newsletter of the Peoria Public Library Volume 25, No. 8
AUGUST 2016
Get Help with Microsoft Office From Live Tutors! Brainfuse, one of the many very useful tools available at peoriapubliclibrary.org offers the opportunity for those needing help with Microsoft Word, Powerpoint or Excel to work with a live tutor over the internet from wherever you are. All you need is your library card and PIN and an internet connection. On the library website, look for the Research tab in the top bar, then pull down the menu to either Students or All Databases and find Brainfuse Homework Help Now. Click the link to enter the program and then select Adult Learners from the top menu. You will find a bar to click that offers help with Microsoft Office in two ways. There are tutorials and information or, if it is between 2:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m, you can get help with text messaging and a white board from an expert tutor. Whether you are trying to accomplish a task that is new to you, such as creating a mailing list, or trying an advanced technique in Powerpoint, you can get the help you need immediately. While this can be very helpful for someone who is traveling and has to give a presentation and is having problems, it can also be very useful for someone trying to improve skills to get a new job or be promoted. It is also extremely valuable for students who may be expected to create assignments in technology they have not had the opportunity to use or have fallen out of practice with. While you are at Brainfuse, take a look around at all the other great resources available for Adult Learners as well as students of all ages. Have questions about how to use Brainfuse Homework Help Now? Ask at any library desk or schedule a one-on-one appointment with one of our staff. Call (309)497-2000 for assistance.
New Series of Books Available for Blind and Vision Impaired at Peoria Public Library Locations by Robin Helenthal
DK Braille has a new series of books that are now available at the library for blind and partially-sighted children or sighted children with blind parents. The books combine Unified English Braille, large type and high contrast color photography with embossed images and tactile cutout shapes for children to feel with their fingers. With the combination of text alongside the Braille, it enables sighted parents to share with visually impaired children and for sighted children to share with their visually impaired parents. The Braille dots in each book are crisp and raised and printed in black which will help a sighted parent easily see the exact Braille letters that a child’s fingers are passing over. This will help a parent be more aware of which Braille characters that a child may be having trouble reading. This will also help reinforce the configuration of Braille letters for sighted parents, siblings or friends who may be trying to learn the Braille code. The titles in the series for the pre-school level are Shapes and Counting. The titles geared for elementary-level are Animals, On the Move, and It Can’t Be True. The books are available at all Peoria Public Library locations.
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Peoria Reads Promotes Awareness of Heroin Epidemic with Community Read
Peoria Reads, as part of the Mayor’s Community Coalition Against Heroin, is encouraging our community members to read Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic. Written by Sam Quinones, this book is described as “an explosive and shocking account of addiction in the heartland of America.” This story of how heroin addiction became epidemic in small-town America was awarded the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction in March. For more information about Dreamland, visit http://www.samquinones.com/books/dreamland/. Author Sam Quinones will visit Peoria on Tuesday, August 16 and will present an evening program that will be free and open to the public at Riverside Community Church, 207 NE Monroe Street, at 7:00 p.m. In addition he will meet with community leaders, law enforcement, and the media. Copies of Dreamland are available for checkout and additional copies will be available for pick-up at all Peoria Public Library locations in late July. To reserve a copy, contact Roberta Koscielski at RobertaKoscielski@ppl.peoria.lib.il.us or at 309-497-2186. Peoria Reads, the annual “one city, one book” project which encourages the reading and discussion of significant books, is collaborating on the community awareness piece of the Mayor’s Community Coalition Against Heroin, or MCCAH for short. MCCAH has two pieces - the law enforcement piece and the community piece. Peoria Reads is one of the Education and Outreach strategies in the Community piece. The other strategies are Community Forums, a Doctor’s Roundtable, and a Heroin Summit.
