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Dear Subscriber: The days are still chilly, and the nights still seem long, but there's a lot that you can do to keep busy and enjoy yourself. We've included some new book titles for you to check out. We also have some ideas on how you and your family can make indoor time more fun. We hope you enjoy this issue. Leslie Steiner, Editor, Head of Public Information Services
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Do the Dewey After-hours food and fun at the library. Tickets: $35 in advance, $40 at the door. Invitations available at the library and on the library Web site beginning in March. Phone 847-376-2800 for information. Proceeds benefit the Des Plaines Library Foundation and the Rotary Foundation.
Watch for these new titles. Reserve your copy in advance so
you can be one of the first to read your favorite author's
latest book.
February:
March:
Roberta Johnson, Readers Services Librarian
Does your family have cabin fever? Here are some ways to
have fun together on cold, grey “indoor” days.
Turn off the TV, and get out those old board games that you played as a child. Some of the games help kids develop reading, spelling, concentration and other skills while everyone has a great time. When the library hosts its next Family Game Night on April 24, you'll all be experts! Hand decorate valentines for friends and relatives. Deliver some to residents of nursing homes or hospitals. Or, bring them to the library; we’re collecting valentines to send to our troops in Iraq. While you’re at the library, check out the arts and crafts books in the Youth Services Department for more ideas. Crafts to make in the Winter by Kathy Ross includes easy-to-make season-related projects, such as a pop-up groundhog puppet, a George Washington hat and an Abraham Lincoln mask, as well as a snowman pin, an icy sun catcher and more. 20-Minute Crafts from Hands On Crafts for Kids has lots of quick, creative ideas for families and friends to make, including items to wear, gifts and decorations for a bedroom. Disney's FamilyFun Crafts, edited by Deanna F. Cook and the experts at FamilyFun magazine, has over 500 crafts and activities for birthdays, holidays and every day, including handmade toys, gifts, games and wearable items. How about cooking together? The Youth Services Department has cookbooks with simple, tasty and nutritious recipes. FamilyFun Cookbook, also by Deanna F. Cook and FamilyFun magazine, boasts “250 Irresistible Recipes for You and Your Kids.” Storybook Stew by Suzanne I. Barchers and Peter J. Rauen has recipes related to 41 favorite kids’ books that feature food. The Mother Goose Cookbook by Marianna Mayer introduces young chefs to the delights of reading, cooking and eating with help from Peter Pumpkin, Polly, the Queen of Hearts, Humpty Dumpty and more. Multicultural Meals by KidPower includes information on the spices and staple foods of other countries, along with basic nutrition, cooking terms, safety tips and easy-to-follow recipes. And, don’t forget that the library has lots of free programs for all ages throughout the year. Visit our Web site, and click on Events for our program schedule.
Winter is a great time to catch up on reading or organizing
those old photographs. But, what if you have limited vision?
Or, perhaps you know someone who has difficulty seeing. The
library has a variety of assistive technology devices to
help people with limited vision see or listen to printed
material.
Some of this equipment, such as the desktop magnifier with color monitor, can be checked out with a library card and used at home. Other machines that read printed materials aloud or enlarge images are for in-library use only. The magnifiers have been called a “godsend” by one patron. They can help persons read newspapers, magazines, letters from family and friends, prescription bottles and food labels. Patrons enjoy using the machines for viewing family pictures and have even found them helpful while they are knitting. For more information, visit the assistive technology section of our Web site, drop by the library, or call 847-376-2793. Bob Blanchard, Reference Librarian
Remember the questions your grandchildren were asking you
not too long ago? “What was it like when you were growing
up?” “What did you like to do when you were my age?” “What
was your favorite toy?” Why not take advantage of gloomy
winter days by answering those questions for your loved ones
– in writing.
Memoir writing has become a popular pastime. What better way to leave a part of yourself behind than to write your own story? Everyone has a story to tell. The hard part is getting started. The library has many resources to guide you step-by-step. One particularly helpful one is Bob Greene’s To Our Children’s Children: Preserving Family Histories for Generations to Come. Each section has dozens of leading questions to jog your memory. You might enlist the aid of an interviewer – a child or grandchild who has an interest in preserving family memories. Other helpful resources are:
Your stories can be handwritten or typed on a computer or recorded for later transcribing. When you are finished, you might add some photographs and other memorabilia for interest. Once you are satisfied with your product, take it to an office supply store or printer for binding, or bind it yourself to preserve it for future generations. If you just can’t get started on your own, attend one of the library's six-week memoir writing workshops. "Older Men’s Legacies" will be offered April 5 through May 10. "Older Women’s Legacy" will be offered May 17th through June 21. Advance registration is required for both. (For information, phone David Whittingham at 847-376-2809 or Corky Mayo at 847-376-2811.) Corky Mayo, Readers' Services Assistant
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