newsletter of the Peoria Public Library www.peoriapubliclibrary.org
JANUARY 2015 Volume 24 n No. 1 Published monthly by the Peoria Public Library
MAIN LIBRARY 107 N.E. Monroe 309.497.2000 LAKEVIEW BRANCH 1137 W. Lake 309.497.2200 LINCOLN BRANCH 1312 W. Lincoln 309.497.2600 MCCLURE BRANCH 315 W. McClure 309.497.2700 NORTH BRANCH 3001 W. Grand Parkway 309.497.2100 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Edward J. Barry, Jr. Stephen M. Buck Margaret E. Cousin Lucy D. Gulley F. Eugene Rebholz Debbie Ritschel Sid P. Ruckriegel Barbara Van Auken Jeanne Williamson
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Provides Reason for Reflection at Library Events While all locations of Peoria Public Library are closed in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on January 19, a variety of events leading up to the holiday provide an opportunity to reflect on the life and teachings of the civil rights leader. Every location will have book displays, making it easy for patrons to find information on the topic. Look for the signs and displays at whatever library branch you visit. On Tuesday, January 6 at Lincoln Branch Front & Center will hold a “Quotes of King-MLK Celebration” from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Come and reflect on the various inspiring quotations and sayings of this great man. On Saturday, January 17 at Lincoln Branch, make a Dove Unity Wreath. This wreath is made of handprints and symbolizes cultural unity. Drop in anytime between noon and 5:00 p.m. to create this unique craft while supplies last. All locations will offer the opportunity to honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. when they show movies that examine events of the era. All movies are shown from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. and are free and open to the public. The Long Walk Home will be shown at Lakeview Branch on Friday, January 16; at Main Branch on Saturday, January 17 and at Lincoln Branch on Sunday, January 18. In this movie, Academy Award-® winner Whoopi Goldberg is Odessa Cotter, a quietly dignified woman who works as a housekeeper for Miriam Thompson (Academy
Peoria Public Library Announces Partnership with Driving-Tests.org; Innovation in Driving Education, Driving Tests Availability for Patrons
DIRECTOR Leann Johnson EDITOR Trisha Noack DESIGNER Laura Fehr
Award-® winner Sissy Spacek). When Odessa honors the 1955 Montgomery Alabama bus boycott by walking an exhausting nine miles to and from work Miriam offers her a ride. Defying both Miriam’s racist husband (Dwight Schultz) and the powerful White Citizen’s Council Miriam and Odessa put their lives in danger for civil rights. Their shared experiences draw them closer as a deep respect and lasting friendship forms. Together in a difficult world of black versus white they manage to discover a common ground. Selma Lord Selma will be shown on Saturday, January 17 at McClure Branch and on Sunday, January 18 at North Branch. Disney presents a truly inspiring motion picture that accurately captures one of the most historically significant events in the struggle for civil rights! In 1965, during the turbulent early days of the right-to-vote movement, a young Alabama school girl (Jurnee Smollett Eve’s Bayou, Jack) is inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Clifton Powell - Ray, Why Do Fools Fall In Love) to resist the degradation that her fellow African-Americans are suffering. Along with a white seminary student (Mackenzie Astin - Iron Will) from the north...and against the ever-increasing threat of racial violence...she promises to do what she can to help Dr. King’s efforts. Based on a powerful true story that will both uplift and entertain their perseverance and patience ultimately prevail, culminating in the famous civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery!
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Peoria Public Library is announcing a partnership with Driving-Tests.org, a company dedicated to driver safety and education, and is now offering free DMV practice tests to library patrons on the library website at http://peoriapl.driving-tests. org/illinois/ The new service includes free tests, written specifically based on the state DMV materials, and is the only site of its kind to include accessibility tools that allow users to
Continued from page 1 hear selections read aloud, make them into MP3s, translate pages into other languages, magnify text, and mask sections of the screen for greater visibility on driving practice tests. Availability and accessibility are important to the creators of Driving-Tests. org, as the site is designed to help new drivers study state manuals and take driving practice tests based on the real DMV written exams. This partnership allows the Peoria Public Library to harness the power of Driving-Test.org’s specialized practice exams to turn new drivers into safer drivers. The new program will work as an outreach for several valued groups of patrons, such as teens, those with disabilities, those who participate in the library’s programs for seniors and need to take a renewal exam, and patrons at every other stage of life. The Driving Tests feature is just one of the many free practice tests offered on the Peoria Public Library website at www.peoriapubliclibrary.org >Research. Some require the use of a library card number and PIN number. Everything from the GED to military exams is available. “We also have partnerships with hundreds of libraries and schools across the nation, devoted to creating safe drivers,” says Driving-Tests.org’s founder, Andrei Zakhareuski. “Our partners value information and accessibility – the same values we have, and ones that lead to safer roadways.”
