A favorite returns! Don’t miss this year’s award-winning ...
5th Annual Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival:
Tue, 24 Aug 2010 09:08:42 -0500
"Literary Twists"
Friday, October 29, 2010
Genesee Theatre, downtown Waukegan
Brace yourself, but it won’t do any good. Storytellers, nimble-tongued and skilled at sleights of mind, are plotting to ambush you at the next Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival. They’re holding a bag of explosive literary twists, from classic authors like Dickens and Robert Louis Stevenson. And they’re waiting ... for just the right moment. It’s coming, Friday, October 29. Get your tickets at Ticketmaster starting September 10.
You might jump at another surprise then, too: lower prices. In response to the flagging economy, the library cut ticket prices for the evening performance 30 percent - - from $17 to just $12. We’re also hosting a new multimedia art show for the Ray Bradbury Creative Contest, plus an exciting Pre-Show Party where you can mingle with the storytellers.
Children’s Matinee
10:30 am
The sun’s not overhead yet, but storytellers plan to "Switch on the Night" for this mildly spooky show choreographed for field trips and homeschoolers. The lineup features all Bradbury tales, in homage to the author who turns 90 this year.
Megan Wells The Martian Chronicles
Jim May Dandelion Wine
Mike Speller "Switch on the Night"
Tickets: $4 each before October 1, $5 after. To arrange a group field trip, call the Group Sales Hotline at 847-406-3155.
Ray Bradbury Creative Contest (New!)
5:30 - 6 pm
Actually, the contest isn’t new at all. It’s 26 years-old. The timing’s new. Once held in spring, the Ray Bradbury Creative Contest is officially switching seasons. Artists and writers worldwide are welcome to submit new entries in each media category from September 1 to October 8. In another surprising twist: now kids as young as first-graders can enter!
All submissions will be on display at the Genesee Theatre the day of the festival. Doors open to the public at 5:30 pm, and you don’t need a ticket to browse the display. WPL Executive Director Richard Lee will announce the winners in each category - - and hand out their prize checks! - - at 6 pm.
Pre-show Party (New!)
6-7 pm
Ever wish you could tête-á-tête with one of the award-winning tellers? You can! Over a cocktail and a meatball, too. Join the storytellers and festival organizers for an exclusive new Pre-Show Party in the Genesee Lounge. Your ticket not only entitles you to lively company, but also a buffet of creepy (yet surprisingly tasty) appetizers, and a drink ticket for the cocktail of your choice. Cash bar after that.
Pre-show Party $13
Combo: Party and Performance $25
Evening Performance
7:30 pm
Storytelling luminaries Megan Wells and Jim May are back again, with two luminous contemporaries! They’ll present not only these twisty tales, but also unfold some real-life ghost stories that took place right in Waukegan. Some hauntings were reported by the ravine, and others, maybe just a few chairs away from you, at the age-old Genesee.
"The Bottled Imp"Jim May
Oliver Twist Megan Wells
"Gotcha!" Ray Bradbury
Passion and Poison Janice Del Negro
The Storytellers
Jim May
May often uses the opportunity to spotlight some of the more unsung works of renowned authors. He plans to present "The Bottled Imp" by Robert Louis Stevenson, a twisty, paradoxical tale about greed, reward and retribution. Somewhat impish himself, May earned his fame telling offbeat stories and cracking wise on radio programs and stages across the country. He co-founded the Illinois Storytelling Festival, and won the coveted Circle of Excellence Award for storytelling. Equally gifted on paper, the performer has several published works to his credit, including a collection of original stories named "Best Book" by the Public Library Association.
Janice Del Negro
Guest storyteller Del Negro has also published several award-winning collections of her own original stories. For the festival, she’ll perform sketches from her latest book, Passion and Poison: Tales of Shape-Shifters, Ghosts, and Spirited Women. Del Negro is an Assistant Professor at the Graduate School at Dominican University, where she teaches storytelling and literature. Her specialties include retelling traditional folktales and transformation stories, with a emphasis on ghosts and women. A seasoned performer, she’s taken the stage as featured storyteller at such prestigious venues as the National Storytelling Festival, the Bay Area Storytelling Festival, and the Illinois Storytelling Festival.
Mike Speller
Teller Mike Speller will spin the evening’s inspiration tale, Ray Bradbury’s "Gotcha!" A story once featured on The Ray Bradbury Theater show, "Gotcha!" takes listeners on a scary mind-bender about a couple’s experiment with a game of the same name. Speller has spent the past 25 years storytelling on stages and onscreen across the country, including Lifeline and Timeline Theatre in Chicago; the Northlands Storytelling Conference in Madison, Wisconsin; the Orlando and Minnesota Fringe Festivals; and a headline appearance at the Sterling Storytelling Festival.
Become a Sponsor
Winner of the Highsmith Library Innovative Award, the Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival has been wooing audiences over to classic literature for six years running. Find out how your company can be recognized as a sponsor of this distinguished event.
5th Annual Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival:
"Literary Twists"
Wed, 4 Aug 2010 12:33:05 -0500
Inspired by Bradbury’s short story, “Gotcha!” storytellers are busy scheming a shocking day of "Literary Twists" for the next Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival, sponsored by the Waukegan Public Library. The new lineup features tales designed to grab listeners by the collar before their neck hairs have time to rise. Now in its fifth year, the popular festival will take place Friday, October 29, at the Genesee Theatre, with a 10:30 children’s matinee and a 7:30 evening show for listeners 11 and older.
Festival fans will notice some other twists this year, too, like reduced prices. Responding to the depressed economy, the library is cutting ticket prices from $17 to just $12 for the evening performance - - helping make the event more accessible to all fans of classic literature and old-fashioned storytelling. Matinee tickets have dropped to $4 each if you order before October 1.
Also new, the Waukegan Public Library plans to announce the winners of its Ray Bradbury Creative Contest at 6 p.m. on the day of the festival, in the lobby at the Genesee Theatre. All submissions will be on display, including art, multimedia and literary works from writers and artists of all ages, from all parts of the world. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. For an additional $13, fans can gain admission to an elaborate Pre-show Party at 6 p.m., with complimentary drinks, appetizers, and the chance to meet the performers in person, including renowned storytellers, Megan Wells and Jim May.
Last year, Wells regaled the festival audience with a howlingly witty portrayal of Oscar Wilde’s ghost of Canterville. In keeping with this year’s theme, she’ll present the Charles Dickens plot-twister, Oliver Twist. Wells serves as Artistic Director for the Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival, having earned widespread acclaim for writing, directing and performing stories on stages nationwide, including the Art Institute of Chicago and The Island Theater on Bainbridge Island, Washington. She holds an MFA in theater arts and a string of distinguished theater awards, including the prestigious Joseph Jefferson Award for directing. Along with May, Wells has performed at the Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival every year since its inception.
May often uses the opportunity to spotlight some of the more unsung works of renowned authors. He plans to present "The Bottled Imp" by Robert Louis Stevenson, a twisty, paradoxical tale about greed, reward and retribution. Somewhat impish himself, May earned his fame telling offbeat stories and cracking wise on radio programs and stages across the country. He co-founded the Illinois Storytelling Festival, and won the coveted Circle of Excellence Award for storytelling. Equally gifted on paper, the performer has several published works to his credit, including a collection of original stories named "Best Book" by the Public Library Association.
Guest storyteller Janice Del Negro has also published several award-winning collections of her own original stories. For the festival, she’ll perform sketches from her latest book, Passion and Poison: Tales of Shape-Shifters, Ghosts, and Spirited Women. Del Negro is an Assistant Professor at the Graduate School at Dominican University, where she teaches storytelling and literature. Her specialties include retelling traditional folktales and transformation stories, with a emphasis on ghosts and women. A seasoned performer, she’s taken the stage as featured storyteller at such prestigious venues as the National Storytelling Festival, the Bay Area Storytelling Festival, and the Illinois Storytelling Festival.
Teller Mike Speller will spin the evening’s inspiration tale, Ray Bradbury’s "Gotcha!" A story once featured on The Ray Bradbury Theater show, "Gotcha!" takes listeners on a scary mind-bender about a couple’s experiment with a game of the same name. Speller has spent the past 25 years storytelling on stages and onscreen across the country, including Lifeline and Timeline Theatre in Chicago; the Northlands Storytelling Conference in Madison, Wisconsin; the Orlando and Minnesota Fringe Festivals; and a headline appearance at the Sterling Storytelling Festival.
The Waukegan Public Library launched its annual Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival in 2006 in homage to the celebrated author, who turns 90 this year. Each year, storytellers highlight a new theme like "Literary Ghosts" or "Literary Villains" in an effort to rekindle interest in classic tales of horror. And the effort’s paying off. Both matinee and evening performances continue to lure a burgeoning set of followers, as well as curious newcomers. That unsuspecting group is often amazed how a story, relayed without any props by professional storytellers, can inspire such spearlike emotion - - typically, fear. And this year, tellers are whetting their instruments for one of the most fearsome festivals yet.
Waukegan Loses a Powerful Voice
Tue, 22 Jun 2010 09:45:35 -0500
Eddie Washington had a presence few legislators could rival. Whenever he entered a room, people turned to see who this man was, with his big voice and big smile. Even the briefest of conversations with him would reveal he held big aspirations for Waukegan, too.
The year I came to Waukegan as the library’s new executive director, 2003, was the same year Eddie was elected 60th District Representative. I went to Springfield that March for Library Advocacy Day, and felt lucky to score an appointment with him at his new office. Eddie was a gracious host, and listened attentively to all the pending library issues coming up in the house and senate bills. He impressed me that day with his sincerity and his determination to promote the interests of his constituents in any way possible.
