Category Archives: Events

Are you planning to hop on your Nimbus 2000, Firebolt, or whatever broomstick model you may own and fly on over to the catch the latest and (almost) final Harry Potter movie release this Thursday?  Why not revisit the book series, too, and bring back to mind all of those fabulous details about Hogwarts that may have been forgotten?  Or, consider listening to the stories this time and enjoy them from a new vantage point.  However you take your Harry Potter “potion”, it’s always magical.  

Join poet and author Elizabeth Rosner on Wednesday, October 13, at 7 PM in the Carnegie Community Room for a discussion of her latest novel, Blue Nude, as well as her acclaimed debut novel, The Speed of Light – which was a 2nd Tuesday Book Discussion 2010 selection.
The daughter of Jewish holocaust survivors, Rosner’s writing is greatly influenced by her parents’ experiences. Indeed, the central theme of The Speed of Light examines the effects of holocaust on the descendents of its survivors. Translated into nine languages, the novel was the recipient of the Harold U. Ribalow Prize administered by Hadassah Magazine, and judged by Elie Wiesel, among others.
Her second novel, Blue Nude, depicts an encounter between a post-war German painter and his Israeli artist’s model. Blue Nude was selected as a Book Sense Notable Pick and was named by the San Francisco Chronicle as one of the Best Books of 2006.
Rosner’s poetry chapbook, Gravity, was one of the Select Poets Series published by Small Poetry Press and is currently in its fourteenth printing. Her prize-winning poems have been published by numerous literary journals, such as Poetry, Poetry East, and Southern Poetry Review.
A resident of Berkeley, California, Rosner is a full-time writer, having been an instructor of creative writing at the college level for eighteen years. She is a graduate of Stanford University, the MFA Program at the University of California/Irvine, and the University of Queensland in Australia.
Her extensive travels have included long-term stays in the Philippines, Israel, Australia, Sweden, and Mexico.

Books by Elizabeth Rosner will be available for purchase and autographing following her presentation.

How many more days until school starts? If you know the answer to that question, chances are you’ve probably got some last-minute reading requirements to meet by then. Looking for suggestions or a current reading list? Try your individual school’s website. Just need some recommended titles? Our Reader Services Staff will be happy to assist you.

Looking for something to do this weekend? The 26th Annual Newberry Library Book Fair runs through this Sunday, August 1st from 10am to 6 pm. Per their website:
“Join us for Chicago’s most popular book binge. Browse through more than 120,000 used books in 70 categories. Scour the sale for amazing deals on cookbooks, music, fiction, art books, children’s literature, collectibles, and much, much more. Most books are under $2.”
Let the treasure-hunting begin!

jdc

It seems that my children have been anticipating Mother’s Day this year. When Sunday comes up in conversation, they are eager to share with me that they have “plans” for me and that, in the words of my youngest, “…will cost at least a dollar, maybe five or ten.” How does a mom express that expense is not what matters, but rather that it is the everyday experiences that are valued the most?
I found my answer, by chance, in my daughter’s online school newsletter today and have to share what I read:
“Some of us think a gift has to be a thing….a material thing…preferably an expensive thing wrapped in pretty paper with a big bow. But the greatest gift we can give is not a thing. It can’t be touched. It’s invisible to the eye. It has no price tag….
The greatest gift is the gift of love.
This Sunday is Mother’s Day, a day set aside to honor the women in our lives who mother us. Maybe it’s a mom, or stepmom, or grandmother or aunt.
This Mother’s day give the person who mothers you something really special. Sit down with her and talk from your heart. Tell her how much she means to you. Tell her how much you appreciate all the things she does for you. Tell her what you love most about her. Tell her why she’s special. Then wrap it up with a big hug and seal it with a kiss. ”

A couple of books written in honor of moms and motherhood you might enjoy are:
The Gift of an Ordinary Day: A Mother’s Memoir
Katrina Kenison
306.8743 KEN
Mothers: A Celebration in Prose, Poetry, and Photographs of Mothers and Motherhood
Alexandra Towle
808.80352 MOT

Happy Mother’s Day!
jdc

Need ideas for planning the perfect celebration? Graduations, birthdays, weddings, religious celebrations, backyard gatherings, whatever’s on your calendar, take a look at our entertaining guides in the 642s for books bursting with beautiful photographs and clever ideas for table settings, menus, party themes, and planning guides.

