Normal Public Library Foundation

06/01/2026

A fun event at NPL this evening to kick off summer reading. See you there!

Help us kick off Summer Reading 2026 with a joyful concert from Chicago family music favorites, Laura Doherty & the Heartbeats on Monday, June 1 at 5 pm!

Laura has performed at top family venues and festivals across the country, including Ravinia, Lollapalooza, Old Town School of Folk Music, SXSW and more. Her interactive shows feature catchy tunes, her adorable animal puppet characters Domingo the Flamingo and Jazzasaurus, and plenty of sing-along fun.

In addition to the concert, library staff will provide fun activities for all ages. Register for the summer reading program at the event!

Bay Area Mexicana will be on-site with their food truck if you want to purchase dinner.

This event is made possible through the generous sponsorship of the Normal Public Library Foundation.

05/31/2026

Summer reading at NPL kicks off tomorrow. We can't wait! ☀️

Starting June 1, readers of all ages are invited to participate in our annual Summer Reading Challenge to earn prizes, have fun, and celebrate the joy of reading!

The goal is simple: read every day. Read anything from magazines to books to cereal boxes. All reading counts, including audiobooks and e-books!

Track your reading on Beanstack. You can use the Beanstack site or download the app for your mobile device. You may sign up for the challenge beginning today, and reading counts towards the challenge beginning June 1.

Earn badges and Book Bucks! This year, all ages earn Book Bucks as they read throughout the summer, including teens and adults. Then, trade in those Book Bucks for prizes, coupons, and more!

04/24/2026

We are absolutely blown away by the generosity of our community! A massive THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to our Giving Day. 💜

Thanks to your incredible generosity and the power of our matching donors, Busey Bank, Little Jewels and O'Brien Auto Team, we raised just over $5,850 for the Normal Public Library! 🎉

Your support fuels the programs and "library joy" that make our community strong.

One final step: Many companies offer matching programs. Please check with your employer to see if they can match your contribution, potentially making your gift go even further!

🔗 normalpl.org/give

04/24/2026

We were proud to see Normal Public Library featured on the cover of the Chicago Tribune yesterday in an article discussing the cost of e-book and audio-book licensing for libraries.

Illinois librarians are asking lawmakers to intervene in e-book and audiobook licensing as they say publishers are making libraries pay more and adding in unfair contract terms.

04/23/2026

We are officially over the hump! 📈

Thanks to your incredible support, we have raised $5,440 so far for our inaugural Giving Day! This milestone brings us past the 50% mark, and we couldn’t be more grateful for this community.

🥳 Momentum is Building
This total includes the generous dollar-for-dollar matching contributions from our dedicated local partners:

Busey Bank
Little Jewels
O'Brien Auto Team

Their support has helped every dollar you give go twice as far, ensuring we can continue to provide the "library joy" that makes our community so special.

🏁 Let’s Finish Strong
We still have a few hours left of Take Action for Libraries Day, and we are determined to reach our goal. If you haven't made your gift yet, now is the time to make an impact!

How you can help:
Donate: Every bit counts toward the finish line!
Comment: What's the best thing you've discovered at the library?
Share: Let your friends know we’re halfway there!
🔗 Give here: normalpl.org/give
Current Progress: 🟢🟢🟢🟢🟢⚪️ (50%+ and climbing!)

Learn about the Normal Public Library Foundation and all that it does to support Normal Public Library.

04/23/2026

We are officially approaching the halfway mark! 🚀

The energy for our first-ever Giving Day has been incredible. Because of your generosity, we are closing in on 50% of our goal, but we still need your help to cross the finish line.

Double the Progress
If you haven't had a chance to give yet, now is the perfect time to make your "library joy" go twice as far. Our matching pool is still active, meaning your impact is doubled dollar-for-dollar by:

Busey Bank
Little Jewels
O'Brien Auto Team

Whether it’s $10 or $100, your contribution helps us reach the finish line and supports the programs that make our library a community treasure.

🔗 Join the Movement:
normalpl.org/give
Current Status: 🟡🟡🟡🟡⚪️ (Almost at 50%!)

Let’s keep this momentum going for Take Action for Libraries Day!
Please like, comment, or share this post to help us spread the word.

Send a message to learn more

04/23/2026

Today, we’re joining our friends at Normal Public Library in celebrating everything that brings joy to our community through books, learning, and shared experiences.

Whether it’s the excitement on a child’s face when they discover a new favorite story, the magic of special events, or that perfect sunny corner where imagination comes alive — the library fills our community with moments that truly matter.

NPL is hosting its first annual Giving Day, and we want to invite all our Little Jewels families to support them and be part of this meaningful initiative. Your participation helps them continue spreading joy, curiosity, and connection throughout our community.

Let’s show our support and help keep the joy of learning growing for everyone.

https://www.normalpl.org/NPLF

04/23/2026

🌟 It’s finally here! Today is Take Action for Libraries Day, and it is our very first annual Giving Day benefiting Normal Public Library. Help us meet our $10,000 goal.

Whether you’re a lifelong patron or a first-time visitor, today is the day to celebrate the heartbeat of our community.

💰✨Double Your Impact: We have some incredible news to make this day even better. Our amazing partners are stepping up to help us grow:

Busey Bank
Little Jewels
O'Brien Auto Team

They are matching every donation dollar-for-dollar up to $2,000 collectively. This means when you give today, your contribution goes twice as far in supporting the programs and spaces we all love.

🔗 How to Participate:
Donate: Visit normalpl.org/give to make your gift.
Share: Tell us in the comments what brings you joy at the library!
Spread the Word: Share this post to help us reach our goal.

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to support your local library, this is it.

04/23/2026

✨ Celebrating National Library Outreach Day today!

Outreach services help to ensure that the library can bring joy to the the community even if they can't make it into the library.

What outreach services have you or your loved ones benefitted from?

Today is National Library Outreach Day, a day we celebrate libraries and library workers bringing the library to the people!

From bookmobiles and pop-ups to home delivery and library services for the incarcerated, library outreach meets communities where they are and ensures access to knowledge, connection, and care—no matter the barriers.

Connect with your library today and everyday, wherever you find it in your community!

National Library Outreach Day is coordinated in collaboration with the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services and the Association of Rural and Small Libraries.

04/22/2026

Happy National Library Workers Day!

Thank you to the library staff at Normal Public Library for all you do to bring joy, learning, and literacy to our community! Normal would not be the same without you, and what you do matters. 💜

It's National Library Workers Day - our favorite day of National Library Week!

Today we celebrate the hardworking, dedicated library professionals who power possibility in our neighborhoods, our schools, and our places of higher learning. As library workers across the U.S. continue to face challenges to their jobs and harassment from bad actors, it's essential we show up for them and voice our support for the work they do every day.

Thank you, library workers - libraries work because YOU do!