Join us to add some color to your world in the form of the nail polish of your dreams! We'll have supplies on hand, including suspension coats, liquid colors, powdered-mineral pigments, and sparkles and shimmers. We'll learn a little about...
Summer Reading Program
Summer reading 2024 has now finished. Thank you to everyone who read with us. Check back next year for our next adventure!
Adventure Begins at Iowa City Public Library
May 28 - August 10, 2024
Stay busy this summer reading and attending events!
Available to readers of all ages and abilities, babies through adults. Participants will receive a gamecard to track their summer reading goals.
Prizes available starting Monday, June 3, 2024.
If you have time for a quick question, let us know how did you hear about the summer reading program?
Downloads
Resources
- Watch past programs on The Library Channel
- Learn how to log books with Beanstack's mobile app
Sponsors
A big thank you to the Iowa City Public Library Friends Foundation for sponsoring the prizes!
Come read with us!
Upcoming Events
All library patrons, regardless of age or neurodiversity can participate in our Summer Reading Programs. We will be happy to customize reading programs and activities to meet the individual needs of our patrons. Please contact Angela Pilkington for more information.
Upcoming events
Wednesday, June 18, 2025 - 6:30pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Thursday, June 19, 2025 - 10:00am
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Comedian and Magician Jonathan May entertains audiences of all ages and sizes, with a magic show that is awe-inspiring for children, while still engaging and entertaining the adults in the audience. You'll Laugh, you'll Ooooh and you'...
Thursday, June 19, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Comedian and Magician Jonathan May entertains audiences of all ages and sizes, with a magic show that is awe-inspiring for children, while still engaging and entertaining the adults in the audience. You'll Laugh, you'll Ooooh and you'...
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Elementary-age kids are invited to join us each Tuesday at 1:00 to learn a little bit about a fun skill or hobby that maybe they haven’t tried before! We have experts from the community here to teach you the basics! Mireu Martial Arts provides...
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 - 4:00pm
Storytime Room
Calling all science lovers in 3rd-6th grade! Every Tuesday from June 10 - July 22, join West High students Flora and Tina for hands-on activities about physics, the scientific study of matter and energy. Figure out how gravity works, experiment with...
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 - 7:00pm
Zoom
The Iowa Writers Workshop began at the University of Iowa in 1936 and has produced many well known writers. In the last 80 years there are hundreds of published works by graduates of the Workshop in a wide range of genre. Pick some of your favorites...
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Color our world, and celebrate diverse cultures from around the globe! Every Wednesday during our Summer Reading Program, elementary-age kids are invited to join us for a new event where they can explore and experience unique cultures and traditions...
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 - 2:30pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese practice that combines slow, graceful movements with deep breathing and meditation. It originated as a martial art but has evolved into a holistic exercise known for its health benefits. In this beginner-friendly...
Thursday, June 26, 2025 - 10:00am
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Lindsay McDermott is a local reptile enthusiast who has a passion for sharing reptiles/invertebrates with children and families. Today she will bring several of her various lizards, snakes, arachnids and more to the library to get up close and...
Thursday, June 26, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Lindsay McDermott is a local reptile enthusiast who has a passion for sharing reptiles/invertebrates with children and families. Today she will bring several of her various lizards, snakes, arachnids and more to the library to get up close and...
Wednesday, June 18, 2025 - 6:30pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Join us to add some color to your world in the form of the nail polish of your dreams! We'll have supplies on hand, including suspension coats, liquid colors, powdered-mineral pigments, and sparkles and shimmers. We'll learn a little about...
Thursday, June 19, 2025 - 10:00am
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Comedian and Magician Jonathan May entertains audiences of all ages and sizes, with a magic show that is awe-inspiring for children, while still engaging and entertaining the adults in the audience. You'll Laugh, you'll Ooooh and you'...
Thursday, June 19, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Comedian and Magician Jonathan May entertains audiences of all ages and sizes, with a magic show that is awe-inspiring for children, while still engaging and entertaining the adults in the audience. You'll Laugh, you'll Ooooh and you'...
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Elementary-age kids are invited to join us each Tuesday at 1:00 to learn a little bit about a fun skill or hobby that maybe they haven’t tried before! We have experts from the community here to teach you the basics! Mireu Martial Arts provides...
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 - 4:00pm
Storytime Room
Calling all science lovers in 3rd-6th grade! Every Tuesday from June 10 - July 22, join West High students Flora and Tina for hands-on activities about physics, the scientific study of matter and energy. Figure out how gravity works, experiment with...
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 - 7:00pm
Zoom
The Iowa Writers Workshop began at the University of Iowa in 1936 and has produced many well known writers. In the last 80 years there are hundreds of published works by graduates of the Workshop in a wide range of genre. Pick some of your favorites...
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Color our world, and celebrate diverse cultures from around the globe! Every Wednesday during our Summer Reading Program, elementary-age kids are invited to join us for a new event where they can explore and experience unique cultures and traditions...