Garden Benches Donated by Chinuge Family for North Branch
Peoria Public Library North Branch is receiving a gift of lovely
garden benches from the Chinuge family. “It is our pleasure to provide these benches to The North Branch in loving memory of our parents, Bill & Anne Chinuge from their children – Annette, David, Nancy and Karin,” said the family spokesperson, Nancy Carroll. The benches will be placed in the area with the pergola just outside North Branch. “Our kind parents enjoyed growing up and living in Peoria. They were active in different ways in the community and were so proud of Peoria! They loved the city, their church, museums, Bradley University, the great parks, the libraries, the schools, and raised all four of us children in Peoria. They both thoroughly enjoyed reading books and fortunately visited the new North Branch in their golden years and were so impressed and excited with it!” the family said. They continued to say, “We are so happy to provide this bench donation to the Peoria Public Library North Branch! It will be wonderful to know that many folks will come and go over the years to read, rest, wait for a ride, enjoy a coffee, chat with a friend, relax, hug a loved one, pause to reflect, and much, much more on these benches. We envision our parents smiling and enjoying how these benches can serve as practical way for someone to have a place to sit down, while also adding beauty to the landscape and setting around it.” The Chinuge family hopes others might want to donate benches as a memorial or gift to celebrate a special occasion such as a birthday or wedding anniversary. Information on donating benches is available from the Director’s Office at Main Library.
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August Book Review by Madison Gallius Barnyard Dance! By Sandra Boynton Get up and dance! This action packed, rhyming book is sure to get the kiddos moving in any storytime. So, “Stomp your feet! Clap your Hands! Everybody ready for the Barnyard Dance!” Easy to follow “dancing instructions” help tell a story of a barn dance happening on the farm. You can twirl with the pig and bounce with the bunny. There are even opportunities to make animal sounds, like the Cluck Cluck Cluck of the chickens. Presented in board book format, with boldly drawn cartoon animals, little hands and feet can easily enjoy reading this book. Transcend your normal storytime by adding some movement to the mix with this title. Parents are encouraged to participate in the swinging of your partner. (Board Book, PreS- K)
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Peoria Public Library Programs at Sharon Health Care Elms by Cindy Wright In April, 2016, the Peoria Public Library began a series of monthly programs for residents at Sharon Health Care Pines in Peoria. Each program is designed to offer multiple formats for learning and entertainment, and offers patrons opportunities for hands-on participation. The April program theme was Gardening. The patrons listened to The Flower, by James Thurber, and some essays from Chicken Soup for the Gardener’s Soul by Jack Canfield. Residents then enjoyed doing the craft project, which was coloring and gluing flower photos from seed catalogs onto landscape coloring pages. The May program was the first in the Peoria Public Library’s adaptation of the award-winning Tales and Travel program created by Mary Beth Riedner, retired librarian from the Gail Borden Public Library District in Elgin, Illinois. Residents enjoyed learning about Italy with fact sheets about the country, a list of famous Italians, and colorful photographs of scenes throughout Italy. They read two Italian folk tales by Tomi dePaola, “Strega Nona” and “The Prince and the Dolomites”. Patrons were also given adult coloring sheets about Italy. In June, the residents had another Tales and Travel program, this time focusing on Australia. Some of the patrons volunteered to read facts about Australia and famous Australians to the rest of the group. They enjoyed guessing the names of animals native to Australia and other photos from the country, then participated in creating their own Aboriginal rock art using earth-tone crayons and sandpaper. The story for this month was “Wayambeh, the Turtle”, an Australian folk tale. The Peoria Public Library looks forward to enhancing library services in the community by offering these programs to memory-challenged patrons. For more information on programs for memory-challenged adults, contact the Peoria Public Library at (309) 497-2000.
