Summer reading fun starts May 30

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Hi everyone,

We’re excited to kick off another summer of reading, learning, and discovery at the O'Fallon Public Library! Our Summer Reading Program officially kicks off May 30.

Every year this program helps around 800 kids stay engaged, prevent the “summer slide,” and build a lifelong love of reading while school is out. Along the way, families can enjoy free programs, events, and hands-on experiences all summer long.

This year’s theme is “Plant a Seed, Read,” and we invite kids, teens, and adults alike to join the fun.

Learn more and follow along at ofpl.info/kids.

Ryan Johnson

OFPL Director

Homepage

Program Highlights

America 250: An Evening with George Rogers Clark

Join local historian and reenactor, John Huffman, as he embodies military officer and surveyor George Rogers Clark. He welcomes questions and is always happy for you and your children to take pictures with him after a presentation

Digital Memory Keeping

Your phone is full of photos-join us for a Digital Memory Keeping class where we’ll explore quick and easy ways to use phone apps to tell stories and preserve memories.

Stroke Prevention

& Brain Health

Join us for an empowering and informative session with Dr. Duncan, where you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how your brain works—and how to protect it.

Staff Picks

Staci's Pick

The Caretaker

by Marcus Kliewer

The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer is a supernatural horror novel about a young girl who takes a house-sitting gig after responding to an ad on Craigslist. What begins as an ordinary job quickly turns into a nightmare in which she finds herself having to save not only herself, but all of humanity. The visual descriptions are unsettling, but I especially appreciate how the protagonist’s experiences with the entity parallel themes of mental illness, generational trauma, grief, and how humans cope with these struggles. It’s a quick read, but it will stay with you long after you finish the last page.

Get the Book

Stephanie's Pick

18 Tiny Deaths

by Bruce Goldfarb

18 Tiny Deaths by Bruce Goldfarb was an amazing find for me. As a true crime enthusiast and someone who has read extensively about the FBI, I had never heard of Frances Glessner Lee before reading this.

The book explores how she helped law enforcement understand crime scenes through her creation of 18 incredibly detailed dioramas known as the “Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death.” It’s fascinating to see how these were used for years as a training tool for investigators.

I especially enjoyed learning about Frances Glessner Lee herself—her creativity, determination, and can-do attitude in a field dominated by men. A compelling look at the origins of modern forensic investigation.

Get the Book

OFPL Quick Tip: Study Rooms

The library is the best place to focus, collaborate, and get things done! We offer four study rooms—two on the first floor and two on the second—perfect for group work, tutoring, virtual meetings, and more.

Reserve a room online or with staff in 1- or 2-hour blocks (up to two weeks in advance), with a limit of two bookings per day. Rooms fit 4–10 people, and at least one person in each group must be 16 or older.

Click here to make a reservation.

Learn More

You can find this feature on our blog! Each month, Owlfred gets the scoop on one of our incredible library staff members with a fun Q & A session. This monthly feature is all about getting to know the people who make OFPL such a special place.

OFPL Blog

Additional Highlights