What if bad can be good? Especially when it comes to art, beauty and talent may be subjective, but we’re purposely going for bad! We’ll share some prompts to get you going but you’ll ultimately be creating a true monsterpiece.
Summer Reading Program
Color our world this summer
May 27 - August 9, 2025
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 9, 2025. Children's prizes include gift certificates for Blank Park Zoo and the Iowa Children's Museum as well as a free book! Adults and teens can get a coupon for a free book at The Book End bookstore and be entered into the grand prize drawings for a downtown gift card.
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!
Color your world!
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
Tuesday, July 8, 2025 - 7:00pm
Zoom
Book clubs come in all shapes and sizes. Groups that meet online (like Let's Talk Books) are all the rage, especially with celebrities. From Oprah's almost 30 year old book club, to Reese Witherspoon, Emma Watson, Sara Jessica Parker, or...
Wednesday, July 9, 2025 - 10:30am
Children's Room
Join us in the Storytime Room for Summer Storytime on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday mornings at 10:30am. The Storytime librarian will vary each week, and every day is open to all ages! Catch the all-ages Thrilling Thursday programs...
Wednesday, July 9, 2025 - 1:00pm
Teen Center
As part of our partnership with Bur Oak, Next Gen Land Stewards are invited to learn about pollinators and the importance of keeping them hydrated during the hottest summer months. Then, assemble a bee drinking fountain.
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...
Wednesday, July 9, 2025 - 4:00pm
Storytime Room
Calling all science lovers in 3rd-6th grade! Every Wednesday from June 11 - July 16, 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...
Thursday, July 10, 2025 - 10:00am
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Clever Lyrics. Superb Music. Outrageous Fun for All Ages. With his guitar, tap shoes, and distinct baritone, Duke Otherwise sings his hilarious and imaginative songs for all ages to delight in together. Duke is a playful Wordsmith. A spirited...
Thursday, July 10, 2025 - 1:00pm
Teen Center
Everything is better teeny! Compete for the cutest clay creation ever. We’ll have a series of challenges and winner gets a teeny clay trophy.
Thursday, July 10, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Clever Lyrics. Superb Music. Outrageous Fun for All Ages. With his guitar, tap shoes, and distinct baritone, Duke Otherwise sings his hilarious and imaginative songs for all ages to delight in together. Duke is a playful Wordsmith. A spirited...
Tuesday, July 8, 2025 - 3:00pm
Teen Center
What if bad can be good? Especially when it comes to art, beauty and talent may be subjective, but we’re purposely going for bad! We’ll share some prompts to get you going but you’ll ultimately be creating a true monsterpiece.
Tuesday, July 8, 2025 - 7:00pm
Zoom
Book clubs come in all shapes and sizes. Groups that meet online (like Let's Talk Books) are all the rage, especially with celebrities. From Oprah's almost 30 year old book club, to Reese Witherspoon, Emma Watson, Sara Jessica Parker, or...
Wednesday, July 9, 2025 - 10:30am
Children's Room
Join us in the Storytime Room for Summer Storytime on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday mornings at 10:30am. The Storytime librarian will vary each week, and every day is open to all ages! Catch the all-ages Thrilling Thursday programs...
Wednesday, July 9, 2025 - 1:00pm
Teen Center
As part of our partnership with Bur Oak, Next Gen Land Stewards are invited to learn about pollinators and the importance of keeping them hydrated during the hottest summer months. Then, assemble a bee drinking fountain.
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...
Wednesday, July 9, 2025 - 4:00pm
Storytime Room
Calling all science lovers in 3rd-6th grade! Every Wednesday from June 11 - July 16, 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...
Thursday, July 10, 2025 - 10:00am
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Clever Lyrics. Superb Music. Outrageous Fun for All Ages. With his guitar, tap shoes, and distinct baritone, Duke Otherwise sings his hilarious and imaginative songs for all ages to delight in together. Duke is a playful Wordsmith. A spirited...
Thursday, July 10, 2025 - 1:00pm
Teen Center
Everything is better teeny! Compete for the cutest clay creation ever. We’ll have a series of challenges and winner gets a teeny clay trophy.
Thursday, July 10, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Clever Lyrics. Superb Music. Outrageous Fun for All Ages. With his guitar, tap shoes, and distinct baritone, Duke Otherwise sings his hilarious and imaginative songs for all ages to delight in together. Duke is a playful Wordsmith. A spirited...
There are no upcoming events.
