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February News
2025, see what’s happening at your library this month!
Celebrate your love for the library!
February is Library Lovers’ Month
We want to thank our valued patrons for your continued library support. February is Library Lovers’ Month, and there is no better time to acknowledge and celebrate libraries’ incredible impact on our community.
Your generosity allows us to provide essential resources, educational opportunities, and engaging programs for people of all ages. As a non-profit organization, we rely on the support of our community to ensure that our library remains a vibrant and accessible place for everyone.
In honor of Library Lovers’ Month, we invite you to consider making a tax-deductible donation to help sustain our efforts in serving the needs of our diverse community. Your contribution will directly support our mission of promoting literacy, lifelong learning, and cultural enrichment.
Together, we can continue to foster a love of reading, inspire curiosity, and create a welcoming space for all who walk through our doors. Thank you for being a part of our library family and for your commitment to making a difference in the lives of others. Your support is truly appreciated and significantly impacts the valuable work we do.
There are other ways to support your library, too.
Supporting Your Library
- Volunteer. Read more about volunteer opportunities here.
- Nominate your library as your community, school, or corporate organization’s project for the year.
- Buy your library a subscription to a popular magazine.
- Book Dedications: Honor a friend or relative’s birthday with a book for the library.
- Remember your library in your estate planning.
- Give to the library through your company’s matching program for charitable giving.
- Support the Friends of PCL volunteer group.
- Visit the Friends of PCL’s onsite bookshop.
- Let your voice be heard! Use social media and write to news outlets to express your concerns and support libraries as vital resources in your community.
- Attend local government meetings to urge city and county legislators to invest in libraries. This would save substantial tax dollars and help people of all ages become more literate and productive.
- Support library referenda in elections.
- Write to your state and federal legislators and demand that library service be viewed (and funded) as a necessary public service.
- Grassroots: Speak up for libraries at campus or community groups, PTA, Chamber of Commerce, and faculty groups.
- Invite your librarian to talk at functions or meetings to promote library services and needs.
Free Trees in Partnership with Neighborhood Forest
Celebrate Earth Day
Parkland Community Library celebrates Earth Day by participating in the 16th annual Neighborhood Forest Free Trees for Kids program again this spring. RSVP for yours and pick them up at the library during Earth Week at the end of April.
Please consider donating to this worthy cause!
The Parkland Community Library is a dropbox location that assists the Parkland CARES Food Pantry as a food collection site! We will collect four items to support our Parkland Snack Pack program, which currently serves over 450y students monthly and aims to reach 900.
Celebrate Diverse Authors This February
Take the time to celebrate and support diverse authors and their contributions to literature. From powerful memoirs to gripping novels, a wealth of stories await exploration. By exploring and uplifting the voices of black authors, we can gain a deeper understanding of our society’s diverse experiences and perspectives. Take this opportunity to broaden your reading list and celebrate the richness of black literary voices.
Death of the Author: A Novel
A disabled Nigerian American woman pens a wildly successful Sci-Fi novel, but as her fame rises, she loses control of the narrative.
Murder in Berkeley Square
After Lady Abigail Worthing and her neighbor, Stapleton Henderson, get snowed in at a dinner party held at the home of Lord Charles Duncan, one of London’s most powerful magistrates, an evening of dinner and debates turns deadly.
We Mostly Come Out at Night: 15 Queer Tales of Monsters, Angels & Other Creatures
Short Stories
A YA anthology of short stories ranging from horror to romance, featuring classic and original monsters and creatures and highlighting authors from the LGBTQIA+ community, including Claire Kann, Kalynn Bayron, Jonathan Lenore Kastin, and H.E. Edgmon.
Other Days of Note and Recommendations
American Heart Month
American Heart Month raises awareness each February to encourage everyone to focus on cardiovascular health and highlight heart disease and prevention. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.
Our heartbeat isn’t a straight line, nor is the journey to better heart health. Improving our heart health isn’t always easy, but it can be fun! Focusing on the activities that work best for you and your lifestyle can keep you on track to better heart health. Remember, it’s your heart health, your way. This February set the stage for your new healthy lifestyle with guidance from your library’s collection.
February 1
Saint Brigid’s Day, Imbolc
Saint Brigid’s Day is generally held on February 1, about halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, marking the beginning of spring. This celebration is also called Imbolc, a traditional Gaelic festival. Along with Beltane, Lughnasadh, and Samhain, Imbolc is among the four Gaelic seasonal festivals. For Christians, it is the feast day of Saint Brigid, Ireland’s patron saint. For those with spring fever and gardeners, it is a good time to venture out to the garden to look for blooming snowdrops.
