Use Your Library Card to Shop Smart11/27/2023 Get the most out of every dollar by making informed purchasing decisions through Consumer Reports online. Access is free for Vernon Area Public Library cardholders when logging in through the library website at VAPLD.info/CR.
Consumer Reports online offers a convenient want to assess and compare products in almost any category from coffee makers to cars. Reliable information about how a product is expected to perform is especially important for big-ticket items like TVs, appliances, and electronics -- doubly so for gifts -- no one wants to waste money or frustrate loved ones with stuff that breaks or under-performs. By combining laboratory testing with insights from hundreds of thousands of product owners, Consumer Reports gives consumers the most complete information available on each product. The site also offers money-saving advice and tips, buying guides, videos and more. Full access to the unbiased ratings, reviews, and recommendations on their website is typically available only to Consumer Reports members, at a cost of $59 per year. However, Vernon Area Public Library cardholders can enjoy complimentary access to the site by logging in through the library's website using their library card number.
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Donate Toys for Tots Thru Dec 1011/15/2023 Brighten the holidays for a local child in need. Drop off new, unwrapped toys in the Toys for Tots donation boxes located in the library lobby from Friday, November 17, through Sunday, December 10.
Toys for Tots provides gifts to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas. Toys for Tots does not accept used toys, food, clothes or realistic-looking weapons. Vernon Area Public Library has served as a Toys for Tots collection site since 2006. ABOUT TOYS FOR TOTS The 2023 holiday season marks the 76th anniversary of the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program. Since its inception in 1947, Toys for Tots has distributed more than 600 million toys to more than 281 million children in need. In addition to being a flagship children’s Christmas charity, Marine Toys for Tots assists families in need year-round. The Toys for Tots Literacy Program was launched in 2008 to close the reading gap and help improve academic success by providing books to children in difficult circumstances. The Toys for Tots Foster Care Initiative, launched in 2022, provides tangible signs of hope to children living in foster care with the goal of reducing their anxiety and making a positive impact in their lives. For more information about donating, collections, or registering to receive toys, visit ToysForTots.org. Vernon Area Library employees are more prepared than ever to make sure that the sentiments expressed in the "All Are Welcome Here" entryway sign are felt by every visitor and colleague, thanks to eight hours of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training they completed in October.
One in five American adults will experience a mental health illness this year, according to statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health. More than 50 percent of people will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime. “It’s very likely that library employees will eventually interact with someone experiencing a mental health concern while at work,” noted Vernon Area Library Head of Human Resources Mikki Johnson, Ph.D. “Mental Health First Aid training prepares us to respond in a thoughtful, compassionate and safe manner.” Mental Health First Aid training prepares participants to provide initial help to people experiencing problems such as depression, anxiety disorders, psychosis and substance use disorders. Participants learned how to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or is going through a mental health crisis. MHFA trainees learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of a mental health challenge, how to listen non-judgmentally and give reassurance, and how to refer a person to appropriate professional support and services. Eighty-two of the library’s 85 employees (97 percent) completed the 8-hour course and received MHFA certification from the National Council for Behavioral Health. The certification is valid for three years. “The library serves to provide access to information and to serve as a community hub for the district,” said Library Director Anne Rasmussen. “The knowledge staff gained from the mental health first aid course exhibits our values of lifelong learning and striving to continually improve service to those who walk through our doors.” The course was provided through the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center by instructors Charla Waxman and Jenny Morales, and coordinator Phillip DeRuntz, M.Ed. CBT. New: The Economist10/17/2023 Vernon Area Public Library cardholders can now enjoy instant access to The Economist with their library card.
The Economist is one of the most well-read global affairs magazines and a widely recognized provider of critical analysis. More than 1.5 million people around the world turn to it weekly for coverage of global news, geographic perspectives, economics and innovation. The publication is available through PressReader, the library’s platform for digital magazines and newspapers. Library patrons can access full digital versions through the PressReader app or website when they log in with their Vernon Area Public Library card. According to The Economist website, a paid subscription to their digital version costs $209 per year; access through the library is free.
About PressReader With publications from over 120 countries in more than 60 different languages, library cardholders enjoy instant access to periodicals from home and around the world on PressReader. In addition to The Economist, PressReader offers full digital versions of premium news sources including The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, The Guardian, The Atlantic, Newsweek, Forbes, Le Figaro and El País. Readers can choose from a variety of reading modes to suit their needs, including original print layout, a text view that makes mobile manageable, or even read aloud or translated from another language. Nationally recognized personal finance expert Terry Savage will speak and answer audience questions at an event hosted by 23 Chicago-area libraries on Wednesday, October 18, from 7–8:30 pm on Zoom. The event is free and open to all; signup is required. Sign up online or call 224-543-1485.
