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Illinois LIbraries Present

Illinois Libraries Present provides high-quality online events at equitable prices for participating Illinois public member libraries of all sizes and budgets. We connect communities and audiences across the state through shared event experiences.

ILP is committed to inclusion and accessibility. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and Closed Captioning are provided for all events by default—no special request needed. To request accommodations not listed, please email illinoislibrariespresent@ila.org.


Fall 2025 Registration

Use the "Register Now" botton to register for these virtual programs via ZOOM. You will be sent a link to join the program via email. Watch the program at home or by using a library computer. Questions? Consider scheduling a 30-minute One-on-One session.


Marissa Bode

Beyond the Screen: A "Wicked" Conversation with Marissa Bode

Dates Tuesday, October 21
Time 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Time Virtual Program

Ages  Adults and Teens 13+

Details Registration Required

Register Now

Prepare for a magical evening as Illinois Libraries Present welcomes actress Marissa Bode. Bode made her feature film debut as Nessarose in Academy Award-winning blockbuster, Wicked, directed by Jon M. Chu. 

Join us to explore Bode’s early inspirations and performances, leading up to her portrayal of Nessarose in Wicked. As the highly anticipated sequel Wicked: For Good approaches, we’ll reflect on what makes the story so meaningful to Bode and audiences around the world. Bode will also share personal stories and insights from her time on stage, the challenges and rewards of being part of an iconic production, and what the future holds for her career.

Amanda Finn will join Bode in conversation. Finn is a queer theater, lifestyle, and travel journalist based in Chicago. Their work has appeared in the Chicago Reader, American Theatre Magazine, Yahoo, Huffington Post, and more.


Kenji López-Alt

Kenji López-Alt: A Journey Through Food and Science

Dates Tuesday, November 18
Time 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Time Virtual Program

Ages  Adults

Details Registration Required

Register Now

Join award-winning cookbook author, New York Times food columnist, and Serious Eats director J. Kenji López-Alt for an evening of cooking insights, techniques, and foodie exploration.

As the Culinary Director for Serious Eats, Kenji is known and loved for his thoroughly-tested and explained recipes and food features. His James Beard Award-winning cookbook, The Food Lab, uses evidence-based testing to show you the best ways to cook things. A former chef and restaurant worker, Kenji is also the author of The Wok, a best-selling children's book, Every Night is Pizza Night, and co-hosts ‘The Recipe with Kenji and Deb,’ a podcast that helps you discover your own perfect recipes with his friend Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen. On YouTube, Kenji’s Cooking Show celebrates that food’s main goal is pleasure and inspires home cooks to take their food where they want it to go! When he’s not cooking or writing, Kenji enjoys spending time with his family, playing music, and exploring Seattle.

Chicago’s Billy Zureikat joins Kenji in conversation. Billy Z is a home cook and baker with a story as unique as the flavors he whips up in his kitchen. After being diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy, sandwiches and pizza became his canvas, including the infamous "Tripping Billy" pizza. Billy has collaborated with more than 90 restaurants to raise $73,000 for Muscular Dystrophy, and he’s just getting started.


RL Stine

Still Afraid of the Dark: An Evening with R.L. Stine

Dates Tuesday, February 24
Time 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Time Virtual Program

Ages  Adults, Teens, and Youth Ages 9+

Details Registration Required

Register Now

Witty, creepy, and compulsively readable, bestselling author R.L. Stine defined horror for a generation of young readers. The generation that grew up with the Goosebumps franchise may be grown, but Stine keeps finding ways to keep us afraid of the dark! Join us with The Guinness Book of World Records’ “most prolific author of children’s horror novels,” R.L. Stine, to discuss his illustrious and still-expanding body of work.

Best known for the Goosebumps and Fear Street series (and their respective TV and movie adaptations), R.L. Stine has sold over 400 million books worldwide in 35 languages. His recent and upcoming works include The Last Sleepover, which is the fifth installment in the Goosebumps: House of Shivers series; The Graveyard Club, a YA graphic novel illustrated by Carola Borelli; multiple Fear Street movies, including Fear Street: Prom Queen; and Goosebumps: The Vanishing, the second season of the Goosebumps reboot TV series. 

Becky Spratford, acclaimed horror maven and editor of Why I Love Horror: Essays on Horror Literature, will join R.L. Stine in conversation.

Preview of Upcoming ILP Events

Bringing History to Life with Jonathan Eig
Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Still Afraid of the Dark: An Evening with R.L. Stine
Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Beyond the Page with Percival Everett
Thursday, March 19, 2026

Cristina Henríquez: Voice, Culture, and Human Connection
Thursday, April 16, 2026

Babel-On with R.F. Kuang
Tuesday, May 19, 2026


ILP logo


These events are made possible by Illinois Libraries Present (ILP), 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 the 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).