Nannies, caregivers and families in Wilmette get two free events at the public library this September as part of a national Welcoming Week.

Nanny Appreciation Day returns Friday, Sept. 11, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Wilmette Public Library, 1242 Wilmette Ave. Youth Services staff will provide coffee and treats for caregivers while children do art projects and play. The event is an annual tradition, according to a library blog post published Sept. 3, recognizing nannies and caregivers as a vital part of the library community.

A week later, the National Good Neighbor Day Celebration on Friday, Sept. 18, at 4 p.m. brings together three Wilmette organizations for a family-friendly afternoon of service projects and activities.

The League of Women Voters of Wilmette will run voter registration, ballot research and a mock election. The Human Relations Commission of Wilmette will invite visitors to create bookmarks for home-delivery recipients and senior centers. Haven Family Services, a Wilmette-based counseling organization, will lead a friendship bracelet-making station.

Additional stops include a Teen Volunteer Program table, a Maker Station craft, a reading nook with books about making a difference, a collaborative Welcome poster coloring station, and free snacks and giveaways. Attendees who visit every station win a prize.

The Sept. 18 event draws inspiration from "The Circles All Around Us" by Brad Montague and Kristi Montague, a picture book about expanding circles of connection from self to family to community to the wider world.

Both events fall under the library's Welcoming Week programming, tied to a national initiative organized by Welcoming America. The 2026 theme is "Stories We Share: The Courage to Connect." The library is also installing a new StoryWalk of "Thank You, Neighbor" by Ruth Chan at Hibbard/Vattman Park and setting up book displays focused on friends, neighbors and welcoming.

Creating a welcoming environment is a stated goal of the Wilmette Public Library's strategic plan. The library opened its blog post with a line from Mr. Rogers: "Imagine what our real neighborhoods would be like if each of us offered, as a matter of course, just one kind word to another person."

Both events are free. For details, call (847) 256-5025 or visit the library's event page.