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Member's Corner: May 2007

Member's Corner articles publish in the nsls.info weekly e-newsletter on the first Friday of each month. It is a place for libraries to share the successes of their library as well as the accomplishments of staff. Contact Christina Johnson to share your news.

Please note that many of the links provided are to sites outside the NSLS site and may only be available for a limited time.

Author Visits

• Author Elizabeth Berg will be at Gail Borden Public Library District on Thursday, June 14 at 7 p.m. She will be talking about her new book, Dream When You Are Feeling Blue and her book about non-fiction writing, Escaping into the Open: the Art of Writing True.
• Catherine O’Connell, author of Well Bred and Dead: A High Society Mystery, will present the program, From Page to Publisher, at Lake Bluff Public Library on Monday, June 7 at 7 pm.

Legislative Visit

Senator Susan Garrett visited Indian Trails Public Library District where she posed with her own READ poster, designed by Indian Trails Staff.

Pictured left to right is Director Tamiye Meehan; Don Roalkvam, president, Board of Trustees; Senator Garrett with her READ Poster; Doris Wagner, trustee; Gene Looft, trustee; and Wally Salganik, trustee.

Awards

• The Downtown Neighborhood Association presented the Gail Borden Public Library with the "Community's Favorite Place" award on March 1 based on the results of the DNA's recent voting survey. The library appreciates the votes and the visits. Breaking new records, over 68,000 people came through the library doors in January of 2007. Over 720,000 people visited in 2006.
• Gail Borden Public Library District Trustee Mike Alft won the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award from the Elgin Image Commission for years of service to the community as an educator, as a mayor, as a writer, published author of many books, and as a long-time library trustee and foundation member.
• Barbara Adrianopoli received the Volunteer of the Year Award from the Schaumburg Township for her 25 years of service to the disabled. The award read, "Barbara was an original member of the Committee for Disabled Citizens when it began in 1981 and continues to this day to work with the Township to improve the quality of life for persons with disabilities."
• Mary L. Crompton has been chosen as this year's George Mandel Memorial Award winner, by the Mandel Award Committee. The George Mandel Memorial Award has been established by the Aerospace Section of the Engineering Division of the Special Libraries Association. It is sponsored partially by the Mandel family and by the American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics to provide financial support to qualified Aerospace Section members who will attend and/or participate in an SLA annual conference or educational program.
• Arlington Heights Memorial Library received a national InfoTubey Award April 18 at the Computers in Libraries conference in Washington, D.C. The InfoTubey award was presented to the top five library video productions demonstrating "creativity, humor and sincerity in marketing a library or enhancing the library's value." Arlington Library was recognized for producing the library's creative LibVlogs, including the weekly "What's Happening at the Library" segments appearing on its website. AHML is producing the LibVlogs through a federal Library Services and Technology Act grant administered by the Illinois State Library.

Arlington Heights Memorial Library Executive Librarian Lynn Stainbrook, left, and Ingrid Lebolt, Web Services manager with the InfoTubey Award.

Grant

Cynthia Letteri, McHenry County College, was awarded one of six grants to attend Illinois Immersion ’07. The institute is taught by a faculty of nationally recognized librarians, offering instruction librarians four-and-a-half days of intensive information literacy training and education.

Donation

Verizon Wireless is donating $1,500 to the Foundation for the Indian Trails Public Library District. The donation is earmarked for the library's bookmobile. In addition, Verizon Wireless will collect gently used books at their newest store in Wheeling, located at 1538 Lake Cook Road. The book collection began on April 20 and ends May 31. All proceeds will go towards providing additional services, programs, and enhanced bookmobile operation.

Fundraiser

Staff from the Ela Area Public Library recently took first place in the Roll With Rotary charity bowling event held on April 27 at Brunswick Zone in Deer Park. Bowlers Lisa Edwards, Martha Paparella, Pam Allen, and Warren Dawkins beat over 20 teams of bowlers from the Lake Zurich community and won $200. The Lake Zurich Rotary Club raised over $1900 through this event. Congratulations to Martha’s Wrecking Balls!

Exhibit

Gail Borden Public Library District is hosting "An American Story Told through Jewish Lives, The Jewish Experience in Elgin: Stories of Immigration, Identity, and Assimilation." The exhibit portrays an American story that reflects fundamental American issues about individualism, group identity, and relationships to the community. The exhibit began in March and ends May 16.

