Harper College Community Education

09/03/2026

Community Education at Harper College Schaumburg campus would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who attended Bookmarks: A Festival for Readers and Writers, co-presented by the Harper College Library.

The event brought together Harper's network of published authors among faculty, staff, students and alumni, along with local authors, area libraries and community members, for a day of panels, readings and conversations about the craft of writing. We are especially grateful to New York Times bestselling author Laurie Gwen Shapiro, author of The Aviator and the Showman: Amelia Earhart, George Putnam, and the Making of an American Icon, for delivering a virtual keynote that anchored the day. Thank you also to Harper's Back Porch R***e for the live music, and to every author, partner and attendee who made this inaugural festival a success. We look forward to building on this momentum in the years ahead.

If you like to learn more about Harper College Community Education, explore here: https://ce.harpercollege.edu/

We have something for everyone!

09/03/2026

09/03/2026

This beginner-friendly class will guide students through the basics of Copperplate script. It will start with an introduction to the essential tools & supplies, & then dive into writing. First, you will learn the basic strokes, followed by the complete lowercase & capital alphabets. Copperplate is k...

08/31/2026

Bookmarks! A Festival for Readers and Writers turned out to be a great event for all who attended. Thanks Vicki for participating.

08/30/2026

08/29/2026

Today’s the Day, and the Story Starts at 10!

Join us today for Bookmarks: A Festival for Readers and Writers, a free celebration of books, creativity and community.

Meet local authors, discover new books, connect with area libraries, attend engaging sessions and readings, enjoy live music and join the community jam.

Plus:

📓 Free composition notebooks for the first 100 guests
🔖 Four bookmark designs
🎁 Free prize drawings throughout the festival
☕ Complimentary light refreshments

Stop by anytime between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. today. Admission is free, and walk-ins are welcome!

📍 Harper Schaumburg Campus
650 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg

Meet authors. Discover new books. Leave inspired.

Details and schedule:
https://harpercollegece.com/bookmarks/

08/28/2026

Elevate your handwriting and discover the timeless elegance of Copperplate Script!

Whether you're brand new to calligraphy or looking to refine your skills, this hands-on course will teach you how to create beautiful letterforms using a pen, nib, and ink. Learn uppercase and lowercase alphabets, master pressure techniques with a pointed nib, and create stunning invitations, envelopes, place cards, and more.

Perfect for creatives, crafters, and anyone who loves beautiful writing!

7:00PM to 9:00PM
Sep 03, 2026 to Sep 24, 2026
Schaumburg Campus

🔗 Learn more and register:

This beginner-friendly class will guide students through the basics of Copperplate script. It will start with an introduction to the essential tools & supplies, & then dive into writing. First, you will learn the basic strokes, followed by the complete lowercase & capital alphabets. Copperplate is k...

08/28/2026

Looking for Saturday Plans? Consider Them Booked!

Tomorrow, Harper College Community Education and Harper College Library are bringing readers, writers and our community together for Bookmarks: A Festival for Readers and Writers!

Stop by anytime between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to:

📖 Meet local authors and discover new books
✍️ Attend presentations, panels, workshops and readings
📚 Connect with six participating libraries
🎶 Enjoy live music from Harper’s Back Porch R***e, or bring an instrument and join the community jam
☕ Relax with complimentary light refreshments

And we have plenty of festival goodies waiting for you!

📓 Remember classic composition notebooks? The first 100 guests will receive one free, perfect for capturing a story idea, taking notes or beginning something entirely new.

🔖 Which one will mark your next great read? Visit the Harper CE table and choose from four Bookmarks designs, each featuring beautiful artwork and an inspiring author quote.

🎁 Feeling lucky? Every guest will receive a free prize-drawing ticket. Drawings will be held throughout the festival, with prizes including signed books from participating authors, book bundles and Harper CE class vouchers. Winners must be present when called.

Come early for the notebook. Stay for the authors, books, drawings, music and festival fun!

📅 Tomorrow: Saturday, August 29 | 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
📍 Harper Schaumburg Campus
650 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg
🎟️ Free and open to everyone. Walk-ins are welcome!

Meet authors. Discover new books. Leave inspired, and perhaps with a few goodies!

Learn more and RSVP:
https://harpercollegece.com/bookmarks/

08/28/2026

Looking Back. Moving Forward.

What can the past teach us about who we are—and where we’re going next?

At Bookmarks, meet three authors whose thought-provoking nonfiction takes readers from the complicated birth of Illinois, through America’s relationship with memory and nostalgia, and into a future increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.

🏛️ In Avenues of Transformation, historian James A. Edstrom explores the surprising path to Illinois statehood. Political ambition, slavery, geography and human failure intertwine in the first full-length book in more than a century to examine Illinois’s admission to the Union.

🔍 In The Art of Looking Back: Joan Didion and American Nostalgia, Maggie McKinley examines how acclaimed author Joan Didion used nostalgia to question American history, identity and cultural myths.

🤖 In Flourish: Coaching Wisdom in the Age of AI, Susan Caesar looks ahead, exploring how human wisdom, emotional intelligence and meaningful connection can help us thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Three books. Three distinct perspectives. One fascinating journey through history, memory and possibility.

Meet the authors and discover their books at Bookmarks: A Festival for Readers and Writers.

📅 Saturday, August 29 | 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
📍 Harper Schaumburg Campus
650 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg
🎟️ Free and open to everyone

Learn more and RSVP:
https://harpercollegece.com/bookmarks/