Join the Alpha Park Library, the Limestone Township, & the Bartonville Park Committee each month at the for coffee, donuts, socializing, and a guest speaker.  This program runs April through November each year. 
Held at the Clubhouse in Alpha Park (across from pavilions).  Social time from 8am to 8:25am with a speaker from 8:30 - 9:00am.  

Speakers:

April 2024 - BINGO 

May 2024 - Local Opal        https://www.localopal.org/  

June 2024 -  Ed Stermer, Local Geology & the GeoHeritage Trail for Kickapoo Creek

July 2024 - Airport        https://www.flypia.com/    

August 2024 - Birdwatching       

September 2024 - TBD 

October 2024 - Peoria County Animal Protection Services (PCAPS)

November 2024 - Christmas Volunteer Day 

December - March -- Closed 

Highlights from July's Senior Coffee:

Joke of the Day (by Deanne)

Two guys grow up together but after college, one moves to Georgia and the other to Texas. They agreed to meet every 10 years in Florida to play golf. At age 32 they meet, finish their round of golf, and head for lunch. "Where do you want to go?"  "Hooters." "Why Hooters?" "They have those servers with big boobs, tight shorts, and gorgeous legs." "You’re on."

 At age 42 they meet and play golf again. "Where do you want to go for lunch?" "Hooters." "Again? Why?" "They have a cold beer, big screen TVs, and side action on the games." "Okay."

At age 52 they meet and play again. "So, where do you want to go for lunch?" "Hooters." "Why?" "The food is good and there is plenty of parking." "Okay."

At age 62, they meet again.  After a round of golf, one says, “Where do you want to go?” Hooters. Why? Wings are half-price, and the food isn’t too spicy. Good choice.

At age 72 They meet again. Once again, after a round of golf, one asks "Where we go for lunch?" "Hooters." "Why?" "They have 6 handicapped parking spaces right by the door and they have senior discounts". "Great choice."

At age 82 they meet and play again. "Where should we go for lunch?" "Hooters." "Why?" "Because we’ve never been there before." "Okay, let’s give it a try."

Highlights from June's Senior Coffee:

Joke of the day (by Deanne)

There were identical twin brothers who lived together. One happens to be a well-respected dentist and the other can’t seem to keep a job. Instead of actively looking for work, he likes to sit around the home. One Saturday, the dentist is hungry and puts his brother on the spot. He tells him to get off his lazy behind and get them some food. After some protest, the lazy brother takes the car and leaves for the store. In the meantime, the dentist takes a nap on his day off. He turns off his phone so he would not be interrupted.

About 30 minutes later the lazy brother gets into a head-on collision in the intersection by the store. His vital signs were fading. He’s unconscious and barely moving. An ambulance picks him up and rushes him to the hospital. He ends up in the ER under observation, but his condition is critical. They try calling his brother, but he doesn’t pick up, his phone is off.

The dentist wakes to a knock at the door. Suspecting a solicitor, he ignores it, but the knocking continues. Eventually, he resolves to get up and yell at the person at the door.

When he opens the door, he sees the Grim Reaper standing there. He looks just like the movies portray him, a skeleton with a long black tattered cloak.

The Grim Reaper swears,” Oh no! This always happens with identical twins.”

“What do you mean?” said the dentist. “Well, if you must know your brother was in a critical car accident and I’ve come to take him to the underworld. I’m afraid his time on earth has ended. I’ll take my leave now.”

The dentist is noticeably upset. He says,” Wait, isn’t there some way I can challenge you for my brothers’ life? After all, you made the mistake. Certainly, there must be a way I can bargain for his life.”  

The Grim Reaper asks, ”What do you have in mind?”

The dentist thinks, ”How about a challenge? If I beat you, you let my brother go free. The Grim Reaper laughs.” I will beat you in any challenge. What do you propose? “

The dentist smiles, “I propose we see who has the cleanest teeth after 5 minutes of brushing,  then we decide.

“Very well.” says the Grim Reaper who makes his way to the bathroom. He gets a toothbrush and loads it with toothpaste and begins brushing. After 5 minutes the shiniest teeth anyone has ever seen glisten and make the room bright.

The Grim Reaper grins, “You are foolish, human, but you are entitled to your chance.”

The dentist takes his brush and loads it with toothpaste and starts brushing like a madman. When his 5 minutes are up he smiles. It's unbelievable! The shine from the dentist’s teeth is so beautiful that he can see the Grim Reaper's reflection in his perfectly clean teeth. The winner is obvious!

The Grim Reaper hangs his head in shame. “You win human, this time your brother will live.”

He disappears in a puff of smoke. At the same instant, the bedridden brother wakes up in the hospital not only is he uninjured but seems perfectly healthy. Suddenly the phone next to his bed rings. It's his dentist brother.

He picks up, "Hey bro you’ll never believe what happened. Apparently, I went out to the market and got hit by a car. They say I almost died!

The dentist smiles on the phone and says,” That’s interesting bro. Today You might say that I also had a brush with death.”

Highlights from May's Senior Coffee:

Joke of the day (by Deanne)

Three sisters were in a very bad accident and all three died! When they get to the gates of heaven, St Peter is there to greet them.  He says to the three, “We only have one rule here in heaven. Don’t step on a duck! If you do you will be chained to the ugliest man here for the rest of eternity.”

They were thinking that it wouldn’t be a problem, but when they walked through the gates, they saw ducks EVERYWHERE!

