Level Up: Book Ideas for Adults6/11/2025  The 2025 theme for Summer Library Club is "Level Up" — a game-inspired challenge! Dive into a book featuring a game piece or board on its cover, complementing our gaming-themed activities. Plus, reading one of these books counts toward your Summer Library Club goals. Check out these titles, each with a game-related element on the cover. They fulfill the checklist requirement to "Get a suggestion from our blog" or simply "Read a book of your choice." Find unabridged book blurbs and links to the catalog, along with many other librarian-curated reading lists on the Library Guide for Readers. 📖 The Marlow Murder Club – Robert Thorogood | Judith Potts, a feisty 77-year-old crossword creator, witnesses a murder while swimming in the Thames. The police don’t believe her, so she teams up with two unlikely allies to investigate. But when another body appears, they realize they’re chasing a serial killer — and the puzzle they’re solving may be their last. 📖 One Puzzling Afternoon – Emily Critchley | In 1951, lonely teen Edie Green befriends Lucy Theddle, who soon vanishes. In 2018, Edie — now 84 — sees Lucy, unchanged since their youth. No one believes her, but Edie is determined to uncover what happened all those years ago. 📖 The Heist – Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg | Con artist Nicolas Fox escapes custody after being caught by FBI agent Kate O’Hare. Instead of sending her back after him, the agency teams them up to recover stolen millions. Kate must now protect Nick while working the ultimate scam—without blowing her cover.  📖 The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers – Samuel Burr | Raised by quirky puzzle creators, Clayton Stumper embarks on one last mystery left behind by his mentor — a puzzle that might finally reveal his true identity and prepare him for life beyond the Fellowship. 📖 PS: I Hate You – Lauren Connolly | Maddie embarks on a cross-country road trip to fulfill her late brother’s final wish: scattering his ashes at destinations he was unable to visit before dying of cancer. But she’s stuck traveling with her brother's best friend, Dom, who broke her heart years ago. Forced to face their past, will they make peace or reopen old wounds? 📖 Men Without Women – Haruki Murakami | A collection of seven stories where Murakami explores loneliness, romance, and mysterious encounters — from smoky bars to cryptic conversations, lost love, and existential musings. Includes the story that inspired the film Drive My Car.  📖 Intermezzo – Sally Rooney | Brothers Peter and Ivan navigate loss, relationships, and self-discovery after their father’s death. While Peter juggles two romantic entanglements, Ivan, a chess player, forms an intense bond with an older woman. 📖 Victim – Andrew Boryga | Javier Perez knows how to spin a story. His background helps him land a full scholarship and, later, a prestigious journalism gig — thanks to a viral essay built on lies. But when his best friend Gio gets out of prison, Javier’s carefully constructed identity is at risk of unraveling.  📖 The Puzzler – A.J. Jacobs | Explore the world of puzzles — solving impossible riddles, competing in puzzle tournaments, and discovering how puzzles can shape our thinking. From Rubik’s Cubes to elaborate corn mazes, this book is a mind-bending adventure.
📖 The Monopolists – Mary Pilon Uncover the real history behind Monopoly. This investigative book reveals the forgotten female inventor, the Quaker influence, and the legal battles over the iconic board game. Which book will you choose to level up your summer reading? 📚🎲
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Meet Your Librarian: Miss Julia5/22/2025   Did you know literacy development begins at birth? Our expert youth librarians are ready to help you guide your child as they form the building blocks needed to become readers and writers.