A few years ago, United Way came out with a study that showed most Waukegan kids enter kindergarten unprepared to learn. The library launched a campaign to build a new Early Learning Center (ELC) in response, and it was Eddie who lobbied for and successfully obtained a $20,000 Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity grant to help make it a reality. More recently, Eddie championed our cause to help repair the library’s aging infrastructure, garnering another $35,000 grant, still pending, on our behalf.
In February I had the privilege of sitting with Eddie at a legislative breakfast for the North Suburban Library System. At these affairs, politicians often take the podium and declare their support of libraries before cautioning that money is tight, and don’t ask for any. Not Eddie. He was the sole legislator who encouraged libraries to pursue worthy projects, and offered suggestions on how to fund them.
Of more than 30 library directors and trustees in that room, I was the only one referred to by name by my elected official. Eddie called me his gatekeeper on library issues, an honor that still resonates.
Now, when I walk around the ELC, I still hear Eddie’s booming voice at the center’s first anniversary, declaring what a great day it is for the people of Waukegan. And it is ... largely thanks to the legacy he leaves behind. I will miss him as a fellow advocate, and a respected friend.
Richard Lee, Executive Director, Waukegan Public Library
Lake County Hosts First Annual
Mariposa Festival
Mon, 14 Jun 2010 09:04:37 -0500
Saturday, June 26, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. County Street, downtown Waukegan
Named for the Spanish word for butterfly, the new Lake County Mariposa Festival celebrates the beauty of nature and the arts. Dancers, musicians, artists and outdoor enthusiasts will gather for this elaborate open-air festival, featuring live theater and musical performances, local foods and food demos, an art fair, nature exhibits, kid activities and more. The event will take place Saturday, June 26, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., along County Street in downtown Waukegan.
Contributors to the festival include the Waukegan Public Library, Waukegan Main Street, the Genesee Theatre, Friends of Ryerson Woods, Art Etc. and the Rhythm Academy. Interested sponsors and exhibitors should contact Mitch Siegel, Marketing Coordinator, Waukegan Public Library, at (847) 623-2041, ext. 231.
For 112 years, the Waukegan Public Library has provided the community with opportunities to learn, gather, be informed and entertained. The main library is located in downtown Waukegan at 128 N. County Street, just north of the County Building; the Hinkston Park Branch is located at 800 N. Baldwin, in the Waukegan Park District Field House. The library houses one of the largest collections of materials in Lake County. Free parking is provided at the downtown branch in the City of Waukegan parking garage, at the corner of County and Clayton. For more information, call (847) 623-2041, or visit www.waukeganpl.org.
Wanted:
Waukegan Ghost Stories
Wed, 2 Jun 2010 09:43:28 -0500
Waukegan, from its history to geography, appears to offer fertile haunting grounds for ghosts. Jolliet and Marquette set up camp there back in 1673, on their way to discover the Mississippi River. Since then, beer barons, shepherds, pork packers and more have lived--and died--in Waukegan, taking up residence in humble homesteads to sprawling lakefront mansions. The lure for many of them was the town’s once-bustling rail commerce. Now, that same rail yard gives off an eerily deserted quality.
Down by the harbor, recreational boats still sail in and out in good weather. But at one time, that port welcomed nearly 1,000 cargo ships a year, disembarking sailors and other worldly characters to later re-board, or not. And the ravine. Even the benign morning light reveals all manner of spectral possibilities.
Do you have a Waukegan ghost story to tell? We want to hear it! The Waukegan Public Library plans to call forth the many lost souls of Waukegan at the next Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival, Friday, October 29, 2010. Join us as nationally acclaimed storytellers spin spooky tales using the yarns you provide.
To contribute a Waukegan ghost story, please call or email Elizabeth Stearns at (847) 623-2041, ext. 250, or elizabethstearns@waukeganpl.info. Responders who provide a featured tale will win two free tickets to the festival and admission to a pre-show party with the storytellers.
26th Annual Ray Bradbury Contest
Winners Announced
Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:52:29 -0500
Creative writers and artists from Waukegan to as far away as Korea entered essays, artwork and other media in the 26th Annual Ray Bradbury Contest, sponsored by the Waukegan Public Library. Last week, judges from the library and Robert Morris College selected winners in each category and gave away 12 cash awards ranging from $100 to $200.
Bradbury’s beloved coming-of-age tale, Dandelion Wine, provided a springboard for this year’s contest. Entrants were asked to consider the themes of life and death presented in the novel, and offer a creative response in their choice of media. Waukegan High School students Gabriela Escovar and Erin Wohlers tied for first place in the resident visual arts category, each winning $200. Gabriela’s entry featured a series of fading, handwritten messages, birds and dandelions. Erin chose burlap and thread as her media, sewing a stark scene depicting a skeleton against a backdrop of a tree.
In the adult non-resident category, Lauren Curtis took first place for "Microcosm/Macrocosm," a haunting photo collage based on a human x-ray scan. "The piece is about the connection between life and death, nature and humanity, and how we are all ultimately connected to the universe," says Curtis. "It also addresses how fragile, but beautiful, life can be."
Originally conceived as a creative writing contest, the Ray Bradbury Contest has expanded in scope over the years to include multimedia such as video and even musical compositions. The contest is sponsored by author Ray Bradbury himself, who personally signs each award certificate given to the winners every year.
All artwork and literary entries will be on display at the Waukegan Public Library through May 22. Click here for the complete list of winners.
Library Awards a New Bike to Reading Club Winner
Thu, 1 Apr 2010 06:59:11 -0600
At age six, some kids are just learning to sound out words on paper. Others, like kindergartner Catcher Salazar of Gurnee, pore through whole books -- and a lot of them. On March 17, Catcher took home a new bike donated by Midwest Bicycle and Billiards for winning the Dinosaur Reading Club at the Waukegan Public Library.
Catcher’s mom, Jhoanna Salazar, says her son, who attends Gurnee Grade School, likes books on "just about everything," particularly nonfiction books about animals. The Dinosaur Reading Club ran from November 15, 2009, to March 15, 2010.
The library will sponsor a Summer Reading Club with more prizes, from June 1 to August 31, 2010. For more information, visit the Children’s Department at the Waukegan Public Library.
Library's ELC Hosts a New Preschool Class
Thu, 1 Apr 2010 07:04:56 -0600
Twenty youngsters waiting for a spot to open up in the EPIC program, Waukegan’s free preschool for at-risk kids, now have have a place to go. In a special partnership between the Waukegan Public Library and Waukegan Public School District 60, the library has agreed to host a new EPIC preschool class in its Early Learning Center (ELC) every weekday, from 12:30 to 3 p.m. Classes began March 3.
EPIC, or Early Childhood Partners In Collaboration, offers free preschool to Waukegan children ages 3 to 5 who qualify as at-risk based on an initial screening. The screening weighs factors such as socioeconomic background and language skills, then places children on a wait list according to need. Sponsored by District 60, EPIC is funded through a block grant by the Illinois State Board of Education and a Preschool-for-All Initiative.
“Our children are at a significant disadvantage because their parents often must work two jobs just to make ends meet,” says Donna Toops, Early Childhood Program Coordinator. More than 75 percent of children in District 60 also come from homes where English is a second language, according to Toops. "Preschool is important to help these students develop the language skills they will need to succeed in kindergarten."
At the end of this school year, says Toops, more than 450 children enrolled in EPIC will matriculate to kindergarten, better prepared for the challenges of public school. As soon as their preschool spots open up, they will fill. District 60 offers free EPIC classes at five different sites in Waukegan, and keeps a running wait list of kids who qualify for enrollment but are unable to attend because of space limitations.
Several months ago, Toops met Elizabeth Stearns, the library’s Assistant Director of Community Services, while they served on a United Way committee together. The partnership between the library and the school district evolved from their discussions as a way to simultaneously fulfill a public need and take advantage of a public resource in Waukegan.
"Our Early Learning Center was specially designed for curious preschoolers," says Stearns. "It offers a huge array of bilingual educational displays and hands-on learning stations." She hopes the library, which houses more than 101,000 children’s books, will help foster a new appreciation for reading among the students and their families. EPIC program staff encourage students to check out books from the library and continue to practice what they learn at home.
District 60 will also use the library’s Bradbury Room to conduct screenings of new EPIC applicants. For information on the next screening or to pick up a registration packet, call Mrs. Perez at (847) 249-6482, or visit the EPIC Early Learning Center at 540 S. McAlister Avenue in Waukegan.
New Facility Aims to Boost
Lake County Literacy Rates
Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:20:39 -0600
Marilu Estrada thinks about a time when she no longer works third shift, part of the clean-up crew at a factory. She wants to spend more time with her three kids, the youngest of whom is only a few months old. But without a high school diploma, Estrada’s job options are -- not surprisingly -- slim. Last summer, the Waukegan mom decided to enroll in the free Family Literacy program offered through the Waukegan Public Library and its literacy partners.
"I want to go for a diploma, so I can try for a better job," says Estrada, who attends classes with her children twice a week. "My daughter Thelma was really shy at first, but now she likes to come learn and play with the other children." While Estrada practices her math, reading and writing in the adult classroom, her children work with early learning specialists in the children’s classroom to develop pre-literacy skills, like letter recognition and rhyming. Then, the family reunites for group crafts and reading time.
On January 27, Estrada and another Family Literacy student, Maria Abarca, helped cut the ribbon on a new 3,200 square-foot Literacy Suite, now open at the Waukegan Public Library. The Literacy Suite offers free one-on-one tutoring for adults wanting to improve basic reading or writing skills, plus free group classes, including Adult Basic Education, Family Literacy, and computer classes in Spanish and English.