No sooner than they walked in the first sister stepped on a duck! St Peter immediately appeared with the ugliest man the three had ever seen and chained him to the first sister.

The second sister was careful for three weeks when totally by accident she stepped on a duck!

St. Peter was there in an instant, because he sees everything, of course. He had another of the ugliest men they had seen, and she was chained to him for all eternity.

No, the third sister didn’t want that to happen to her and so she was very, very careful. Four months later St Peter appeared but he had the most handsome man she had ever seen on a chain. The man was tall, well-built, and had beautiful eyes!

The third sister said,” I don’t know what I did to deserve this!”

The man said, “I don’t know about that but I stepped on a duck!”

Highlights from April's Senior Coffee:

Joke of the day (by Deanne)

Three brothers aged 92, 94, and 96 live in a house together. One night the 96-year-old draws a bath, puts his foot in, and pauses. He yells down the stairs, “Was I getting in or out of the bath?”

The 94-year-old yells back, “I don’t know, I’ll come up and see.” He starts up the stairs and pauses, then he yells down, “Was I going up or down the stairs?”

The 92-year-old was sitting at the kitchen table having a coffee listening to his brothers. He shakes his head and says ”I sure hope I never get that forgetful.” He knocks on wood for luck. He then yells, "I’ll come up and help you both as soon as I see who is at the door.”

The Library at Your Door!

Long-Term Homebound Service:

Available to anyone unable to get to the library on a regular basis, this service brings you monthly deliveries of regular or large print books, audiobooks, movies, and more. Service is available to your home or to a senior residence and care facility within the Alpha Park Public Library District.

Short-Term Delivery Service:

Short-Term Delivery Service is available to library district residents of any age who will need delivery service for less than 4 months. This service is used while recovering from surgery or a prolonged illness, etc.

Make It Happen:

To request homebound delivery services, contact the Outreach Specialist at 309-697-3822 x91, or email kindred@alphapark.org.

Application:

Please either fill out the application below, or download the form and email it to kindred@alphapark.org.

Or fill out the form below.

Pop-Up Libraries

We currently offer a Pop-Up Library in Glasford every Tuesday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Glasford Village Hall (301 S Oak Street).

We also offer a Pop-Up Library in Mapleton at the Hollis Park Recreation Center (10107 S Vine St) daily during their hours of operation.

Check Out:

Choose from an assortment of books, movies, games, technology, and more available for checkout in your hometown. Check out materials with your library card or take a free book home and add it to your own library.  You can also get help with your homework!  And, there are treats! 

Get Carded:

Receive a library card on the spot and learn how to use it to check out books, eBooks, and eAudiobooks.

Get Smart:

Discover something new through interactive programming and hands-on demonstrations for all ages. We can also help connect towns with services like legal support, financial assistance/education, health care, the Wellmobile, food banks, or other needs.

Library programs can be brought directly to patrons at schools, daycares, businesses, Senior Centers, and other community gathering places. They are also available for book clubs, homeschool groups, local festivals, fairs, and more.
Examples include:

Schools/Homeschools/Daycares:

• Library Tours
• Story Times & Book Talks
• Library Use Instruction
• Research Instruction
• Library at Your School
• Homework Help
• Pop-Up Library

Senior Living Communities:

• Book Delivery
• Book Talks
• Programs
• Technology Classes/Assistance
• Memory Kits/Program

For Kids & Families:

• Special and Seasonal Events
• Park Story Time
• Technology Classes/Assistance
• Homework Help

Free recorded books, magazines, and playback equipment are available by mail or app to eligible Illinois residents who are blind, visually impaired, physically disabled, or reading disabled. Contact Kindred, Outreach Specialist at 309-697-3822 x91 or email kindred@alphapark.org to assist with enrollment or get the application from the State of Illinois Talking Book program at 800−426−0709.

Current Locations – Alpha Park, Union Hall,  and inside Big Mike's Donuts

We keep our Little Free Libraries stocked with all types of books for all ages: fiction and nonfiction, picture books, early readers, chapter books, YA, mysteries, romance, and more! Little Free Libraries encourage readers of all ages to take a book home, read it, share it, and return it!

The Alpha Park and Union Hall Little Free Libraries were created by Nico Contreras for an Eagle Scout project in 2021.

 On June 9th, 2024, the Alpha Park Library Outreach Department hosted its first Bigfoot Cleanup Day at Alpha Park. Using the Litter Kits provided by the library, we cleaned up the park after the pool days Carnaval with 5 outstanding volunteers. 

 Monroe Grade School held an Incentive Behavior Party at the Library for all Kindergarten and 1st Grade students with excellent behavior all year! These students attended a special train-themed storytime, featuring How to Train a Train By Jason Carter Eaton. After the story, the students boarded the library train for a magical library tour before ending the day with free play and a coloring book gifted by Amtrak!

March 23, 2024 was the annual Safety of Senior TOTALLY FREE event sponsored by the Bartonville Police Dept and the Alpha Park Library.  Over 30 vendors were on hand to talk to seniors about safe living, common scams, staying active, health and retirement,  finding a hobby, and more!  Speakers were Illinois State's Attorney Jodi Hoos and Peoria County Sheriff's Office Victim Services Coordinator, Aimee Shinall.  Attendees could sign up for drawings, enjoy refreshments, and talk with local organizations including the Police, Fire Dept, Sheriff's and local US Represtative Sharon Chung.  And, the mobile DMV was set up to renew licenses. 

This annual event will return in 2025!