Ladd Public Library District

06/12/2026

Don't miss this novel just added to the large print collection at the Ladd Public Library and also available through the Libby App in Ebook format...

06/12/2026

06/12/2026

Next week's schedule (Jun 15th - June 20th)...

06/12/2026

💥Don't Miss Our July Painting Party with Lucy Schmidt!💥

The Ladd Public Library is hosting a Painting Party with Lucy Schmidt ( Painting Parties By Lucy ) on Monday, July 13th at 6pm featuring the fun new painting titled "Pots and Prickles"!

Join us at the library for an evening of painting fun! All are welcome to bring their own snacks and drinks in covered glasses! The cost is $30 per person (includes a $5 donation to the library). Seating is limited.

Please stop by or call the Ladd Public Library at 815-894-3254 to make your FIRM reservation today!

06/12/2026

Second Lady Usha Vance is inviting children across the country to join the 2026 Summer Reading Challenge, encouraging students in kindergarten through eighth grade to read 12 books between June 1 and September 4.

Families who finish the challenge and submit their reading log will receive a personalized certificate, an America 250-themed bookmark, and a special link to claim a prize. Children who complete it will also be entered for a chance to visit Washington, D.C., and the White House with a chaperone.

The program is designed to make summer reading more exciting for kids while giving families a fun goal to work toward together.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-SLOTUS-SRC-Form.pdf

06/12/2026

Entry forms and fliers are now available for the 22nd Annual Illinois Emerging Writers Competition Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award.

The competition is named in honor of the late Pulitzer Prize-winning Illinois and U.S. Poet Laureate Gwendolyn Brooks, and is co-sponsored by the Illinois State Library’s Illinois Center for the Book and Illinois Poet Laureate. The competition is open to Illinois residents age 18 and over. Cash prizes will be awarded for first ($500), second ($300), and third place ($100). Winning poems will be submitted for possible publication to RHINO Poetry Journal.

Winners of the Illinois Emerging Writers Competition have gone on to achieve great accomplishments, including winning prestigious competitions, serving as editors of national magazines, writing screenplays, and publishing their own books.

All entries must include an entry form and be postmarked by June 30, 2026.

Entry Form: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/lda96.pdf

06/12/2026

💥 Don't Miss Our Active Stretch Classes With Teresa Colmone On Mondays At 2:00pm! 💥

The Ladd Public Library is hosting an Active Stretch Class With Teresa Colmone on June 15th, 22nd and 29th (Mondays) at 2pm!

Join us at the library for 30 minute active stretch classes suitable for all experience levels. Wear comfortable clothing, bring a towel, mat or small blanket for cushioning and a drink in a covered glass for hydrating.

Sign up for one, a few or all as fits your schedule. The cost of each class is $5 per person. Seating is limited.

Please stop by or call the Ladd Public Library at 815-894-3254 to reserve your chair today!

06/12/2026

☀️ Ladd Public Library's Summer Reading Challenge for 3 to 6 Year Olds Has Begun! ☀️

📚 The Challenge: 📚

Read 16 books between June 2nd and August 4th.

Stop by or call the Ladd Public Library at 815-894-3254 to register.

You can check out, read and return 16 books through the Ladd Public Library. (Reciprocal Library cards from other libraries can be used.)

And/Or...

Check out, read and return 16 Ebooks/Audiobooks through the Libby by OverDrive App (Ladd Public Library cards only.)

Don't forget to update your completed book list at the library.

🥳 The Bonus: 🥳

The first 20 children to complete the challenge will win a Paint With Water Coloring Book Watercolor Painting Set.

Be sure to stop by or call us at 815-894-3254 to register soon!

Our thanks for additional funding for this program, which is provided in part by the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation.

06/12/2026

Now available at the Ladd Public Library - Passport to Illinois!
(The supply is limited. One per family, please. Thank you!)

The Passport to Illinois is a free, limited-edition keepsake created for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It invites residents and visitors to explore 56 historic sites, museums, and landmarks, featuring regional checklists for tracking journeys across Illinois.

How to Get One: The free physical booklets are available at Illinois public libraries, highway visitor centers, and staffed tourism locations while supplies last.

Digital Version: A printable digital version is available for immediate download on the IL250 website (https://www.il250.org/passportrequest).

Featured Sites: The passport includes notable locations like the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Cahokia Mounds, and various historical sites.

This initiative is part of the Illinois America 250 Commission's celebrations leading up to July 4, 2026.

06/10/2026

This week's Summer Story Hour featured "The Rainbow Fish" by Marcus Pfister as read by Miss Jan!

Our Summer Story Hour meets on Tuesday mornings at 10am. Registration for this program is full. Our Children's Story Hour will return on August 12th.

Funding for our Summer Story Hour program is provided in part by the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation.