We are excited to share a recently completed anthology created by the Brookfield Writers Group (BWG) and the La Grange Writers Group (LGWG) titled "Covid Chronicles: 19-word Stories." While this anthology is a record of individual experiences and perspectives during this pandemic, it is also a demonstration that creative collaboration is possible during a time of social distancing! Twenty-three writers contributed to this collection. Some individuals belong to one or both of the writers groups that are hosted by the Brookfield Public Library (BPL) and La Grange Public Library (LGPL). A...
8 June 2020
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2 June 2020
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Anyone seeing the shortages of yeast, flour, and eggs could tell there was a whole lot of stress baking going on during the COVID-19 stay-at-home order. To document this historically significant time, the Rock Island Public Library cooked up The Quad City Quarantine Cookbook project.
After seeing a post about the Evanston Public Library’s Coronavirus Cookbook, Rock Island Reference Librarian Rachel Ippolito was inspired by the opportunity to document a historically significant time in the making. As people cooked and baked together in quarantine, many rediscovered old favorites,...
19 May 2020
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The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of us in one way or another. Businesses have closed their doors. Many of us know someone who has been sick or may have gotten sick ourselves. The worst was having to tell our patrons, “No, we don’t want you coming to the library.” What are we if we cannot offer services to the community?
In very short order, we had to adjust what we do and how we do it. We encouraged patrons to use digital resources rather than physical ones. We developed virtual programming and introduced YouTube story hours. We did everything we could to encourage...
14 May 2020
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Libraries are the gems of their communities. In no other place are people from all walks of life and socioeconomic backgrounds welcomed and serve as a space for us to encounter the “other,” no questions asked. We respect your privacy; encourage you to participate in our programs, use the computers; help you research, look for materials and much more.
Meeting at the library has not been possible since the closure but, we in the library world prefer to think of what we can do. And, I knew that if I was missing my library, many others were, too and with this video, could reach out...
4 May 2020
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At its December 2019 meeting, the CARLI Board of Directors discussed the issue that some members’ organizations are not filling the library director position when the incumbent leaves, for example, retires or resigns. The college or university simply “assigns” the library to a campus administrator, like a vice president or assistant provost, who may have many other responsibilities. Sometimes a mid-level library staff member is named as “in charge” without title or compensation change. These assignments erode the effectiveness of the library in many ways, but also dramatically diminish the...
28 April 2020
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How to provide library service to seniors, the most vulnerable population affected during COVID-19, has been the question raised by outreach librarians across the United States. While we might not be able to visit our seniors or facilities in-person for the foreseeable future, libraries can reach this population while we shelter in place. Below please find tips and tricks that the St. Charles (IL) Public Library’s (SCPL) Outreach Services Team (David Kelsey, Dana Hintz, Lynda Spraner, Christine Steck) recommends in serving the senior demographic during COVID-19.
- Provide...
8 April 2020
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, when every library in Illinois shut down, the Aurora Public Library reached out to a local homeless shelter to ask how the library could help. The shelter said that the residents missed the library, so APL created a new branch at the shelter, bringing reading materials, DVDs, children's books, and more. Watch the video on YouTube.
27 February 2020
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Marianne Nyberg was brought to a library by her father at least every other week when she was growing up. It was in a library that she learned to read, while, more importantly, cultivating a love of reading as well. Now, being a resident of Bartlett for the past 33 years, her love of libraries has not diminished as she greatly enjoys visiting the Bartlett Public Library District often for programs or checking out materials.
“The community gives to the library, and the library gives back to the community,” Marianne said in regards to the various programs, materials available for...
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25 February 2020
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Hello Patty!
I wanted to share the picture that I took today with you. I also wanted to thank you all for your efforts and programs. We have loved visiting the library. When I was a kid I always loved going there and I see the same light in my daughter’s eyes and it makes me so happy. She is a little book worm. I hadn’t sat down and read any books for myself in awhile. Seeing that there were prizes I could win made me want to give it a shot! I ended up reading two chapter books (I have two young kids at home so couldn’t read more) but starting to read for me again was so...
21 February 2020
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Tracy Kasten and her family moved to Bartlett just a little over three years ago in order to be near family; they really love the small town feel of Bartlett, and the fact that they’re putting down their roots.
With twins Marie (5) and George (5) Kasten, Tracy and her husband are busy going out and about a majority of the week. They bring Marie and George to parks and friends’ houses to play. They also visit various libraries, one of which is the Bartlett Public Library District.
However, unlike a majority of the other places they visit, there is no immediate access to...
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The My Library Is ... campaign
is a project of the Reaching Across Illinois Library System.