August by Robin Helenthal
Sweet Tomorrows by Debbie Macomber is the closing novel in the Rose Harbor series set in Cedar Cove. When Mark Taylor left nine months ago, Jo Marie was unsure if he would ever return, though he had told her he loved her. Even though Rose Harbor Inn is not the same without him, Jo is determined to go on and begins dating again. Emily Gaffney, a teacher, is staying at the Inn while she looks for a home of her own in the Cedar Cove area. She has her eye on one house in particular, one that would have enough room for the children she hopes to adopt one day, but the owner rebuffs her offer. After a rocky start, Emily and the owner become friends and when the relationship approaches the beginnings of something more serious, she starts to reconsider what she truly wants. Rose Harbor Inn seems to be working its healing magic and it truly seems that Jo is moving on until she receives some shocking news. Will she and Emily be able to let go of past fears, follow their hearts and embrace the future, whatever comes their way? First Star I See Tonight by Susan Elizabeth Phillips takes place in Chicago where Piper Dove has a dream to be the best detective in the city. Her first job is to trail former Chicago Stars quarterback Cooper Graham, but he has seen her following him and is not happy about it. Piper soon finds herself working for Cooper, not as a bodyguard as she intended, but to keep an eye on his employees at his new nightclub even though it is his life that might be in danger. Piper is determined to protect him whether he wants her to or not; if only she didn’t have to deal with Middle Eastern princesses, an elderly neighbor who wants her to locate her dead husband and a teenager who just wants to fit in. Piper and Cooper are two people who can’t stand to lose but also are about to discover what matters most. A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny begins with the finding of a complex old map that has been stuffed in the walls of a bistro in Three Pines. It is given to Armand Gamache as a gift on his first day of his new job and the map leads him to places even he is afraid to go, but to find answers he must. Gamache is the former Chief of Homicide for the Surete du Quebec and when the map leads him to the academy there, he finds four cadets and a dead professor with a copy of the map. One of the cadets is Amelia Choquet, a protegee of the murdered professor. The search for answers takes them back to Three Pines and a stained glass window which hides some horrific secrets. The time has come for answers to be found.
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CALENDAR
of programs and events
August
August
Instagram Photo Contest
MCCLURE BRANCH Back to School Activity Booklet
Share your best “back to school” photo for a chance to win a $15 Subway gift card. Post a photo on your Instagram with the hashtag #PPLbacktoschool2016 of what “back to school” means to you for a chance to win. One entry per person. August MAIN LIBRARY Summer Storytime Kits
We’ve put together several books, songs, fingerplays and craft ideas into a themebased bundle. Pick up one of our handy theme bundles and check it out. Do the storytime, return the books, keep the idea sheets as your own, and repeat with another theme bundle. August MAIN LIBRARY Crafts-to-Go
Pick up a fun “Back to School” activity booklet to help get you ready and excited for the start of the school year. August LAKEVIEW BRANCH & LINCOLN BRANCH 1 to 1 Tech Help
Have you ever wished you had your own personal technology guru to help you? Schedule a “1 to 1 Tech Help” session at the library! You pick a time slot that works with your schedule and provide some information about the computer or device you would like help with. At the meeting, a librarian will be ready to help and focus on you. Drop in or call the Lakeview Branch or Lincoln Branch to schedule your session in advance. Monday, August 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 LAKEVIEW BRANCH – 10:15-10:45 A.M.
Kids ages 5-12 can pick up a craft packet at the 1st Floor Information Desk.
Thursday, August 4, 11, 18 & 25
August
NORTH BRANCH – 10:30-11:00 A.M. Tadpoles Storytime
MAIN LIBRARY Dig Into Fun Booklet
Stop at the 2nd Floor Information Desk and pick up a Dig into Fun Booklet. There will be a booklet designed especially for 4- to 7-year olds and also one for 8- to 12-year olds. If you finish all the activities in the booklet, you will be eligible for a prize. Bring your finished booklet to the 2nd Floor Information Desk, show it to the librarian, and receive your prize. While supplies last.
SAVE the DATE
Ages 2 to 3. Monday, August 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 NORTH BRANCH – 10:30-11:00 A.M.
Wednesday, August 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 LAKEVIEW BRANCH – 10:15-10:45 A.M. Tiny Tots Storytime
Ages 12 to 23 months.
Jordan Sonneblick, author of Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie, the 2008 Rebecca Caudill Award Winner, will be at Peoria Public Library on Wednesday, September 28 at a time and place to be announced. Watch for further information!
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Monday & Tuesday, August 1, 2, 8&9 LINCOLN BRANCH Project Next Generation – 5:30-7:30 p.m.