Great New Programs for Adults Start in 2015
Library programs are free and designed to be fun as they help patrons learn something new. New programs are being offered this year that will appeal to a wide variety of adults. Try one with your friends or come by yourself and meet some new friends. The Baby Boomer Club will meet at Lakeview Branch on Saturday, January 17 from 10:30 – noon. If you are an adult who considers yourself to be a baby boomer this is for you. Each month the club will offer a different activity ranging from crafts to author programs. This month Baby Boomers will challenge each other with an exciting morning of chess, checkers, card games and puzzles. Be sure to stop by! If textiles are your game, The Textile Arts Club is a place to meet, share ideas, and solve creative problems when you bring your knitting, crocheting, needlepoint, quilting or other form of textile art. See what others are doing and chat about your work while you make progress on your new project or that old U.F.O. (unfinished object). Then take a look at the latest books and publications on crafts and textile arts while you are at Lakeview Branch on Tuesday, January 13. The group meets from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Mark your calendars for the second Tuesday of each month. Passport to Winter Fun: A Program for Mature Readers at North Branch opens for registration on January 25. The program runs from February 1 to March 15. Come and pick up a Passport and then start the reading challenges. The Passport encourages participants to read something new from a variety of genres and explore other resources the library offers. These tasks are called “adventures” on your Passport. For every six adventures completed, the Passport is stamped and the reader is entered into the weekly drawing for prizes. Those who complete all 18 adventures will be eligible for the Grand Prize drawing. The winner will be announced on March 25, 2015. Get more enjoyment out of your Peoria Public Library with these great programs in 2015!
CLUB
New E-Reader? Help is Here!
by Cindy Wright Happy New Year! Now that the holidays
are over, it’s time to sit back and cozy up with a good e-book. Some of you may have received a new e-reader, tablet, or smart phone for Christmas. Did you know that you can download free e-books and digital audio books from the library right onto your mobile device? We have two separate e-book catalogs with over 10,000 e-books each: Alliance Digital Media Library from OverDrive, Inc., and e-Read Illinois powered by Axis 360. E-Read Illinois is provided by a grant from the Illinois State Library through the Illinois Secretary of State. Checking out e-books is fun and easy. Each e-book library has help sheets and web pages available in several learning platforms including videos, step-by-step instructions, device compatibility charts, and much, much more. If you are still not sure how to download e-books, fear not! Help is available at the Peoria Public Library. Peoria Public Library has specialists that can teach new or frustrated users of e-readers how to download books from the Peoria Public Library website to their e-reader or tablet. For in-depth help with any device, call Lincoln Branch at (309) 497-2600 and provide information about your device and what help you need. The staff will set up a half-hour appointment and be ready with your answers. For help only with downloading e-books or audio books from Alliance Digital Media Library or e-Read Illinois, the library digital collections, when you prefer to use North Branch, contact North Branch staff at (309) 497-2100 to schedule an appointment that works with your schedule. Every Wednesday at Main Library, free one-on-one help is available for users of smartphones, tablets, or e-readers who need some help learning how to download e-books from the library. Walk in help is available at Main Library at the Second Floor Information Desk on Wednesdays from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Sessions are first come, first served. Other times are available by appointment – call (309) 4972000 to schedule. Then, pour yourself a cup of hot chocolate (don’t forget the marshmallows!), settle into a comfy chair, and enjoy the many e-book choices to read on a cold winter day.
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Jan
CALENDAR
LAKEVIEW BRANCH Junior FIRST LEGO League is Coming!
