Jan 11: Sci-Fi Authors Talk AI1/5/2024 Vernon Area Public Library joins more than 200 other Illinois libraries to host an online program, “Speculating About Our AI Future with Cory Doctorow, Ken Liu and Martha Wells” at 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 11. Three science fiction authors will discuss the promise, perils and possible impacts of artificial intelligence. A recording of the event will be available for two weeks following to registrants only.
Cory Doctorow is a science fiction novelist, journalist and technology activist. He is the author of many books, including The Internet Con: How to Seize the Means of Computation, a Big Tech disassembly manual; Red Team Blues, a science fiction crime thriller; Chokepoint Capitalism, nonfiction about monopoly and creative labor markets; and the Little Brother series for young adults. In 2020, he was inducted into the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame. He also serves as a special advisor to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit civil liberties group that defends freedom in technology law, policy, standards and treaties. Ken Liu is an American author of speculative fiction. A winner of the Nebula, Hugo and World Fantasy awards, he wrote the Dandelion Dynasty series, as well as the Star Wars novel The Legends of Luke Skywalker. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Liu worked as a software engineer, corporate lawyer and litigation consultant. Liu frequently speaks at conferences and universities on a variety of topics, including futurism, machine-augmented creativity, history of technology, bookmaking and the mathematics of origami. Martha Wells is a bestselling fiction writer whose work includes the Books of the Raksura series, the Ile-Rien series, The Murderbot Diaries series, and other fantasy novels, most recently Witch King. She has also written media tie-in fiction for Star Wars, Stargate: Atlantis, and Magic: the Gathering, as well as short fiction, young adult novels and nonfiction. She is the winner of Nebula Awards, Hugo Awards and Locus Awards. She is a member of the Texas Literary Hall of Fame, and her books have been published in 25 languages. This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering premier events. 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).
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Mobile App Is Down11/27/2023 Due to circumstances beyond our control, the Vernon Area Library app is permanently out of service. Any information that you see there is not current, including item availability, checkouts, holds, and returned items — this info all remains frozen as of the end of November. This is a nationwide issue impacting numerous libraries, and we are doing everything possible to transition to a new app provider as soon as possible. Until then, for best mobile access, please use the mobile-friendly version of the library catalog and your account in your browser: Best Mobile Access Now
Other apps that you use with your library card (including Libby, Hoopla, and Kanopy) are not affected by this outage and will continue to work as normal. Please call 847-634-3650 or stop by with any questions. Please note: there was no cyberattack and data was not compromised. This situation has disappointed everyone involved. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. A note about barcodes If you are currently logged into the Vernon Library app, you still have access to your library barcode that is stored there. You can continue to use it to check out physical materials. There is also a copy of your barcode in the cloudLibrary app. If you need additional help, please stop by the desk so we can assist you. 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.
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. |
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