Students like Estrada, who wish to pursue a General Education Diploma (GED), attend classes at the library until they can demonstrate a ninth-grade proficiency in reading and math. Then, they’re eligible to continue coursework -- still free of charge -- at the College of Lake County (CLC), which administers the GED test and awards the diplomas. For the last quarter-century, the library has partnered with the CLC and Literacy Volunteers of Lake County to provide literacy services at various off-site facilities. Last fall, the library decided to move the program in-house to expand its offerings in response to new studies that show Lake County literacy rates continue to decline.
"The face of the family has changed," said Michele Vaughn, Associate Dean of Community Education at CLC. "We have more single parents than traditional parents, and with the condition of the economy -- no jobs! -- a lot of our students are lacking resources. I believe the Family Literacy program is unique because it equips, empowers and motivates the entire family." Because poverty and literacy rates are so closely linked, supporters of this program believe their efforts will help provide a salve for this community, where 17% of adults and 27% of children fall below the federal poverty guideline.
Many prominent city and public officials attended the opening of the new Literacy Suite, including Waukegan Mayor Robert Sabonjian, who personally committed to "help with the reading effort," along with Library Board President Bill Anderson, Mike Mattson, president of the Literacy Volunteers of Lake County, and Torrence Hinton, Operation Manager of North Shore Gas, a major literacy supporter. North Shore Gas helped fund the library’s Early Learning Center last year, and recently donated $20,000 to build the new Literacy Suite.
"The opening of this Suite provides future hope for many residents and their families," said Hinton. "... Hope for more and better job opportunities, hope for more and better education opportunities, and the opportunity to lay the foundation for generations to come."
The free Family Literacy program is made possible through a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the federal Library Services and Technology Act. Additional funding comes from the Illinois Community College Board through the College of Lake County.
To inquire about the programs or volunteer opportunities, contact Barbara Babb, Literacy Program Manager, at (847) 623-2041, ext. 222.
Literacy Suite Opens a New Door
To Struggling Readers
Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:11:02 -0600
For some in Lake County, speaking English requires enough exertion, let alone trying to read it. Others can’t read because of learning disabilities, or they dropped out of school early. Now this surprisingly large group has a new resource to turn to: the Literacy Suite, opening soon at the Waukegan Public Library. The Literacy Suite will offer free one-on-one tutoring for adults wanting to improve basic reading or writing skills, plus free group classes. These include adult basic education, family literacy classes for parents and their children age 6 and under, and computer classes in Spanish and English. Visitors are welcome to tour the facility at the Grand Opening ceremony, January 27, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The Waukegan Public Library has devoted the last quarter-century to helping Lake County residents learn to read. Partnering with the College of Lake County and Literacy Volunteers of Lake County, the library has provided literacy classes and tutoring at various sites, including the Adult Learning and Technology Center in Waukegan. Last year, the program helped educate 336 adults and children, primarily from Waukegan, Round Lake, North Chicago and Zion. About half of those learners spoke English as a second language.
"As a public institution serving a low-income area, we’re always searching for ways to expand our services without further burdening our taxpayers," says Elizabeth Stearns, Assistant Director of Community Services. By moving the program in-house, the library can eliminate rental costs; offer more adult tutoring and group classes; and allow youngsters in family literacy classes to take advantage the adjacent, award-winning Early Learning Center.
In Waukegan, 17% of adults and 27% of children fall below the federal poverty guideline. Studies by the National Institute for Literacy show poverty and literacy rates are inextricably linked, with 43% of low-literacy adults living in poverty. The library believes that free resources like the Literacy Suite and Early Learning Center will help bolster the community’s defenses against poverty, and open new opportunities for the littlest learners on up.
"It’s never too late to learn, and we are a great resource," says Barbara Babb, Adult Literacy Program Manager. "Here at the library, adults can improve their own basic skills and also support their children’s education."
State and federal grants will fund most of the Literacy Suite administration. To underwrite the cost to build the facility, the library launched a "Legacy of Literacy" fundraising campaign. North Shore Gas, a major sponsor of the library’s Early Learning Center, has donated $20,000 of the $70,000 required for construction, furniture, fixtures and equipment. "Legacy for Literacy" offers several levels of giving, each with donor recognition, along with naming opportunities for two of the rooms. To make a contribution or learn more about the Literacy Suite, call Elizabeth Stearns at (847) 623-2041, ext. 256.
ELC First Birthday
Fri, 4 Dec 2009 09:45:55 -0600
First birthdays often go hand-in-hand with other milestones, like taking those first wobbly steps. Here at the library, we watched with pride as our Early Learning Center turned one year old in November, and took its first steps. But they weren’t wobbly. In fact, we’d call them seven-ton stomps!
Massive prehistoric reptiles converged on the center for our "Dig the Dinosaurs" exhibit, commemorating the ELC’s first year of service. And what a busy year it was! More than 16,000 children visited, explored, read, played, and learned new skills at the ELC. At a time when Waukegan preschools like EPIC are turning kids away due to budget cuts, the library tripled its program offerings to kids age 7 and under. Attendance at preschool storytimes shot up 50% in the last year, as daycares and preschools citywide began flocking to the ELC for field trips.
All this could have never happened without the generous support of donors like you. On behalf of all the children who regularly visit the ELC, we thank you. Your contribution has helped kindle literacy among Waukegan’s earliest learners, giving them a head start toward success in school, and beyond.
That’s a critical advantage for these kids - an advantage many of their parents never had.
You often hear that parents are a child’s first teachers. But what if those parents are struggling to read themselves? In Waukegan, one in four adults cannot read a prescription label, a grocery flyer, even the charges on a phone bill. At the library, we believe reading should be a family affair - with kids and parents all reading and learning together.
In January 2010, the Waukegan Public Library will finish building a new 3,200 square-foot Family Literacy Suite adjacent to the ELC. Featuring warm, inviting spaces for learning and a staffed nursery for little ones, the Literacy Suite opens new opportunities for adults who want to learn to read and write, even pursue a GED. Families with tots to great-grandparents can learn at their own pace with tutors and teachers, and with each other.
The estimated cost of this project is $70,000 for construction, furniture, fixtures and equipment. Would you consider helping us again with a tax-deductible donation? We offer several levels of giving, each with donor recognition, along with naming opportunities for two of the rooms. For more information, or to see plans of the new facility, please contact Elizabeth Stearns at (847) 623-2041, ext. 256.
We thank you again for supporting the library, and helping bring the gift of literacy to the people of Waukegan. Happy Holidays!
Interactive Free Theater for Kids to Play in St. Charles and Waukegan
Fri, 4 Dec 2009 09:36:20 -0600
Kidworks Touring Theatre Co. presents "Global Warming: What’s a Kid to Do?"
A fun, free theatrical experience for children ages 4-12 will explore the world in make-believe to help kids learn about climate change and how they can do something about it. The audience-participation performances are coming to Public Libraries in St. Charles and Waukegan.
"To witness 200 grade school students enthralled for 45 minutes about climate change was as dreamy as a fluffy white cumulus cloud high in a deep blue sky. I could have sworn that Kidworks cast a magic spell on our third through eighth graders. The high-energy creative performance invited audience participation throughout and was as entertaining as education can be! Teachers told me they'd be following up on this 'lesson' in the classrooms. Thank you Burnham Centennial for giving the Gail Borden Public Library District students this opportunity" said Miriam Lytle, Assistant Director of Communications and Program Coordinator for the Gail Borden Public Library District, which held the program on November 30.
Featured on WBBM Newsradio78, Kidworks Touring Theatre Co.’s interactive performance of "Global Warming: What’s a Kid to Do?" is presented as a concluding event of the Burnham Plan Centennial, a year-long future-focused commemoration of the 1909 publication of the Plan of Chicago by Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett.
With audience volunteers dressing up in costumes, the hands-on Kidworks production explores the facts and myths of climate change from the perspective of endangered plants and animals. Children ride a melting glacier with a polar bear, journey to the Amazon rainforest on a monkey, and save a coral reef in Australia. Children ages 4 and 5 should be accompanied by an adult.
"What’s a Kid to Do?" is being staged throughout the region at select public libraries presenting the Burnham Plan Centennial’s Make Big Plans exhibit, curated and designed by the Newberry Library, Chicago. Children may also be invited to participate in a scavenger hunt of Make Big Plans’ 10 exhibit panels.
"Global Warming: What’s a Kid to Do?" will be performed at the St. Charles Public Library, at 4:00 -5:00 p.m., December 7, and at the Waukegan Public Library, at 7:00 -8:00 p.m., December 16. Reservations are not necessary.
About The Burnham Plan Centennial
The Burnham Plan Centennial includes more than 250 program partners from the three-state region spanning from Kenosha, Wis., through DeKalb, Ill., to Michigan City, Ind. In honor of Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett’s 1909 Plan of Chicago, this Centennial year is stirring a region-wide community to action, working to build the best quality of life. Support for "Make Big Plans" was made possible through the generous sponsorship of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, Deloitte LLP, and Marsh & McLennan Companies. Our region's community foundation, The Chicago Community Trust, provided leadership funding for the Burnham Plan Centennial, and is joined by the Elizabeth Morse and Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trusts as founding sponsors. Organizational and staff support for the Burnham Plan Centennial Committee is provided by Chicago Metropolis 2020. For more information visit www.burnhamplan100.org.
Early Learning Center Sets Off
A Stampede of Dino Fans
Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:30:43 -0600
Looming over 60th District Representative Eddie Washington is a ferocious-looking T-Rex, baring teeth like spears just inches from his head. Yet Washington is smiling. In fact, he looks delighted. The Waukegan Representative stands amid a throng of people at the grand opening of the expansive new "Dig the Dinosaurs" exhibit at the Waukegan Public Library. Debuting November 15, the exhibit commemorates the first anniversary of the library’s award-winning Early Learning Center (ELC), a bilingual facility serving Waukegan kids age seven and under.
