2026 Flash Fiction Winners

HOLIDAY HOURS TABLE
Date	Hours	Holiday Message	Reason
1/1	0-0	All Library locations are closed Friday, Jan. 1.	New Year's Day 27
3/6	0-0	All Library locations are Closed for Staff In-Service Day on Friday, March 6.	Inservice day
4/5	0-0	All Library locations are closed Sunday, April 5.	Easter
5/24	0-0	All Library locations, including Central Parking Lot and Book Drops, are closed Sunday, May 24 and Monday, May 25.	Memorial Day Eve
5/25	0-0	All Library locations, including Central Parking Lot and Book Drops, are closed Sunday, May 24 and Monday, May 25.	Memorial Day
7/4	0-0	All Library locations will be closed Saturday, July 4.	Independence Day
9/6	0-0	All Library locations are closed Sunday, Sept. 6 and Monday, Sept. 7.	Labor Day Eve
9/7	0-0	All Library locations are closed Sunday, Sept. 6 and Monday, Sept. 7.	Labor Day
11/25	0-17	All Library locations are closed from 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25 through Thursday, Nov. 26.	Thanksgiving Eve
11/26	0-0	All Library locations are closed from 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25 through Thursday, Nov. 26.	Thanksgiving
12/24	0-0	All Library locations are closed Thursday, Dec. 24 and Friday, Dec. 25.	Christmas Eve
12/25	0-0	All Library locations are closed Thursday, Dec. 24 and Friday, Dec. 25.	Christmas Day
12/31	0-0	All Library locations are closed Thursday, Dec. 31 and Friday, Jan. 1.	New Year's Eve

HOLIDAY HOURS TABLE

Date

Hours

Holiday Message

Reason

1/1

0-0

All Library locations are closed Friday, Jan. 1.

New Year's Day 27

3/6

0-0

All Library locations are Closed for Staff In-Service Day on Friday, March 6.

Inservice day

4/5

0-0

All Library locations are closed Sunday, April 5.

Easter

5/24

0-0

All Library locations, including Central Parking Lot and Book Drops, are closed Sunday, May 24 and Monday, May 25.

Memorial Day Eve

5/25

0-0

All Library locations, including Central Parking Lot and Book Drops, are closed Sunday, May 24 and Monday, May 25.

Memorial Day

7/4

0-0

All Library locations will be closed Saturday, July 4.

Independence Day

9/6

0-0

All Library locations are closed Sunday, Sept. 6 and Monday, Sept. 7.

Labor Day Eve

9/7

0-0

All Library locations are closed Sunday, Sept. 6 and Monday, Sept. 7.

Labor Day

11/25

0-17

All Library locations are closed from 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25 through Thursday, Nov. 26.

Thanksgiving Eve

11/26

0-0

All Library locations are closed from 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25 through Thursday, Nov. 26.

Thanksgiving

12/24

0-0

All Library locations are closed Thursday, Dec. 24 and Friday, Dec. 25.

Christmas Eve

12/25

0-0

All Library locations are closed Thursday, Dec. 24 and Friday, Dec. 25.

Christmas Day

12/31

0-0

All Library locations are closed Thursday, Dec. 31 and Friday, Jan. 1.

New Year's Eve

EMERGENCY CLOSINGS TABLE
Date	Hours	Emergency Message	Location
0/0	9-17	Due to inclement weather, all Library locations closed at 5 p.m. today, Wednesday, Feb. 12.	every
0/0	0-0	Due to inclement weather, all Library locations are closed on Friday, Jan. 12, and will be opening late Saturday, Jan. 13, at 1 p.m.	every
0/0	0-0	All Library locations are closed for the rest of the day today, Tuesday, Sept. 12, due to an unforeseen emergency.	every
0/0	0-0	Our Central Library is closed for the rest of the day today, Tuesday, Sept. 12, due to an unforeseen emergency.<br>Our Hanover Park and Hoffman Estates Branches will remain open for regular hours.	central
6/24	0-0	Hanover Park Branch is closed due to a power outage.	hanover
0/0	0-0	Hanover Park Branch will be closed Nov. 13-15 for scheduled repairs.	hanover
0/0	0-0	Hanover Park Branch will be closed Nov. 13-15 for scheduled repairs.	hanover
0/0	0-0	The Hanover Park Branch is closed on Friday, Feb. 24 due to a power outage.	hanover
0/0	0-0	The Hoffman Estates Branch is closed.	hoffman
0/0	13-9	Hoffman Estates Branch opens late on Thursday, Nov. 21, at 3 p.m., due to building maintenance.	hoffman
0/0	0-0	Due to inclement weather, all Library locations closed at 12:30 p.m. today, Nov 29.	every