It’s All About the Kids (5th through 8th grades). Participants work with project mentors and library staff who provide technological experiences and life skills vital for lifelong success. Students will learn to use the 3-D Printer as well as build their own models from shapes online to print from the Makerbot Replicator Mini 3D Printer. Students will research the Internet, keep track of their findings, and create a design for the 3D printer. In the second session, students will learn and construct their own Rube Goldberg machines from scratch with Chaos Tower Builder’s Kit. Students will work in teams to learn how ordinary technology machines work! To end the program, mentors, library staff, and students will visit Secretary of State Jesse White in Springfield for a great lunch with entertainment by the Jesse White Tumblers. Funding for this grant was 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). Sign-up is required. For more information call 497-2600. Monday, August 1 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Job Seeker’s Workshop: Resume Writing – 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Please join us to learn how to create a resume. You will be able to recognize the three types of resume writing styles that could help you write a resume that fits your job profile. Advance registration is requested and seating is limited. Please call 497-2200 to register.
Wednesday, August 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 NORTH BRANCH Brainy Baby Storytime – 1:30-2:00 p.m.
Develop your baby’s pre-literacy skills with this lapsit program, designed to introduce children and their caregivers to books, songs, rhymes and finger plays that will help them understand new concepts and enhance their love of learning. Age 0 to 23 months. Wednesday, August 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 August 2-30 MAIN LIBRARY Gallery Exhibit: “From My Eye to Yours”…photography by Tim Schroll
Tim Schroll has spent a lifetime in the pursuit of light and the shadows and textures that it reveals in nature. Using a large format camera, he captures the basic building blocks of light and shadow on film and then prints, mats and frames the images himself. This very personal process lets him bring what he sees with his eyes to the eyes of the viewer. The exhibit is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public. The photographer will lead a Gallery Walk on First Friday, August 5 at 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 2 ALL LOCATIONS National Coloring Book Day
Stop in and pick up a fun coloring page to celebrate National Coloring Book Day! A few coloring utensils will be available, but feel free to bring your own. All ages are welcome to participate! Tuesday, August 2, 9, 16 & 23 LINCOLN BRANCH Terrific Tattletale Storytime – 10:00-10:30 a.m.
Ages 3 to 6. Tuesday, August 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Owlet Storytime – 10:30-11:00 a.m.
Children of all ages. Tuesday, August 2 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Bibliophiles Book Club – 1:30-2:30 pm
This month: Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
Friday, August 5, 12, 19 & 26 NORTH BRANCH Busy Bees Storytime – 10:30-11:00 am
Children of all ages. Friday, August 5, 12, 19 & 26 NORTH BRANCH A-Z Storytime – 3:00-3:30 p.m.
We’re learning the alphabet! Join us for letter-themed stories, songs, and crafts as we learn the shapes of letters and the sounds they make! Children of all ages. Saturday, August 6, 13, 20, 27
MAIN LIBRARY E-reader Assistance – 3:00-4:00 p.m.
NORTH BRANCH Busier Bees Storytime– 10:30-11:00 am
Have a smartphone, tablet, or ereader but need some help learning how to download ebooks from the library? Free one-on-one help is available. Sessions are first come, first served. Other times are available by appointment. Call Cindy Wright at (309) 497-2000 to schedule.
Sunday, August 7 & 21
Wednesday, August 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 NORTH BRANCH English Conversation Practice Group – 5:00-6:00 p.m.
Improve your English conversation skills in a friendly, low-stress environment with our weekly conversation gatherings. All levels of experience are welcome. Wednesday, August 3 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Graphic Novel Club – 4:00-4:30 p.m.
Join us to discuss which comics we’ve read, what we loved, and what we wish we’d skipped. Each month we’ll have a different theme and try to read one graphic novel that fits the theme, but we’ll also discuss everything else we’ve read since our last meeting. This month’s theme: Adventure. Grades 6 to 9. Thursday, August 4, 11, 18, 25
Did you miss Friday’s storytime? Join us on Saturday! Stories, songs, and fun for the whole hive! Children of all ages. LAKEVIEW BRANCH Sunday Crafternoon – 12:00-5:00 p.m.
The storytime room will be open for families to read books, color, and work on projects. Some crafting supplies provided. Parental supervision is required. Monday, August 8 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Graphic Novel Club – 4:00-4:30 p.m.
