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...
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.
If you have time for a quick question, let us know how did you hear about the summer reading program?
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
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 - 1:00pm
Teen Center
Design your own shoes with Sharpies. Registration is required as we need to know the participants shoe size.
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 - 3:00pm
Teen Center
Stacey will show us how to create beautiful butterflies out of a name or word.
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 - 1:00pm
Teen Center
As part of our Next Gen Land Steward program, participants will learn about water quality and tests that scientists use to understand which chemicals our waterways contain. Spend an afternoon down by the creek and learn about testing water quality....
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...
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 - 3:00pm
Teen Center
We’ll follow along with Creativebug to make these hanging mushroom ornaments.
Wednesday, June 25, 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, 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...
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 - 1:00pm
Teen Center
Design your own shoes with Sharpies. Registration is required as we need to know the participants shoe size.
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 - 3:00pm
Teen Center
Stacey will show us how to create beautiful butterflies out of a name or word.
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
Teen Center
As part of our Next Gen Land Steward program, participants will learn about water quality and tests that scientists use to understand which chemicals our waterways contain. Spend an afternoon down by the creek and learn about testing water quality....
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...
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 - 3:00pm
Teen Center
We’ll follow along with Creativebug to make these hanging mushroom ornaments.
Wednesday, June 25, 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, 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...
There are no upcoming events.
- ‹ prev
- 4 of 4
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.
Friday, July 11, 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 11, 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! You...
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 - 1:00pm
Teen Center
Rodrigue’s iconic blue dog will inspire our pet portraits. Don’t have a pet? Create an image of a shelter animal and we can send it their way!
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...
Friday, July 18, 2025 - 5:00pm
Other
Head over to the Robert A Lee Rec Center (220 S Gilbert St, Iowa City, IA 52240) and skate away your troubles to some requested tunes. Skates will be provided.
Monday, July 21, 2025 - 1:00pm
Teen Center
Low stakes drop-in with ideas for you to craft something cool.
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 31, 2025 - 1:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Come learn about some of Iowa's largest birds and even meet a couple! Joan and other volunteers from Raptology will bring some birds of prey and talk about their habitat, diet, size and any other questions you bring about owls, falcons,...
Thursday, July 31, 2025 - 4:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Kathy and other volunteers from the 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...
Tuesday, August 5, 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! For our last How-To Tuesday of...
Wednesday, August 6, 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, 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...
Thursday, August 7, 2025 - 4:00pm
Meeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
Create a sparkling, mosaic-like keychain by following a pattern to place tiny rhinestones.
- ‹ prev
- 6 of 6
Wednesday, August 6, 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, 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...
- ‹ prev
- 6 of 6