When you think of your library, think beyond books, movies, and magazines. Think of gear that helps you explore or create. Tools that expand learning, expand experiences, expand thinking — all available for checkout with your Vernon Area Library card.

Get more viewing options at home with a Roku, an easy way to stream entertainment on your TV. Library Rokus include access to Netflix, Hoopla, and Kanopy.

Check out a GoPro to capture your life's best moments. These small video cameras are easy to use and fun to experiment with. A head strap or handlebar mount (available separately) lets you film on the move.

Borrow a STEM Kit to explore simple machines, circuits, bridges, magnets, and lots more. These kits come with everything you need to get the whole family in on hands-on learning.

If someone you know is experiencing memory loss, check out a Caregiver Kit to jog memories and inspire conversation. Each kit includes books, DVDs, and activities like simple games or puzzles on a theme like national parks, the seasons, or pets.

Cardholders can also check out a Nook or Kindle pre-loaded with a great selection of titles in a variety of genres.

When new Tier 3 measures went into place last week, your library changed…nothing. We have been operating at this safer, contact-free level all along, working hard to serve you every day.

Curbside delivery remains your way to reserve and pick up books, DVDs, Blu-Rays, audiobooks on CD or Playaway, magazines, and other lending items. Learn more about curbside delivery. 

If you're not sure exactly what you want to read or watch, request a Browsing Bundle, available for all ages. Your curbside delivery will include a selection of materials to take home and enjoy.

Over the past several months, librarians have been adding resources for online research, learning, and school support, giving every cardholder open access to the information you need, right where you are. View online resources.

We stand ready to help you: Librarians are available by phone, chat, or email seven days a week to answer questions, recommend books, or point you to resources. Contact a librarian.

Your library card lets you browse and download e-books and audiobooks; stream movies, television shows, and concerts; read the latest issues of your favorite magazines; and get news from Chicagoland and around the globe. View all download and streaming services.

And everyone is welcome to attend online events including story times, book and movie discussions, lectures, travelogues, virtual tours, computer classes, and more. Online programs are usually open to all, no library card required, making a library event a great way to connect with friends or family across the miles. View the calendar.

The only thing your library cannot offer you right now is space. We look forward to the day when everyone can move freely around public places again. Until then, we encourage you to tap into the full slate of library services offered safely and securely now.

You can make these cute owls, too! Take & Make Kits are available for curbside pickup while supplies last. Each kit includes materials for making two owls, along with step-by-step instructions.

This hands-on craft is a great way to tap into your creativity and is an excellent family activity.

To pick up:

1. Visit the library's curbside pickup lane.
2. In your front window, place a note reading 'Owl Craft Kit' and the number of kits you would like.
3. Staff will get your order and place it in your car trunk or unoccupied back seat.

​This Take & Make Kit is the first in a series of monthly crafting kits being offered this winter. Subscribe to library emails to get updates on upcoming kits.

Happy crafting!

Your Vernon Area Library card gives you access to apps designed especially for readers and audiobook fans. Each of these sources offers a great selection of titles for all ages and interests, themed shelves to browse, and the instant gratification of downloading a good find.

1. cloudLibrary: The largest collection of e-books available with your library card includes fiction and nonfiction for all ages and interests. Works with most devices (tablets, smartphones, and Nooks). The cloudLibrary app gives you access to thousands of titles from other libraries through a multi-library partnership. Place holds on titles not immediately available. No borrowing limits.

2. Libby/OverDrive: E-books, including best sellers and award winners, including lots of e-books and audiobooks for children and teens. The Libby app provides more features than the original OverDrive app, but both work with most devices. Kindle Paperwhite users: this is the e-book platform that works with your e-reader. Place holds on titles not immediately available. No borrowing limits.

3. Hoopla: Thousands of e-books, comics, and manga—no wait. Fiction and nonfiction for all ages and interests. Borrow up to 15 titles total per month per card. 

Download these free apps on your favorite device. Log in with your Vernon Area Library card number. If a PIN is required, it's usually the last four digits of your phone number.