Looking for a good read to keep you entertained along the way?
Entertaining Disasters: A Novel (with Recipes) by Nancy Spiller
FIC SPILLER
How to Host a Killer Party: A Party-Planning Mystery by Penny Warner
FIC WARNER
Good luck & Congratulations!
jdc

Not surprisingly, July is considered the most popular month for family reunions. If you haven’t made your plans yet, you may want to start looking ahead to next year! Summer is a great time to head back home, travel across the country or even around the world to gather with generations of loved ones, share family stories, and takes oodles of pictures.
If you need a little reading to inspire you, sample some of the following titles:
The Art of Mending: A Novel by Elizabeth Berg
Carrot Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke
House on the Lake by Julie Ellis
Invitation to Provence by Elizabeth Adler
July and August by Nancy Clark
A Piece of Heaven by Barbara Samuel
A Wealth of Family: An Adopted Son’s International Quest for Heritage, Reunion, and Enrichment by Thomas Brooks
Also, try searching “family reunions” in the online catalog for planning guides or browsing the shelves in 394.2.
jdc

There are a variety of book events going on in the area during April, including:
Decisions, Decisions! On Tuesday April 14th there are three different book-related programs at the Library: The 2nd Tuesday Morning Book Group will be discussing Sue Miller’s The Senator’s Wife starting at 10am. Then, in the evening you have your choice of joining either the Evening Book Group (we’ll be discussing The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl) or attend the program “Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover – Dead!” featuring the “mystery mavens.”
There’s been a lot of buzz among reviewers about the new book, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. The story is set during World War II in the ethnic neighborhoods of Seattle and the Japanese American internment camps. Anderson’s Bookshop in Naperville is hosting an author event and signing starting at 7pm on Tuesday, April 21.
Did you know that our local Borders (on the east side of St. Charles – 3539 E. Main St) also hosts a book club? On April 23 at 7pm they will be discussing the popular book, The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs.
You might want to check out Townhouse Books’ Annual Book Club Mixer on Tuesday, April 28th. From 6:30 – 8:30pm they invite all members of local book clubs (and those who would like to be) to talk books, share lists and have fun!
Last but not least, for those who enjoy contemporary romance, you might want to see best-selling author Cathie Linz at the Glenside Public Library on Wednesday, April 29. She will read from her latest book, speak about her writing life and answer questions.

The historical election held this past week ushered in a new president-elect, Barack Obama.
Though he hails from Chicago, the easiest way to get better acquainted with him is via your library! Being an author in his own right as well as the subject of several biographies means that you can find a variety of interesting titles about our nation’s first African-American President right here. Try searching his name as both an author and as a subject, or simply choose “Everything” for multiple results.
Is the item you’re looking for checked out? Simply click on the “Hold Hand” to place a reserve and we’ll notify you when it is available for you to pick up.
jdc

May is Teen Self-Esteem Month and what a perfect time of year to celebrate the accomplishments of our young adults as they finish out the school year, graduate, prepare for college, find a summer job, etc. Never have teens faced more stress in their lives as they do right now, so it is important that we take a moment to recognize their efforts as well as celebrate their successes. Everyone enjoys hearing positive feedback, including our YA’s, so please remember to take a moment and hug your teens! Although they may act as though receiving your attention is the last thing on their wish lists, know that the opposite probably holds true.

Take a look at our spring issue of BTW (By the Way…), the library’s online young adult newsletter for current information about teen depression and suicide, including book suggestions (both fiction and nonfiction) as well as other key resources.
JDC