November 27, 2009
Gaming Tournament a Big Hit!
Over thirty 4th - 8th graders gathered last Saturday to play in our annual Fall Video Game tournament. The players participated in either a 4th - 5th or 6th - 8th division in tournaments for Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero, Mario Kart, Super Smash Brothers Melee, and Super Smash Brothers Brawl. The first and second place winners in each tournament won a gift card to Target.
Posted by Susan at 12:05 PM
August 21, 2009
Join Book Patch Bonanza!
Just because summer is over it does not mean that you can't be in a Library reading club. Join Book Patch Bonanza (or Book Patch Beginners if you are in Kindergarten or younger) and earn reading patches.
Posted by Susan at 12:05 PM
July 29, 2009
Gale Gand Visits the Library
Gale Gand executive pastry chef and partner of the restaurant Tru came to the Library last night to teach kids what it is like to be a chef and how to make pavlova.
She first demonstrated how to make meringue, allowing different children to add an ingredient to the meringue and using her son Gio as the official tester of meringue stiffness.
Seeing what meringue looks like in the beginning of the beating process
Gio testing if the meringue is stiff enough
When the meringue was stiff enough the children all got to try their hands at piping.
Learning how to pipe meringue
After that she put together a large pavlova and answered questions about being a chef and restaurant owner. Asked if she ever accidently cut herself she replied that she had and then gave them all a location secret for restaurant ownership…Always make sure your restaurant is close to an emergency room!
Gale and Gio's pavlova
After the demonstration each child was given their own small meringue, whipped cream and selection of fruit to make a small pavlova to bring home.
Making a pavlova
When everyone was finished the large pavlova was shared by all with remaining pieces given away to the winners of a rousing game of Hangman lead by Gio.
Playing hangman
The event concluded with a book signing.
Gale signing books
Posted by Susan at 04:24 PM
July 23, 2009
Atlas the K-9 Officer a Big Hit!
On Thursday, July 16th HPPL hosted Highland Park Police Officer Montemayor and his K-9 partner, Atlas. We were also fortunate to have Commander Tim Wilinski from the HP police force and Atlas' trainer from TOPS. Atlas helped demonstrate obedience training, scent identification training, and attack training. After each completed task Officer Monte played with Atlas as the two of them used Atlas' reward toy. At various points in the program Officer Monte held the toy up in the air as all 80 pounds of Atlas hung on with his jaws clamped onto the toy.
Commander Wilinski told me that Atlas gets very excited when he sees his trainer. It means that he'll be able to bite his trainer who wears protective overalls and arm cover. It's as much fun as being let loose in a dog park! The audience also learned how the dogs were brought over from Germany and how the trainers paired up each officer and dog. These are one person dogs. When the officer retires, so does his dog. The program was educational and fun!
Posted by Susan at 09:12 AM
June 09, 2009
Blue Balliett Visits the Library
We were thrilled to host New York Times bestselling author, Blue Balliett at the Highland Park Public Library. Fans, young and old, of Chasing Vermeer, The Wright 3, and The Calder Game had their books signed and got to chat with Blue who autographed her books both before and after the author talk.
Blue Balliett signing a book for a young fan
Blue told the story of how Chasing Vermeer had come from a classroom assignment that she had given her students at The University of Chicago Lab Schools. She had assigned a writing project that had to be about a real work of art with a description of a real world locale. Blue worked on her own story that then became a runaway bestseller. She also told the audience a little bit about the book she’s currently working on.
Blue talking about being an author
The talk was followed by a lively question and answer session with fans who clearly knew her books quite well. She revealed information about specific people and incidents in the books but without naming names. And, oh yes, Blue is not the name on her birth certificate.
Fans waiting to have their books signed
Posted by Susan at 02:48 PM
May 15, 2009
Family Fiesta a Big Hit!
On June 6th the first ever Family Fiesta in honor of the Día de Los Niños/ Día de Los Libros was held at The Highland Park Public Library. The festivities included three performances. The Ballet Folklórico Nacional of Milwaukee and a Mariachi band presented traditional folk dances and music of Mexico. A trick roper was a highlight of the performance.
