Family Book Club: From Page to Screen | The Wild Robot

 Tuesday, September 2
5:00PM - 7:00PM
Main Branch, 2nd Floor

Registration is encouraged, but not required; click HERE or call (563) 243-5436.

Join our Family Book Club, From Page to Screen, where stories come to life beyond the pages! Each quarter, we pick a children’s book that was adapted into a movie, and together, we'll explore the magic of both versions. Read the book as a family, then join us to compare the two—exploring how the movie matched our imagination and what changes were made in the transition from page to screen. Wear your pajamas and bring a pillow and blanket (if you want)—it's time to get cozy, read, and watch together!

 

DIY Drop-In Craft Hour

 Wednesday, September 3
5:30PM - 6:30PM
Main Branch, 2nd Floor

This program is for ages 14+ and registration is required; click HERE or call (563) 242-8441.

Join us at the library between 5:30-6:30pm and use leftover craft supplies from this past year to make a unique and fun craft for yourself.

 

Learn to Sew: A Beginner’s Workshop

 Begins Thursday, September 4
Four Classes, 1st Thursdays, Sept-Dec
5:00PM - 7:00PM
Main Branch, 2nd Floor (Makerspace)

Always wanted to learn how to sew but didn’t know where to start? Join us for a hands-on Learn-to-Sew class designed just for beginners! In this friendly, no-pressure workshop, you’ll get comfortable with the basics of both hand and machine sewing.

This program is for ages 10+ and registration is required (9 spots available); view more information and register for all four classes by clicking HERE, or call (563) 242-8441.

 

Fiber Friends | Weekly Craft Club

 Begins Tuesday, September 9
Meets Every Tuesday
5:00PM - 7:00PM
Main Branch, 2nd Floor

Registration is encouraged, but not required; click HERE or call (563) 242-8441 to register for the first meeting.

Join us for a cozy and creative gathering of fiber arts enthusiasts! Whether you're passionate about crochet, knitting, or other fiber crafts like weaving, embroidery, or felting, this club is the perfect place to share your skills, learn new techniques, and connect with fellow makers.

All skill levels are welcome—from beginners to seasoned crafters. Volunteer Cath Martin will be on hand to offer guidance and teach knitting techniques to those interested in learning or improving their knitting skills.

Bring your current project or start something new. Limited yarn, crochet hooks/knitting needles are provided. Other materials are not.

Open to all ages and experience levels. Come stitch, chat, and be inspired! 

 

Ice Cream Party | Clinton Reading Challenge

 Wednesday, September 10
5:00PM - 6:30PM
Main Branch, Main Floor

Clinton Reading Challenge participants are invited to get a FREE ice cream treat to celebrate the end of the reading challenge. Participants can visit the library any time from 5 – 6:30 pm to get their sweet treat. People can choose to enjoy it at the library or take it to go! 

Registration is encouraged but not required; click HERE or call (563) 242-8441. Please RSVP by Tuesday, Sept. 9th to ensure we have enough ice cream for everyone. Registration will close at 11:59pm on Sept. 8th.

Clinton Reading Challenge Results will be announced on Tuesday, Sept 9th.

 

Make, Mend, Repair

 Begins Thursday, September 11
Meets 2nd Thursdays
5:00PM - 7:00PM
Main Branch, 2nd Floor (Makerspace)

Don’t toss it—fix it! Join us for Make, Mend, Repair, a creative, community-centered workshop where you’ll learn basic repair skills to extend the life of your clothes, textiles, and small household items.

Bring something you’d like to fix—like a broken zipper, a missing button, or a broken stuffed animal or toy—or just come to learn!

Registration is encouraged, but not required; drop-ins and all ages welcome. View more information and register by clicking HERE, or call (563) 242-8441.

 

Information Fair

 Wednesday, September 17
4:00PM - 6:00PM
Main Branch

Connect with representatives from over thirty local organizations about free and low-cost resources that can support your education, finances, health, and more. As you learn about community resources, enjoy free food, enter to win exciting raffle prizes, and explore the Clinton Public Library. People of all socioeconomic backgrounds can benefit by attending.

The Information Fair is hosted annually by the Clinton Public Library and the Council of Social Agencies of Clinton County.

 

Clinton's Front Door: The History of Clinton's Railroad Depots

Presented by Dave Bahnsen

 Saturday, September 20
1:00PM - 2:00PM
Main Branch, 2nd Floor

Registration is required; click HERE or call (563) 242-8441.

325 11th Avenue. Not an address that comes to mind for most Clintonians. Yet, for 50 years, this address was Clinton's front door, greeting Presidents, movie stars, and the general public daily. The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad passenger station has a rich and colorful history forever tied to the city. When it was opened in 1920, only Milwaukee and Chicago had a larger depot on the railroad. The weekly payroll of the C&NW in Clinton, even then, was larger than the monthly payroll of all the sawmills combined in their heyday. Please join us to hear about the fascinating heritage and history of this building, and more!

Dave Bahnsen, a native of Clinton, is a historical researcher and volunteer at the State of Iowa Historical Society library in Iowa City, IA and works for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. 

 

Halloween Costume Swap

 Drop-Off: September 22 – 27
Costume Swap: Fri & Sat, October 3 & 4
Main Branch, Youth Floor

Looking for a fun, budget-friendly, and eco-conscious way to celebrate Halloween? Join us for our Halloween Costume Swap at the Clinton Public Library! Bring your family’s gently used costumes and accessories to the library and trade them in for something “new-to-you”! Whether you're a witch, a superhero, or a spooky skeleton, there’s something for everyone. Families with children of all ages are welcome to peruse the selections. Let’s reduce waste, save money, and make this Halloween magical for everyone!

