March 2019
Read Across America Celebration
Saturday, March 2
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Lincoln Square Mall
Visit with us at Lincoln Square Mall as we join the Urbana Park District and over 40 local businesses and organizations to celebrate literacy! Hands-on activities, storytellers, costumed characters, a special parent and toddler area, local celebrity greeters, and books read in multiple languages make this event a family favorite.
 
The first 1,000 children who attend will receive a free bag and book of their choice!
 
Brazilian Carnival
Sunday, March 3
2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Busey-Mills Reading Room
(First Floor)
Come in costume and celebrate Carnival! Enjoy beautiful Brazilian music by the Elis Artz Quartet. Dance, make crafts, and celebrate at this all ages party!

Growing Up in Two Worlds: Teens Speak Out About Immigration
Wednesday, March 6
7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Lewis Auditorium (Ground Floor)
Many teens in our community come from immigrant or refugees families. Young people from our community - from a variety of backgrounds - will talk about their experiences.

This program is a part of the Library's participation in a National Endowment for the Arts Big Read Program focusing on the novel The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.

From Dust to Planets to Constellations!
Saturday, March 9
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Lewis Auditorium (Ground Floor)
Have you always wanted to know more about our solar system? Join UIUC’s Astronomy Outreach group for a fun afternoon of learning about planets. You’ll even have a chance to make your own constellation!
LEGO ® Palooza
Saturday, March 16
Lewis Auditorium (Ground Floor)
Enter your most impressive LEGO ® creation into our Annual LEGO ® building contest!

Judging will take place 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. by a team of LEGO ®  enthusiasts. Awards will be announced at 1:00 p.m. Public viewing of all projects will be from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m.

Winners will receive a prize!

Make and Take Spring Break
March 18 - 22
All Day
Children's Area
(Ground Floor)
For children and their families

Feeling creative? Come to the Library for our all-day, drop-in craft extravaganza!


Princess Party
Friday, March 22
3:15 - 4:00 p.m.
Lewis Auditorium (Ground Floor)
For children ages 2 and up and their caregivers
Calling all princesses! Join us for princess-filled stories, songs, crafts, and treats. If you like, come dressed as a princess.


Preschool Story Time:
A Visit with Author Alice McGinty!
Thursday, March 28
10:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Busey-Mills Reading Room (First Floor)
For preschool groups and children ages 3 - 5 and their caregivers
Join award-winning author  Alice McGinty  as she shares stories, rhymes, and fun with her picture books like  Ten Little Lambs  and  Pancakes to Parathas: Breakfast Around the World !

Alice McGinty is the author of over 40 children’s books, both fiction and non-fiction. Books include newly released, Pancakes to Parathas: Breakfast Around the World , the 2015 Sydney Taylor Notable book, Rabbi Benjamin’s Buttons , and the 2014 South Asia Book Award honor, Gandhi: A March To the Sea . Eight upcoming titles include Jr. Library Guild Selection, The Girl Who Named Pluto: The Story of Venetia Burney (May, 2019). A frequent presenter at schools and conferences, Alice was awarded the 2017 Prairie State Award for Excellence in Writing for Children. For more about Alice, visit  www.alicebmcginty.com .

This program is presented in collaboration with the  University of Illinois' Youth Literature Festival . For more information about the Festival, including the free Community Day at the I-Hotel on Saturday, March 30, please visit  youthlitfest.education.illinois.edu
Come see us at the
Youth Literature
Festival's Community Day
Saturday, March 30
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Join Library staff at the I-Hotel for the University of Illinois Youth Literature Festival Community Day . Author talks, hands-on activities, and live music will all be a part of the fun. See here for more information about the festival.
Babies' Lap Time
Tuesdays, 10:00 a.m. &
10:45 a.m.
Lewis Auditorium
(Ground Floor)
Toddler Story Time
Wednesdays, 10:00 a.m.
Lewis Auditorium
(Ground Floor)
Preschool Story Time
Thursdays, 10:00 a.m.
Lewis Auditorium
(Ground Floor)
Baby and Toddler Yoga
Saturday, March 23
11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Lewis Auditorium
(Ground Floor)
Spanish Story Time
Saturday, March 9
2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Megan's Reading Room
(Children's Area)
 Crafty Story Time
Saturday, March 16
11:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Megan's Reading Room
(Children's Area)
Second Saturday
Board Games
Saturday, March 9
2:00 - 6:00 p.m.
MacFarlane-Hood
Reading Room (First Floor)
Chess+ for Kids
Saturdays
3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Children's Area
(Ground Floor)
Young Artist's Studio: Finger Knitting
Sunday, March 17
3:00 - 3:45 p.m.
Lewis Auditorium
(Ground Floor)
Teen Open Lab
Monday through Thursday
every week!
3:00 - 5:30 PM
Lewis Auditorium (Ground Floor)
The Lewis Auditorium at The Urbana Free Library becomes the Teen Open Lab most Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons from 3:00 - 5:30 p.m .

Music recording, 3D printing, sewing, reading, drawing, crafting, gaming, film-making, or just hanging out. The Teen Open Lab has something for everyone!
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