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Members' Corner

Februrary 2005

Keep up on the achievements of your colleagues. Member's Corner will publish the first Friday of each month.

NSLS Member Award Winners

Library of the Year is Wauconda Area Public Library District; Staff Member of the Year for academic, public, school, and special libraries are Carolyn Anthony, David Bishop, Karrie LaMay, and Penny Sympson; the Innovation Award went to Cook Memorial Public Library District; Legislator of the Year is Representative Lou Lang; Trustees of the Year are Larry Cahall and Noreen Lake; Volunteer of the Year is Robb Lang; Community Advocate of the Year is Irene Overman Kreer; and the Lifetime Achievement Award went to Richard Thompson. Congratulations to all the award winners!

For a full description, visit the awards page.

Communications Improvement Project Web Survey
Random Drawing Prize Winners

Mary Botterman, Fairview Elementary School; Barb Christiansen, Elk Grove Village Public Library; Elizabeth Crane, Round Lake Area Public Library District; Lawrence D'Urso, Mount Prospect Public Library; Lolly Gepson, Northbrook Public Library; Debbie Hayes, Crystal Lake Public Library; Rachel Konkle, Abbott Laboratories; Marilee LaMattina, Lake Villa District Library; Carolyn Nelson, Roosevelt University, Schaumburg Campus; Jenna Nemec, Lincolnwood Public Library District; Melissa Rhyne, Waukegan Public Library; Rhonda Ruffin, Palatine Public Library District; Mary Jo Taylor, Meridian Middle School; Randall Vlcek, Algonquin Area Public Library; Joanne Weiss, Grove Elementary School; Linda Weitzel, Grayslake HS Dist. 127

Awards

• Ela Area Public Library won the Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce Partnership Award. This award honors special partnerships and alliances between the public and private sectors that result in positive change for the business community and the general population. Congratulations to Jennifer Plohr, Head of Reference/Business Librarian, and Valerie Stern, Public Information Coordinator, for their efforts and success in making Ela Area Public Library a recognized asset to the business community.
• Gail Borden Public Library District was presented with the Public Improvement Award from the Downtown Neighborhood Association. This award was given for the new library facility, "which stands as an impressive example of public improvement that greatly impacts downtown development and successful revitalization."
  

Exhibit

Ela Area Public Library was one of 80 libraries selected to host the "Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature" traveling exhibition "that encourages audiences to examine the intent of Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, and to discuss Shelley's and their own views about personal and societal responsibility as it relates to science and other areas of life." The exhibit was organized by the National Library of Medicine and ALA. Ela Area Public Library will host the exhibit June 22 - August 5, 2005. A Web site related to the exhibit will be available in March or April.

Grant

Dundee Township Public Library District was awarded a 2005 Live and Learn Library Construction Grant of $14,000 to bring restrooms into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. These grants were awarded to nine public libraries for essential refurbishing and to provide greater accessibility to people with physical disabilities.

LibraryU Clue Contest Winner

Cindy Lobaza of Fox Lake District Library was the first winner of the LibraryU Clue contest. She won a $25 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble.

New Director

The Warren-Newport Public Library District Board of Trustees appointed Stephen Bero library director; he took the helm on November 15. Steve served previously as director of the Brookfield Public Library and held librarian positions at Rolling Meadows and Barrington libraries. “We think Steve brings strong and varied skills to our library,” said Tim Grant, library board president. “Warren-Newport will continue to deliver outstanding customer service with a quality staff, innovative programming and a beautiful facility.”

Spanish Language Outreach Program: Empowering Library Staff to Meet the Technology Needs of Spanish Speakers Program

Hector Marino, Des Plaines Public Library, and Elizabeth Crane, Round Lake Area Public Library were named as two of four trainers for a new program to help the state's librarians assess and meet the needs of the growing Hispanic population. The Spanish Language Outreach Program: Empowering Library Staff to Meet the Technology Needs of Spanish Speakers program is funded by a $21,800 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Through a series of 10 workshops, trainers will train librarians and library staff on the characteristics of Hispanic culture, behavior, and values, as well as how to work with community leaders to develop outreach programs.

"Our Libraries" Daily Herald Column

The following libraries were mentioned in "Our Libraries" during the month of January:

• January 10, "Dewey system still works after all these years": Warren-Newport Public Library
• January 31, "Chick lit finds its place in readers' hearts and bookshelves": Wauconda Area Library
  

What's New in Libraries?

The following libraries were featured in the December episode of What's New in Libraries?, "Libraries Are On The Cutting Edge!"

• Arlington Heights Memorial Library
• Northbrook Public Library
• Wilmette Public Library District

Reading Corner

We're interested in what you are reading. Contact Christina Johnson.

Brenda Duff, Ela Area Public Library
I am Charlotte Simmons, by Tom Wolfe

Cindy Lobaza, Fox Lake District Library
The Words of Gandhi selected by Richard Attenborough
The Volunteer Revolution by Bill Hybels

Penny Swartz, Niles West High School
Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.
I recently finished reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I wholeheartedly recommend this engaging book to everyone. It follows two boys from Afghanistan throughout their lives. One boy is the son of a wealthy businessman; the other is the son of the businessman's servant. From reading this book one understands the history of Afghanistan from the mid-1970's, a period of relative peace, to the Russian invasion, through the rise of the Taliban, and the effects that it had on the citizens of this country. I finished it over a week ago, and I still can't get it out of my mind.

Cartoon Corner

Start your day with a smile with this cartoon from Richard Lee, Waukegan Public Library.