Click HERE to find out more information about how it works, what you can bring, and costume swap times.

 

LibraryTALK Drop In

 Tuesday, September 23
4:00PM - 6:00PM
Main Branch, Main Floor

Share your thoughts on how the library is doing! Whether you have ideas, feedback, or just want to chat, library staff will be available to listen – and we’ll have snacks. You can drop in anytime during the session, and it’ll only take 5–10 minutes. Your input will help us better serve our community!

 

LibraryTALK Drop In

 Wednesday, September 24
9:30AM - 11:30AM
Main Branch, Main Floor & Lower Level

Share your thoughts on how the library is doing! Whether you have ideas, feedback, or just want to chat, library staff will be available to listen – and we’ll have coffee and donuts. You can drop in anytime during the session, and it’ll only take 5–10 minutes. Your input will help us better serve our community!

 

Creative Explorers

 On Break, Returning September 16
Tuesdays at 3:30PM (NEW TIME!)
Main Branch, Lower Level

Join us for an afternoon of play and learning! The Creative Explorers (formerly Afternoon Adventures) program offers a space for children to create, explore, and discover. Through fun and interactive programs, we aim to provide patrons of all abilities and stages of learning with the opportunity to learn about the world around them in a hands-on way.

Caregivers are encouraged to stay in the building and participate with their children. Children under the age of 8 are not to be left alone in the building without a caretaker at least 14 years of age.

 

Storytime

 On Break, Returning September 17
Wednesdays & 1st/3rd Saturdays at 10:30AM
Main Branch, Lower Level

Storytime is offered continually, with breaks occurring in late December and August. Join us for fun, stories, songs, puppet shows, and a craft to take home!

 

Wiggle Time

 On Break, Returning September 16
Tuesdays at 10:30AM
Main Branch, Lower Level

We will have songs, toys, and bubbles for you and your baby or toddler to interact! This is a great chance for kids and caregivers to socialize with each other and their peers. This program is suited for ages 0-3.

 

Vibe Out

 On Break, Returning September 19
Fridays, 2:00PM - 4:30PM (NEW TIME!)
Main Branch, 2nd Floor

Teens, join us on Fridays for anime, crafts, and snacks!

 

All-Ages Chess Club

Where Every Move Matters!

 First and Third Saturdays (starting in June)
2:00PM - 3:00PM (may go longer)
Main Branch, Lower Level

Welcome to the All-Ages Chess Club, a vibrant community where chess enthusiasts of all skill levels come together to share their passion for the game! Players of all ages—children, teens, adults, and seniors—can connect over the chessboard. Whether you’re a curious beginner or a seasoned grandmaster, our club provides a friendly and inclusive environment for everyone.

 

LEGO Club

 2nd and 4th Saturdays
2:00PM - 3:00PM (may go longer)
Main Branch, Lower Level

Join us on 2nd and 4th Saturdays in an all-ages LEGO club. Show off your building skills, learn some tricks of the trade, complete a mini build challenge, or enjoy some open building time with buckets of bricks.

On Writing Darkly Charming Villainous Love with Hannah Nicole Maehrer
 Wednesday, September 3, 6PM

New York Times Bestselling Author and TikTok Superstar

See More and Register

 

Argue Less and Talk More with Communication Expert Jefferson Fisher
 Wednesday, September 10, 1PM

New York Times Bestselling Author and Social Media Sensation

See More and Register

 

Our Failed Attempts to Make English Eezier to Spell with Author Gabe Henry​​​​​​​
 Wednesday, September 17, 1PM

Simplified Spelling Historian and Author of Enough is Enuf and Eating Salad Drunk

See More and Register

 

 

#52Stories

 First Saturdays
Main Branch, 2nd Floor

On every headstone or plaque, there are two dates separated by a dash. How do you define your dash? The #52Stories genealogy project provides the inspiration you need to write down one story every week for a year by using a handwritten journal, blog, voice, or video recording. During this meeting we will chat about what we are doing with our own #52Stories project by sharing our stories & photos.

 

Bring Your Own Book Club

 Main Branch, 2nd Floor

Formerly Lyons Reads, this book club is relaxed and we have fun conversations about books and authors. We each read our own book and discuss it with our group.

 

The Plarn Project

Note: Not meeting in September.

 Main Branch, 2nd Floor

Plarn is plastic yarn that is made from plastic shopping bags. This material is used by local volunteers to make comfortable sleeping mats for the homeless. Upcycling these plastic bags is a way to help our community and also reduce the amount of plastic going into landfills. If you are interested in donating clean plastic grocery bags & cutting them, please join us to learn more about this project.

 

Let’s Dish: Potluck Club

 Fourth Saturdays
Main Branch, 2nd Floor

Calling all foodies! If you have an appetite for new foods and fun conversations please join us in our monthly Let’s Dish: Potluck Club. To participate, each month you will choose and prepare a recipe that matches the theme for our potluck. Bring that dish, and serving utensils, to our potluck to share family style along with the recipe.

 

Sustainability Club | Help Us Make Boomerang Bags!

 Third Thursdays
Main Branch, 2nd Floor

Do you like to sew? We are looking for volunteers to cut and sew Boomerang Bags, put together take-n-sew kits, and to help us eliminate the use of plastic bags in the library. Boomerang Bags is a global movement to help tackle plastic pollution and to upcycle and recycle fiber to make home-sewn reusable tote bags as an alternative. These bags will then be provided to library patrons to carry their library books.