Illinois Libraries Present

Illinois Libraries Present

Lake Bluff Public Library is a member of Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering premier online events. Through this partnership, we are able to offer you access to a variety of high-profile events that highlight national names and social justice/DEI issues. You can register for these events through the links below or from our full events calendar.

Illinois Libraries Present is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). Learn more about Illinois Libraries Present on their website.

Upcoming Programming

James McBride


An Evening with James McBride | 2/4 at 7pm | Register Here
James McBride is an award-winning author, musician, and screenwriter. His landmark memoir, The Color of Water, was published in 1996 and his novel, The Good Lord Bird, won the National Book Award for Fiction. His 2023 novel, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, was named one of the New York Times’ 100 Notable Books of 2023. A recipient of the National Humanities Medal in 2016, McBride is a Distinguished Writer in Residence at New York University. 

Amy Tan


Slowing Down with Amy Tan | 2/19 at 7pm | Register Here
Amy Tan is the daughter of immigrant parents from China, and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. Best known for her novel The Joy Luck Club, which was adapted into a 1993 film, Tan also has several other popular novels, short story collections, children's books, and a memoir. 

In 2016, Amy began taking nature journaling classes with John Muir Laws. During the pandemic shutdown, she spent long hours observing the behavior of wild birds in her backyard. Her editor, Dan Halpern, suggested she turn those pencil sketches, colored portraits and journal notes into an illustrated book, The Backyard Bird Chronicles, published in April 2024 by Knopf, which became an instant #1 bestseller. Her drawings were on special exhibition at the Roger Torey Peterson Institute. 

Amy serves on the board of American Bird Conservancy, the National Poetry Series, and The Community of Writers.  She lives with her husband and their dog in California and New York.  

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