Join us to discuss which comics we’ve read, what we loved, and what we wish we’d skipped. Each month we’ll have a different theme and try to read one graphic novel that fits the theme, but we’ll also discuss everything else we’ve read since our last meeting. This month’s theme: Historical. Grades 3 to 5. Monday, August 8 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Job Seeker’s Workshop: Cover Letter – 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Join us on August 18 for a special storytime with classic stories. Ages 3 to 6.
Please join us to learn tips for writing a cover letter. Advance registration is requested and seating is limited. Please call 497-2200 to register.
Thursday, August 4
Monday, August 8
LINCOLN BRANCH Front & Center: Movie Time @ the Library – 4:00-6:00 p.m.
LAKEVIEW BRANCH Sci Fi & Fantasy Book Club – 6:30-7:30 p.m.
MCCLURE BRANCH Fun Time Storytime – 10:00-10:30 a.m.
Come in from the heat for a great movie, popcorn and a cool drink. Adventures in Babysitting will be our featured movie.
This month: A Planet for Rent by David Frye Yoss
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Calendar Continued Monday, August 8
Wednesday, August 10
Saturday, August 13
NORTH BRANCH Pajama Storytime – 7:00-7:45 p.m.
MCCLURE BRANCH Born to Read – 4:15-5:15 p.m.
LINCOLN BRANCH PAWs to Read – 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Join us for a picture book party! We’ll enjoy stories, songs, and a craft! Wear your pajamas and bring a blanket to bundle up! Children of all ages. Tuesday, August 9 MCCLURE BRANCH Decorate a Notebook – 3:00-4:00 p.m.
Come inside to get out of the heat and take some time to relax while you decorate a notebook before you head back to school in style. While supplies last.
Did you know that books contain 50% more rare words than prime time television?* Have you heard how important reading is to your child before they are even born, but just not sure where to start? Our Born to Read workshop focuses on early literacy, why fostering literacy practices at an early age matters, and how Peoria Public Library can help you and your child enjoy a love of reading from a very early age. While the main focus is on reading to babies from the time they are born, all parents are invited to attend. *Statistic from reachoutandread.org Wednesday, August 10 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Tea Garden Club – 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, August 9 LINCOLN BRANCH Front & Center: Summer Olympics @ the Library – 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Get your game face on! Get ready to compete! Join us for a fun filled afternoon of games and other competitive sports! Tuesday, August 9
August 11 & 16 LINCOLN BRANCH Puppet Show: “Back to School Blues” – 10:00-10:30 a.m.
Come see how much fun going back to school can be! Ages 3 to 6.
LAKEVIEW BRANCH 1,001 Movies You Must See Before You Die Club – 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Friday, August 12
Have you seen the book 1,001 Movies You Must See Before You Die? Have you been trying to watch all these movies, but just don’t seem to find the time? Stop by the Lakeview Branch every month to see a different movie from a different decade featured in the revised and updated edition of 1,001 Movies You Must See Before You Die. Feel free to bring your favorite snack! This month: The Jungle Book (G, 1967).
Come to our third tasting of the year! This time we will taste different brands and flavors of potato chips. From the crunchy to the salty, we will take a vote on our favorite and even enjoy some dips with our chips. For Adults and Families.
Wednesday, August 10 NORTH BRANCH – 10:00-11:00 A.M.
Tuesday, August 23 LAKEVIEW BRANCH – 2:30-3:30 P.M. Coloring Club for Adults
Come enjoy the latest stress-busting trend for grown-ups – good old-fashioned coloring. We will have a quiet space, beautiful patterns, and a variety of coloring utensils (or feel free to bring your own). We ask for no children in the room as this is for adults only!
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Join us for the last session of our Tea Garden Club this Summer. We grew herbs you can make into tea, learned about plants, made some crafts and now we are having a party!
LAKEVIEW BRANCH Potato Chip Taste Test – 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 13 LINCOLN BRANCH Minecraft – 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. & 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Ages 8 to 14 can join us for Minecraft in the computer lab. Our theme for this month is “City Skylines.” Space is limited, so please call 497-2600 to register. Saturday, August 13 NORTH BRANCH Math Challenge – 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Experience the joy of math by visiting the Beehive for a fun self-guided math challenge. Challenges will be geared toward students in grade three and up. Drop in any time. While supplies last.