Get to know one of our Early Literacy Librarians, Miss Julia. She leads the Wiggling Ones Storytime on Tuesday mornings and Starry Night Storytime, which meets once a month on Thursday evenings. Q: How long have you been doing Storytime? I’ve been offering storytimes since 2013. Wow – that’s 12 years! Q: What can people expect in Wiggling Ones and Starry Night Storytime?Folks can expect a lot of singing and dancing in both Wiggling Ones and Starry Night Storytime! I love to incorporate my ukulele into storytimes – music is really important to me. Q: What are some benefits of attending Storytime? There are so many benefits to attending storytime! While we’re having a great time singing, dancing, and wiggling, we’re also learning through the 5 Early Literacy Practices - talk, sing, read, write, and play. We’re also learning new facts and stories through books. If you join us on a weekly basis, you’ll notice that there is a lot of repetition. Kids thrive on that repetition – it’s how their brains begin to understand concepts and build memory. Not only is storytime important for the kids, but it’s an opportunity for caregivers to have special one-on-one time with their little ones, as well as grown-ups to connect with other grown-ups! Q: What do you enjoy most about leading Storytime? What I enjoy most about leading storytime is watching children learn and grow from week to week. I am so lucky that I get to watch babies grow into toddlers and toddlers grow into preschoolers. Every week my storytime kiddos participate more and more – some even join me in leading storytime! Storytime itself brings me so much joy. Q: Is there anything else you want people to know? As much as I want your child to participate in storytime, I also want caregivers to participate, too! You are your child's first teacher, and they look to you to see how to respond – so feel empowered to sing, dance, and play along at storytime. I promise, no one looks as silly as I do! 😊 ------ Weekly storytimes are drop-in programs. Find the session that's right for your child's age. Arrive early to pick up an entry ticket, then join the fun! Meet Our New Library Leaders5/21/2025  The library board recently welcomed some new faces. New board members Nathan Libbey from Buffalo Grove and Violeta Flemenbaum from Prairie View were elected by voters in April and began their service at the meeting in May.
Nathan and Violeta are both longtime library supporters. Violeta says the library gives "invaluable information" and has helped her children and clients. Nathan thinks the library is a "key community hub" with many great things like books, e-books, 3D printers, and programs for everyone. In addition, George Goldstein, Jonathan Passman, and Ben Isabel were re-elected and sworn in for another term. We're excited to have these wonderful people helping to guide the library and make it even better for you! ‘Level Up’ at the Library This Summer5/14/2025  Get ready to press start on an epic summer of reading and discovery. Readers of all ages are invited to Level Up with this year’s Summer Library Club, running from June 1 through July 31.
Designed to be fun, flexible and rewarding, the Summer Library Club lets participants choose their own adventure. Everyone can participate — from adults to babies. To get started, simply pick up a checklist at the library beginning June 1 or download one at VAPLD.info/summer, and start completing activities at your own pace. What you do is up to you. Along the way, unlock new reading favorites, gain experience with a new skill, and discover hidden treasures available with your library card. Earn a reward after completing half the activities; complete all activities for a finisher reward and a raffle entry. Prizes vary by age group. Thanks to generous donations from the Foundation for the Vernon Area Public Library, Child First Academy and other community sponsors, children in grades 5 and younger who sign up for Summer Library Club will receive a “Level Up” t-shirt, while supplies last. "We are thrilled to support the summer reading program," shared program sponsor Christine Duncan, Director of Operations at Child First Academy Lincolnshire. “We believe developing a love for reading is the key to unlocking a child’s full potential. Child First Academy is committed to maximizing every learning opportunity for our youngest kiddos. What greater gift can we offer society than to teach our children to read?" This year, the library encourages the community to give back as part of Summer Library Club. Their goal is to collect 1,000 new socks and pajamas for children of all ages, which will be donated to Cradles to Crayons. Donations can be placed in a green “warp pipe” in the library lobby. Everyone is invited to a Summer Library Celebration on Sunday, June 8, from 1–3 p.m. This drop-in event will include frozen treats from Culver’s, live music from Old Town School of Folk Music, a community art project, and a giant bubble show in the Library Learning Garden. For more information about Summer Library Club, visit VAPLD.info/summer.  In September, Vernon Area Library will join 31 neighbors to share a common catalog. A smart new partnership coming this autumn will expand access, shrink wait times, and make the most of your tax dollars. In September, Vernon Area will become part of the Cooperative Computer Services (CCS) catalog consortium. A catalog consortium is a group of libraries that share the same catalog and can easily, quickly, and automatically share physical items with each other. There are 31 libraries in CCS; Vernon Area Public Library will be 32. As part of CCS, Vernon Area cardholders will enjoy the following benefits:
To prepare for the CCS migration, we are asking VAPLD cardholders to stop by the desk this summer to verify your account information and update details if needed.
For details and updates, visit VAPLD.info/NewCatalog or sign up to receive e-news from the library. |
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