EMERGENCY CLOSINGS TABLE

Date

Hours

Emergency Message

Location

0/0

9-17

Due to inclement weather, all Library locations closed at 5 p.m. today, Wednesday, Feb. 12.

every

0/0

0-0

Due to inclement weather, all Library locations are closed on Friday, Jan. 12, and will be opening late Saturday, Jan. 13, at 1 p.m.

every

0/0

0-0

All Library locations are closed for the rest of the day today, Tuesday, Sept. 12, due to an unforeseen emergency.

every

0/0

0-0

Our Central Library is closed for the rest of the day today, Tuesday, Sept. 12, due to an unforeseen emergency.<br>Our Hanover Park and Hoffman Estates Branches will remain open for regular hours.

central

6/24

0-0

Hanover Park Branch is closed due to a power outage.

hanover

0/0

0-0

Hanover Park Branch will be closed Nov. 13-15 for scheduled repairs.

hanover

0/0

0-0

Hanover Park Branch will be closed Nov. 13-15 for scheduled repairs.

hanover

0/0

0-0

The Hanover Park Branch is closed on Friday, Feb. 24 due to a power outage.

hanover

0/0

0-0

The Hoffman Estates Branch is closed.

hoffman

0/0

13-9

Hoffman Estates Branch opens late on Thursday, Nov. 21, at 3 p.m., due to building maintenance.

hoffman

0/0

0-0

Due to inclement weather, all Library locations closed at 12:30 p.m. today, Nov 29.

every

GENERAL NOTICES TABLE
Date	Hours	General Message	Reason
0/0	0-0	Central Library elevators are both temporarily out of order.	elevator
0/0	0-0	Due to transitioning to a new catalog, Library account access is unavailable from Sunday, March 9, through Tuesday, March 18.	ILS
0/0	0-0	Please be advised that the public elevator will be out of service on Thursday, Mar. 28 and Friday, Mar. 29. Feel free to call the Library with any questions.	Elevator
0/0	0-0	Due to inclement weather, all Library locations are closed on Friday, Jan. 12, and will be opening late Saturday, Jan. 13, at 1 p.m.	Snow Warning
0/0	0-0	Due to the weather, the Town Square Concert is rescheduled for Tuesday, July 28 from 6:45-8:15 p.m.	Concert Rain
0/0	0-0	Hoffman Estates Branch opens late on Thursday, Nov. 21, at 3 p.m., due to building maintenance.	Repairs Warning
0/0	0-0	For the latest updates and information about tonight's event, please call our hotline at <a style="color:white;" href="tel:1-847-923-3399">(847) 923-3399</a>.	Concert
0/0	0-0	Central Parking Lot Closed Monday, Sept. 1, for repaving. Drive-up book drop not available.	Paving
0/0	0-0	The East entrance ramp will be closed periodically for repairs this week.	Ramp
0/0	0-0	All Library locations are Closed for Staff In-Service Day on Friday, March 6.	InService Early
0/0	0-0	On Tuesday, June 30, the library catalog and some services will be temporarily unavailable. <a style="color:white" href="/about/news/upgrade">See here for full details.</a>	ILS
0/0	0-0	The Hold Lockers at Central are temporarily out of order. Questions about your hold? Call <a style="color:white;" href="tel:1-847-923-3160">847-923-3160</a>.	LOCKERS
0/0	0-0	The Hold Lockers at Central are temporarily out of order. Questions about your hold? Call <a style="color:white;" href="tel:1-847-923-3160">847-923-3160</a>.	LOCKERS
0/0	0-0	The Hold Lockers at Central are temporarily out of order. Questions about your hold? Call <a style="color:white;" href="tel:1-847-923-3160">847-923-3160</a>.	LOCKERS
0/0	0-0	The Hold Lockers at Central are temporarily out of order. Questions about your hold? Call <a style="color:white;" href="tel:1-847-923-3160">847-923-3160</a>.	LOCKERS
0/0	0-0	Elevator temporarily unavailable until further notice.	Elevator
0/0	0-0	The phones are currently not working at the Hanover Park Branch. Please call 847-985-4000 for assistance.	Custom
0/0	0-0	Homepage access will be unavailable on the morning of Monday, Apr. 20, due to system upgrades.	ILS Upgrade
10/12	0-0	All Library locations are open today.	Columbus Day
11/27	0-0	All Library locations are open today.	Day after Thanksgiving
1/19	0-0	All Library locations are open today.	Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
2/16	0-0	All Library locations are open today.	Presidents Day
0/0	0-0	Due to the heat advisory, tonight's Town Square Event has been moved to inside the Central Library.	Town Square

GENERAL NOTICES TABLE

Date

Hours

General Message

Reason

0/0

0-0

Central Library elevators are both temporarily out of order.

elevator

0/0

0-0

Due to transitioning to a new catalog, Library account access is unavailable from Sunday, March 9, through Tuesday, March 18.