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Wednesday, July 23, 2025 - 3:00pm
Teen Center
We’ve pressed flowers and now we pound them turning their beautiful pigments into art.
Thursday, July 24, 2025 - 1:00pm
Teen Center
YES interns through the Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County will put on a reptile demonstration using knowledge they've learned from their time at Johnson County Conservation.
Friday, July 25, 2025 - 1:00pm
Teen Center
Charlotte Hilker will be leading a philosophy class aimed at increasing cognitive ability, enhancing social skills and supporting emotional well-being. Oh, and it’ll be really fun! This is a series, but you're welcome to attend one or all...
Friday, July 25, 2025 - 3:00pm
Teen Center
Are you bonkers for brachiosaurus, terrified by T-Rex or all out fanatical for dinosaurs? Then you’re in good company because Madison is here to share her passion for everything dinosaur. Solve puzzles, play games, make art. It’ll be a blast!
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...
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...
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Thursday, July 17, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Get ready to sing, dance, and rock with St. Louis based children's musician, Celia! !Celia's world-famous, one-woman show is a rockin', stomping', hollering good time. Wear your dancing shoes to this all-ages party because Celia...
Thursday, July 17, 2025 - 4:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Don't just learn science, DO science with members of the UI Science Booster Club!
Friday, July 18, 2025 - 1:00pm
Storytime Room
Paddington returns to Peru to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears. With the Brown family in tow, a thrilling adventure ensues when a mystery plunges them into an unexpected journey. Take a break from the summer...
Sunday, July 20, 2025 - 2:00pm
Storytime Room
Create a colorful and delicious (looking) ice cream cone that won't melt in the heat! We'll have lots of fun craft supplies to make the paper ice cream treat of your dreams! Sunday Fun Days are suitable for all-ages, but younger children...
Tuesday, July 22, 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! Learn a few easy stitches that...
Wednesday, July 23, 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 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-...
Thursday, July 24, 2025 - 10:00am
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Get up close and hands-on with a variety of exotic animals with Wild Times Exotics. Wild Times Exotics is a fully licensed and insured Zoo to You program visiting ICPL for the first time! Zoo expert Lacey offers a hands on approach to animal...
Thursday, July 24, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Get up close and hands-on with a variety of exotic animals with Wild Times Exotics. Wild Times Exotics is a fully licensed and insured Zoo to You program visiting ICPL for the first time! Zoo expert Lacey offers a hands on approach to animal...
Thursday, July 24, 2025 - 4:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Go head-to-head against other tweens in a pub quiz style sports trivia challenge! Between rounds, engage in movement-based brain breaks incorporating everything from yoga to the giant parachute.
Saturday, July 12, 2025 - 10:30am
Storytime Room
Join us in the Storytime Room for Summer Storytime on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday mornings at 10:30am. The Storytime librarian will vary each week, and every day is open to all ages! Catch the all-ages Thrilling Thursday programs...
Monday, July 14, 2025 - 10:30am
Children's Room
Join us in the Storytime Room for Summer Storytime on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday mornings at 10:30am. The Storytime librarian will vary each week, and every day is open to all ages! Catch the all-ages Thrilling Thursday programs...
Monday, July 14, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Every Monday in the summer we will be hosting games and activities! Join us today for life-size games! 暑期周一活动日：巨型游戏 ¡Todos los lunes del verano tendremos juegos y actividades para disfrutar! ¡Acompáñanos hoy para jugar con juegos en tamaño gigante!
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 - 10:30am
Children's Room
Join us in the Storytime Room for Summer Storytime on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday mornings at 10:30am. The Storytime librarian will vary each week, and every day is open to all ages! Catch the all-ages Thrilling Thursday programs...
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...
Thursday, July 17, 2025 - 10:00am
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Get ready to sing, dance, and rock with St. Louis based children's musician, Celia! Celia's world-famous, one-woman show is a rockin', stomping', hollering good time. Wear your dancing shoes to this all-ages party because Celia...
Thursday, July 17, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Get ready to sing, dance, and rock with St. Louis based children's musician, Celia! !Celia's world-famous, one-woman show is a rockin', stomping', hollering good time. Wear your dancing shoes to this all-ages party because Celia...
Friday, July 18, 2025 - 10:30am
Children's Room
Join us in the Storytime Room for Summer Storytime on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday mornings at 10:30am. The Storytime librarian will vary each week, and every day is open to all ages! Catch the all-ages Thrilling Thursday programs...