Children ages 6-9 can experience working with a real-world scientific concept by exploring it through research, teamwork, construction and imagination. Guided by coaches during 12 weekly meetings, teams use LEGO elements to build a model that moves, experience the engineering design process, and develop a Show Me poster to illustrate their journey. Teams begin meeting this winter and a competition wraps up the experience in late spring. Watch for more details and if you would like to sign up your child now, contact Elise Hearn at 497-2204 or elisehearn@ppl.peoria.lib.il.us January LINCOLN BRANCH 1 to 1 Tech Help
Schedule a “1 to 1 Tech Help” session at the library! You pick a half hour time slot 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 Lincoln Branch to schedule your session in advance. January NORTH BRANCH One-on-One e-book Assistance
of programs and events
January 2-31
Monday, January 5
MAIN LIBRARY Eye-Bomb Photo Contest
LINCOLN BRANCH Front & Center: Cool Science – 5:00-6:00 p.m.
Teens! During the month of January, participate in our eye-bomb photo contest! Stop by the 2nd floor Information Desk at the Main Library and pick up googly eyes and instructions. Submit your best photo(s) by January 31 and be in the running for a $25 gift card to Starbucks. To participate, visit http://www.peoriapubliclibrary.org/teens. Ages 12-19. Friday, January 2 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Winter Make It! Take It! – 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Stop by to make a winter-themed craft. While supplies last. Friday, January 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 NORTH BRANCH Busy Bees Storytime – 10:30-11:00 a.m.
Join us for an all-ages storytime. Stories, songs, and fun for the whole hive! Saturday, January 3 NORTH BRANCH Make It! Take It! – 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
While looking for some fun books, stop by the Children’s Activity Room and make a cool craft! Ages 4 to 10. While supplies last.
Having trouble downloading e-books or audio books from Alliance Digital Media Library by OverDrive or e-Read Illinois by Axis 360 onto your device and want some one-on-one assistance? Contact North Branch at 309-497-2100 to schedule an appointment.
Monday, January 5, 12 & 26
January
Come dressed up as your favorite Frozen character for our first Sing-along! Everyone is encouraged to belt out the songs along with the movie. A cold treat will be provided.
MAIN LIBRARY Crafts-to-Go – 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Kids ages 5-12 can pick up a craft packet at the 1st Floor Information Desk any time we’re open. While supplies last.
NORTH BRANCH Tiny Tots Storytime – 10:30-11:00 a.m.
Ages 12 to 23 months. Monday, January 5 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Frozen Sing Along – 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Looking for a cool science project to do? Join us for some great hands-on experiments. Grades 3 through 5. Monday & Tuesday, January 5, 6, 12 & 13 LINCOLN BRANCH Project Next Generation – 5:00-7:00 pm
It’s All About the Kids (5th – 8th grades) – technology, mentoring and their futures. Participants will work with project mentors and library staff who provide technological experiences and life skills vital for lifelong success. Students will learn how to use computers, the internet, digital cameras, iPad 2 and other technologies, while practicing problem-solving and communication skills. 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 please call 497-2600.
Monday & Thursday, January 5, 8, 12, 15, 22, 26 & 29 LINCOLN BRANCH ESL Course for Adults – 6:00-7:00 p.m.
We will be hosting an English as a second language course for Latino-Americans, focusing on pronunciation and other skills that will help them become more comfortable with English. Registration is required. Activities for children will be offered. For more information call 497-2600.
Calendar continued Tuesday, January 6, 13, 20, 27 LINCOLN BRANCH Terrific Tattletale Storytime – 10:00-10:30 a.m.
Ages 3 to 6. Tuesday & Wednesday, January 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27 & 28 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Owlet Storytime – 10:30-11:00 a.m.
Bring your little owls to a storytime for all ages that includes songs, movement, and coloring. Tuesday, January 6 LINCOLN BRANCH Front & Center: Quotes of King-MLK Celebration – 5:00-6:00 p.m.
Reflection and inspiration describes the many quotes spoken by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Meet with us to elaborate and reflect on various quotations and sayings of this great man.