ILS

0/0

0-0

Please be advised that the public elevator will be out of service on Thursday, Mar. 28 and Friday, Mar. 29. Feel free to call the Library with any questions.

Elevator

0/0

0-0

Due to inclement weather, all Library locations are closed on Friday, Jan. 12, and will be opening late Saturday, Jan. 13, at 1 p.m.

Snow Warning

0/0

0-0

Due to the weather, the Town Square Concert is rescheduled for Tuesday, July 28 from 6:45-8:15 p.m.

Concert Rain

0/0

0-0

Hoffman Estates Branch opens late on Thursday, Nov. 21, at 3 p.m., due to building maintenance.

Repairs Warning

0/0

0-0

For the latest updates and information about tonight's event, please call our hotline at <a style="color:white;" href="tel:1-847-923-3399">(847) 923-3399</a>.

Concert

0/0

0-0

Central Parking Lot Closed Monday, Sept. 1, for repaving. Drive-up book drop not available.

Paving

0/0

0-0

The East entrance ramp will be closed periodically for repairs this week.

Ramp

0/0

0-0

All Library locations are Closed for Staff In-Service Day on Friday, March 6.

InService Early

0/0

0-0

On Tuesday, June 30, the library catalog and some services will be temporarily unavailable. <a style="color:white" href="/about/news/upgrade">See here for full details.</a>

ILS

0/0

0-0

The Hold Lockers at Central are temporarily out of order. Questions about your hold? Call <a style="color:white;" href="tel:1-847-923-3160">847-923-3160</a>.

LOCKERS

0/0

0-0

The Hold Lockers at Central are temporarily out of order. Questions about your hold? Call <a style="color:white;" href="tel:1-847-923-3160">847-923-3160</a>.

LOCKERS

0/0

0-0

The Hold Lockers at Central are temporarily out of order. Questions about your hold? Call <a style="color:white;" href="tel:1-847-923-3160">847-923-3160</a>.

LOCKERS

0/0

0-0

The Hold Lockers at Central are temporarily out of order. Questions about your hold? Call <a style="color:white;" href="tel:1-847-923-3160">847-923-3160</a>.

LOCKERS

0/0

0-0

Elevator temporarily unavailable until further notice.

Elevator

0/0

0-0

The phones are currently not working at the Hanover Park Branch. Please call 847-985-4000 for assistance.

Custom

0/0

0-0

Homepage access will be unavailable on the morning of Monday, Apr. 20, due to system upgrades.

ILS Upgrade

10/12

0-0

All Library locations are open today.

Columbus Day

11/27

0-0

All Library locations are open today.

Day after Thanksgiving

1/19

0-0

All Library locations are open today.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

2/16

0-0

All Library locations are open today.

Presidents Day

0/0

0-0

Due to the heat advisory, tonight's Town Square Event has been moved to inside the Central Library.

Town Square

November 9, 2026 in Library News

Congratulations to the winners of the 2026 Flash Fiction contest, a creative writing contest where stories are limited to 1,000 words or less. We loved reading through all the amazing entries and listening to your stories — and now everyone can read the winning entries!

Ages 6-8

1st place: Creative Cindy by Amelia Okaz
2nd place: Tasha is a Big Sistir! by Ava An
3rd place: Camping Birthday by Alex Maywright

Ages 9-11

1st place: Mack Mouse Mystery by Benjamin Weiland
2nd place: Going Nowhere by Brianna Kumler
3rd place: Papi's Dancing Shoes by Andrea

Ages 12-19

1st place: What Rises When You Churn by Adrija Saha
2nd place: Lucky by Devyani Joshi
3rd place: Mis Pendejas by Iasmina Kokieva
3rd place: Day 87 by Jenella

Ages 20+

1st place: Mr. Mondegreen by Jim Wormington
2nd place: Are You There by Jonathan Richardson
3rd place: The Dragon and the Cat by Lisa Oates

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2026 Flash Fiction Winners