Hudson Area Public Library Summer 2025 Newsletter

Level Up Your Reading!!

We’ve got something for readers of all ages during the 2025 Summer Reading Program. Online registration for all ages opens at HudsonAreaLibrary.com on Tuesday, May 20.

Press Start to Read!!

This summer’s program will be divided into two “games”. Readers may pick up their Game One Game Boards beginning May 27. Players must have their Game Boards in hand to start marking their progress through Reading Logs/Levels. A special prize drawing is planned for Readers who pick up their materials between May 27 and May 31!

Press Pause to Visit!!

Beginning Tuesday, June 3, Press Pause in your busy day to visit the library and stop by a Player Checkpoint. Share your Game Board with a library staff member to earn your Level Up drawstring bag and Pixel Prize Passes!

Power Up with Programs!!

Players of all ages are invited to our community-wide Power-Up Party on Wednesday, June 4, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm!  Join us for bounce houses, sno-cones, popcorn, and more! Tweens/Teens are invited to a High Score Hang-out from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on Friday, June 6! Online registration for this Tween/Teen event opens May 20. Space is limited.

2025 Summer Calendar

Hudson History Club—May 19, June 16, July 21, Aug 18; at 7 pm – All are welcome to come learn and share about Hudson’s History

Level Up Your Reading Online Registration OPENS—May 20 – All ages, 0-99, may sign up for the 2025 Summer Reading Program!

Literary Guild Book Club—May 20, July 15; at 7 pm – Request your copy of the current title and join a great discussion!

Book Chat—May 22, June 26, July 24, Aug 28; at 10:30 am – Come enjoy great conversation about the books in your life.

Memorial Day Weekend—May 24 through 26—Library CLOSED

Press Start to Read!!—May 27 – Summer Reading materials pick-up BEGINS!

Press Pause to Visit!!—June 3 – Readers may begin visiting Player Checkpoints to turn in Reading Logs/Levels and earn Pixel Passes along with other incentives!

Community Power-Up Party—June 4; 2 to 4 pm – Come for bounce houses, sno-cones, popcorn, and more! Restrooms will be available but the library will be CLOSED during the event.

Tween/Teen High Score Hangout—June 6; 6 to 8 pm – Go to HudsonAreaLibrary.com to register. Library CLOSED at 4 pm.

Knit & Crochet Group—May 14, June 11, July 9, Aug13; at 2 pm

True Crime Chronicles Book Club—June 17, Aug 19; at 7 pm – Copies of the current selection are available at the library desk. Join us for compelling and insightful discussions.

Independence Day—July 4—Library CLOSED

Game OVER Summer Reading Celebration—July 11; 3 to 4 pm – All ages are invited to a FOAM party! Restrooms will be available but the library will be CLOSED from 3 to 4:30 pm.

Last Day to Visit a Player Checkpoint—July 15

Aspiring Authors, Meet Inkie.org

Inkie.org is a suite of resources – available to everyone in Illinois at no charge – that supports local authors with online creation and publishing tools and allows readers to access locally-produced content.

Inkie.org allows you to:

  • Create an ebook from your manuscript
  • Share your ebook with Illinois readers
  • Enter your work in an annual contest for Soon-to-be-Famous Illinois Authors

Inkie.org Library connects readers to local authors and community collections.

Free Practice Driving Tests

What’s included?

  • 14 car practice tests
  • 9 motorcycle practice tests
  • 27 CDL (commercial driver’s license) practice tests
  • 3 online driver’s manuals (car, motorcycle, CDL)
  • An FAQ section with detailed answers to over 100 questions

Access your free practice tests today!

Video Tutorials


How to search the library online catalog


How to install an e-Resource app to your phone or tablet (Use full screen mode to view)


How to install and use the RSAcat Mobile app (Use full screen mode to view)


How to search for DVDs in the online catalog

Explore More Illinois

Library Cardholder Discounts From Museums and Cultural Attractions

Explore More Illinois is a program developed by the Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS) which allows cardholders from participating RAILS libraries to reserve free passes, discount admission, and other incentives from cultural attractions in Illinois, such as museums, cultural centers, zoos, aquariums, gardens, historical societies, etc.

With your Hudson library card you can take advantage of free/discounted admission and other deals from a wide variety of Illinois museums and cultural attractions. Visit the Explore More Illinois FAQ page.

Go to Explore More Illinois reservation page to view current attractions and deals.

Ancestry.com

Ancestry® Library Edition, distributed exclusively by ProQuest and powered by Ancestry.com, delivers billions of records in census data, vital records, directories, photos, and more.

Ancestry Library Edition brings the world’s most popular consumer online genealogy resource to your library. It’s an unprecedented online collection of individuals from North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and more.

Answers await everyone—whether professional or hobbyist, expert or novice, genealogist or historian—inside the more than 7,000 available databases. Here, you can unlock the story of you with sources like censuses, vital records, immigration records, family histories, military records, court and legal documents, directories, photos, maps, and more.

You can use Ancestry.com on a library computer or your own device when you are logged in to the library’s wifi.

NoveList

With NoveList you can discover read-alikes for your favorite book, series or author. You can find out what book comes next in a series, create lists of books you’ve read or want to read. NoveList keeps you up to date with new releases and award lists. You can print or download discussion questions for book groups and much, much more!

The link to NoveList is in the QuickLinks section. Simply sign in with your library card number and find your next great read!