Meet and read to therapy dog book buddies! Children ages 7 and up will partner with a special dog friend to read their favorite books out loud. Saturday, August 13 MCCLURE BRANCH Cool Runnings Movie – 3:00-5:00 p.m.
We are in the middle of the Summer Olympic Games. Come in out of the heat and watch Cool Runnings with us. Sunday, August 14 NORTH BRANCH Music in the McKenzie Presents: Sally Weisenburg Band – 2:00-4:00 p.m.
The Sally Weisenburg Band is known more than anything for their blues and R&B interpretations, but they wear a lot of hats and can also play anything from standards and Motown to instrumental surf music. With the recent addition of the steel guitar, they are also very comfortable playing a lot of old country and Texas swing. A portion of CD sales support The Friends of Peoria Public Library. Sunday, August 14 NORTH BRANCH Biography & Non-fiction Book Club – 3:00-5:00 p.m.
This month: Wright Brothers by David McCullough Monday, August 15 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Job Seeker’s Workshop: Job Search – 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Please join us to learn about resources that can make your job search go smoothly. You will be able to learn how to search and apply for jobs online. Advance registration is requested and seating is limited. Please call 497-2200 to register. Tuesday, August 16 MCCLURE BRANCH Last Chance for Fun in the Sun – 3:00-4:00 p.m.
Join us for one last chance to have some fun in the sun as we play games in the grass outside the library. Summertime treats will be provided and you can enter for a chance to win one of several schoolthemed giveaways. Grades K to 12.
Tuesday, August 16
Saturday, August 20
Thursday, August 25
LAKEVIEW BRANCH YA for Adults Book Club – 6:30-7:30 p.m.
MAIN LIBRARY Autism Resource Group – 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
NORTH BRANCH American Girl Party with Kirsten – 3:304:30 p.m.
This month: Bone Gap by Laura Ruby
Come sing and dance with us. We’ll be playing storytime favorites and more.
Are you a parent with a tween or teen with Autism Spectrum Disorder? Join us for resource sharing and support. Minecraft is available in the computer lab during the same time if your child is interested. Please contact 497-2150 to reserve a spot for Minecraft.
Get to know an American Girl! Party like it’s 1854 as we learn about Kirsten Larson by reading some of her book and doing a fun craft. For grades 1 to 4. While supplies last.
Wednesday, August 17
Saturday, August 20
NORTH BRANCH Author Gene Barr – 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, August 17 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Family Dance Party – 4:15-5:00 p.m.
NORTH BRANCH Genre Evolution Book Club – 6:30-7:30 p.m.
This month we’re discussing early works in the science-fiction genre. Selections include A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the first appearance of the famous John Carter. You might also enjoy From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne or The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells – two books that sparked the imagination of the whole world. Other selections are A Voyage to Arcturus by David Lindsay or Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott. Choose from the list, or read them all! Thursday, August 18 NORTH BRANCH Third Thursday Film Fest – 2:00-5:00 p.m.
Join us on the third Thursday of each month for a different film released in the 1960s. Bring a snack and enjoy an oldie but goodie on the big screen. This month: The Pink Panther (1963, NR) Thursday, August 18 NORTH BRANCH Thursday Night at the Movies – 6:00-8:00 p.m.
LINCOLN BRANCH Back to School Make It! Take It! – 12:00-5:00 p.m.
Make a fun craft to celebrate the start of the school year. While supplies last. Sunday, August 21 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Book ‘Em Mystery Book Club – 2:00-3:30 p.m.
This month: The Fifth Floor by Michael Harvey Monday, August 22 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Job Seeker’s Workshop: Interview Skills – 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Please join us to learn the process of a job interview. We will cover various interviewing styles and common questions that could help you prepare for a job interview. Advance registration is requested. Please call 497-2200 to register. Tuesday, August 23 & 30 LAKEVIEW BRANCH After School Homework Help – 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 25 Author Gene Barr will be presenting and signing copies of his book, A Civil War Captain and His Lady: A True Story of Love, Courtship, and Combat. More than 150 years ago, 27-year-old Irish immigrant Josiah Moore met 19-yearold Jennie Lindsay, a member of one of Peoria, Illinois’s most prominent families. The Civil War had just begun, Josiah was the captain of the 17th Illinois Infantry, and his war would be a long and bloody one. Their courtship and romance, which came to light in a rare and unpublished series of letters, forms the basis of Gene Barr’s book. Copies of the book will be available for sale with a portion of the proceeds going to the Friends of Peoria Public Library. Friday, August 26 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Baby Playground – 10:15-11:15 a.m.
