Check It Out - April 2025

Time’s almost up!

Secure your tickets for Bright Future: Celebrating the Iowa City Public Library before midnight Sunday, April 6. Join us April 11 for an unforgettable evening of community and impact—all in support of your beloved library.

Can’t attend? You can still make a difference by bidding in our silent auction, open to all supporters! Explore handmade treasures, rare books, local vinyl, art, and exclusive experiences. Place your bids online at bit.ly/BrightFutureAuction until 9:30 p.m. on Friday, April 11. Every dollar fuels ICPL’s future.

Already have tickets? Don’t forget to participate in the auction for extra impact!

Act now—grab tickets at supportICPL.org/bright-future and bid boldly.

Together, let’s write a brighter chapter!

Saturday, April 19
10–11:30 a.m.
Meeting Room A

One of best things about having houseplants is sharing them with others. Do you have houseplants you'd like to share? Do you want to add something new to your collection? Join us for the ICPL Spring Houseplant Swap.

Each person may bring up to 5 healthy houseplants or rooted cuttings - no fresh cuttings please. For each plant you bring to the swap you'll get one ticket, which you can then use to get one new plant to take home.

Plant drop off time is 10-10:30 a.m.

Swap opens at 10:30 a.m. (last spring all plants were gone in 20 minutes!) Once all tickets are claimed, any plants left will be free for the taking.

After the plants are gone, learn how to make your own potting mix.

Different plants need different types of potting mix.  Learn how to whip up some of the most common potting mixes by combining different amounts of materials such as coco coir, perlite, vermiculite, sand, sphagnum moss, and compost.

Tuesday, April 29
6:30–7:30 p.m.
Storytime Room

Did you grow up with a May Basket tradition?

In many communities, kids would put together a little basket of treats (popcorn and M&Ms in Stacey’s family), place it anonymously on a friend's doorstep, knock, and run away. Why not treat and befuddle our friends as adults, too?

In this workshop, you'll choose paper colors for provided designs -- a little basket or a funnel-shaped holder for cut flowers. Our Cricut machine will cut out the shapes and we'll do assembly with adhesive and string together. Then it's up to you to take it home, fill it with a treat, and make the drop-off!

For more events like this, visit the landing page of the Media Digital Lab.

The Youth Empowered to Serve (YES!) Program is back for the summer of 2025! This 8-week paid internship empowers youth ages 14–18 through real work experience, skill-building, and career exploration.

A partnership between Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County and Johnson County Social Services, YES! connects teens with local worksites like the Iowa City Public Library, Grow Johnson County, the Bike Library, and more — where they’ll gain hands-on experience and one-on-one mentorship.

* Paid weekly
* No cost to families
* June 17–August 8, 2025
* Application deadline: May 9

Learn more and apply on the YES! Program website.
Questions? Contact Lauren Willberg at lauren-willberg@ncjc.org or 319-354-2886.

Guess what’s sprouting up on the second floor? Your new go-to spot for gardening goodness: the ICPL Seed Library! 

This little hub is all about making gardening accessible, fun, and community-driven. Tucked into a creatively repurposed file cabinet (right between the Info Desk and The Book End), it’s packed with free seeds for you to take home—no library card required! Whether you’re a seasoned green thumb or just testing your soil for the first time, grab up to five seed packets monthly per household. It's super simple: check them out using the binder on top, plant your favorites, and if you’ve got leftovers, bring ’em back to keep the sharing cycle growing.

Donations are always welcome but never required! Drop off your home-harvested seeds (clean, dry, and pesticide-free, please!) or spare commercial packets in the donation box.
Bonus points for heirloom or native varieties—they’re garden gold!