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16th Annual Family Reading Festival

Celebrating the Week of the Young Child

2023-04-22 10:00:00 2023-04-22 15:00:00 America/New_York 16th Annual Family Reading Festival Fun for the entire family! Hands-on activities, free books, balloon twisting, Outback Ray, and of course, musician Jim Gill! Performers are sponsored by the Lucy & Emily Beasley Charitable Trust. Main Library -

Saturday, April 22
10:00am - 3:00pm

Add to Calendar 2023-04-22 10:00:00 2023-04-22 15:00:00 America/New_York 16th Annual Family Reading Festival Fun for the entire family! Hands-on activities, free books, balloon twisting, Outback Ray, and of course, musician Jim Gill! Performers are sponsored by the Lucy & Emily Beasley Charitable Trust. Main Library -

Fun for the entire family! Hands-on activities, free books, balloon twisting, Outback Ray, and of course, musician Jim Gill! Performers are sponsored by the Lucy & Emily Beasley Charitable Trust.

Get ready to sing, clap, dance and spin along during this visit by award-winning musician and author Jim Gill.

Jim Gill’s distinctive music play creates the spirit of a family room in the concert hall and is an invitation to children, parents and grandparents to sing and play together!

Jim Gill is a musician and author with unique credentials among children's artists. Jim is a child development specialist, completing his graduate studies in child development at the Erikson Institute of Chicago with a special emphasis on the study of play. For this reason, each of Jim's recordings and books is created as an opportunity for playful interactions between a child and a caring adult. Anyone who has experienced one of Jim's family concerts knows that rather than performing for the children and parents, Jim leads them to sing and play together.

Jim has released ten award-winning CDs of music play for young children that are favorites in family rooms, classrooms and playrooms. Jim is also the author of two children's books, "A Soup Opera" and "May There Always Be Sunshine."

Performers are sponsored by the Lucy & Emily Beasley Charitable Trust.

10:45 am - He's Back! Musician Jim Gill's Sing-a-thon of Celebrated Songs

11:45 am - Outback Ray and his amazing animal friends. See captive-born exotic animals up close and personal!

1:00 pm - Jim Gill - afternoon matinee performance

Local community organizations will share hands-on activities and information about services for families.

Each child in attendance will take home a free book sponsored in part by Children & Books.



Week of the Young Child: Join us for a fun-filled week, April 17-21, celebrating early learning, young children, their teachers, families, and communities. Visit our online calendar to discover more events and activities encouraging movement and healthy lifestyles through music, food, and art.

Main Library

Phone: 330.643.9000
Branch manager
Michael Bianchi

Hours
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Mon, Jul 06 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Tue, Jul 07 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Wed, Jul 08 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Thu, Jul 09 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Fri, Jul 10 10:00AM to 6:00PM
Sat, Jul 11 10:00AM to 5:00PM
Sun, Jul 12 1:00PM to 5:00PM

About the branch

Drive-up Window closes fifteen minutes before the building closes for the day.

Main Library, located in the heart of downtown Akron, combines compelling public space with meaningful and relevant public library services for all members of our community. Since opening in 2004, the downtown library welcomes more than one million visitors each year.

Subject divisions include: Business, Government & Science, Culture & AV, Magazines & Newspapers, Special Collections (local history & genealogy), TechZone@Main, Teen, and a 12,000 square feet Children's Library.

Special services available at Main Library include: a Patent & Trademark Resource Center; U.S. Passport and Notary services; a Microbusiness Center; a Maker Space; a resource lab for early childhood educators; and regularly scheduled computer training classes. Also available at Main Library are more than 125 public access computers, color photocopiers/printers, laminating, scanning, faxing, and free Wi-Fi.

Specialized spaces include a 425-seat auditorium, public meeting rooms, and a used bookstore. An interior glass block walkway leads to a 600-space parking garage owned by the City of Akron. An outdoor amphitheater and landscaped park complete the complex.