Saturday, January 10
Sunday, January 11
MAIN LIBRARY Winter Read Book Discussion – 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
NORTH BRANCH Music in the McKenzie Presents: The Old Men Boys – 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Join the effort to make Peoria a more peaceful community during Winter Read, a joint program of Peoria Area Community Against Violence (PCAV), Peoria Reads!, and Peoria Public Library. Read one of the book choices or all three and then think about them and discuss new ideas with our community. This discussion will focus on Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion by Gregory Boyle. For more information about Winter Read visit http://www.peoriapubliclibrary.org/winter-read or call (309) 497-2000. January 10-29 MAIN LIBRARY Gallery Exhibit: Picture Our Faith
Coming to us from Bloomington, The Old Men Boys bring a mix of bluegrass and folk music. Blending skilled string picking with easy harmonies, they are sure to provide a wonderful afternoon of music. A portion of CD sales will benefit the Friends of Peoria Public Library. Monday, January 12 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Sci Fi & Fantasy Book Club – 6:30-7:30 p.m.
This month: Ancillary Justice by Anne Leckie Monday, January 12 NORTH BRANCH Pajama Storytime – 7:00-7:45 p.m.
This month’s exhibit displays the works of St. Philomena students. Scan a QR code next to each of the 200 works to hear the students talk about their art!
We’ll enjoy stories, songs, and activities! Wear your PJs and bring a blanket to bundle up - you’ll be ready for bed when you head home!
Thursday, January 8, 15 & 22
Saturday, January 10
Tuesday, January 13
MCCLURE BRANCH Fun Time Storytime – 10:00-10:30 a.m.
MCCLURE BRANCH Snow Make It! Take It! – 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Ages 3 to 6. January 8 & 13 LINCOLN BRANCH Puppet Show: “Elephant’s Sneeze” – 10:00-10:30 a.m.
Come help Elephant stop sneezing. Thursday, Jan. 8, 15, 22 & 29 NORTH BRANCH Tadpoles Storytime – 10:30-11:00 a.m.
Ages 2 to 3. Thursday, January 8 & 22 NORTH BRANCH Science Sleuths Jr. – 4:30-5:00 p.m.
Come make a fun snow craft while staying warm inside. While supplies last. Saturday, January 10 NORTH BRANCH A Taste of China – 2:00-3:30 p.m.
Experience Chinese culture through dance, classical Chinese calligraphy, and food. Professor Feng from the University of Illinois will present Shen Yun show - a traditional classical Chinese dance and music show that captures the spirit of a culture long lost.
Join us for some hands-on science for preschool and kindergarten learners.
Saturday, January 10
Friday, January 9
Ages 8 to 14 can join us for an afternoon of Minecraft in the computer lab. Space is limited, so call 497-2600 to register.
MAIN LIBRARY 2nd Friday Film Club – 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Lift your spirits with the joy of one of the great musicals. Enjoy the songs with our state of the art digital sound system and catch every dance step with digital projection on the big screen. It’s free in the Main Library auditorium. This month: Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
LINCOLN BRANCH Minecraft – 2:00-5:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 11 NORTH BRANCH The Biography and Non-Fiction Book Club 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
This month: Super Fuel: Thorium, the Green Energy Source for the Future by Richard Martin. New members welcome.
LAKEVIEW BRANCH Textile Arts Club – 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Do you enjoy knitting, crocheting, needlepoint or another form of textile art? Bring your current work to the Lakeview Branch and join the Textile Arts Club. We meet once a month to share our ideas and encourage continued creativity while we work on our own projects. Tuesday, January 13 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie Showing – 4:00-5:30 p.m.
See where the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles story started out by watching the original film from 1990. Feel free to bring a favorite blanket or pillow. Rated PG. Tuesday, January 13 LAKEVIEW BRANCH E-book Training – 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Did you get a new e-reader or tablet for Christmas? Did you already have one, but have never checked out an e-book? Learn how to use the library’s resources to check out e-books on your device. RSVP to 309-497-2150 so that we know what kind of device you will be bringing.
January 16-18
Tuesday, January 20
Sunday, January 25
MULTIPLE LOCATIONS Martin Luther King, Jr. Movie Weekend – 2:00-4:00 p.m.
LAKEVIEW BRANCH YA for Adults Book Club – 6:30-7:30 p.m.
LAKEVIEW BRANCH Silver Screen Sundays – 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Join us for these movies honoring the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Friday, January 16 at Lakeview Branch: The Long Walk Home Saturday, January 17 at Main Library: The Long Walk Home Saturday, January 17 at McClure Branch: Selma Lord Selma Sunday, January 18 at North Branch: Selma Lord Selma Sunday, January 18 at Lincoln Branch: The Long Walk Home Sunday, January 18 LAKEVIEW BRANCH The Book ‘Em Mystery Book Club 2:00-3:00 p.m.
