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Youth Events & Programs – December 2025
Reading Dragons
Collect Reading Dragon cards by spending time reading – these cards can be played in battle or simply hoarded, as a true dragon would. Pick up a Reading Tracker at the Youth Desk to embark on your new reading adventure!
Teen DIY Kits: Snowflake Ornaments
While supplies last, stop by the Teen Room to snag a bag full of all the materials you need to complete a creative project! This month, make a snowflake printed wood slice ornament, just in time for your winter festivities!
Mondays, December 1 & 15
Books for Babies Lapsit
10:00 – 10:30 AM. For ages 0-23 months. Stories, songs, and bouncing babies! Read and rhyme with your little one, and connect with other caregivers.
Tuesday, December 2
Teen Game Night: Holiday Edition
6:00 – 7:30 PM. For grades 6-12. It’s game on for the holidays! Join us for Teen Game Night filled with epic rounds of your favorite games, snacks, and plenty of festive cheer. Bring your best moves, your favorite people, and your holiday spirit!
Thursdays, December 4 & 18
Snowy Stories
10:00 – 10:45 AM. All ages welcome. Imaginations abound at this snowy story time, where we share books, music, bubbles and a craft!
Saturday, December 6
Muppet Marathon
12:00 – 5:00 PM. We will be showing A Muppet Christmas Carol 'til the library closes for the day! Stop in to warm your hands & hearts with the classic story and songs sung by favorite characters Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, and more. Feel free to come and go while also enjoying the Winter Market taking place outside in City Park.
Sunday, December 7
Gingerbread Workshop
1:00 – 5:00 PM. Spend time together building and decorating a house out of graham crackers, frosting, and an assortment of sweets! Please select one of the sessions to attend and register each child who will be participating. Session 1: 1:00 – 2:00 PM. Session 2: 2:30 – 3:30 PM. Session 3: 4:00 – 5:00 PM.
Mondays, December 8 & 22
Crochet Club
3:30 – 5:00 PM. Registration Required. For grades 6-12. Whether you're new to crochet or a seasoned stitcher, come join us to learn new techniques, share tips, and connect with other crochet enthusiasts. If you have your own supplies and project, bring it along.
Monday, December 8
Read to a Dog
4:00 – 5:00 PM. Registration Required. A therapy dog is visiting the library and wants to listen to you read! Register to get a 15-minute session with the dog-on-duty.
Tuesday, December 9
“A Charlie Brown Christmas”: 60th Anniversary
6:00 PM. Celebrate the 60th anniversary of the beloved animated Peanuts special, first aired on television on this day in 1965. All are invited to enjoy the show with free popcorn at the library!
Wednesday, December 10
Pajama Story Time
6:00 – 6:30 PM. All ages welcome. Cozy up for Pajama Storytime at the library, where kids can enjoy enchanting bedtime tales in their comfiest PJs! Join us for a magical evening of stories, songs, and snuggles!
Wednesday, December 11
Jr. Melty Magic
4:00 – 5:00 PM. Registration Required. For ages 6-11 years. Kids can choose one of our design templates to create their own perler bead magnet or keychain with the help of their accompanying adult!
Thursday, December 13
Teen Movie Night: Superman
5:00 PM. Bring your friends and drink with a lid for a movie screening at the library! Free popcorn and water provided.
Tuesday, December 16
Pokemon Hangout
4:30 – 5:30 PM. For ages 5-12 years. Do you want to be the very best, like no one ever was? Join fellow trainers to battle, trade, and try even more fun activities!
Wednesday, December 17
To Be Read…Book Club
4:00 – 5:00 PM. Registration Required. For grades 6-12. Register to get a free copy of this month’s book pick at the Youth Desk, read it, and join us to talk all about what you loved, hated, wished, and everything in between! Our December read will be A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid.
Friday, December 19
Drop-In Playtime
10:00 – 11:00 AM. For families with children ages 1-5 years. Enjoy engaging sensory activities! All Families are welcome to join. This open play is especially great for kids with multi-sensory needs.
Saturday, December 20
Read to a Dog
10:00 – 11:00 AM. Registration Required. A therapy dog will be visiting the library and wants to listen to you read! Each young reader will have 15 minutes with the dog-on-duty.
Tuesdays, December 23 & 30
Winter Break Movie Matinees
1:00 PM. Spend your day off from school enjoying a movie & free popcorn at the library! For a safe and smooth event, we ask that parents or guardians accompany all children inside the library for check-in. An adult must stay with children under 8 years old. December 23: “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2002).” December 30: “Frozen II.”
Adult December Events & Programs
Monday, December 1
Chess Club
6:30 PM A casual environment for masters and novices to meet up to play and enjoy one of the oldest games in the world.
Movie Matinees
Noon At the Edwardsville Public Library. Bring a brown bag lunch, and we’ll provide the drinks and popcorn. Please call the library or go to our website for movie titles.
Saturday, December 6 & 20
Chair Yoga
10:00 AM Instructor Julie Hamilton leads this class using many common yoga poses.
Sunday, December 7
Bits & Pieces Junk Journal Club
2:00 PM Bring all necessary supplies to work on your junk journal in a welcoming, no pressure environment.
Monday, December 8
The Rough Drafts Writing Club
6:00 PM Bring your current project or start something new. One hour of dedicated writing time and a half hour to discuss and share thoughts & ideas.