Calling all babies! Join us for a special playgroup designed to help you explore your world through creative play. Ages 9 months to 24 months.
Children of all ages (and families) are invited to join us every month for a family-friendly film. Feel free to bring a snack! This month: Pete’s Dragon (1977)
Bring your homework and assignments to our after school homework help hour to work in groups or alone on assignments. A staff member will be on hand to assist with research and library resources. For grades 2 through 6.
Friday, August 19
Tuesday, August 23
LAKEVIEW BRANCH LEGO Builders Club – 3:00-5:00 p.m.
LINCOLN BRANCH Read On Book Club – 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Calling all LEGO fans! Join us at Lakeview Branch for our Lego Builders Club. Drop in any time to play. Parental supervision is required.
This month: Finding Amos by J.D. Mason, ReShonda Tate Billingsley, & Bernice L. McFadden
Sensory Storytime features books, activities, and music designed to engage the senses, with part of each session reserved for sensory play and socialization for children with Autism or other special needs. Geared for ages 4 to 8, but children of all abilities, families, and siblings are encouraged to attend.
Wednesday, August 24
Sunday, August 28
Saturday, August 20
LAKEVIEW BRANCH Club Read – 6:30-7:30 p.m.
MAIN LIBRARY Minecraft – 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Ages 8 to 14 are invited to join us for 3 hours of uninterrupted play. Space is limited, so call 497-2150 to register.
This month: The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah
Saturday, August 27 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Sensory Storytime – 10:15-11:15 a.m.
LAKEVIEW BRANCH Silver Screen Sundays – 2:00-4:00 p.m.
This month: West Side Story starring Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer, directed by Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise
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September Book Clubs
Join a book club at Peoria Public Library this month. New members are always welcome!
At Peoria Public Library
The Biography and Non-Fiction Book Club will meet on Sunday, September 11 at 3:00 p.m. at North Branch to discuss Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth, and Faith in the New China by Evan Osnos. From abroad, we often see China as a caricature: a nation of pragmatic plutocrats and ruthlessly dedicated students destined to rule the global economyor an addled Goliath, riddled with corruption and on the edge of stagnation. What we don’t see is how both powerful and ordinary people are remaking their lives as their country dramatically changes. In Age of Ambition, the author describes the greatest collision taking place in that country: the clash between the rise of the individual and the Communist Party’s struggle to retain control. Writing with great narrative verve and a keen sense of irony, Osnos follows the moving stories of everyday people and reveals life in the new China to be a battleground between aspiration and authoritarianism, in which only one & can prevail. Winner of the 2014 non-fiction National Book Award in nonfiction. book group
The Bibliophiles Book Club will meet on Tuesday, September 6 at 1:30 p.m. at Lakeview Branch to discuss All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. Marie Laure lives with her father in Paris within walking distance of the Museum of Natural History where he works as the master of the locks. When she is six, she goes blind, and her father builds her a model of their neighborhood so she can memorize it with her fingers and navigate the real streets with her feet and cane. When the Germans occupy Paris, they flee to Saint-Malo on the Brittany coast, where Marie-Laure’s great uncle lives in a tall, narrow house by the sea wall. In another world in Germany, an orphan boy, Werner, grows up with his younger sister, Jutta, both enchanted by a crude radio Werner finds. He becomes a master at building and fixing radios, a talent that wins him a place at an elite and brutal military academy and makes him a highly specialized tracker of the Resistance. Werner travels through the heart of Hitler Youth to the far-flung outskirts of Russia, and finally into Saint-Malo, where his path converges with Marie-Laure. Interweaving the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner, Doerr illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another.