This month discussing The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg. Saturday, January 17 MAIN LIBRARY Minecraft – 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Ages 8 to 14 are invited to join us for three hours of uninterrupted play. Space is limited, so call 497-2150 to register. Saturday, January 17 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Baby Boomer Club – 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Each month we’ll offer a different activity ranging from crafts, games, stories, programs, and movie or TV show viewings. This month, join us for a morning of chess, checkers, card games, and puzzles. Be sure to bring a friend! For any adult who considers themselves a baby boomer. Saturday, January 17 LINCOLN BRANCH Make It! Take It! Dove Unity Wreath – 12:00-5:00 p.m.
Come celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and make a “Dove Unity Wreath” of handprints symbolizing cultural unity. While supplies last. January 20-31 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Microscope Usage Program
Microscope equipment will be available the last two weeks of each month for patrons to use at our location. Sessions must be scheduled in advance. Please call 309-497-2200 to reserve a time slot.
This month: Like No Other by Una LaMarche Saturday, January 24 LINCOLN BRANCH Winter Read Book Discussion – 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Join the effort to make Peoria a more peaceful community during Winter Read, a joint program of Peoria Area Community Against Violence (PCAV), Peoria Reads!, and Peoria Public Library. Read one of the book choices or all three and then think about them and discuss new ideas with our community. This discussion will focus on It Calls You Back: An Odyssey through Love, Addiction, Revolutions and Healing by Luis J. Rodriguez. For more information about Winter Read visit http://www.peoriapubliclibrary.org/ winter-read or call (309) 497-2000. Saturday, January 24 MCCLURE BRANCH Warm Up Movie Time – 10:30 a.m.12:00 p.m. & 3:30-5:00 p.m.
The temperature outside is dropping, but it’s nice and warm inside the library. Stop by to watch some warm-weather movies with us. We’ll be showing Surf’s Up (10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.) and Lilo & Stitch (3:30-5:00 p.m.). January 25-31 NORTH BRANCH Register Now! – Passport to Winter Fun: A Program for Mature Readers
It’s not quite spring and you’re sick and tired of winter. Break out of the doldrums by picking up your Passport to Winter Fun at the North Branch. This six-week program for mature readers is a fun way to learn more about the library. Pick up your “Passport to Fun” at the North Branch and start completing adventures. For every six adventures you complete, come to the North Branch to get your “Passport” stamped and enter a weekly drawing. Registration begins January 25, 2015 and the program runs from Feb 1 to March 15, 2015. Complete all 18 adventures to be eligible for the Grand Prize Drawing. Winners will be announced March 25, 2015.
This month: Goldfinger, starring Sean Connery and directed by Guy Hamilton Monday, January 26 NORTH BRANCH Israeli Movie Night – 5:30-7:45 p.m.
Join the Jewish Federation of Peoria and Congregation Anshai Emeth for a movie and discussion. The Matchmaker tells the story of a teenager in 1968 who lands a summer job with a matchmaker. Feel free to bring a brown bag dinner. Monday, January 26 LINCOLN BRANCH Front & Center: National Popcorn Day – 6:00-7:00 p.m.
We’re celebrating National Popcorn Day. Come in, grab a bag, and enjoy creating a masterpiece of popcorn art! Tuesday, January 27 LINCOLN BRANCH Read On Book Club – 5:30-6:30 p.m.
This month: Bishop by RM Johnson Tuesday, January 27 LAKEVIEW BRANCH 1,001 Movies to See Before You Die Club – 6:00-8:00 p.m.
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. This month: The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) Wednesday, January 28 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Super Bowl/Sports Bookmark – 3:00-6:00 p.m.
Stop in to celebrate the upcoming Super Bowl by making a sports-related bookmark. While you are here, check out a few of our books featuring your favorite sports teams and players. While supplies last. Wednesday, January 28 LAKEVIEW BRANCH Club Read – 6:30-7:30 p.m.