Savage will address topics including the economy, financial markets and personal finance. As a registered investment advisor, Savage has no individual clients, nor does she represent any financial products or services. She is a truly independent voice for the financial consumer. The event caps off the “Financial Fitness” series: free webinars presented by the Business Interest Group (BIG), a group of business librarians in the Chicago suburbs who work together to improve library tools and resources for business- and finance-minded patrons. One other event remains in the series. On October 11, log in for insight from Certified Financial Planner Ed Gjertsen II on Retirement Income Strategies. Explore Outer Space in October10/3/2023 Vernon Area Public Library presents “Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission” on display at the library during October. The poster exhibition from the Smithsonian celebrates the Apollo 11 mission and explores the birth and development of the American space program and the space race.
An exhibit wall in the library features seven posters with stunning images from the mission and a timeline of key moments in the early space race. On July 24, 1969, Apollo 11 met President John F. Kennedy’s 1961 challenge of “landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth.” The poster exhibition explores what led the United States to accept this challenge and how the resulting 953,054-mile voyage to the moon and back was accomplished just eight years after the program was authorized. “Destination Moon” examines the mission and recognizes some of the more than 400,000 people employed in NASA programs who worked through the trials, tragedies and triumphs of the 20 missions from 1961 to 1969 before Apollo 11. More than 50 years later, the Apollo program remains the benchmark for great national achievement. When Apollo 11 landed on the moon and humans first set foot on another celestial body, it gave humanity a new perspective from which to view the world. Using this poster exhibition, viewers will be able to look back at this historic mission and envision the next generation of innovators, scientists, explorers and astronauts. The poster exhibition and related public programs are an opportunity for Vernon Area Public Library to highlight space- and aeronautics-related programs and resources available through the library, including:
“Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission” is made possible by the support of Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos, Joe Clark, Bruce R. McCaw Family Foundation, the Charles and Lisa Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences, John and Susann Norton, and Gregory D. and Jennifer Walston Johnson. Vernon Area Public Library joins more than 200 Illinois libraries to host “Food, Family and Folktales: A Conversation with Grace Lin,” on Zoom on Tuesday, October 17, at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to all; sign up at online or call 224-543-1486.
Lin is an award-winning and New York Times bestselling author/illustrator of picture books, early reader and middle grade novels. She will discuss why she writes books for the youngest readers through middle graders, how she illustrates them, and share a bit from her latest book, Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods. She will also lead an interactive drawing activity. Joining Lin in conversation is Evanston Public Library children’s librarian Brian Wilson. Wilson served on the American Library Association’s Children’s Literature Legacy Award Committee in 2022, when the award was given to Grace Lin. He has previously participated in a number of other high-profile award committees, including the national Caldecott and Odyssey selection committees, and Illinois’ Monarch and Bluestem awards committees. This event with Grace Lin is offered as part of Illinois Libraries Present (ILP). ILP is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). Other events in the ILP series this fall include a live-streamed kitchen demonstration from Maya-Camille Broussard, star of Netflix’s Bake Squad and owner of Chicago-based Justice of the Pies, on Wednesday, November 8. Donors are encouraged to give blood this week at a Community Blood Drive at Vernon Area Public Library on Thursday, September 21, to help address a dangerous supply shortage in Illinois.
Earlier this week, Versiti Blood Center of Illinois issued an emergency appeal for blood donations. The organization, which supplies more than 85 hospitals in the area, currently has less than a one-day supply on the shelves. A shortage means medical resources are unavailable for both routine procedures and unexpected crises. “This is the lowest our blood inventory has been in over a year, which could mean that blood is not available when it’s needed the most,” said Dr. Dan Waxman, vice president of transfusion medicine and senior medical director at Versiti. A Community Blood Drive will take place from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Vernon Area Public Library, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire. Appointments are recommended; walk-ins are welcome. Sign up online. All blood types are needed, with types O-positive and O-negative most in demand. O-positive is the most common blood type, while O-negative blood is the universal type that can be received safely by all patients in emergencies when the blood type is unknown. Donors must be at least 17 years old (or 16 with parental consent), weigh at least 110 lbs., and be in generally good health. Most prescription medicines are acceptable. The drive is presented in partnership with Buffalo Grove Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce and Village of Lincolnshire. Illinois Secretary of State / State Librarian Alexi Giannoulias will discuss the freedom to read with a panel of experts on Zoom on Monday, October 2, at 7:00 p.m. CDT. The event is free and open to all. Signup is required; visit bit.ly/IllinoisF2R.