Upcoming Events

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Mon, Jul 13, 10:30am - 11:00am
Children's Library Programming Room

Mon, Jul 13, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
TechZone

Tue, Jul 14, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Educator Lab
Registration is now closed

Tue, Jul 14, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Rescheduled
Tue, Jul 14, 1:00pm - 2:30pm
New date Tuesday, July 14, 3:00pm - 4:00pm

Tue, Jul 14, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Teen Meeting Room
This event is full

Wed, Jul 15, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Jul 15, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
TechZone

Wed, Jul 15, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Jul 15, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Wed, Jul 15, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
TechZone

Wed, Jul 15, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Jul 16, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Jul 16, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Jul 16, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Jul 16, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Educator Lab,Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Jul 16, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Teen Meeting Room

Thu, Jul 16, 6:15pm - 8:00pm
Auditorium

Fri, Jul 17, 10:30am - 11:00am
Children's Library Programming Room

Fri, Jul 17, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Teen Meeting Room
Registration is now closed

Sat, Jul 18, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Meeting Room 2AB

Sat, Jul 18, 2:00pm - 4:30pm
Auditorium,Meeting Room 1

Mon, Jul 20, 10:30am - 11:00am
Children's Library Programming Room

Mon, Jul 20, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
TechZone
This event is full

Tue, Jul 21, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Educator Lab
Registration is now closed

Tue, Jul 21, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Tue, Jul 21, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Teen Meeting Room

Wed, Jul 22, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room
This event is full

Wed, Jul 22, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
TechZone

Wed, Jul 22, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Jul 23, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Jul 23, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Jul 23, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Jul 23, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Educator Lab,Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Jul 23, 6:15pm - 8:00pm
Auditorium

Fri, Jul 24, 10:30am - 11:00am
Children's Library Programming Room

Fri, Jul 24, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Teen Meeting Room
Registration is now closed

Sat, Jul 25, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Auditorium

Sat, Jul 25, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Educator Lab,Children's Library Programming Room

Cancelled
Sat, Jul 25, 2:00pm - 4:00pm

Mon, Jul 27, 10:30am - 11:00am
Children's Library Programming Room

Mon, Jul 27, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Mon, Jul 27, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
115 E Market St Akron, Ohio 44308

Tue, Jul 28, 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Teen Meeting Room

Tue, Jul 28, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Tue, Jul 28, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Educator Lab
Registration is now closed

Wed, Jul 29, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Jul 29, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Jul 29, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
TechZone

Thu, Jul 30, 10:00am - 4:00pm
Quiet Study Room 1

Thu, Jul 30, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Jul 30, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Jul 30, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Jul 30, 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Library Park/Amphitheater

Thu, Jul 30, 6:15pm - 8:00pm
Auditorium

Fri, Jul 31, 10:30am - 11:00am
Children's Library Programming Room

Fri, Jul 31, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Teen Meeting Room
Registration is now closed

Sat, Aug 01, 11:00am - 3:00pm
Meeting Room 2AB

Sat, Aug 01, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Mon, Aug 03, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Mon, Aug 03, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
TechZone
Registration opens Monday, July 13 2026 at 10:00am

Tue, Aug 04, 12:15pm - 1:00pm
Business, Government & Science

Tue, Aug 04, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Wed, Aug 05, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Aug 05, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Aug 05, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Computer Lab 1,Computer Lab 2,TechZone
Registration opens Wednesday, July 15 2026 at 10:00am

Wed, Aug 05, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
TechZone
Registration opens Thursday, July 16 2026 at 5:30pm

Wed, Aug 05, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Teen Meeting Room

Thu, Aug 06, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Aug 06, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Aug 06, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Aug 06, 6:00pm - 7:15pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Aug 06, 6:15pm - 8:00pm
Auditorium

Fri, Aug 07, 10:30am - 11:00am
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Aug 08, 10:00am - 4:00pm

Mon, Aug 10, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Mon, Aug 10, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
TechZone
Registration opens Monday, July 20 2026 at 10:00am

Tue, Aug 11, 12:15pm - 1:00pm
Business, Government & Science

Tue, Aug 11, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A