The following virtual events are made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration between public libraries, including Northbrook Public Library, which offers high-quality events for member libraries. To request accommodations, please email illinoislibrariespresent@gmail.com.
Still Afraid of the Dark: An Evening with R.L. Stine
Tuesday, February 24, 7:00-8:00pm (Zoom) REGISTER HERE
Witty, creepy, and compulsively readable, bestselling author R.L. Stine defined horror for a generation of young readers. Named “the most prolific author of children’s horror novels” by the Guinness Book of World Records, R.L. Stine will discuss his illustrious body of work. Becky Spratford, acclaimed horror maven and editor of Why I Love Horror: Essays on Horror Literature, will join R.L. Stine in conversation. (This event is intended for adults.)
Beyond the Page with Percival Everett
Thursday, March 19, 7:00-8:00pm (Zoom) REGISTER HERE
Industrious, irreverent, and humble, though he may deny the accusation, Percival Everett, like his fiction, defies categorization. His most recent novel, James, earned both the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the National Book Award, and his 2001 novel Erasure inspired the film American Fiction, which received the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2024.
Brandis Friedman will moderate the event. Friedman is a writer and anchor for WTTW’s Chicago Tonight and Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, and also serves as a champion for libraries.
Cristina Henríquez: Voice, Culture, and Human Connection
Thursday, April 16, 7:00-8:00pm, 7:00-8:00pm (Zoom) REGISTER HERE
Join critically acclaimed, bestselling author Cristina Henríquez for a compelling conversation about her work. Henríquez’s newest book, The Great Divide, is a moving exploration of the people who lived, loved, and labored during the construction of the Panama Canal. Named a New York Times’ Editors’ Choice selection and TIME Magazine “100 Must-Read Books of 2024,” The Great Divide explores history and adversity in a place very special to her – her father’s homeland of Panama. Carmen Álvarez will join Henríquez as moderator. Álvarez is an advocate for libraries and Latinx representation in the publishing industry.
Babel-On with R.F. Kuang
Tuesday, May 19, 7:00-8:00pm, 7:00-8:00pm (Zoom) REGISTER HERE
R.F. Kuang’s genre-bending fiction broaches ordinarily serious topics from a satirical and fantastical perspective. Academic yet approachable, Kuang’s work combines history, magic, and classical literary tradition to render powerful critiques of academia, the publishing industry, and even contemporary popular culture.
Her most recent novel, Katabasis, follows two graduate students as they descend into hell after the death of their professor, and the screen rights options to the novel were sold to Amazon MGM Studios for an upcoming TV series before its publication.
Kuang’s other bestselling titles include Yellowface, Babel, and The Poppy War trilogy, and she is the recipient of the Nebula Award for Best Novel, the Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Fiction, and the American Book Award.
Kelly Jensen, an anti-censorship advocate, a senior editor at Book Riot, and writer who has compiled such anthologies as Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World and (Don’t) Call Me Crazy, will be joining Kuang in conversation.
About Illinois Libraries Present
These events are made possible by Illinois Libraries Present (ILP), a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering premier events. ILP is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). View past ILP events.
Illinois Libraries Present consists of over 200 public libraries across the state that have joined together to provide high-quality online events at equitable prices for member libraries of all sizes and budgets. It connects communities and audiences across the state through shared event experiences. We're proud to be involved with such a great collaboration. Our Executive Director, Kate Hall, and our Events Production Manager, Arielle Raybuck, were involved with the creation of ILP.
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To provide high-quality, high-profile events that highlight national names and social justice/DEI issues, that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive for single libraries to hold on their own.
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To reduce costs and maximize reach by taking advantage of both virtual event platforms and the collective buying power of Illinois public libraries.
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To allow access to all libraries as equitably as possible, by aligning each library’s cost to participate with the size of their operating budget.
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To define clear and distinct roles among Illinois Libraries Present committees and the participating libraries, including patron contact points, marketing, invoicing, etc.
The group also is committed to inclusion and accessibility. To request accommodations, email illinoislibrariespresent@gmail.com.