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 - 2:30pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese practice that combines slow, graceful movements with deep breathing and meditation. It originated as a martial art but has evolved into a holistic exercise known for its health benefits. In this beginner-friendly...
Thursday, June 26, 2025 - 10:00am
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Lindsay McDermott is a local reptile enthusiast who has a passion for sharing reptiles/invertebrates with children and families. Today she will bring several of her various lizards, snakes, arachnids and more to the library to get up close and...
Thursday, June 26, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Lindsay McDermott is a local reptile enthusiast who has a passion for sharing reptiles/invertebrates with children and families. Today she will bring several of her various lizards, snakes, arachnids and more to the library to get up close and...
Sunday, July 13, 2025 - 12:30pm
Digital Media Lab
For this 4-part series of workshops, we will explore tabletop game design! These are no-experience-required workshops that introduce attendees to making games with cards, dice, tokens, boards, or in the mind with plenty of rules! Part 4: Writing...
Monday, July 14, 2025 - 6:30pm
Digital Media Lab
Let’s play with photo coloring in Photoshop! - Try its AI-powered colorizing feature for vintage photos - Learn how to start with a modern color photo and make everything black and white except for the main subject Please bring digital photos you...
Tuesday, July 15, 2025 - 7:00pm
Zoom
Join us for ICPL's Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book Club! We will meet via Zoom to discuss "Some Desperate Glory" by Emily Tesh. Feel free to join us, whether or not you've finished the book! Borrow a copy of the book from ICPL or place a hold at search.icpl.org...
Wednesday, July 16, 2025 - 2:30pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Kathy and other volunteers from our local K9 Ambassador program, sponsored by the lowa City Dog Obedience Club, will use handpicked dogs to help teach attendees about dog safety and etiquette. Following an educational presentation, enjoy tricks and...
Monday, July 21, 2025 - 6:30pm
Meeting Room A
Here’s a craft you’ve been “dyeing” to try! We’ll use Kool-Aid to dye wool yarn in this fun, hands-on workshop. You'll leave with around 50 yards of yarn in a one-of-a-kind color. There will be down time as part of the process, so feel free to...
Tuesday, July 22, 2025 - 7:00pm
Zoom
Reading a book that has been translated from its original langue gives the reader a way to experience places we may never go and introduce us to stories, cultural perspectives, traditions, and styles of storytelling that are new and unique. Check...
Wednesday, July 23, 2025 - 2:30pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Get hands-on with exciting science experiments led by the UI Science Booster Club! All Abilities Club programs are designed for those who are neurodivergent, or who experience intellectual or developmental disabilities, offering an inclusive, lower-...
Wednesday, July 30, 2025 - 2:30pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Create your own unique, colorful bouquet of local blooms when Kara Krapfl of Lovely Bunches Farm teaches us the thoughtful, meditative art of flower arranging. All Abilities Club programs are designed for those who are neurodivergent, or who...
Thursday, July 31, 2025 - 6:00pm
Digital Media Lab
Do you knit, crochet, spin, punch needle, embroider or do some other fiber arts activity? Bring your current work in progress and join us the last Thursday of each month for an evening of conversation and group crafting. Whether you're...
Monday, August 4, 2025 - 6:30pm
Digital Media Lab
The Cricut's precision cutting is a natural for making stencils. Many materials could be cut for different painting techniques: specialized Cricut stencil material, transparency plastic, cardstock, contact paper, or removable vinyl. In this...
Thursday, July 31, 2025 - 6:00pm
Digital Media Lab
Do you knit, crochet, spin, punch needle, embroider or do some other fiber arts activity? Bring your current work in progress and join us the last Thursday of each month for an evening of conversation and group crafting. Whether you're...
Monday, August 4, 2025 - 6:30pm
Digital Media Lab
The Cricut's precision cutting is a natural for making stencils. Many materials could be cut for different painting techniques: specialized Cricut stencil material, transparency plastic, cardstock, contact paper, or removable vinyl. In this...
Wednesday, August 6, 2025 - 2:30pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
We’ll start with a dance party, including following along to “Just Dance” choreography on the big screen; then shift gears way down with some relaxing, sensory craft stations, including play-doh, coloring, and scratch art. All Abilities Club...
Saturday, August 9, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A
Shannon Downey (aka Badass Cross Stitch and author of Let's Move the Needle: an activism handbook for artists, crafters, creatives, and makers) will join us via Zoom on the big screen to share everything we need to know to start stitching staggering...
Thursday, August 28, 2025 - 6:00pm
Digital Media Lab
Do you knit, crochet, spin, punch needle, embroider or do some other fiber arts activity? Bring your current work in progress and join us the last Thursday of each month for an evening of conversation and group crafting. Whether you're...
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Tuesday, July 1, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Elementary-age kids are invited to join us each Tuesday at 1:00 to learn a little bit about a fun skill or hobby that maybe they haven’t tried before! We have experts from the community here to teach you the basics! Mark Capron, recent inductee into...