Wednesday, December 10
Adult Crochet Club
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Registration Required Come join us to learn new techniques, share tips, and connect with other adult crocheters.
Wednesday, December 10
Melty Magic: Perler Bead Craft Night
5:30 PM Registration Required Join us for a relaxing evening of creativity and nostalgia as we craft & melt our own Perler Bead creations. Let your imagination run wild and make a one-of-a-kind art piece that you can turn into a magnet or keychain.
Thursday, December 11
The Cozy Comics Club
6:30 PM Discussing – Smoking Behind the Supermarket by Jinushi
Monday, December 15
Adult Animation Showtime
6:30 PM Anime club is being revamped to include all forms of adult animation! For this meeting, we will be showing Christmas episodes of Invader Zim, Venture Bros, and Futurama.
Tuesday, December 16
Riveted Readers Book Club
6:30 PM Discussing – Leonard and Hungry Paul by Ronan Hession
Thursday, December 18
Happily Ever After
6:30 PM A romance book club, discussing – The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
Tuesday, December 23
Adult Crochet Club
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Registration Required Come join us to learn new techniques, share tips, and connect with other adult crocheters.
Monday, December 29
Nothing but Vinyl Club
6:00 PM Bring your favorite record and play us your favorite song.
Tuesday, December 2 & 16
Memory Cafe
10:00 AM A welcoming social gathering for people living with changes in memory or thinking, and those who care for them. Talk with others who understand and can share thoughts and ideas.
Thursday, December 4
Kwanzaa Celebration
6 PM Learn about the history and traditions of Kwanzaa with Edwardsville Unity and Dr. Kimberly Moody. Kwanzaa is an annual seven-day celebration of African American culture from December 26 - January 1. First celebrated in 1966, Kwanzaa celebrates history, values, family, community and culture.
Saturday, December 6
A Muppet Christmas Carol Marathon
Noon – 5 PM Starting at noon, we will be showing A Muppet Christmas Carol 'til the library closes for the day! Stop in to warm your hands & hearts with the classic story and songs sung by favorite characters Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, and more. Feel free to come and go while also enjoying the Winter Market taking place outside in City Park.
Looking for a great way to end your day of festive fun? Stick around in the park for the annual Christmas Tree Lighting at 5:30pm!
Tuesday, December 9
Kanopy Classics Film Club
5:30 PM Come join other classic film buffs for a fun night at the library viewing selections from Kanopy, the library streaming platform. For December we will be watching Stalag 17.
Tuesday, December 9
College Open Study Hall
9 AM – 7:45PM Come study for finals week in the library reading room. Snacks and drinks for students will be provided
Saturday, December 13
NAACP Health Fair
10 AM – 1PM Discover local health resources and wellness tools.
Wednesday, December 17
Christmas Tree Beaded Keychain Craft Night
5 PM Registration Required Get into the holiday spirit with a fun, hands-on craft night at the library! Join us to create festive Christmas tree beaded keychains—a perfect seasonal accessory or gift. All materials will be provided.
Wednesday, December 17
Holiday Trivia Night
6 PM How much do you know about the holiday season? What day is Krampusnacht? What job does Herbie the Elf from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer want instead of Elf? What Christmas bonus does Clark Griswold get?
Come to the EPL holiday trivia night, enjoy some snacks and drinks, and see how much you know about the holidays.
Teams of 6 are preferred, if you wish to register individually and be placed on a team, call the Adult Services Department at 618-692-7556 ext 6.
Monday, December 22
Red Cross Blood Drive
10 AM – 3PM Donate blood and save a life. To schedule an appointment, visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter sponsor code: EdwardsvillePL or call 1-800-733-2767
Goshen Voices Oral History Project
Registration Required You are invited to sit down and record your holiday memories for the future generations as part of our new Goshen Voices Oral History Project. You, or you and a friend or family member, can make an appointment to reserve one of our study rooms, an oral history kit containing sample questions, and a digital recorder, and talk about your favorite holiday memories. A copy of the recording will be provided in varying formats. If you have questions about how oral history works or what is involved, please call we are happy to answer any questions.
We are also, as always, providing our digitizing services that can help you turn your photos, slides, negatives, video, and film into digital files that can be shared and preserved. Call to set up an appointment and we will help you to preserve and protect your holiday memories.
Edwardsville Library Friends Gift Wrapping
Need help with wrapping gifts this year? The Edwardsville Library Friends (the ELFs) are offering gift wrapping at the Edwardsville Public Library, 112 South Kansas Street, on the following dates:
Thursday, Dec 18th from 4-7pm
Saturday, Dec 20th from 10am - 4pm
Sunday, Dec 21st from 2-4pm
We supply the paper, tags, and bows. Donations are gratefully accepted for the Edwardsville Public Library.
ELFs will also be wrapping at Books A Million (6601 Edwardsville Crossing Drive) Edwardsville on Saturday, Dec 20th & Sunday, Dec 21st from 12-4pm.
All the Holidays Drop & Swap
Save the Date & Start Collecting Now!
Drop off Days – Jan 7, 8, 9 Swap Day – Jan 10
The library will be closed December 24, 25, 26, 31 & January 1 for the holidays
Contact Us
618-692-7556 ext. 6 edereference@edwpl.org
Greg Kessler, Head of Adult Services gregk@edwpl.org
Kelcey Stewart Adult Services Assistant kelceys@edwpl.org
Greg Guntren Adult Services Assistant gregoryg@edwpl.org