In Print

• Genealogy is a subject of interest to many patrons. Lake Villa District Library is trying to offer a mix of instructional programs using library staff and guest speakers. In the Spring 2007 issue of Illinois Libraries, LVDL librarian Paul Kaplan has written, “How Public Librarians Can Provide Basic Genealogy Instruction” with some basic pointers and tips on getting these programs started. Paul also did a genealogy collection development piece for the Feb. 1, 2007 issue of Library Journal that offers some suggested titles for the collection.
• Mount Prospect Public Library was recently featured in several publications:
  • Library Journal (April 15, pg. 15) featured a picture of their new outdoor sculpture "Peace" as well as a brief article on Library benefactor Elizabeth Clough in its "Front Desk" section;
  • Public Libraries (March/April 2007, pg. 16) featured their award winning cable TV program "Library Life" in the "Tales from the Front" column; and
  • Their Youth Services program, "Dia De Los Ninos, Dia De Los Libros" was featured in the April 22 edition (pg. 3) of Reflejo

On the Air

Several Lake County libraries are participating in a radio program on Lake County's WRLR, 98.3 FM. The program is scheduled to be broadcast from 11-11:30 a.m. on Mondays. Interested libraries may contact Liz Glazer at Lake Villa Public Library District. The current schedule is as follows:

• May 21 – Program Launch – Grayslake Area Public Library District, Ela Area Public Library District, and Lake Villa Public Library District – One Book, One Community Programs in Lake County
• June 4 – Warren-Newport Public Library District and Waukegan Public Library – Summer Reading Programs in Lake County
• June 11 – Grayslake Area Public Library District
• June 18 – Round Lake Area Library District
• June 25 – Ela Area Public Library
• July 2 – Cook Memorial Public Library District
• July 9 – Warren-Newport Public Library District
• July 16 – Lake Villa Public Library District
• July 23 – Ela Area Public Library
• July 30 – Waukegan Public Library

Expansion

Cook Memorial Public Library District is pleased to announce a $12 million dollar expansion project, which will include a 10,000 sq. ft. renovation of the current facility in Libertyville and a 20,000 sq. ft. new building in Vernon Hills. The expansion, the brainchild of new director Dan Armstrong, will be completed without tax increases or referendum campaign. Both facilities will include computer labs, reading lounges, group study rooms, and expanded collections.

New Position

Lynette Stone will be assuming the duties of adult programming for Deerfield Public Library as the new Adult Programming Assistant. Lynette has a background in theater, programming, and teaching which will all serve her in this role. She previously was a member of the library's youth services department.

Special Events

• Ela Area Public Library District is kicking off its first community-wide reading project this month with Erik Larson’s bestseller The Devil in the White City. Visit the library's site for programming information, book discussions, and more details about the book. The event runs through the end of July.
• Gail Borden Public Library District will host Second Sunday Concert Series: The Keys to a Mother's Heart, a piano performance with Dr. Kimm Hollis and Library Director Carole Medal on Sunday, May 13, 2-3 p.m.
• A series of programs at Lake Bluff Public Library called Get Healthy @ Your Library will include 11 speakers on topics that range from “Cooking with Organic Foods” presented by Whole Foods to “Posture in the Work Place” by Thomas Nelson of Body Fixx. The one hour programs begin Monday, June 4 and last until Thursday, July 26.
• Vernon Area Public Library held it's first 5K run on April 15 to celebrate National Library Week. The third place winner was a boy, 11 years old, and the last finisher was a man, 82 years old. Over $1,100 was raised for the Friends of the Library.

• Schaumburg Township residents can take a journey into antiquity by perusing the newest addition to the Schaumburg Township District Library’s Local History Digital Archive – oral histories. Retired farmers, teachers, business owners and others share their memories of old Schaumburg via digitized videos in which they recall the olden days. Viewers can learn about the businesses that once occupied Lou Malnati’s restaurant, the crops and animals common to Schaumburg Township farms, where people shopped before stores were built in the township, whether Al Capone and his gang roamed the neighborhoods, and much more. Thanks to an LSTA grant, residents can view the Local History Digital Archive online. In addition, the library is providing residents the opportunity to ask questions at 1 p.m., Sunday, May 20. Some of the oral historians featured in the videos will be present answer the public’s questions and reminisce about an earlier Schaumburg Township.

• Dundee Township Public Library District hosted several activities for visitors—including many special and unusual programs, a gallery wall of photos, and decorations—during National Library Week. "Come together @ your library" kicked off with a visit from Strawberry Shortcake (photo) and a magic show featuring a popular local magician. Staff enjoyed pizza on Tuesday, Staff Appreciation Day. The Children's Department sponsored a car-making craft on April 17 and 18, then encouraged the children to "drive" their creations to a free movie, "Cars." The week concluded with Patron Appreciation Days on April 19 and 20. Visitors were greeted with a brightly decorated table and offered donuts, cakes, cookies, refreshments, a 2-for-1 CD/DVD coupon and information about the library.

Strawberry Shortcake's visit delighted children. Strawberry's amazing head and hat weighed a hefty 30 pounds!