For help getting started with library apps, visit the digital media how-to guide or make an appointment to get assistance from a librarian.

If there are readers on your holiday shopping list, Vernon Area librarians have some suggestions for you. Whether your gift recipient is a thrill seeker, lifelong learner, book clubber, teen, new reader, or pre-reader, you'll find lots of good ideas in the 2020 Gift Guide. 

Plus, the recommendations in these pages are also in the library catalog, so if something piques your interest, check it out using curbside delivery. 

View the 2020 Gift Guide now. Beginning Monday, November 9, look for the print edition of the guide with your curbside delivery.

For more suggestions of notable titles, look back at the 2019 Gift Guide or 2018 Gift Guide for other popular picks you may have missed.

Happy shopping! Happy reading!

If you plan to purchase books as gifts for the winter holidays, there are some things you should know:

First, there's a "printer jam" in the book industry right now — it's a long story, but the short version is this: Your ability to get a last-minute copy of a hot new release close to the holidays may be iffy. Best bet: Order early and consider titles that are already printed and sitting on sellers' shelves. Need some ideas? Look here:

• 2018 Gift Guide
• 2019 Gift Guide
• 2020 Gift Guide — coming to curbside delivery in November!

Second, independent booksellers are a key part of a healthy reading ecosystem. When you shop local, you invest here at home. Check out nearby indies Book Bin Northbrook, Barbara's Bookstore (Vernon Hills), Lake Forest Bookstore, ​and Book Stall (Winnetka), or try Bookshop.org.

Make it easy to access library materials and services 24/7: download the Vernon Area Library app to your Apple or Android device.

​The app is a handy way to...

• find library materials and place holds for curbside pickup
• view your account
• check the library calendar and register for upcoming online events
• view current New York Times best sellers at a glance
• tap into popular online resources like PressReader and Flipster
• ask a librarian for help during business hours

For other smart ways to get the most out of your library, subscribe to library news and select the "Pro Tips" option. A new tip will arrive in your inbox every two weeks; unsubscribe any time.

For many years, the library’s Lunch & Learn series has provided a midday educational opportunity to lifelong learners.

Now, the library has expanded the concept to include live performers, virtual tours, and expert speakers to cover a broad range of cultural and historical topics. Plus, the series is online, allowing anyone who is interested to tune in and take a break during the day. 

The reinvented Lunchtime Series kicked off earlier this month with “I Feel Good! Hits of the ’60s,” an hour of music and storytelling. The programs continue next month with:

• They Shall Be Counted, an in-depth look at the poignant artwork created by Holocaust survivor Erich Lichtblau-Leskly — on October 5
• Autumn Desserts with Chef Maddox, including step-by-step instructions for making seasonal sweets — on October 14
• a multimedia tour of New York City’s Tenement Museum (pictured at top), revealing the daily life of immigrants between the 1860s and 1930s — on October 27

​November’s roster includes a look at the storied life of multi-talented entertainer Danny Kaye on the 9th and an art and architecture tour of Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral on the 19th. The series continues this winter.

All programs begin at 1 p.m., are free, open to the public, and take place online; registration is required.

View and register for Lunchtime Series programs. 

It's National Voter Registration Day and no better time to make sure you're prepared to cast your vote in the 2020 election. Voting is the right of every U.S. citizen who is at least 18 by Election Day. Every voice counts. Be sure you are heard.

To register, you must:

• be a U.S. citizen, 18 years old on or before the date of the next election (Nov. 3)
• live in your election precinct at least 30 days prior to Election Day
• not claim the right to vote anywhere else
• not be serving a sentence of confinement in any penal institution as a result of a conviction

Register:

Online: Before 11:59 PM on Oct. 18 for the Nov. 3 election.
By mail: Completed applications must be postmarked or delivered to the Lake County Clerk’s office by Oct. 6. 
In person: Call before visiting to check hours/availability of voter registration services at these sites.

To see if you're registered to vote at your current address, visit LakeVoterPower.info.

To find out when and where to vote or research the candidates and issues, visit the library's Voter's Guide.