"This is a great day for the people of Waukegan," said Washington. "The library is creating new opportunities for the city’s early learners, and I’m proud to be here to support that."
Hundreds of Waukegan residents flanked to see the new exhibit, which provided a prehistoric potpourri for the senses. Fog billowed around the center like gases from Mesozoic era. Vines hung from the ceiling. The trumpeting of a Parasaurolophus sounded in the background. Young visitors dug for dinosaurs at the sensory table, and stepped inside life-size dinosaur footprints. In the ELC theater, thespians in the crowd donned dinosaur costumes and even staged their own prehistoric show.
"We could never have pulled this all off without our generous donors and three key volunteers, Mitch Siegel, Chuck Rizzio and Rena Morrow," said Elizabeth Stearns, Assistant Director of Community Services for the library. The volunteers helped design the exhibit and assemble many of the dinosaur displays, including the majestic centerpiece of the exhibit, a 6’4" Probactosaurus replica.
Most of the funding for the project came from North Shore Gas and a donation from Samantha Bailey and the Bailey/Seidenfeld Family. During the opening, the Executive Director of the library, Richard Lee, joined Washington in unveiling a glass donor wall inscribed with the names of all the ELC contributors.
"My mom and her mother grew up [in Waukegan]," said Samantha. "So, when my grandma died, we thought she would like to donate to the library. It meant a lot to my mom and my dad." It means a lot to Waukegan residents as well. Since its opening in November 2008, the ELC has entertained more than 16,000 children and become a frequent field trip host for preschools and daycare centers all around the city.
The ELC offers free classes for preschool-age kids based on the Waukegan School District 60 curriculum. Library officials expect class attendance to continue to grow now that EPIC, Waukegan’s public preschool program, was forced to close its primary facility after losing state funding. In addition to drop-in storytimes in both English and Spanish, the ELC offers a variety of free camps focusing on nature, art, science, math, and of course, dinosaurs.
"I’ve been living six or seven years in this town, and I first came here three weeks ago," said Felix Nunez. "Now I come almost every day. The kids love it. They’re usually really wild, but here I don’t have to worry."
The ELC is located on the lower level of the main library at 128 North County Street. Library hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fridays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sundays (during the school year), 1 to 5 p.m. Free parking is available.
Dinosaurs Roar Into Early Learning Center
For First Anniversary
Fri, 6 Nov 2009 09:16:20 -0600
Last seen in China a hundred million years ago, the mammoth, duck-billed Probactosaurus will soon reappear at the Waukegan Public Library. To celebrate the first anniversary of its award-winning Early Learning Center (ELC), the library is hosting a Dino Bash and unveiling an extensive new dinosaur exhibit with museum-size replicas and hands-on learning stations. Dino lovers of all ages are welcome for dinosaur cake, games and crafts, Sunday, November 15, from 1 to 3 p.m., at the Waukegan Public Library.
The library campaigned to build the ELC in response to a United Way survey that showed only 43% of Waukegan kindergartners ever attend preschool, and 77% speak Spanish as their primary language. More than half the kids surveyed had little or no exposure to books before entering public school. By creating a bilingual center for preschool-age kids, with free classes based on the Waukegan School District 60 curriculum, the library hoped to capture this segment and better prepare the city’s earliest learners for kindergarten.
Since opening last November, the ELC has entertained more than 16,000 children and nearly tripled the number of programs offered to kids age 7 and under. Attendance at preschool storytimes shot up 50%, and the fledgling center has quickly become a field trip hot spot for daycare centers and preschools across Waukegan.
"We believe the ELC is making a difference in fostering early literacy in Waukegan. The children are engaged and learning while having fun," explains Richard Lee, Executive Director. "The center feels more like a children’s museum than a traditional children’s room in a library, making it a very unique destination."
Now, with the opening of its new "Dig the Dinosaurs" exhibit, the ELC will offer an up-close look at the mighty reptiles that once ruled our earth. Designers are transforming the space into a setting from the Mesozoic era, featuring an imposing 6’4" Probactosaurus replica. Museum-scale dinosaur heads protrude from area walls, while dinosaur trumpeting and other noises sound in the background. Budding paleontologists can participate in a fossil dig and examine realistic dinosaur bones, along with a true-size model of a T-Rex footprint. In other areas of the ELC, kids can try on dinosaur costumes, make crafts, learn about dinosaurs in a computer lab, even join a dinosaur reading club.
Funded primarily by North Shore Gas and a generous donation from Samantha Bailey and the Bailey/Seidenfeld Family, "Dig the Dinosaurs" is the first in a series of rotating exhibits the Waukegan Public Library plans to offer at the ELC. The exhibits, like the center itself, all stem from the library’s commitment to providing free and easy access to learning opportunities for Waukegan’s low-income families.
Bradbury Storytelling Festival
Conjures a Gamut of Emotions
Fri, 6 Nov 2009 09:09:55 -0600
By Ellyn Ruhlmann - Storytellers know why people are afraid of the dark. Nothing you can actually see - however horrific - inspires quite the same palpitations as the anxious churning of our own imaginations. Last Friday, in the dim light of the Genesee Theatre, listeners at the Fourth Annual Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival managed to whirl up their own funnel of fear. Each year the Waukegan Public Library hosts this popular festival to honor Waukegan native and master storyteller, Ray Bradbury.
Chicago Emmy Award-winning Jim May emceed the evening, which featured literary ghosts from Shakespeare to Oscar Wilde. One of the most famous literary ghosts, Hamlet’s father, appeared first, summoned by veteran Shakespeare actor and director, John Forsythe. Readers intimidated by Shakespeare may find the surest way to conquer the Bard is through an experienced orator. As Hamlet, Forsythe produced an almost palpable anguish, pulling listeners along in his struggle to comprehend a blood betrayal. "The Monkey’s Paw," told next by May, affected a quicker, less subtle response, in the form of a collective shriek.
"We both jumped out of our seats!" exclaimed Waukegan resident Amanda Teigland. "We were listening so intently."
May, who grew up telling stories amid the haystacks in rural McHenry County, says he honed his craft listening to farmers and horse traders whose sole source of entertainment was spinning a good yarn. "The human imagination is well beyond anything Hollywood could ever come up with," says May. "How many times do you hear people say they went to a movie but it wasn’t as good as the book? You can trust that."
Bradbury does. Storyteller Carol Birch exposed the author’s fervent love affair with books and libraries in her selection, "Exchange," set in Bradbury’s boyhood haunt, the old Carnegie Library. The story, about a soldier-spirit who revisits the library after a long absence, brought back memories to some listeners in the audience. Marie Flamming fondly recalled visiting the Carnegie Library when she was a little girl. Whenever he walked those hallowed grounds, Bradbury said all the books whispered to him. Perhaps Birch, a former librarian herself, heard the whispers, too.
Artistic Director Megan Wells snapped the audience out of its sentimental reverie with the evening’s final story. Portraying Oscar Wilde’s hapless ghost of Canterville,Wells evinced the comedic rage and indignation of a spirit outwitted by the fearless Otis family, new occupants of his haunt. Clearly, only thick-skinned Americans could withstand, unperturbed, the howls and clangs of an experienced ghost such as he. And Wells had this ghost down - expertly toggling between vengefulness, outrage, and bewilderment at his own impotence.
"These folks are really talented," said Joe Salvatore, who attends the festival every year. "It’s an art form we never knew existed."
Before leaving the stage, Wells reminded festival goers that The Canterville Ghost, among all featured stories that evening, could be found at the local library. In some ways, this year’s storytelling festival, which the Waukegan Public Library conceived as a tribute to Bradbury, turned around and became instead a tribute to libraries. But surely, Bradbury would approve.
Your Library Card—Don’t Leave Home Without it!
Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:34:48 -0500
Not only do you need your library card to log onto the computers, but you will also need it for our newest service - self check out. Yes that’s right the library is moving into the 21st century and installing three check out machines for the public to use. We promise it will be easy and faster than our current system. All of our books have been tagged with Radio Frequency Tags (RFID) so that you can check out multiple items at once.
To make the transition easier for you we will have a staff member to help you out and answer any questions you have about this new technology. Oh and one more thing - you’ll now be able to pay your fines using a credit or debit card!
RFID
Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:37:37 -0500
What is it? RFID stands for "Radio-frequency Identification." The Waukegan Public Library will be using radio waves to check out books! What does this mean? This means that each book will be checked out just by setting it (along with an entire stack of other books) on a special mat that will detect the radio waves that identify each book. We will have Express Checkouts similar to what you may have seen at Jewel or Home Depot. So, you can go up, scan your library card, set your stack of books on the Express Checkout table, and in just a moment, you’re ready to go! You will also be able to pay any fines or fees on the Express Checkouts using your credit or debit card.
E-mail notifications
Mon, 8 Jun 2009 12:42:33 -0500
If you prefer to be notified about requests or overdue items via E-mail, you may change your preferences through My Card, or, from the main catalog page, click on View your Card, follow the prompts and then click on "Modify Personal Info."
FREE: October Computer Training
Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:25:12 -0500
Don’t miss out on our free computer training programs which are held in both English and Spanish. Beginners and Intermediate classes will be held in October.