Tuesday, July 1, 2025 - 4:00pm
Storytime Room
Calling all science lovers in 3rd-6th grade! Every Tuesday from June 10 - July 22, join West High students Flora and Tina for hands-on activities about physics, the scientific study of matter and energy. Figure out how gravity works, experiment with...
Wednesday, July 2, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Color our world, and celebrate diverse cultures from around the globe! Every Wednesday during our Summer Reading Program, elementary-age kids are invited to join us for a new event where they can explore and experience unique cultures and traditions...
Wednesday, July 2, 2025 - 2:30pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Known for her vibrant paintings of landscapes, plants, and animals, Maud Lewis' iconic folk art is celebrated around the world. In addition to creating paintings for sale, Lewis also covered the inside of her 100-square-foot tiny home with...
Thursday, July 3, 2025 - 10:00am
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Join Mike Schneider as he takes you on a musical, magical, and humorous journey around the world! Uncle Mike's music will have all ages singing, clapping, and dancing along to such polka-fied classics. But this program is so much more than just...
Thursday, July 3, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Join Mike Schneider as he takes you on a musical, magical, and humorous journey around the world! Uncle Mike's music will have all ages singing, clapping, and dancing along to such polka-fied classics. But this program is so much more than just...
Thursday, July 3, 2025 - 4:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Celebrate Disability Pride Month by learning about the life of Judith Scott, a renowned fiber sculptor who was Deaf and had Down Syndrome, then making a variety of fiber art pieces. We'll weave and wrap, cut and twist to create stunning art...
Tuesday, July 8, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Elementary-age kids are invited to join us each Tuesday at 1:00 to learn a little bit about a fun skill or hobby that maybe they haven’t tried before! We have experts from the community here to teach you the basics! Have you ever wanted to tell a...
Tuesday, July 8, 2025 - 4:00pm
Storytime Room
Calling all science lovers in 3rd-6th grade! Every Tuesday from June 10 - July 22, join West High students Flora and Tina for hands-on activities about physics, the scientific study of matter and energy. Figure out how gravity works, experiment with...
Wednesday, July 9, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Color our world, and celebrate diverse cultures from around the globe! Every Wednesday during our Summer Reading Program, elementary-age kids are invited to join us for a new event where they can explore and experience unique cultures and traditions...
Thursday, July 3, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Join Mike Schneider as he takes you on a musical, magical, and humorous journey around the world! Uncle Mike's music will have all ages singing, clapping, and dancing along to such polka-fied classics. But this program is so much more than just...
Tuesday, July 8, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Elementary-age kids are invited to join us each Tuesday at 1:00 to learn a little bit about a fun skill or hobby that maybe they haven’t tried before! We have experts from the community here to teach you the basics! Have you ever wanted to tell a...
Wednesday, July 9, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Color our world, and celebrate diverse cultures from around the globe! Every Wednesday during our Summer Reading Program, elementary-age kids are invited to join us for a new event where they can explore and experience unique cultures and traditions...
Wednesday, July 9, 2025 - 2:30pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Casey leads ukulele music, singing, instruments, and movement. All Abilities Club programs are designed for those who are neurodivergent, or who experience intellectual or developmental disabilities, offering an inclusive, lower-stimulation, and...
Thursday, July 10, 2025 - 10:00am
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
The Iowa State University’s Insect Zoo is bringing some of their fascinating bugs to the library! Drop in anytime between 10:00-11:30am or between 1pm to 2pm to hold and see more than 100 species of LIVE insects. All ages welcome! Knowledgeable...
Thursday, July 10, 2025 - 12:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
The Iowa State University’s Insect Zoo is bringing some of their fascinating bugs to the library! Drop in anytime between 12-12:30 to hold and see more than 100 species of LIVE insects. All ages welcome! Knowledgeable Insect Zoo staff will talk...
Thursday, July 10, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
The Iowa State University’s Insect Zoo is bringing some of their fascinating bugs to the library! Drop in anytime between 10:00-11:30am or between 1pm to 2pm to hold and see more than 100 species of LIVE insects. All ages welcome! Knowledgeable...
Tuesday, July 15, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Elementary-age kids are invited to join us each Tuesday at 1:00 to learn a little bit about a fun skill or hobby that maybe they haven’t tried before! We have experts from the community here to teach you the basics! Have you ever made ice cream from...
Wednesday, July 16, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Color our world, and celebrate diverse cultures from around the globe! Every Wednesday during our Summer Reading Program, elementary-age kids are invited to join us for a new event where they can explore and experience unique cultures and traditions...
Wednesday, July 16, 2025 - 2:30pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Kathy and other volunteers from our local K9 Ambassador program, sponsored by the lowa City Dog Obedience Club, will use handpicked dogs to help teach attendees about dog safety and etiquette. Following an educational presentation, enjoy tricks and...