Going to the library without going to the library
Even when you're at home, the North Suburban Library District (NSLD) offers a multitude of free online services, events, and activities.
These are challenging times for librarians too, but the staff of the North Suburban Library District (NSLD) are hard at work at 5562 Clayton Circle in Roscoe, even when you don't see them in person.
Your library card (funded by your taxes) gives you online access to eCollections (ebooks, audiobooks and magazines, even movies), online databases such as HeritageQuest for family history, and phone-in reference (yes, you can ask a librarian to do research for you) - and a multitude of free online events and activities.
Children's librarians are still telling stories for preschoolers, as they have for decades, only the little ones are watching them (for now) on Facebook Live. A new Virtual Preschool Story Hour, for children ages 3 through 5, appears on each Monday at 6:30pm. The virtual weekly Wiggle-Giggle- Grow Toddler Time is Tuesdays at 9:30am, for infants and toddlers ages 9 to 36 months. If the live schedule isn't convenient, children can participate in these stories, songs, finger plays, and other age-appropriate activities anytime all week long.
Older children can learn to "Be a Crafty Reader!," with April's featured title The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle. Watch the video on the NSLD Facebook page to hear the beginning of the story and see how to make the craft. Then stop by NSLD to get your craft supplies while they last! To listen to the whole story, go to www.northsuburbanlibrary.org, type in the title under Search the Library Catalog, or click on "Search our eCollections." Or to cheat, click here: The Tiny Seed.
Beanstack, NSLD's free online reading club service, is available for all ages, starting at northsuburbanlibrary.beanstack.org. It includes reading challenges and activities, virtual field trip tours, and the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program.
Library programs for tweens starting this week include the Grab and Go Tween Book Club featuring a free copy of The Losers Club by Andrew Clements, the Tween STEM Balloon Car Blast Off! with everything you need to build your own balloon-powered car. You don't even need a library card to get the free goodies - but don't put off stopping by because supplies are limited.
For teens, Christopher D. Sims, international spoken word performer/poet, is presenting Writing and the Poetic Voice. Learn tools and techniques to write and perform poetry. The Teen Events page has links to other fun resources, including My Victorian Teenage Life from the Midway Village Museum, available May 4.
Adult patrons can visit the library's YouTube channel for Android Phones for Beginners and and iPhones for Beginners, You can find other live events on the Adult Events page of the NSLD library website.
If you do need to visit the library in person (wearing a mask and practicing physical distancing), you can speed up your visit by checking out materials in advance, using the NSLD Quick Pick Up service. To start, place a hold online for the books you want. A librarian will contact you when they're ready for pick up. Then go to the Quick Pick Up table near Customer Services (with a white and green sign). Tell the staff member your name, hold up your library card, receive your items, and then just leave.
