazz performance by the Charles Heath Quartet paying tribute to Walter Henri Dyett, a music educator and instrumental figure in the development of jazz and Black music in Chicago. Learn more: chi.gov/jazzday

In collaboration with the Chicago Council on Science and Technology, CPL invites you to join our panel of scientific experts on April 13 at Harold Washington Library Center to talk about the real-life plants and animals that Pokémon are based on. chi.gov/scienceofpokemon

Today, @mayorofchicago.bsky.social, @chipubschools.bsky.social and CPL celebrated the expansion of The 81 Club, an initiative that automatically connects students to the resources of CPL’s 81 libraries. Learn more about our groundbreaking data sharing agreement with CPS: chipublib.org/81club

Celebrate Harold Washington's birthday with Chicago historian @6figga-dilla.bsky.social and author Dick Simpson, who will discuss the importance of civic engagement and voting. Afterwards, there will be a screening of "Punch 9 for Harold Washington.” chi.gov/haroldslegacy

This National Financial Literacy Month, CPL is launching Money Moves, a series of free programs designed to make financial learning approachable, practical and empowering. Learn more: chi.gov/moneymoves

CPL's Book of the Month for April is "Remarkably Bright Creatures" by Shelby Van Pelt. The novel follows Tova, a widow who builds an unlikely friendship with an octopus who lives at the local aquarium where she works the night shift. Place a hold here: chi.gov/RemarkablyBrightCreatures

Join CPL in celebrating National Poetry Month! This month, we’ll host workshops, performances and discussions that celebrate poets like Gwendolyn Brooks (pictured above) and explore poetry from around the world. Learn more: chi.gov/poetrymonth2026

Celebrate the 60th anniversary of Star Trek with a discussion featuring stephwilliams.bsky.social and afowlerart.com about actress Nichelle Nichols' historic role as Nyota Uhuru. The first 125 attendees will get free copies of a special comic. Learn more: chi.gov/startrek

Are you excited for this year's C2E2? Continue the fun by visiting your local library for free gaming events. From general game nights to Splatoon and Mario Kart competitions, there’s something for all types of gamers. Explore our gaming events here: chi.gov/gaming

CPL is celebrating #America250 this year throughout all library locations by hosting workshops, film screenings, book clubs and much more. You can also celebrate by writing a Letter to America which we will archive in our collections. Learn more: chi.gov/chicago-250

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with these rare photos from CPL’s Special Collections featuring city leaders and moments from the 1979 St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Mayor Harold Washington with the St. Patrick’s Day Queen and Irish bagpipers, 1987, Mayor’s Office 📷: Antonio Dickey

Join us on March 30 as we welcome @mlheggeness.bsky.social to discuss her new book, "Swiftynomics," which explores the complex economic lives of American women through the stories of groundbreakers like Taylor Swift. Learn more: chi.gov/swiftynomics

Our March 2026 Adult Reading Challenge is here! Participants will be entered in a drawing for a CPL beanie or thermos by reading a book that is part of a series — one you're already following or the first in a series that's new to you! chi.gov/awrcmarch

Ready to discover an exciting, well-paying career? Join us for our Women in Trades fairs at Sulzer and Woodson Regional Libraries. Connect with industry experts, discover pathways and get inspired to explore a new and rewarding career. Register now: chi.gov/womenintrades

CPL's nomination for the dublinlitaward.bsky.social, "Creation Lake" by Rachel Kushner, was just longlisted for the prize. Place a hold on the novel to find out why we love this fascinating read: chi.gov/creationlake

March’s Book of the Month is “The Lion Women of Tehran" by NYT bestselling author @marjankamali.bsky.social. The novel follows the life of Ellie who reconnects with a childhood friend who helped her navigate the loss of her father during political turmoil in Iran. Chi.gov/womenoftehran

This Women's History Month, CPL invites you to celebrate Ida B. Wells, who helped bring attention to women’s rights and suffrage. CPL keeps Wells’ legacy alive through events that celebrate her and other women who changed the world. chi.gov/whm2026

Tuning in to #Survivor50? We’ve got something even more valuable than a hidden immunity idol. If you’ve already got Fiji FOMO, don’t worry — you can find your perfect desert island read at chipublib.org.

Book clubs, rejoice! From edge-of-your-seat thrillers like "The Silent Patient" to powerful memoirs like “The Year of Magical Thinking," we have new arrivals for every type of book club available on The Reading Set. Explore our new selections here: chi.gov/newreadingset

CPL invites you to free upcoming musical performances at Harold Washington Library Center featuring violinist Windy Indie, blues’ Nico Barberan Band and classical music pianist Gerald Rizzer. chi.gov/indie2 chi.gov/nicobarberan chi.gov/mozartsonatas

We dedicate Library Lover's Day to all of our patrons who have made CPL the premier place to read, learn and discover for over 150 years. As a small thank you, here's a sneak peek at new romance fiction selections that will be coming to CPL soon: chi.gov/comingsoonromance

Ready to level up your child's academic skills after their Q3 progress report? Teacher in the Library offers free tutoring services online and in-person at CPL locations for students that need support with their academics. Learn more: chi.gov/teacherinthelibrary

Here are more photos of Little Italy Branch for your viewing pleasure! 🦉📚✨

Extended by popular demand! Learn about Puerto Rican history through the music of Bad Bunny! This special visual presentation is the perfect way to prep for Super Bowl LX, where Bad Bunny will perform. Learn more and register: chi.gov/badbunny

Oscar season is here and CPL is hosting FREE film screenings featuring movies that are up for awards through our Community Cinema program, which brings popular films to a library location near you. View movie selections and showtimes by visiting chi.gov/oscars2026.

Ready for round two of our Winter Reading Challenge? This month, we challenge you to read from one of our February lists: Cozy Fantasy, Cozy Nonfiction or Cozy Mysteries. Let us know what you read for a chance to win a CPL beanie or thermos. Learn more:chi.gov/awrcfeb

February's Book of the Month is "Get a Life, Chloe Brown" by NYT bestselling author @taliahibbert.bsky.social . This novel follows Chloe Brown's journey to accomplish her "get a life" list, which leads to an unexpected romance. Place a hold on a copy of the book here: chi.gov/getalifechloebrown

This image shows Vivian G. Harsh, whose passion to document the Black experience spurred the largest African American history and literature collection in the Midwest. We invite you to this year's Black History Month events championing Black librarianship: chi.gov/bhm2026

Join us at Woodson Regional Library on Wednesday, February 5 for a celebration of ALA's (@amlibraryassoc.bsky.social ) National Day of Racial Healing. The day will include wellness and storytelling experiences plus a performance from blues musician Vino Louden. Learn more: https://chi.gov/NDORH

Happy #NationalShelfieDay from all our staff! Whether you explore our collection at your local library or through our online catalog, we hope you get lost inside the covers of a special book. Need inspiration for your next read? Browse our staff lists: chi.gov/lists

Curious to know what CPL's most popular books in 2025 were? The official list just dropped! The list includes the most popular books in adult fiction, nonfiction and the most popular books for teens and kids. Explore the list and place a hold here: chi.gov/popular2025

Calling all creatives! Applications for the 2026 Makers-in-Residence program are now open. Each residency is 12 weeks with selected artists facilitating classes for patrons at each Maker Lab location. Applications close on February 11. Learn more here: chi.gov/2026makers