Happening at the library
It’s time for Summer Reading Club (or SRC as we fondly call it) again! The professional life of a children’s librarian revolves somewhat around this yearly ritual. It is something we work on. All. Year. Long. It may sound like I think it’s tedious, but really it’s a wonderful thing, for lots of reasons. Let me tell you about one of the reasons by way of a story…
Continue Reading "Exercise Your Summer Reading Superpowers" →
Spotlight
Back in 1979, the kids summer reading theme at the library was "Super Heroes Are Super Readers." The kids wrote letters to some celebrities of the day - their Super Heroes - and a lot of the celebrities wrote back. Twelve of those Super Hero letters have been preserved on Des Plaines Memory, the library's online local history and culture collection, including a letter from my former Super Hero, Bruce Jenner.
Spotlight
When I first heard of Bitcoin the first image that came to me was of a pirate testing the gold content of a coin by biting it. But, in this case 'bit' refers to binary unit or the smallest unit of information in computing. And of course, coin, refers to the oldest form of currency. Therefore, digital currency. Bitcoin is not without its conflicting aspects. So, I'll use the two sides of the coin analogy to outline the conflicts while trying to describe what Bitcoin is.
Continue Reading "Bitcoin, Digital Currency or Online Payment System?" →
Spotlight
Reading can be many things. It’s a private enterprise. It can drastically lower stress-levels and help sharpen the mind. Above all, it can help us discover more about ourselves and the world around us by allowing us to process ideas and information through the filter of our very existence. However, it can also be a social pursuit. Discovering how others react to something that we’ve read and hearing their perspectives based on their own life experiences can go a long way in gaining a deeper understanding of it. Reading the same book can also lead to meeting fellow readers and developing a broader network of book recommendations.
Continue Reading "Book Groups: Connecting through Reading" →
Staff Picks
It's my favorite time of the year. SYNC is here. What is SYNC? SYNC is a fantastic program sponsored from AudioFile Magazine and runs from May 15th until August 14th. Each week two audiobooks are available for users to download on their computer and keep for free. One is a classic/required reading title and the other is a current YA book. The program is aimed at listeners 13 and older, but with the rise in popularity of YA books in adults, there are titles listed that adults will love as well.
We open at 9:00am today.