February 2
Groundhog Day
Place a hold.
Groundhog Day was brought into legend in 1886 and celebrated in Gobbler’s Knob in the great state of Pennsylvania. People worldwide visit to celebrate spring, trying to catch a glimpse of the world’s renowned weather predictor, Puxatuany Phil, a groundhog of legendary status.
February 14
Valentine’s Day Movies, Books, and More
Get ready for Valentine’s Day with movies, books, comics, and more! From sweet love stories to funny comedies, you’ll find the perfect film to enjoy with someone special. Explore great picks that will make your Valentine’s Day one to remember! hoopla offers access to a vast collection of books, videos, and music, all free with your library card. Borrow, stream, and download content on iOS, Android, Kindle Fire, and more. Only Available to PCL Home Library Patrons (Parkland School District and Northwestern residents only).
Best of hoopla | Cozy Mysteries
Explore cozy mysteries filled with fun and adventure! Perfect for fans of lighthearted whodunits, these stories mix suspense and humor for a delightful read or entertaining watch.
Chinese Cinema
Go to the collection.
Explore the world of Chinese cinema! Discover exciting movies that showcase rich stories and unique cultures. From action-packed adventures to heartfelt dramas, this collection highlights the talent and creativity of filmmakers from China. hoopla offers access to a vast collection of books, videos, and music, all free with your library card. Borrow, stream, and download content on iOS, Android, Kindle Fire, and more.
Valentine’s Day Movies, Books, and More
Celebrate Library Lovers Month with digital media highlighting the joy of reading and the importance of libraries in our communities. Discover beloved books, engaging stories, and insightful resources that showcase the magic of libraries. hoopla offers access to a vast collection of books, videos, and music, all free with your library card.
Event Spotlight
Storytime Break: February 17-21
Return your log sheets, claim any applicable prizes, and enter the raffles.
Winter Reading Challenge ends February 22.
Rebel Girls Club
January’s gathering had 13 Rebels present at our club. Suzanne, our host, brought her deck of “Inspirational Women” playing cards. A card was dealt to each rebel, and she read to the group about the inspirational woman on her card. It was delightful to discover that most of the Rebels were familiar with many of the women on the cards!
Using resources from the Rebel Girls website, we discussed the importance and value of keeping a journal. The Rebels each had individual reasons for journaling, such as remembering special times, keeping a personal history to look back on in the future, saving favorite photos, drawing, sharing feelings, etc. The Rebel Girls website provided Journal Prompts to add to our books. Some Rebels even wrote their first journal entries here tonight! Stay tuned for the reappearance of the playing cards, as all attendees enjoyed them. We will be featuring them again in March for Women’s History BINGO!
Nanny Loft Safe Sitter Program, Returns
Friday, February 14, 9:30am-4pm
If you could not attend the October session, teens have another chance! Learn how to be a responsible babysitter with the guidance of expert instructors! The course will cover various topics, including first aid basics, standard CPR, behavioral tips, and child development basics. It is best for aspiring sitters ages 12-18.
IdeaLab-
Spark your Creativity
Tuesday, February 18, 1-8pm
Our library offers access to some great tools for your creative projects. You can use our 3D printer, Cricut Machine, and Babylock Sewing Machine. Remember to bring your supplies, but we do have some resources available for a small fee if needed. Feel free to drop by and get started on your next project!
Celebrate Freelance Writers Appreciation Week with our Wordsmith Workshop at PCL!
Learn some new writing skills with Patrick Crerand of DeSales University. We encourage curious patrons to bring their projects, such as memoirs, poetry, journals, etc., for constructive criticism and to get tips to take their writing to the next level! Learn how to critique with gratitude and grace to expand our creativity. We meet monthly to check your progress and stay motivated to finish your assignment. RSVP.
Stories in the Schools
Your library would like to welcome everyone back to Stories in the Schools 2025. Discover a nearby school and join in on this enjoyable family event. Photo by USA Architects About The Parkland Community Library will host Stories in the Schools as part of the Parkland School District’s Summer Library program. PCL staff and volunteers…
July Library News
2025 Get ready for an exciting July at the library! We’re thrilled to invite you to join Libby’s Library Big Read, featuring the captivating book “The Storyteller’s Death.” The best part? You can borrow it instantly without any wait time or holds. The Summer Reading Club is in full swing, so be sure to log…
Helping Our Community with Plant A Row
Get involved in your community by participating in Plant A Row with PCL! Whether you have a green thumb or are new to gardening, Plant A Row is an excellent opportunity to make a positive impact. Donating just one row of your garden or some produce can help provide nutritious food to those in need. …