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Club Read will meet on Wednesday, September 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Lakeview Branch to discuss Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf. In Holt, Colorado, widower Louis Waters is initially thrown when the widowed Addie Moore suggests that they spend time together, in bed, to stave off loneliness, but soon they are exchanging the confidences and memories.
The Book ‘Em Mystery Book Club will meet on Sunday, September 18 at 2:00 p.m. at Lakeview Branch to discuss Missing Persons by Clare O’Donohue. The debut of an exciting new mystery series featuring a cynical, crafty television producer turned amateur sleuth. The cause of death is “undetermined,” but the cops peg Chicago television producer Kate Conway as the main suspect when her soon-to-be ex-husband, Frank, is found dead. To make matters worse-and weirder- Frank’s new girlfriend suddenly wants to be friends. Happy for the distraction, Kate throws herself into a new work assignment for the television program Missing Persons: the story of Theresa Moretti, a seemingly angelic young woman who disappeared a year earlier. All Kate wants is a cliché story and twenty-two minutes of footage, but when the two cases appear to overlap, Kate needs to work fast before another body turns up-her own.
The Sci-Fi Fantasy Book Club will meet on Monday, September 12 at Lakeview Branch at 6:30 p.m. to discuss Joe Steele by Harry Turtledove. A what-if novel that envisions the election of a United States President whose political power will redefine what the nation is-and what it means to be American... President Herbert Hoover has failed America. The Great Depression that rose from the ashes of the 1929 stock market crash still casts its dark shadow over the country. Despairing and desperate, the American people hope one of the potential Democratic candidates-New York governor Franklin D. Roosevelt and California congressman Joe Steele-can get the nation on the road to recovery. But fate snatches away one hope when a mansion fire claims the life of Roosevelt, leaving the Democratic party little choice but to nominate Steele, son of a Russian immigrant laborer who identifies more with the common man than with Washington D.C.’s wealthy power brokers.
The YA Book Club for Adults will meet on Tuesday, September 20 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling.It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and father of three school-age children.While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes darkness comes from unexpected places.
The Read on Book Club will meet on Tuesday, September 27 at 5:30 p.m. at Lincoln Branch to discuss The Coming by Daniel Black. The Coming tells the story of a people’s capture and sojourn from their homeland across the Middle Passage, a traumatic trip that exposed the strength and resolve of the African spirit. Extreme conditions produce extraordinary insight, and only after being stripped of everything do they discover the unspeakable beauty they once took for granted. This powerful, haunting novel will shake readers to their very souls.
The Genre Evolution Book Club will meet on Wednesday, September 14 at 6:30 p.m. at North Branch to discuss early works in the Western genre. Selections include The Ox-Bow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark, which focuses on the lynching of three innocent men and the tragedy that ensues when law and order are abandoned. Or try any of the Leatherstocking Tales by James Fennimore Cooper, and explore the western frontier of the American colonies. Other selections include Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey, The Virginian by Owen Wister, and any “Hopalong Cassidy” book or story by Clarence E. Mulford. Choose from the list, or read them all!
Intercontinental Readers will meet Tuesday, November 15 at 1:00 p.m. at Main Library to discuss The Little Red Chairs by Edna O’Brien. A woman discovers that the foreigner she thinks will redeem her life is a notorious war criminal. Vlad, a stranger from Eastern Europe masquerading as a healer, settles in a small Irish village where the locals fall under his spell. One woman, Fidelma McBride, becomes so enamored that she begs him for a child. All that world is shattered when Vlad is arrested, and his identity as a war criminal is revealed. Fidelma, disgraced, flees to England and seeks work among the other migrants displaced by wars and persecution. But it is not until she confronts him-her nemesis-at the tribunal in The Hague, that her physical and emotional journey reaches its breathtaking climax. The Little Red Chairs is a book about love, and the endless search for it. It is also a book about mankind’s fascination with evil, and how long, how crooked, is the road towards Home.
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BOARD OF TRUSTEES Edward J. Barry, Jr. Stephen M. Buck Norman H. Burdick Margaret E. Cousin Lucy D. Gulley F. Eugene Rebholz Debbie Ritschel Barbara Van Auken DIRECTOR Leann Johnson EDITOR Trisha Noack DESIGNER Laura Fehr
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