A wide selection of summer events designed to help Rock Island Public Library guests learn about history, raising poultry, making crafts, and more topics start Monday, June 5, with a free program on Abraham Lincoln.  Dr. Bill Hampes, Black Hawk College professor emeritus, will discuss "The Humor of Abraham Lincoln." at 2:00 pm at the downtown (Main) Library, 401 19th Street. The free program features the multiple ways the 16th president used humor in his speeches and political life. Dr. Hampes, a retired professor of psychology and sociology, will draw on what psychologists and others have learned about humor to show how Lincoln’s sense of humor reflected a complex personality.

Next is a topic of interest to anyone considering a backyard flock, now that Rock Island and a few other cities have passed backyard chicken ordinances.  (The Fine Art of) Raising Backyard Chickens starts at 5:30 pm on Monday, June 12, also at the downtown library. The program features speaker Chris Nordick of Beacon Woods Farm and Flowers of Milan. "Farmer Chris" will explain how to raise urban chickens, including how to choose breeds, whether to order or hatch chicks, manage pests, maintain the flock, and care, feed, and shelter your chicken. The library will have copies of the Rock Island ordinance and application available for review.

Carrying through the theme of Reading by Design are three craft and creative events for adults at the downtown library:

• Scrabble Tile Coasters by Design, offered at 6:00 pm on Thursday, June 15, lets participants create a four-word coaster using Scrabble letter tiles.
• The Color Happy! adult coloring party returns for one night on Monday, June 26 at 6:00 pm. Participants can relax and color in a group setting, using either free pages and bookmarks from the library, or their own unfinished projects. Supplies will be available. or participants can bring their own art materials.
• Participants can create a Book Page Wreath at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, July 5. The craft builds art out of words, building a front-door wreath from recycled book pages.

The library turns its attention back to history in mid-July with the first of nine programs on World War I. The series, Over There: A Look Back at the "War to End All Wars," offers a chronological examination of World War 1 by Army Sustainment Command historian George Eaton. The first discussion on Unrestricted Submarine Warfare is at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, July 12 at the downtown library. Future WW I topics will be featured on the second Wednesday of every other month at the downtown library, with events alternating between afternoon and evening sessions, until Nov. 14, 2018. Please see the library website or newsletter for the full list of topics.

To wrap up summer, the library helps guests get their personal book collections in order with "Organize Your Home Library," presented by professional organizer Dr. Jill Bjerke. The free event is offered at 4:00 pm on Monday, July 31 at the Rock Island Library - Southwest location, 9010 Ridgewood Road. Dr. Bjerke, owner and president of Cut the Clutter Company, Davenport, will offer tips and tricks on sorting your books, choosing shelving, preserving books, and how to display your collection.

All of the above events are free and open to the public. None require registration. 

The library’s Reading by Design summer reading challenges for adults, children, teens and families kick off Saturday, June 10 with a free "Build a Better Summer Event" from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm at the downtown library, 401 19th Street. 

For more details on library events and services, visit the library website, call 309-732-READ or sign up for the library’s email events newsletter, Library Lines.