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It’s A Wrap on 2021!

Thanks to you for helping us turn another challenging year into a year for the… dare we say it… books! As we count down to 2022, let’s look at all that we’ve made possible together.

Sundays at the Library

Bold text that reads Now Open on Sundays 1 to 5 PM.

Chicago Public Library officially rolled out Sunday hours at all 81 branches, taking equity and access to a whole new level! Want to see what hours your branch is open? Find out here.

Headshot of Chris Brown
Commissioner Chris Brown.

A new commish is in town!

In February, we gave a big Chicago welcome to Chicago Public Library’s new Commissioner, Chris Brown. From visiting all 81 branches to placing equity at the forefront of his duties as librarian-in-chief, he’s really hit the ground running!

A Rad Read-A-Thon from the ’90’s!

453 readers, 4,608 books read, 740 donations, 59 teams, and over $85,000 raised for lifelong learning programs and resources for all at Chicago Public Library. Talk about RAD! Stay tuned for 2022! 😉

Summer the Chi-way

From free passes to the Obama portraits at the Art Institute, to creating art at the Library (in-person and online), to reading over 2 million minutes, we think it’s safe to say Chicagoans made summer theirs.

And that’s just a few highlights! Teens also made their voices heard with art murals, like the one displayed at the Whitney Young Jr. branch.  

Chicago-Style Piz…er…Trivia

A screen cap of Zoom during virtual trivia night
Virtual Trivia Night: All Things Chicago!

After traveling across the world (virtually) last year, we bought this year’s theme back home to the Windy City—and with 112 participants and 22 teams, we raised over $1,650 for opportunities for Chicagoans of all ages and walks of life!  

Beyond the Book and Into the Community

One Book, One Chicago’s 20th Anniversary Selection: Bedrock Faith by Chicago’s very own Eric Charles May.

In 2021, you truly helped us go beyond the book, whether it be amazing and insightful One Book, One Chicago events, free Grab-and-Go kits for hands-on at home learning, or a historical tour of Chicago Parks through the Special Collections exhibit.

But wait, there’s more! Chicagoans were also able to access new job and digital literacy resources like LinkedIn Learning. And students were able to get free homework help both virtually and in-person with Teacher in the Library and Brainfuse! – all through their library card!

Amy Tan at our annual awards
2021 Carl Sandburg Literary Award Honoree, Amy Tan.

Library lovers Unite!

On November 9, Library lovers from far and wide tuned in to celebrate the power of our public library with honorees Theaster Gates, J. Nicole Brooks, and Amy Tan. Together, we reached more than 4800 Library lovers and raised more than $1.5 million in support of lifelong learning opportunities at Chicago Public Library!

You can watch, rewatch, or share the broadcast here.

Thank you for powering our Library and empowering Chicagoans at home, online, and in the branches. As we continue to navigate these changing times, your continued support is crucial in helping us write our Library’s next chapter.

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