May We Draw Your Attention to These Events?

Japanese Storytelling, Spoken Word Showcase, Free Comic Books, Genealogy Tools, and More Coming Up at Rock Island Public Library

New events are blooming at the Rock Island Public Library in the first few weeks of May. Two late April events start off the first partial week of May:

On Monday, April 29, the Rock Island Public Library hosts a free showing of the Chicago Stories documentary, Ida B. Wells. The 2pm event is in the Community Room of the Downtown Library, 401 19^th Street. Ida B. Wells was a 19th century investigative journalist, civil rights leader, and passionate suffragist who found in power in her pen through anti-lynching and civil rights campaigns.

On Tuesday, April 30, acclaimed Japanese storyteller Kuniko Yamamoto takes the stage at the Rock Island Library Watts-Midtown Branch for a Quad City Arts Visiting Artist performance. The 2 pm show is in the branch's auditorium at 2715 30^th Street, and is open to all ages. Kuniko Yamamoto enchants audiences of every age with dramatic storytelling using myths and fables from ancient and modern Japan, spiced with social revelations to educate and amuse. In Magical Mask, Music and Mime of Japan Kuniko uses traditional Japanese music, handcrafted masks, stylized movement, and a touch of magic to create an artistic balance of illusion and reality. Every program encourages audience interaction and participation.

May then springs into gear Wednesday with a Spoken Word Showcase from Narratives QC, a Quad City non-profit that empowers young adults to build confidence, create competence, and increase connection.

Narratives QC hosts their first spoken word showcase at 6 pm, Wednesday, May 1 in the auditorium of the Rock Island Public Library Watts-Midtown Branch. The event features young adults who have been practicing how to express their stories in Narratives QC workshops. Their stories weave tapestries of verse through spoken word poetry. The public is encouraged to show their support for their work by packing the house for this free event.

On Saturday, May 4 from 11 am to 1 pm, attendees of all ages can pick up free comic books at the Free Comic Book Day event at the Watts-Midtown Branch, 2715 30^th Street. Free Comic Book Day is an annual event hosted by comic book publishers on the first Saturday in May. While they're picking out comics for all ages, guests can enter the library's Free Comic Book Day art contest. Entry forms will be available at the event.

First Full Week of May:

Interested in springing into a new job? Learn how to create a resume and search for work at a Free Job Search workshop led by Black Hawk College Career Services. The free event is offered at 12:30 pm Monday, May 6 at the Rock Island Library's Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road. It offers an overview of how to create a professional resume, and best practices and strategies for finding jobs. (If that time doesn't work, a second workshop will be offered at 11 am on May 13 at the Downtown Library.)

On May 7, the Rock Island Library starts a new three-part Genealogy series that shows participants how to use library services to support their search for ancestors. In the first Genealogy Tools of the Trade event, RIPL Reference Librarian James Shearouse leads participants through using the library edition of Ancestry.com. This genealogy database is free to use at any Rock Island Public Library location. The short hands-on workshop is offered Tuesday, May 7, from 3:15 to 4:30 pm in the Downtown Library Community Room. Additional workshops on the library's Heritage Quest and Heritage Hub genealogy tools are offered in June and July.

All Rock Island Public Library-presented events are free and open to the public.

For more information about library services and upcoming events, visit the library's website, call 309-732-READ, or follow the Rock Island Library Facebook and Instagram social media sites.