May 1: Alpha Book Club meets at 3:00 pm in the Main Library Community Room, discussing Maisie Dobbs, by Jacqueline Winspear. Check the book out, read it, and discuss it with our daytime book group. Book discussions open to all who have read the selection.  Age group: Adults.

 May 2: Employment 101: Employment Basics Workshop, 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm, Rock Island Main Library. Learn what you need to know when starting a new job, with a session led by Anita Hatalsky, program representative for the Illinois Department of Employment Security. Time allowed for audience participation, so bring your questions. Age group: Adults.

 May 3: Spring Gardening with Craig Hignight, 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm, Rock Island Main Library Community Room. How can you make your garden beautiful and productive? Kick off gardening season with one of the Quad Cities' foremost gardening experts, Craig Hignight. You may remember Craig from gardening segments on Newschannel 8, by meeting him at Wallace's Garden Center, or at his former nursery in Coal Valley. Get answers to your questions, and learn from Craig's knowledge and skills just what you need to do to make your garden grow. Age group: Adults.

May 4: May the Fourth Be With You, 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, Southwest Branch Community Room. The library hosts a special after-branch hours event for all ages that celebrates all things Star Wars for "May the Fourth Be With You" Day. Activities include a movie showing, Star Wars crafts, and trivia for prizes. All ages.

May 4: Independent Movie Night at the Main Library, 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Free showing of independent movies from the Film Movement catalog. This month's movie is set in Japan and the USA, and is a comedy/drama about two best friends who have spent 15 years touring in a performance art punk band. The movie is not rated. Age group: Adults.

May 5, 6: Rock Town Lit Fest, a two-day celebration at the Main Library of literature showcasing authors and publishers from around the Quad Cities and the Midwest, presented by Midwest Writing Center and Rock Island Public Library. The Main Library is also one of the stops on the "What's Up Downtown RI" open house on Saturday, May 6, from noon to 4 pm. More than 40 businesses will be open in the downtown Rock Island area. Besides stopping by for author readings, panel discussions, and meeting authors and publishers, the library will have a history display on the first floor. Admission is provided at no charge to all events.

 Friday, May 5: Rock Town Lit Crawl, 6 pm to 8 pm for all readings. After hours event featuring consecutive readings with local and regional authors at three different venues. The Lit Crawl starts at 6 pm with four author readings in the Midwest Writing Center office (ground level of Rock Island Main Library). Guests and participants should enter via the Midwest Writing Center door on the 4th Avenue side of the library. Additional readers will be at the Blue Cat Brew Pub and Rozz-Toz locations at 7 pm and 8 pm, respectively.

May 6: Rock Town Book Fair, 10 am to 4:00 pm, Rock Island Main Library and Midwest Writing Center space, 2nd and ground floors. Events include a book fair with authors and publishers on the second floor, panel discussions at 10 am, noon, and 2 pm, also on the second floor, and readings from 11 am to 4 pm in the Midwest Writing Center on the ground floor.

May 9: Southwest Family Craft: 6:00 pm at the Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road. Participants will make a bouquet of felt flowers and a cup of tea card for Mother's Day. Registration requested: Call branch at 309-732-7338 or register online.

May 16: Last Call Book Club, Third Tuesday each month, 7:00 pm, Icons Martini Bar, 124 18th St, Rock Island IL. Enjoy a cocktail or two while talking about this month’s book! This group meets in the back room of Icons. Drinks are available for purchase. Must be 21 or older. Discussing Euphoria, by Lily King

May 17: 30/31 Book Club: 6:30 pm, on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at the 30/31 Branch. All those who have read the book are welcome to attend. Discussing Hiding in Plain Sight by Nuruddin Farah. Age group: Adults.

May 23: Southwest Branch Book Club -6:00 pm at the Southwest Branch. All those who have read the book are welcome to attend. The group will discuss She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb. Age group: Adults.

May 25: Tween and Teen Gaming Night, 4:00 to 6:00 pm, Main Library. Please note new time for this monthly event. Play Wii U, Xbox 360 and Wii video games, board games, and see what you can catch in Pokemon Go. Age group: 8 to 18.

All of the above events are provided at no additional charge.

For details about more Rock Island Library events, including Reading by Design summer programming, visit the library website, call 309-732-READ or follow the Rock Island Library on social media.