Giannoulias took office in January 2023, the start of what has been a challenging year for libraries. Across the country, school and public libraries have seen a dramatic rise in the number of requests to remove books from their shelves or restrict public access. In 2022, the American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) documented 1,269 demands to censor library books and resources — the highest number of attempted book bans since they began compiling data about censorship more than 20 years ago. Trends in 2023 suggest a new record will be set this year. The vast majority of challenged works tell the stories of Black or LGBTQ people or are by authors in those communities. Giannoulias will be joined in conversation by the Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS) Executive Director Monica Harris and two Illinois authors whose books have been challenged: Jasmine Warga and Jarrett Dapier. Journalist Heidi Stevens will moderate the discussion. The panelists will examine the current state of book challenges, the implications of censorship on communities, Illinois’ legislative response, and share how viewers can effectively support intellectual freedom. The webinar is coordinated by Vernon Area Public Library in Lincolnshire. Approximately 75 public libraries across the state have signed on as partners and are promoting the webinar to their patrons. “Access to materials is the heart of library service. We are so proud to host these panelists who defend that access every day,” said Vernon Area librarian Ashley Johnson. "And it's exciting to have so many libraries across the state come together for this event." The webinar is offered as part of Banned Books Week, an annual national celebration of the freedom to read. The observance also highlights the value of access and draws attention to the harms of censorship. About the Panelists ALEXI GIANNOULIAS was sworn into office as Illinois’ 38th Secretary of State in January 2023. As State Librarian, Giannoulias is dedicated to fighting against book censorship in Illinois libraries. Amid a surge of book bans across the nation, Giannoulias introduced first-in-the-nation legislation designed to support public and school libraries by withholding state grants from libraries that remove books. Giannoulias is a staunch supporter of librarians, who have found themselves on the frontlines of culture wars and have been targeted by extremist groups in Illinois. MONICA HARRIS believes in the transformative power of libraries. She serves as Executive Director of the Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS), a library support organization that serves more than 1200 libraries of all types across northern and west-central Illinois. She has also worked in administration, youth services and circulation in public libraries in Illinois and Michigan over the last 20 years. In addition to her work in library systems and public libraries, Harris taught as a lecturer in Innovation in Libraries for San Jose State University’s iSchool. JARRETT DAPIER is a librarian and author of picture books including “Jazz for Lunch!,” “Mr. Watson’s Chickens” and “The Most Haunted House in America,” a 2023 Illinois Reads selection. His debut young adult graphic novel, “Wake Now in the Fire,” is about student resistance to book censorship in Chicago Public Schools. It will be published by Chronicle Books in 2024. JASMINE WARGA is the New York Times–bestselling and award-winning author of middle grade novels “Other Words For Home,” “The Shape of Thunder” and “A Rover’s Story.” She is also the author of a young adult novel, “My Heart and Other Black Holes,” which has been translated into more than 20 languages. Warga teaches in the MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Moderator HEIDI STEVENS is a Chicago-based writer and the Director of External Affairs for the University of Chicago’s TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health, which works to provide parents, caregivers and communities the knowledge and tools to optimize foundational brain development in all children. Prior to joining University of Chicago, Stevens worked at the Chicago Tribune for 23 years, where she wrote a daily column called “Balancing Act.” She was awarded the Anne Keegan Award for Distinguished Journalism. Stevens maintains a nationally syndicated column once a week, works as a fellowship coach for the OpEd Project and serves on the Family Action Network board of directors. About Banned Books Week Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and highlighting the value of free and open access to information. By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas. The upcoming Banned Books Week will be observed October 1–7, 2023. Horror author to speak October 49/7/2023 Vernon Area Public Library is among the more than 200 Illinois libraries that will offer an online event with Stephen Graham Jones, a National Endowment for the Arts Fellow and New York Times bestselling author. Stephen Graham Jones will discuss scary stories, horror and other topics in a conversation with horror expert Becky Spratford.
“Chills & Thrills with Stephen Graham Jones” will take place on Zoom on Wednesday, October 4, at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Advance signup is required. Sign up online or by calling 224-543-1485. Stephen Graham Jones is author of more than 30 novels, collections, novellas and comic books. His recent release Don’t Fear the Reaper is the sequel to his Bram Stoker Award–winning novel My Heart Is a Chainsaw. Jones is the recipient of numerous awards, including four Bram Stoker Awards, three Shirley Jackson Awards, six This is Horror Awards, the LA Times Ray Bradbury Prize, the Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award, the Independent Publishers Award for Multicultural Fiction, the Alex and RUSA awards from the American Library Association, and the 2023 American Indian Festival of Words Writers Award. He was an NEA Fellow. He lives in Boulder, Colorado. Joining Jones in conversation is Illinois librarian and readers advisory expert Becky Spratford. Spratford trains library staff worldwide on how to match books with readers. She also runs the critically acclaimed blog “RA for All.” A devout horror fan, Spratford writes a horror review column for Library Journal, is the author of “The Reader’s Advisory Guide to Horror,” and is a member of the Horror Writers Association. The event is being offered by more than 200 libraries across Illinois through a statewide collaboration, “Illinois Libraries Present” (ILP). This is the third season of programming offered by ILP. ILP is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). Other upcoming speakers in the ILP series include Netflix “Bake Squad” star Maya-Camille Broussard in November and psychotherapist and author Lori Gottlieb in December. Find details and information on the calendar of events at VAPLD.info/calendar. |
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