Freedom in Libraries/Banned Books Week Exhibit at the Waukegan Public Library
Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:00:29 -0500
September 17 - October 3, 2009
Did you know that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain in 1885 was banned from Waukegan High School almost 100 years later because an alderman found the book's language offensive. Does it? Should it have been banned? Should people have the right to read whatever they want? Answer these questions for yourself after viewing the Waukegan Public Library’s informational exhibit on Banned Books and Intellectual Freedom on display between September 17 and October 3.
The Waukegan Public Library is celebrating Constitution Day (September 17, 2009) and Banned Books Week (September 26 - October 3, 2009) by creating an informative display located on the main floor of the Library. There will be numerous panels describing the First Amendment and libraries, accessing information, challenging ideas, consideration of children, the Library Bill of Rights and the issues surrounding the banning of books. Books that have been recently and historically challenged or banned will be on display. Libraries and the First Amendment, is provided by the Chicago-based McCormick Freedom Museum, and explores the library’s role in enabling and protecting First Amendment freedoms.
The Library hopes to inform the general public and specifically local students about the Constitution and the obligation of libraries to provide resources for the interest, information and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves.
We also would like the attendees to go beyond this exhibit and explore the many other resources that the Waukegan Public Library provides. As well as the books and reference materials there is also a large selection of CDs, DVDs, video games and audio books.
Why should students see this exhibit?
(1) This information will hopefully create a discussion of the theme topics and how it may or may not relate to each student and/or the community and relevant community standards.
(2) The topics may be appropriate for history, civics, literature, government and journalism classes.
As Ray Bradbury says "You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them."
In addition to the main exhibit a companion Web exhibit www.FreedomInLibraries.org invites online viewers to explore specific controversies, vote on key issues and add their voice to a larger, national discussion.
It’s a Fiesta!
Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:37:24 -0500
Everyone is encouraged to join us in the joyful family celebration of Hispanic culture through music and dance during Hispanic Heritage Month.
Sunday September 13, 1 p.m.-3 p.m.in front of the library on County Street (held indoors in the event of rain).
The dance program includes:
Group Erandi: 1:20-1:40 pm
Chinelos de Morelos: 2-20 pm
Group Eclipse (a dance troupe from CLC): 2:40-3 pm
Ring Toss, crafts, balloon animals, face painting, moonwalk, games, food and entertainment and of course Dora!
This free party will celebrate the arts of different Latino cultures through song and dance. Kids will enjoy the Kidzone with games and crafts and a photo
opportunity with Dora! (Must bring own camera for photo) Also, our Friends of the Library will be holding a sale.
Museum Adventure Pass
Mon, 17 Aug 2009 08:30:17 -0500
Beginning September 1, the Museum Adventure Pass presented by Macy’s will be available at
at the Waukegan Public Library. Waukegan Library cardholders can receive up to four complimentary passes to 17 museums including the
Brookfield Zoo, Chicago Botanic Garden, Kohl Children’s Museum and many more. Each
Museum Adventure Pass expires within one week of the checkout date. This program will be in effect for one year!
Visit www.museumadventure.org for further information.
Pet Food for Fines Success!
Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:36:43 -0500
During the month of July the Waukegan Public Library conducted "Pet Food for Fines"; one of the summer reading club programs in our Dog Days of Summer Reading Club.
Patrons donated pet food in lieu of reducing any unpaid overdue fines they may have had. For every pet food donation made, $3 was deducted off their fines.
A total of $1,209.90 in fines was reduced and a whopping 200 pounds of pet food was collected! The pet food was donated to the Waukegan Animal Control (pets lost within Waukegan’s city limits) and the Lake County Animal Control (pets lost in the unincorporated areas of our community). Both organizations were very appreciative.
The Waukegan Public Library is happy it is able to help out the less fortunate animals in our area.
Mark Your Calendars for the 4th Annual Bradbury Storytelling Festival!
Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:30:41 -0500
We hope you’ve been looking forward to the festival and wondering what the date and theme were -and of course who would be performing! Please hold the date for Friday, October 30 at 7:30 p.m. for the Fourth Annual Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival Literary Ghosts at the Genesee Theatre in downtown Waukegan.
Click here for detailed information about the show, storytellers, and ticket information.
I could a tale unfold whose lightest word
Would harrow up thy soul; freeze thy young blood;
Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres;
Thy knotted and combined locks to part,
And each particular hair to stand on end
Like quills upon the fretful porcupine.
Ghost of Hamlet’s father, Act I, Scene V
WPL - Helping You Go Green
Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:09:43 -0500
During the month of June, you and WPL recycled 3.54 tons of paper. This means we saved 14,521 kwh of electricity, 24,780 gallons of water, 11.68 cubic yards of landfill space, 60 trees, and 212 pounds of air pollutants! Just for the month of June! Way to go!
Go Dog Go!
Mon, 6 Jul 2009 09:16:15 -0500
Best Walking Entry for Waukegan’s American Independence Parade.
Staff of the library participated in this year’s Waukegan Independence Parade with an entry themed around the Summer Reading Club: "Dog Days of Summer." Staff members walked the parade route with their four-legged family member/s i.e. dogs. There was a wonderful variety of dogs that entertained onlookers from Chihuahuas to a large German Sheppard.
Want to see some more dogs, register for one of our great canine programs this summer!
Waukegan Main Street's Wine & Art Stroll
Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:09:12 -0500
Attend the grand opening of the Bold Plans, Big Dreams exhibit as part of Waukegan Main Street’s Wine & Art Stroll on Friday, June 26 from 4:30 - 7:30 p.m. Tickets to the Wine & Art Stroll are $10 in advance/$15 at the door (or at the Jack Benny Park at the corner of Clayton and Genesee St.).
The Bold Plans, Big Dreams Exhibit is part of the Burnham Plan Centennial in honor of Daniel Burnham. The City of Waukegan and the Waukegan Public Library are working together on this exhibit which showcases not only Burnham’s original plan for Chicago, but all the City of Waukegan’s own master plan for the downtown and lakefront. This juxtaposition creates a sense of past, present and future while highlighting the importance of having a long term vision for a region.
Exhibit at WPL
www.waukeganwinestroll.com
burnhamplan100.uchicago.edu
burnhamplan100.uchicago.edu/learning/kids_portal
www.waukeganvision.com
Job Search Seminars
Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:43:49 -0500
Whether you are looking to make a career change or if you have been affected by a downsize with your company, once you have written your resume.... how do you start a job search? Finding your next job
takes a thought out plan and unique approach. Join us on Monday nights in June for the seminars, "Conducting a Job Search" and learn how companies are hiring today, and what you can do to get noticed by your next future employer!
Go Green, Go to the Library
Thu, 28 May 2009 12:16:10 -0500
Did you know you can recycle paper at the library? The two paper recycling containers in the parking lot behind the library are available twenty four/seven to receive paper for recycling, including newspaper, office paper, mail, magazines, and catalogs. Did you know every ton of paper recycled saves 4,102 kwh of electricity, 7,000 gallons of water, and 60 pounds of air pollutants. This paper recycling program makes sense from an environmental standpoint and also provide revenue for the library.
1st Annual Volunteer & Outreach Awards
Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:29:17 -0500
There is a new spirit of volunteerism sweeping the nation as called for by President Obama, and it is important to recognize those volunteers. Last night the Waukegan Public Library honored its volunteers at the First Annual Volunteer and Outreach Awards Dinner. See a list of our award recipients here.
"We’ve always held our volunteers in high esteem and have had volunteer recognition programs in the past, but this year we started something new," explains Richard Lee, Executive Director of the library. "This year we also gave out awards to members of the community and community agencies that have helped the library move its mission forward. We also included awards for our adult literacy volunteers that work in Waukegan."
Congratulations to all our award recipients.
We thank and salute all our volunteers for working assisting us in putting quality in the lives of the Waukegan Community through service.
Although we have always have jobs for volunteers, this summer we will be looking for volunteers to work on a special project relabeling our books. Please contact David Villalobos at 847-623-2041 x234 or email at davidvillalobos@waukeganpl.info to arrange an appointment.
You can help an adult in Lake County to improve their basic skills. If you are at least 18 years of age, graduated from high school or earned a GED, read at a 12th grade level and can commit 1-2 hours a week to teach someone to read or speak and understand English, ALC wants you as a volunteer!
Please contact Barbara Babb at 847-623-2041, X 222 for more information.
Love Poetry?
Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:42:53 -0500
Those who love poetry will love the idea of the Poetry Everywhere project and these animated poems.
www.pbs.org
www.youtube.com
www.poetryfoundation.org
Ray Bradbury Contest -- Fahrenheit 451 Display
Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:10:54 -0500
The 25th Annual Ray Bradbury Contest underwent a complete change this year-with better than expected results! The contest, which is run by the staff of the Waukegan Public Library, was more than a writing contest this year. "When planning this year we asked ourselves what the mission of the contest was - to create writers or readers? The answer was readers--of Bradbury’s works," explains Elizabeth Stearns, Assistant Director of Community Services. "Bradbury’s works are studied around the world, and we feel strongly that the community of Waukegan should be among those who have read and understood his work."
This year we asked the community to read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Whether people read it and joined a discussion, or read it and responded to it with a work of their art, or read it for pleasure. The contest was for those who wanted to respond to the book with their own art. The theme of the contest was a response to the theme of social sedation and apathy brought to our culture by the evolution of television-Bradbury’s own idea of what the book is about.
David Villalobos, Program and Outreach Coordinator organized this year’s contest also adding larger prize awards to both Waukegan High School students as well as Waukegan residents. A $200 first place prize will be offered to Waukegan residents in High School or adults in each category. $100 prizes will be awarded to non-residents in each category. "We emphasized reading and responding to a book, through various media, rather than simply writing whatever you wanted,” adds Villalobos. It was extremely successful with a total of 142 entries, 51 written entries and 91 visual art entries. The visual art entries were comprised of 83 Waukegan High School students and are currently on display on the main floor through the end of April."
