Week Calendar

Join us for a special event with author Sandra McKay, as she reads from her novel, A Place for Me: An Orphan’s Journey Home.

Powerful, sacred songs that derived from the heart of the antebellum enslaved African were melodic outflowings of religious expression, passion, and the hope to be free.

Illinois Libraries Present James McBride, an award-winning author, musician, and screenwriter.

Learn how to make an 8-page mini scrapbook. All you need to bring is 15-20 printed photos, the rest of the supplies will be provided. Beginners welcome. Limited class size.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, indulge in the rich, luxurious world of chocolate. Learn the techniques for tempering chocolate, making ganache, and crafting chocolate desserts that will enchant your special someone.

Visitors can expect an engaging and educational introduction to the vibrant world of West African rhythms.

Lucy Pettengill was a resident of Peoria, IL, in March 1857. Learn about the struggles she and her fellow abolitionists encountered, in order to assist freedom seekers on their way north.

National Humanities Medal winner and bestselling author of The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan joins us to share on her body of work and reflect on the wonder of slowing down and savoring the quiet moments.

Get an inside look at the space industry with Illinois’ own Coralie Adam. She’ll be joined in conversation by Renae Kerrigan, Curator of Science and Director of the Dome Planetarium at Peoria Riverfront Museum.

When Dolly Parton sang “9 to 5,” she was doing more than just shining a light on the fate of American working women. Parton was singing the true story of a movement that started with 9to5, a group of Boston secretaries in the early 1970s.