Blog

Beginning Monday, October 8th,  Otto Baum, Inc. (OBI)  will be doing cleaning and repairs to the exterior of the library building. The project will  be completed by November 29, 2018.

We do NOT anticipate any interruption to regular DPPL service during the course of the project.

The scope of work includes  the repair of leaking windows; power washing all the exterior stone and brick; applying a sealant to all the stone and brick; and applying filler to joints that are significantly eroded.

The City of Des Plaines is responsible for the upkeep of the exterior of the library and is paying for and managing this project, not the library.

Continue Reading "DPPL Exterior Repairs Throughout October and November" →

We all know that the brains of young children are primed to notice everything.

I was reminded of this one day when my (then) 3-year old child, eyebrows furrowed, tapped me on the hip until I turned the vacuum off.

3-year-old: “Who’s coming ovah?” (I miss those days of r-less speech!)

Me:  “What do you mean?”

3-year-old: “Well, you’he vacuuming.”  

Me (sputtering indignantly): “I do vacuum other times, you know.”

My inner voice: "Sometimes. Not very often. Oh no. He's probably right."

Me (reluctant sigh):  “Grandma will be here in half an hour.”

In case you were wondering, 3-year-olds do self-satisfied smiles quite well. 

So I had unintentionally created an association that “vacuuming = guests coming over.”

Could be worse, right?*

Continue Reading "Read to Connect: 1KB4K and Patch Club" →

Sometimes when I am at the desk alone I sense someone watching me.

I hear noises all the time. ​Books end up in the wrong place on the shelf!

The library has to be haunted. 

I read enough horror to know a haunted building when I see one.

Continue Reading "The Library Is Haunted!" →

On this episode of the Pint & Click Podcast, Dave, Tony, Joel and Charlie discuss Kanopy, a streaming service available for free to all DPPL patrons and make several recommendations from the eclectic array of films offered by the service. Have a listen below:

To hear previous episodes of the Pint & Click Podcast, subscribe with iTunes or visit our Podomatic page to listen and share. And if you enjoy listening to this podcast, please take a moment to rate and review it on iTunes - it's the best way for us to reach new listeners!

Two questions to ask if you're considering an Echo or Google Home:

Do you enjoy music or radio?

Do you want a hands-free experience?

If you answered yes to these, try out a smart speaker! 

Below you'll find the many reasons why I’m no longer a skeptic.

Continue Reading "Skeptical of Smart Speakers?" →