This month: Enrique’s Journey by Sonia Nazario
Liked That Book? Try This One! By Liesl Prentice Here are some of the books that made the year-end “best books” lists along with some suggested read-alikes. Sources include Amazon.com, Kirkus, Library Journal, LibraryReads. org, New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and Washington Post. NoveList was used as a reference for annotations—for more suggestions check out the database NoveList Plus at Peoria Public Library or at home with your Peoria Public Library card. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr Read-alike: The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje Reason: Both novels reflect on the cruelty of World War II and its lingering effects, threatening to ruin the futures of the book’s characters. Redeployment by Phil Klay Read-alike: The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien Reason: Both short story collections by U.S. military veterans are alternately bleak and darkly humorous, demonstrating their authors’ personal knowledge of war as they describe the experiences of American soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq (Redeployment) and Vietnam (The Things They Carried). The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell Read-alike: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami
What’s Trending at Peoria Public Library
Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi Read-alike: The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey Reason: Magical realism lends these retellings of classic fairy tales a haunting, dreamlike atmosphere. Boy, Snow, Bird’s reinvention of Snow White explores themes of racial identity in 1950s Massachusetts. The Snow Child, set in 1920s Alaska, explores the depths of parental love. Lila by Marilynne Robinson Read-alike: Someone by Alice McDermott Reason: Both literary novels explore identity and the importance of family told in elegant prose that delivers a vivid sense of place. Lila takes place in Depression-era Indiana while Someone in 1920s Brooklyn. The Martian by Andy Weir Read-alike: The Martian Race by Gregory Benford Reason: Both fast-paced novels feature missions to Mars— although the outcomes are different. They are richly detailed with strong characterization.
NON-FICTION BOOKS
The following books and movies are currently trending at Peoria Public Library. Read and watch what other Peorians are enjoying. FICTION BOOKS
Reason: Both experimental novels have intricate plots and are stylistically complex and cover a plethora of subjects, settings and genre tropes. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles focuses on one central protagonist, while The Bone Clocks features a rotating cast of characters.
All is Bright by Katherine Spencer Animal III: Revelations by K’wan The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks Betrayed: a Rosato & Associates Novel by Lisa Scottoline Blue Labyrinth by Douglas J. Preston Blue Warrior by Mike Maden
The Art of the English Murder by Lucy Worsley Bridge Burner: Being the Full and Factual Account of the Dramatic Life and Exploits of the Infamous Dr. William Parks Rucker, a Controversial Slave-Owning Union Partisan by Michael P. Rucker Death Punch’d: Surviving Five Finger Death Punch’s Metal Mayhem by Jeremy Spencer Doctor Who: the Secret Lives of Monsters by Justin Richards Dreamers and Deceivers: True Stories of the Heroes and Villains Who Made America by Glenn Beck
For more of what’s trending, visit: www.peoriapubliclibrary.org/whats-trending
Build. Learn.
Imagine.
YOUNG ADULT BOOKS
Allegiant by Veronica Roth Annie On My Mind by Nancy Garden Beware the Wild by Natalie C. Parker Beyond the Reflection’s Edge by Bryan Davis The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan MOVIES
And So It Goes Begin Again Chef Earth to Echo The Expendables 3 The Giver
Junior FIRST Lego League is coming! Teams begin meeting this winter. For children ages 6-9.
Watch for more details or contact Elise Hearn at 497-2204
February Book Clubs at Peoria Public Library Join a book club at Peoria Public Library this month. New members are always welcome! The Biography and Non-Fiction Book Club will meet on Sunday, February 8 at 3:00 p.m. at North Branch to discuss Enrique’s Journey: The Story of a Boy’s Dangerous Odyssey to Reunite with his Mother by Sonia Nazario. Enrique’s mother, Lourdes, left him in Honduras when he was five years old because she could barely afford to feed him and his sister, much less send them to school. Her plan was to sneak into the U.S. for a few years, work hard, send and save money, then move back to Honduras to be with her children. But 12 years later, she was still living in the U.S. and wiring money home. That’s when Enrique became one of the thousands of children and teens who try to enter the U.S. illegally each year. Riding on the tops of freight trains through Mexico, these young migrants are preyed upon by gangsters and corrupt government officials. The breadth and depth of Nazario’s research into this phenomenon is astounding, and she has crafted her findings into a story that is at once moving and polemical. The Bibliophiles Book Club will meet on Tuesday, February 3 at 1:30 p.m. at Lakeview Branch to discuss The Dinner by Herman Koch, the darkly suspenseful tale of two families struggling to make the hardest decision of their lives—all over the course of one meal. Between mouthfuls of food and over the scrapings of cutlery, the conversation remains a gentle hum of polite discourse. But behind the empty words, terrible things need to be said, and with every forced smile and every new course, the knives are being sharpened. Each couple has a fifteen-year-old son. The two boys are united by their accountability for a single horrific act that has triggered a police investigation and shattered the comfortable, insulated worlds of their families. As civility and friendship disintegrate, each couple shows just how far they are prepared to go to protect those they love. Skewering everything from parenting values to pretentious menus to political convictions, this novel reveals the dark side of genteel society and asks what each of us would do in the face of unimaginable tragedy.
