Stinson Memorial Public Library District is a proud member of Illinois Libraries Presents. Illinois Libraries Presents offers access to incredible virtual programming to participating libraries. One of the organization’s main goals is to provide high-quality, high-profile events that highlight national names and social justice/DEI issues, that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive for single libraries to hold on their own.


These events are made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering premier events. ILP 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). ILP is committed to inclusion and accessibility. To request accommodations, please email [email protected].

Upcoming Events:

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Ruth E. Carter: Interweaving Tradition and Imagination Through Costume Design

Join us for a special event with Ruth E. Carter, two-time Academy Award-winning costume designer. Carter made history as the first Black person to win an Academy Award in Best Costume Design for the film, Black Panther. She received a second Academy Award in the same category for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Ruth E. Carter’s ability to develop an authentic story through costume and character made her one of the most sought after and renowned costume designers today. Best known for turning the Black Panther superhero into an African king, Carter is the first Black woman to win multiple Academy Awards in any category and the first costume designer to win for the first film and its sequel. Carter is known for her research and diligence to the craft of costume design, specifically for her work on films such as Spike Lee’s Malcolm X, Steven Spielberg’s Amistad and Ava DuVernay’s Selma

In addition to Academy Award nominations and wins, Carter won accolades and recognition from the Costume Designers Guild, Black Reel Awards, Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, American Black Film Festival, San Diego Film Critics Society, among many others. She also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Ruth E. Carter will be joined in conversation with Aisha Harris, co-host of NPR’s PopCulture Happy Hour and author of Wannabe.

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The Hidden Gifts of Visual Thinkers with Dr. Temple Grandin

Join us for a special event with Dr. Grandin, one of the world’s most accomplished and well-known adults with autism. Dr. Grandin has been at the forefront of research and activism for autism and neurodiversity for decades.

Her memoir, Emergence: Labeled Autistic, was published in 1986 and she has continued to write about autism and neurodivergence over the decades. Her most recent book is Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures, Patterns, and Abstractions.

Dr. Grandin’s research and understanding of animal behavior spearheaded a reform in the quality of life for agricultural animals worldwide.

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The Many Lives of Kal Penn

Kal Penn (kalpenn.com) is an actor, writer, producer, and former Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. He is known for his starring roles in Designated Survivor, House, Mira Nair’s The Namesake, the Harold & Kumar franchise, and the Christmas comedy The Santa Clauses for Disney+. His first book You Can’t Be Serious was released on November 2, 2021 from Simon and Schuster/Gallery Books. He also narrates the audiobook.

He was a national co-chair for the Obama/Biden re-election campaign in 2012 and served on the President’s Committee for the Arts and Humanities, focusing on arts education and cultural diplomacy, including the first-ever US Government arts delegation to Cuba. Penn taught courses at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, Los Angeles. Originally from New Jersey, he received his undergraduate degree in sociology, theater, film, and television at the University of California, Los Angeles, and received a graduate certificate in international security from Stanford University. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Earlier in the year, Penn wrapped production on the Bloomberg Green climate change docuseries, Getting Warmer, and the Viacom/Paramount + comedy, Surina & Mel. Following the departure of Trevor Noah from The Daily Show, Kal was named as an upcoming guest host.

Kal Penn will be joined in conversation with Bridget Petrites, Evanston Public Library.

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