Waukegan High School students were the main contributors to the contest in terms of visual art and very high quality art! The judges are from Columbia College and Lake Forest College, and winners will announced April 15.
According to the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read program "Fahrenheit 451 is, in some ways, the author’s tribute to the role that books and libraries have played in his life. After all, Bradbury wrote hundreds of works (novels, stories, screenplays, essays and poems) with only a high school education, an inspiring desire to learn, and a worn out library card."
Multiple copies of the book, audio book, reader’s guides and the movie are still available in English and Spanish for check out at the Waukegan Public Library. Copies can be placed on hold and delivered to Waukegan High School, the library branch in the Hinkston Park Field House and on the bookmobile.
A community discussion of the book will be held on Wednesday, April 15, 2009 at 7 p.m. in the library’s Bradbury Room and is hosted by Columbia College. No reservation is required.
Awards will be presented at the Friends of the Waukegan Public Library’s annual dinner on April 25, 2009.
For more information please contact David Villalobos, Program and Outreach Coordinator at 847-623-2041.
Every Day is the Day of the Child in the ELC
Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:14:50 -0500
Overheard in the Early Learning Center (ELC) last week...an 8 year old boy was sitting at the arts and crafts table painting with several other children (it was really busy during spring break!) and he loudly proclaimed "I’ve always known I wanted to be an artist."
That is what makes our jobs, and building the ELC, all worthwhile!
What Can We Do?
Tue, 7 Apr 2009 12:04:01 -0500
Everywhere we look we see stories about the economy and yet when we offer a job search program no one attends. Either we are missing the boat or not offering the right services. We’d like to change that. So we are asking you, what do you need from the library these days? It is programs on how to search for a job, how to write a resume, how to fill out an online application? It is just access to our free internet either through your laptop and WiFi, or through our computers? Or is it free entertainment, an escape from all the bad news?
We’d really like to hear from you. Let us know by emailing us at estearns@waukeganpl.info.
Join the Volunteer Movement at the Library
Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:14:10 -0600
There is a new spirit of volunteerism sweeping the nation as called for by President Obama. The library has many volunteer opportunities available for teens and adults. Although we have always have jobs for volunteers, this summer we will be looking for volunteers to work on a special project relabeling our books. Please contact David Villalobos at 847-623-2041 x234 or email at davidvillalobos@waukeganpl.info to arrange an appointment.
We are also always looking for volunteers to assist in our literacy program. Did you know that one in five adults in Illinois, more than 2 million people, are unable to read the information found on the back of a tube of toothpaste? According to the United Way of Lake County, 13% of Lake County adults are unable to sign one's name or are unable to locate the expiration date on a driver's license. Non-readers come from all walks of life and from every cultural background. They are your neighbors, your co-workers, and your friends.
You can help an adult in Lake County to improve their basic skills. If you are at least 18 years of age, graduated from high school or earned a GED, read at a 12th grade level and can commit 1-2 hours a week to teach someone to read or speak and understand English, ALC wants you as a volunteer!
Please contact Barbara Babb at 847-623-2041, X222 for more information.
DVDs are now free to check out!
Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:12:53 -0600
The Board and staff of the Waukegan Public Library have a Valentine's Day present for the Waukegan Community -- free DVD checkouts -- from now on! At their Monday, February 9 meeting the Board of Trustees unanimously voted to remove the $1 for 3 days/$2 a week fee for renting DVDs. The fee originated from the original collection of Beta and VHS movies in the early 1980s. "We were one of the first libraries to purchase a movie collection," explains Richard Lee, Executive Director of the Waukegan Public Library. "The fees were introduced to cover the costs of the initial collection as it was slightly controversial to let patron’s borrow movies. In those days a VHS or Beta tape could cost over $90 to purchase, a far cry from the cost of today’s DVDs which average around $20. A recent survey of other libraries showed that we were one of only a few libraries in the North Suburban Library District to still charge for DVDs."
The new policy was introduced as part of the library’s strategic plan. "Our focus is not on the Waukegan Public Library, but becoming Waukegan’s Public Library," explains Heidi Richter Smith, Assistant Director of Public Services. "We want to be more responsive to the needs and concerns of library patrons." The huge success of our recent Food for Fines program (over $1,000 in fines removed, over 1500 pounds of food donated to local food pantry) reinforced the idea that the DVD collection should be free to use. It now makes the entire library collection a free, circulating collection. The new policy goes into effect on Valentine's Day to show our patrons how much we love them, adds Richter Smith.
Limits have changed so that only eight movies can be checked out at one time. Overdue fines will remain at $1 per day/per movie.
Wireless Printing Now Available at the Library!
Wed, 11 Feb 2009 08:22:27 -0600
In addition to free Wi-Fi, people using their laptops can now print wirelessly at the library, or even from home!
When you are ready to print click on this link www.printeron.net/waukeganpl/webprint to begin the process. Note printing does cost .20 for a black and white page and $1 for color.
25th Annual Ray Bradbury Contest
Mon, 2 Feb 2009 08:08:42 -0600
The 25th Annual Ray Bradbury Contest is undergoing a metamorphosis. The contest, which is run by the staff of the Waukegan Public Library, will be more than a writing contest this year. "When planning this year we asked ourselves what the mission of the contest was - to create writers or readers? The answer was readers--of Bradbury’s works," explains Elizabeth Stearns, Assistant Director of Community Services. "Bradbury’s works are studied around the world, and we feel strongly that the community of Waukegan should be among those who have read and understood his work."
This year we are asking the community to read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Whether you read it and join a discussion, or read it and respond to it with a work of your own art, or read it for pleasure. The contest is for those who want to respond to the book with their own art.
According to the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read program "Fahrenheit 451 is, in some ways, the author’s tribute to the role that books and libraries have played in his life. After all, Bradbury wrote hundreds of works (novels, stories, screenplays, essays and poems) with only a high school education, an inspiring desire to learn, and a worn out library card."
The theme of the contest is a response to the theme of social sedation and apathy brought to our culture by the evolution of television.
Multiple copies of the book, audio book, reader’s guides and the movie are available in English and Spanish for check out at the Waukegan Public Library. Copies can be placed on hold and delivered to Waukegan High School, the library branch in the Hinkston Park Field House and on the bookmobile.
The contest will be open through March 20, 2009. One entry per individual in one of the following categories: writing, visual art or multimedia. A $200 first place prize will be offered to Waukegan residents in High School or adults in each category. $100 prizes will be awarded to non-residents in each category. Winners will be announced on April 15, 2009 at a book discussion sponsored by The Big Read Project and Columbia College at the Waukegan Public Library. Awards will be presented at the Friends of the Waukegan Public Library’s annual dinner on April 25, 2009.
Food For Fines Successful
Wed, 4 Feb 2009 07:24:20 -0600
Our Food for Fines project in January reduced over $1,000 in fines for our library patrons while providing over 1460 pounds of food for Holy Family Food Pantry. Thank you to everyone in the community who supported this project. We are glad we could make a difference. Read News Sun Article.
ELC Fundraising Update
Tue, 27 Jan 2009 09:10:08 -0600
The Board of Trustees and the staff of the library would like to send a special thanks to North Shore Gas for their recent contribution of $15,000 to the Early Learning Center. This gift will be used to enhance the nature area of the room. Thank you North Shore Gas!
Where You Focus is Where You Go
Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:20:56 -0600
The Board of Trustees approved the new strategic plan for the next three years. From the vision to the strategic initiatives, it is designed to move from the Waukegan Public Library to Waukegan’s Public Library.
See pdf of 2009-2011 Strategic Plan
VISION
Waukegan Public Library (WPL) is Waukegan’s third place—a place to connect to information, ideas and community through books, movies, music and programs.
-- Where people come to reach their potential, fulfill their dreams and interact with others.
-- The facilities are state-of-the-art, clean, and inviting, bright and beautiful, safe and environmentally sound.
-- The staff are well trained, knowledgeable, helpful and anticipate customer needs.
-- The atmosphere is warm and friendly, generates excitement, stimulates the imagination, facilitates learning and provides materials and information using the latest tools, techniques and technology to put quality in the lives of the community members.
MISSION
The Waukegan Public Library puts quality in people’s lives by providing opportunities to learn, gather, be informed and entertained.
VALUES
Values are what we believe, what guides our decisions. What moves us to the vision. These are the core values of the Waukegan Public Library which can be summed up simply by following the concept of respecting yourself, respecting others and respecting the space.
Service
A literate community
Anticipatory customer service
Creative staff who take initiative
Loyalty
Lifelong learning and education
Preserve and showcase cultural heritage
Intellectual freedom and privacy
Responsible and responsive to community
Environment
Aesthetically pleasing
Inviting and exciting
Environmentally sensitive
Management
Fiscally responsible
Appreciates and
encourages diversity
Respectful
Efficient
Encourage lifelong learning
and education
Creates positive energy
Fosters healthy lifestyles
Incubates innovation and creativity
Emphasizes shared fate
Proud
Measures incremental progress
PROCESS
When putting together a strategic plan you must examine the age old
questions of who, what, where, when, why and how. Our strategic initiatives
are the guides for the work plans for the next three years.
Although work on these initiatives has already begun, the time frame
is January 2009 -
December 2011.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
Clean, Green and Safe Facilities
Our buildings are our face, and it is time for a face lift. Although the building was improved through a capital project in 1998, only portions of the building were upgraded. It is time to study and plan for an up-to-date building to serve as the community’s cultural center, adding satellite services and locations as needed. All services will be filtered through a "green lens" making sure we are making environmentally sound decisions. A new emphasis will be placed on cleanliness. Public and staff safety will always be a first priority.
