Local organizer pitches revival of Palos Reads author series tied to Arbor Day

Julia Joseph, who introduced herself as a longtime resident, asked the council to promote a concept to revive the Palos Reads author series and to lock a date tied to Arbor Day and a planned April 2027 visit by author Amy Stewart. "My name is Julia Joseph, and I've called Higgins Park home for my almost my entire life," Joseph said, describing the village's love of trees and the community value of author events. Joseph told the council that past Palos Reads events partnered with local libraries and drew large audiences.

Joseph said the publisher has previously accepted returns on unsold copies and suggested splitting the speaker fee among neighboring communities to reduce costs; she noted that the speaking fee is about $3,000 and that the village could recoup some costs through book sales. The mayor and other council members expressed support for reviewing funding options and exploring collaboration with nearby libraries and committees; the council asked staff to follow up and report back with options for how the event could be staged and financed.