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woman sitting in grass reading from a tablet

E-Books Add to Student’s Emotional Wellness

21 March 2022

Stacy Palmisano

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The social emotional wellness of our students is always a priority. The question becomes how can we make sure that students are getting the support and assistance they need when they need it. Unfortunately, there is not one set solution that meets the needs of all. The best solution is to offer multiple avenues for students to access reliable social emotional information and resources that they need when they need it. This grant funded an ebook collection to support the mental wellness of our students.

Why e-books? E-books offer privacy and anonymity. Students can access...

Specialized Library Spotlight: DuPage County Law Library

16 March 2022

Stacy Palmisano

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Dan Bostrom, RAILS Member Engagement Manager talks with Juanita Harrell, Law Library Manager at DuPage County Law Library. Juanita discusses how the library serves a wide audience including litigants, attorneys, judges, and the general public. This library has a unique mission to help everyone navigate the complex language and process of the law.

Specialized...

Allison and Christopher get engaged at the library.

A Lovely Library Engagement

11 March 2022

Anonymous

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River Forest Library is the final destination for an elaborate marriage proposal.

On Sunday, February 20, 2022, the Library was fortunate to be part of a very special event. Christopher had planned an ambitious adventure for his girlfriend Allison - that included scavenger hunting, puzzle solving, and exploring - all leading up to the final event of the day at the River Forest Public Library: a marriage proposal for Allison.

Adult and Teen Services Librarian, Brian Wolowitz assisted Christopher to coordinate this elaborate proposal, going above and beyond by keeping the...

Illustration of a winding path through a park with people participating in a variety of outdoor activities.

Beyond Reading Off the Beaten Path

9 March 2022

Donna Forbis

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A long time ago, in a library far, far away, someone suggested the first "summer reading" program, and for a LONG time, that is exactly what most library summer programs consisted of - reading. Nothing more, nothing less. Different programs count pages or days or minutes, but reading has been at the heart of these programs for decades.

Recently, there has been a shift in how libraries approach summer. Summer programs are no longer just about reading. Some libraries offer meals, especially for those students who rely on school food options during the school year. Some libraries...

Celebrating Library Lovers month with an Expedition!

7 March 2022

Stacy Palmisano

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In February, McHenry County Youth Librarians encouraged residents to get out and discover the wealth of resources available in county libraries. To celebrate Library Lovers Month, the McHenry County Library Lover’s Expedition began February 1 and was open to all residents of the county and surrounding areas. A library card was not required to participate. Despite cold temperatures and occasional snow, 700 participants from 20 libraries in McHenry County and beyond joined the fun with 235 completing the Expedition by visiting all 11 participating libraries.

Every library in...

Dragon created via 3-D printing. Image credit: Jason McCoy.

3-D Printing Builds School Library Bridges

3 March 2022

Anonymous

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The library at Deer Creek-Mackinaw High School has made a positive impact in the lives of students in that it has become a place where students can meet, become friends, and have positive interactions with one other. It is a place where all students are welcome, and a place where all students interact and become friends. We play games - both board games and computer games. They discuss and debate issues, and really expand viewpoints and perspectives, as cliques and social standing really do not matter.

Most importantly, when starting a new project, such as 3-D printing or a puzzle...

The Chicago Collections Consortium

1 March 2022

Stacy Palmisano

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The Chicago Collections Consortium is a nonprofit organization of over 60 libraries, museums, and cultural organizations all working together for the promotion and preservation of Chicago's history and culture. CCC's cornerstone initiative EXPLORE CHICAGO COLLECTIONS portal provides free and open access to members' archival collections. CCC also offers free virtual public programs on a variety of Chicago-related topics. CCC...

Specialized Library Spotlight: MacArthur Foundation

28 February 2022

Stacy Palmisano

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Debbie Baaske, acting Member Engagement Manager talks with Elizabeth Quinlan, Foundation Librarian at the MacArthur Foundation. Liz shares how she supports the more than 170 staff of one of the largest grant making organizations in the United States. Liz, who considers herself an “Information Shepherd”, shares the importance of being adaptable and agile as a librarian to meet the changing needs of your organization.

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Reading Matters. Image credit: Warrenville PLD.

Do You Want Fries with Your Bestseller?

24 February 2022

Anonymous

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That wasn’t quite the tagline for our Welcome Back to the Library campaign last fall, but we did offer a chance to win McDonald’s and Target gift cards!

As the summer of 2021 approached, Warrenville Library was starting to plan for a fall return to pre-pandemic hours and services. We were hopeful about resuming in-person programming, returning seating and tables to our public spaces, opening study rooms and offering our usual amenities.

To remind everyone what a valuable resource our library is to the community, we knew we needed a special incentive to welcome back our...

Putting More Digital Books in the Hands of Students

21 February 2022

Anonymous

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After years of hearing other librarians talk about Axis 360, our District librarians were anxious to give it try. It seemed even more ideal after having limited access to books during the Pandemic. With our students now having 1:1 devices, this was the perfect time to really push ebooks and having a subscription to Axis 360 would increase our inventory greatly. The My Library Is... grant seemed like the perfect way to test the subscription, and our district was willing to maintain the subscription after the initial year provided by the grant....

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