Dynamic and Anticipatory Customer Service
WPL will create a harmonious environment in which the latest technology frees our staff to offer increased customer service across previous department divisions. We will continue the path of learning that children begin in the ELC to include dedicated teen services and a space for every member of our community to utilize and enjoy.
Results Driven Marketing, Public Relations and Fundraising
All other initiatives fail if library marketing and promotional plans are not thoughtful, clear and results driven. Library marketing and promotions will be targeted, green and streamlined.
Community Based Programs and Outreach
Library programs are tailored for the residents of Waukegan with an emphasis on community building, needs based, entertainment and information. Outreach is achieved by partnering attending events and creating a library without walls.
Sound Collection Management
WPL recognizes its obligations within the community to provide materials for our community, whether they be popular, cultural or historical. We will ensure that the materials we offer are easy for our community to use.
Appreciative Human Resource Management
Staff are satisfied and productive in their roles in serving both the internal and external customer resulting in high retention. Public satisfaction is high in regard to staff interactions. Staff teamwork is evident, resulting in collaboration, higher productivity, improved communication and a higher level of service.
ELC Fundraising Update
Wed, 7 Jan 2009 14:42:43 -0600
Thanks to our giving community we have now raised $220,000 in donations and pledges for the Early Learning Center! Our most recent donations of $20,000 came through a matching grant provided by an anonymous donor, the Friends of the Library and First Midwest Charitable Foundation. We will continue our fundraising efforts through September, 2009. Please contact Elizabeth Stearns, Assistant Director of Community Services at estearns@waukeganpl.info if you would to donate to this very worthy cause
Wave and Wonder Sculpture
Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:03:33 -0600
Nothing is more fun than watching gravity in motion. Young children in Waukegan are getting a very unique gift from the Waukegan Public Library in the new children’s Early Learning Center (ELC). The Early Learning Center, which was opened last week to the public, contains a math and science lab for hands on learning. Included in the lab is the new rolling ball sculpture by Eddie Boes to be installed this afternoon.
The Rolling Ball Sculpture, also known as a RBS, is a celebration of engineering, physics, and creativity. The curving tracks capture the eye and guide the imagination. The steady, mechanical ball-lifting mechanisms stimulate the mind and promote problem solving. The rythmic sounds soothe the soul and create environment. The Waukegan Public Library’s unique sculpture is called the Wave and Wonder Machine.
Waukegan Early Learners Not Learning Enough
Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:37:33 -0600
By Ellyn Ruhlmann
Eat with the spoon. Eat with the spoon.
Four-year-old Katalyna Padilla forms the words slowly, straining to pronounce each syllable clearly. She and twin sister Katrina attend one of six EPIC preschools sponsored by Waukegan Public School District 60. EPIC stands for Early Childhood Partners In Collaboration, an organization that provides no-cost preschool to Waukegan kids ages 3-5. Last year, Katalyna, who speaks English as a second language, was diagnosed with a speech disability during her preschool screening. She immediately began speech therapy with specialists at EPIC.
Now we can understand her, says Rita Padilla, Katalynas mother. Before I had to go to one twin to ask what the other said. Mother of eight, Padilla is an outspoken advocate for early childhood education. To her, the most important aspect is intervention. If there’s a deficiency, she says, Its best to catch it early, so you can address it.
Unfortunately, the majority of Waukegan kids slip under that radar. A 2006 United Way survey showed only 43% of children in Waukegan ever attend preschool. More often than not, they start public school having little or no exposure to books of any kind. That’s a handicap that can hobble these kids not just in kindergarten but up through high school and beyond, studies show.
Ripple Effect of Preschool
High/Scope Perry, one of the most comprehensive preschool studies, tracked a group of 123 participants from age 3 through age 40. Half attended a high-quality preschool; the other half received no preschool at all. The preschool group showed higher literacy scores and a higher high school graduation rate, especially for females. As adults, participants who attended preschool were more likely to be employed, earning a higher wage and requiring fewer social services than their no-preschool counterparts. The preschool group also had fewer arrests, and considerably less drug abuse.
Researchers at the University of Chicago have also determined that early education pays off for the community at a higher rate than later education, such as youth programs, adult education and job training. Skill begets skill; learning begets learning. Early disadvantage, if left untreated, leads to academic and social difficulties in later years, according to James J. Heckman and Dimitriy V. Masterov.
This concept, that early education benefits (and deficiencies) tend to compound, is the cornerstone of programs like EPIC, United Ways Success by 6 and Head Start all geared toward fostering school readiness. I’m a true advocate for front-loading our kids with educational resources, says Verna Wilson, principal of two EPIC preschools in Waukegan. Nurture the kids, build their self confidence, and allow their leadership qualities to develop early for a big ROI [return on investment], Wilson says.
Why Don’t Kids Go?
It doesn’t add up: If preschool is so important, and its available free in Waukegan, how come more than half the children never attend? Padilla thinks many parents don’t know about it, or feel their children are just too young for school. Other factors that play a role in the preschool decision are the mothers education level, family income and the language spoken at home. In the United Way study, 25% of the mothers had an eighth grade education or less, and 71% of the households earned under $32,000 a year.
Some say it’s a cultural barrier. Fully 77% of Waukegan kids surveyed spoke Spanish as their primary language, and Latinos are among the most underrepresented groups in preschool. According to Elena Shore from New America Media, that because Latino parents feel reluctant to leave their kids in the care of strangers. If they need childcare, Latinos usually leave their little ones with family members.
Whichever the reason, the upshot is: Too many Waukegan kids start school unprepared. I was astounded by the percentages [from the United Way Survey], says Richard Lee, Executive Director of the Waukegan Public Library. Looking at those deficiencies, we decided to set some measurable goals. Lee and the library Board of Directors decided to offer an alternative to preschool, something less formalized that would appeal to all residents especially Latinos to help fill Waukegan’s early literacy chasm.
Public Library Takes a Lead
In July 2007, the Waukegan Public Library broke ground on its Early Learning Center (ELC), a $300,000 cutting-edge facility featuring interactive, bilingual displays and programs for Waukegan’s youngest learners. School District 60 helped the library design Story Camps that Early Learning Specialists will offer at no cost, in both English and Spanish, Monday through Thursday.
Like the state-funded preschools, these camps will follow the curriculum issued by the Illinois State Board of Education, using stories, songs, and a learning activity such as rhyming. Unlike the state-funded preschools, ELC camps will welcome parents as participators in the learning activities. In this way, the library hopes to appeal to those families, particularly Latinos, who avoid preschool because they feel their kids are too young to leave with strangers.
And camps are only part of the appeal. Sprawling 2,200 square feet, the ELC is filled with bells and whistles, colorful displays and whirling mobiles the kind of sensory buffet you’d expect from a children’s museum. Kids can become painters and sculptors in the art center, or mad scientists concocting potions in a lab; they can take up drumming and strumming in the sound studio, or work as paleontologists on a big dig in the nature area. Or, they might climb on the pretend play stage and pull from a whole trunk load of disguises, morphing into anyone they choose: queen, cop, dog catcher, maybe a librarian.
Value of Imaginative Play
New research shows this kind of freewheeling, make-believe play helps build a critical cognitive skill called executive function. Executive function is an essential skill for kids to master because it enables them to self-regulate to control their emotions and behavior, resist impulses, and exert discipline. In short, kids with good executive function focus better. And when you focus better, learning is easier. That’s why a child’s executive function is actually a better predictor of school success than her IQ, says researcher Laura Berk.
Activities like video games and TV, even guitar and karate lessons, all inhibit imaginative play (and executive function) because they don’t give kids a chance to police themselves. That doesn’t mean they have to hang up the karate belt. What child development specialists recommend is, like so many things, finding a balance. Give kids structured time like lessons or preschool, but temper it with plenty of free play, with space to roam and variety of props to set imaginations rambling about, too.
Can a facility like the ELC help solve Waukegan’s kindergarten readiness problem? Certainly not on its own. The library will not offer preschool screenings, which can help flag speech and learning disabilities that require early intervention. Left unchecked until kindergarten, a speech disability like Katalynas grows much more difficult to overcome. The ELC can serve as a link, however, between prospective families and area preschools that perform screenings. Each spring, the library plans to host a preschool fair to help promote Waukegan’s easy access to a free, high-quality pre-K education.
There’s only so much a parent can do at home, says Padilla. Now, she and other Waukegan parents have other thresholds to cross places to go to nourish young minds, and eventually, help sway the statistics.
Sources:
United Way Kindergarten Readiness Assessment, September 2006 Findings in Waukegan: http://www.uwlakeco.org/site/DocServer/Waukegan_Fact_Sheet_2006.pdf?docID=1024
Verna Wilson, Principal, EPIC: (847) 599-3903, http://www.waukeganschools.org/epic/
High/Scope Perry Preschool Study: http://www.highscope.org/Content.asp?ContentId=219
Making Cities Stronger (2007), Urban Libraries Council: http://www.urbanlibraries.org/files/making_cities_stronger.pdf
Are Latino Children Missing Out on Preschool? by Elena Shore: http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=a649930e279c7c5a94a36442b8eda909
Richard Lee, Executive Director, Waukegan Public Library: (847) 623-2041, ext. 250
Early Learning Center, Waukegan Public Library: http://www.waukeganpl.org/friends/elc.html
Creative Play Makes for Kids in Control, Morning Edition, NPR (2/28/08): http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=76838288
Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills, Morning Edition, NPR (2/21/08): http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19212514
Brain Play: Why Preschoolers Need to Pretend, by Jan Faull, FamilyFun.com (2008): http://familyfun.go.com/parenting/child/behavior/feature/dony29fapretend/
WPL Opens Early Learning Center
Tue, 25 Nov 2008 07:24:22 -0600
In this largely Hispanic community, eight out of ten new kindergartners can’t recognize the letters in the alphabet.* Now, the Waukegan Public Library is opening a new door to early literacy. The Early Learning Center, a cutting-edge facility featuring interactive, bilingual displays and programs, will start welcoming visitors following a grand opening ceremony, November 2, at 1 p.m. The 2,200 square-foot center will be located adjacent to the children’s area at the library’s main location in downtown Waukegan.