The Book ‘Em Mystery Book Club will meet on Sunday, February 15, at 2:00 p.m. at Lakeview Branch to discuss Retirement Homes are Murder by Mike Befeler. Remembering nothing from the day before, crotchety octogenarian Paul Jacobson must become an amateur sleuth to clear himself as a murder suspect when he finds a dead body in the trash chute of a retirement home. As Paul’s snooping and short-term memory loss get him in trouble with the local police, his new friends and granddaughter Jennifer help him solve an expanding list of crimes. Paul finds romance as he struggles to escape a murderer intent on a repeat performance. Club Read will meet on Wednesday, February 25 at 6:30 p.m. at Lakeview Branch to discuss Fools of Fortune by William Trevor. In spare, haunting prose, Trevor captures the tragedy of the Irish nation. A young Irish boy, William Quinton, lives contentedly on an estate outside Cork observing the operation of the family mill, pursuing his studies with a defrocked Catholic priest, and enjoying the antics of his older sisters until his serenity is shattered by an incalculable, senseless act of violence by the Black and Tans, the British counterrevolutionary forces of the early 1900s. When Willie falls in love with an English cousin, he unwittingly follows an old family tradition that links not only the two families, but also their disparate yet historically entangled nations. In this and many other subtle, poignant ways, the history of the Quintons mirrors the tragic relationship of Britain and Ireland. Yet Trevor’s stunning novel is not a political piece but a moving, often even amusing, inevitably wrenching story of ill-fated love. The Sci-Fi Fantasy Book Club will meet on Monday, February 9 at Lakeview Branch at 6:30 p.m. to discuss American Craftsmen by Tom Doyle. In modern America, two soldiers will fight their way through the magical legacies of Poe and Hawthorne to destroy an undying evil—if they don’t kill each other first. US Army Captain Dale Morton is a magician soldier—a “craftsman.” After a black-ops mission gone wrong, Dale is cursed by a Persian sorcerer and haunted by his good and evil ancestors. Major Michael Endicott, a Puritan crafts-
man, finds gruesome evidence that the evil Mortons, formerly led by the twins Roderick and Madeline, have returned, and that Dale might be one of them. Dale uncovers treason in the Pentagon’s highest covert ranks. He hunts for his enemies before they can murder him and Scherie, a new friend who knows nothing of his magic. Endicott pursues Dale, divided between his duty to capture a rogue soldier and his desire to protect Dale from his would-be assassins. They will discover that the demonic horrors that have corrupted American magic are not bound by family or even death itself. In Tom Doyle’s thrilling debut, Seal Team Six meets ancient magic--with the fate of the United States hanging in the balance. The YA Book Club for Adults will meet on Tuesday, February 17 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon. It is the year 2059. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing. But when Paige is captured and arrested, she encounters a power more sinister even than Scion. The voyant prison is a separate city—Oxford, erased from the map two centuries ago and now controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. These creatures, the Rephaim, value the voyants highly—as soldiers in their army. Paige is assigned to a Rephaite keeper, Warden, who will be in charge of her care and training. He is her master. Her natural enemy. But if she wants to regain her freedom, Paige will have to learn something of his mind and his own mysterious motives. The Bone Season introduces a compelling heroine—a young woman learning to harness her powers in a world where everything has been taken from her. It also introduces an extraordinary young writer, with huge ambition and a teeming imagination. The Read On Book Club will meet on Tuesday, February 25 at 5:30 p.m. at Lincoln Branch to discuss a book to be announced. Call 497-2601 for more information.
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All locations will be
CLOSED Monday, January 19 in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
North Branch always closed Tuesday