Next, Highland Park High School’s Latin Dance Club gave a dance performance followed by dance instruction that was enjoyed by everyone. This was followed by Latin Percussion with the Music Institute of Chicago- Highland Park Campus. Children were given the opportunity to try out instruments. Craft tables were set up elsewhere in the library. The National Museum of Mexican Art taught the children to create beautiful Papel Picado. Children also decorated quilt squares that will be used to help create a quilt for the library of Puerto Vallarta, our sister city. The students of Highland Park High School’s Hispanos Unidos Club demonstrated how a piñata is made and then the children helped decorate the library’s piñata in preparation for the piñata breaking.
Explorer Girl was there to greet the children.
Each child was given a treat bag to take home. Día was a fine collaboration between different groups in our community. The Highland Park High School students from The Latin Dance Club and Hispanos Unidos and Friends, The Sister Cities Foundation, and the staff of The Highland Park Public Library worked well together to produce a memorable Día celebration! Día was funded in part by a grant from Yea! Highland Park.
Posted by Susan at 04:23 PM
April 30, 2009
PlayStation 2 Games Are Here
You asked for them and we have gotten them. The Youth Services Department now has PlayStation 2 games for checkout. You can see the collection here.
Posted by Susan at 10:54 AM
March 12, 2009
Who Loves the Library Videos
Want to see who loves the library? Check out our new page of library videos and find out! You also can view and subscribe to our videos on youtube.
Posted by Cathleen at 10:36 AM
November 05, 2008
Library Gerbils Find Their Voices
The library gerbils (Henry, Mudge, Lassie and Spot) are Twittering! Follow them at Library_Gerbils or subscribe to their RSS feed and find out what is happening in the Youth Services Department, from a small furry point of view.
Posted by Susan at 04:07 PM
November 04, 2008
Strange Creatures Spotted at the Library
Strange creatures, some disguised as Library staff, were spotted around the building last Friday, October 31.
Posted by Susan at 02:23 PM
October 08, 2008
Kids Find Room To Read At The Library
Youth Services Director Linda Wicher helped a summer reading participant donate to Room To Read, an international organization dedicated to establishing libraries, creating local language children’s literature and constructing schools throughout the developing world. Instead of collecting a token good for a variety of prizes after reporting on a summer reading book, children had the option of donating their tokens to Room To Read this summer and a donation would be made equivalent to the amount donated by the children. As a result, more than $350 dollars was donated to Room To Read.
Learn more about Room To Read
Posted by Helene at 02:34 PM
September 09, 2008
Fun at Lawn of Lincoln
The Library's Lincoln-themed games were a hit at The Ravinina Festival's Lawn of Lincoln Celebration of Summer on Sunday, September 7. A wonderful time was had by all!
View more photos on the Library's Flickr Site.
Posted by Helene at 02:25 PM
July 07, 2008
Story Van Debuts at 4th of July Parade
The Library's new story van made its debut at the 4th of July parade on Friday. The story van was donated by the Rotary Club of Highland Park/Highwood. It will be used for outreach activities at schools, social agencies, and community centers, delivering storytimes, on-site check out, and other literature-based activities to the community. 45 friends of the library and family members marched in the parade alongside the van. A wonderful time was had by all!
View more photos on the Library's Flickr Site.
Posted by Helene at 10:04 AM
January 31, 2008
February is African-American History Month
The 2008 theme of African-American History month is "Carter G. Woodson and the Origins of Multiculturalism."
Read about Carter G. Woodson:
Extraordinary African-Americans by Susan Altman. J 920 AL46.2.
Carter G. Woodson : the man who put "Black" in American history by Jim Haskins and Kathleen Benson. J B W898h.
Carter G. Woodson : father of African-American history by Robert F. Durden. J B W898d.
Learn more about African-American History:
African American History Online (Library card needed to access)
http://www.loc.gov/topics/africanamericans/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/africanamerican/
Posted by Helene at 05:18 PM
January 14, 2008
The Boy Reading
A familiar and much-loved sculpture greets Library visitors at the main entrance. Local area artist, Sylvia Shaw Judson created Boy Reading in 1946. The Library's sculpture was cast in 1961. His bronze finish has developed a green patina over the years except where generations of tender hands have given him a golden glow.
Posted by Julia at 11:14 AM
December 29, 2006
New Year's Resolutions
Got Diet? We Do!!
Posted by Helene at 03:47 PM
October 16, 2006
Teen Read Week
October 15-21 is Teen Read Week.
Help us celebrate -
Vote for your favorite book
Take the Smart Girl Teen Reading Survey
Visit the booklists on our teen pages for some great reading recommendations.
Posted by Helene at 12:20 PM