The grand opening will feature tours of the room along with a children’s fun fair located in the Bradbury Room of the library with lots of activities. The room opens to the public for regular use on Monday, November 3 at 9 a.m. and will be open all hours that the library is open.
The concept for the center sprang from a 2006 United Way survey that showed only 43% of Waukegan kindergartners ever attend preschool, and 77% speak Spanish as their primary language. Over half the kids surveyed had little or no exposure to books before entering public school.
"I was astounded by the percentages," says Richard Lee, Executive Director of the library. "Looking at those deficiencies, we decided to set some measurable goals." With guidance from Waukegan School District 60, the library began planning an Early Learning Center (ELC) dedicated to developing four pre-literacy skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Developers based the design on the Illinois Early Learning Standards set by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), creating stations for science and math, pretend play, storytimes, arts and crafts, nature, music, and infant development.
Using the Kohl Children’s Museum in Glenview as a model, the architects crafted the space to engage the senses and appeal to each child’s inner explorer - with costumes to don, bells to ring, dough to squish and paint to dab. Of course, the center also holds an extensive collection of picture and board books, as well as games and puzzles to foster pre-reading skills. Signage appears in English and Spanish.
"Learning starts at birth," says Verna Wilson, principal of two EPIC District 60 preschools. "Even though the kids can’t yet read or write, the exposure to language, whether it’s hands-on or just hearing the sounds, helps promote creativity, as well as social and emotional development." Partially funded by ISBE, the EPIC program Wilson administers provides no-cost preschool to District 60 kids, especially targeting those at risk or experiencing poverty.
So, with preschool available for free, why don’t more Waukegan kids go? Either families aren’t aware of the program, or they’re wait-listed, or just choose not to apply. One goal of the ELC is to provide these kids with similar learning opportunities as District 60 preschoolers. Early Learning Specialists will distill and share the same curriculum, in a setting that welcomes parents as participators. "The library is going to be instrumental in capturing a demographic group who may never have considered preschool," says Wilson.
The new ELC will offer Story Camps Monday through Thursday, some bilingual, each featuring stories, songs and a learning activity such as rhyming. Recognizing the critical role of the parent as a child’s first teacher, the ELC will also host Family Learning Time and caregiver workshops with strategies for nurturing early literacy, based on the Every Child Ready to Read project.
"There is currently nothing like this in Waukegan, nor in Lake County for that matter,”"says Lee. "Although there are many programs such as the EPIC program, Success by 6 and Head Start - there are no destinations specifically designed for children that are free and readily available days, nights, weekends and summers."
Cyndy Colletti, Literacy Program Manager at the Illinois State Library, says more explorative pre-reader areas are just beginning to emerge in public libraries. "We have seen a general trend to make children’s spaces more inviting in an experiential way rather than a dogmatic or pedagogical way," she says. Colletti notes the trend is more common in affluent areas, where it’s easier to absorb renovation costs.
Yet, as the United Way survey illustrates, lower-income communities like Waukegan often show the greatest need for pre-literacy intervention. Initiatives like the ELC can drive long-term economic payoffs for these communities as well. A study by the University of Chicago shows early education investments reap benefits that tend to compound, "by creating a solid foundation for later human capital investments, such as education, youth development and job skills training." ("Making Cities Stronger," p. 7, Urban Libraries Council)
Because the median income in Waukegan is so low,* the library is attempting to fund the project through public and private sources to avoid overburdening taxpayers. To date, the library has raised $150,000 of the $300,000 needed to build the facility, primarily through grants, private donations and fundraising events, like the Third Annual Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival. New donors may join the ELC "Partners in Reading" at four different levels of giving, from $50 to over $10,000. The single largest donation came from the Gorter Family Foundation in the amount of $25,000. $10,000 donations were received from the Friends of the Library, the library’s foundation, Matthews Employment, Cardinal Health, the Waukegan Park District and Consumers Credit Union. Another $10,000 was provided by the estate of Marian Schroether, who was the children’s librarian at the library for over 30 years.
The library is also pursuing partnerships with businesses interested in contributing dioramas or other materials for a series of rotating exhibits. Offering fresh, local perspectives on learning, these ever-morphing exhibits will give the ELC a dynamic landscape—always full of new wonders and curiosities for Waukegan’s earliest learners.
Winner of the North Suburban Library System’s "Library of the Year Award" for 2007, the Waukegan Public Library has served the community for 110 years, providing opportunities to learn, gather, be informed and entertained. The main library, housing one of the largest collections of materials in Lake County, is located in downtown Waukegan at 128 N. County Street, just north of the County Building. The Hinkston Park Branch is located at 800 N. Baldwin, in the Waukegan Park District’s Field House.
Bookmobile Gertie Survives Hurricanes
Mon, 10 Nov 2008 08:29:40 -0600
You may remember in 2006 that the Waukegan Public Library donated their bookmobile "Gertie" to Jefferson Parish Library in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina struck. Gertie helped out at the library in Grand Isle, a location that never reopened. Along with another bookmobile, Gertie was permanently parked adjacent to the battered library facility which housed the computer networking equipment.
According to a recent press release from the Jefferson Parish Library,
everything was fine until Hurricane Gustav hit the area on September 1, 2008. It was feared for several days that the storm had probably swept the bookmobiles out into the Gulf of Mexico.
Read Full Press Release
Barack Obama Wins with 80% of the Vote...
Tue, 4 Nov 2008 09:51:31 -0600
...or with $127.95 in donations through a fundraiser conducted by the Waukegan Public Library for the Early Learning Center scheduled to open to the public on Monday, November 3 at 9 a.m. The McCain ticket garnered 20% of the vote with $39.90 in donations.
"The donation boxes were placed in the children’s department just after the primaries as a small fundraiser for our Early Learning Center," explains Elizabeth Stearns, Assistant Director of Community Services. "The boxes were Lucite and each box had a photo of the candidate. It was really fun watching the donations each week. Some weeks McCain would be up, others Obama. The project was called Pennies for Presidents."
:Knowing the fundraiser would end about the same time as the election made it even more interesting. Although donations will continue to be accepted to the room, we thought it would be fun to call the election early and see if we were correct," adds Stearns.
Total donations to the Early Learning Center (ELC) are over $158,000. "Our lead gift of $25,000 from the Gorter Family Foundation really got the ball rolling on the fundraising project," Stearns elaborates. $10,000 donations were received from the Friends of the Library, the library’s foundation, Matthews Employment, Cardinal Health, the Waukegan Park District and Consumers Credit Union. Another $10,000 was provided by the estate of Marian Schroether, who was the children’s librarian at the library for over 30 years. The remaining donations were from a variety of groups, businesses and individuals with donations ranging from $50 to $5,000.
The Early Learning Center was built to meet the literacy needs of the youngest members of the community. The room will focus on four pre-literacy skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Developers based the design on the Illinois Early Learning Standards set by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), creating stations for science and math, pretend play, storytimes, arts and crafts, nature, music, and infant development.
Using the Kohl Children’s Museum in Glenview as a model, the architects crafted the space to engage the senses and appeal to each child’s inner explorer - with costumes to don, bells to ring, dough to squish and paint to dab. Of course, the center also holds an extensive collection of picture and board books, as well as games and puzzles to foster pre-reading skills. Signage appears in English and Spanish.
The grand opening of the Early Learning Center is scheduled for Sunday, November 2 from 1-4 p.m. with tours of the space and a children’s fun fair. The room will be open for parents and children during library hours, Mon-Thurs. 9 a.m. - 9 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. –-5 p.m. and Sundays during the school year from 1 - 5 p.m.
Literary Villains
Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:09:55 -0500
It’s a wrap. Literary Villains, the third annual Bradbury Storytelling Festival was held on Friday, October 17 at the Genesee Theatre. The event is held in October at Ray Bradbury’s request, as October is his favorite month in Waukegan. With many thanks to our generous sponsors and the Genesee staff, we’d also like to thank the public for their growing support for this event. It is the Waukegan Public Library’s signature event. It provides us with an opportunity to bring our mission to life, by bringing literature to life.
This year’s performance was planned around the theme of Literary Villains, with Megan Wells in the spotlight doing a piece from Something Wicked This Way Comes at Bradbury’s request. Dan Keding entranced the audience with his version of the The Cask of Amontillado, in addition to an old English ballad. Jim May pulled the evening together by serving as this year’s master of ceremonies, delighting the audience as usual with his charm. The only off note of the evening was provided by Judith Black, who chose to perform a story that was not on theme or approved in advance. For those of you who may have been offended by this performance we do apologize. It was not in keeping with the literary theme and it was unfortunate.
We are already working on next year’s performance, perhaps Literary Ghosts or Literary Demons? We’re not sure yet, but we are sure that we’ll bring back Jim May and Megan Wells—and hopefully, someday, Dan Keding. And if you’re looking for a copy of any of the literary stories told, you may have to place them on hold as they are flying off the shelves!
Thank you again, and we look forward to entertaining you next October.
Richard Lee, Executive Director
Waukegan Public Library
