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 25, 2009
Why was That Body in the Lobby?
On Wednesday, June 24, an very interested audience listened to Marc Pomerance tell what it was like to be a ballistics expert with the Firearms and Toolmarks section of the Forensic Science Center in Chicago, a division of the Illinois State Police. The presentation included a PowerPoint showing the different types of weapons, how the different weapons operate, and the design of bullets.
Marc holding his giant demonstration "bullet"
Marc explained that he enjoys shows like CSI as much as anyone, but that real life is very different. His work is confined to the lab where the scientists limit themselves to conclusions about weapons. He is responsible for testing guns by firing them into a giant tank of water and then comparing bullets and casings using a huge microscope. One video he showed was of a test fire of a rifle. The recoil knocked the ballistics expert back and down. Marc also explained that weapons can't be test fired if they are not safe to fire. Another video showed bullets hitting a watermelon, a catsup bottle, and other objects.
The audience asked many interesting questions throughout the talk. Many questions were about ways how to make a weapon unidentifiable. Other questions were about Marc's personal experiences; his education, why he likes his job, and the sorts of weapons he sees in the lab. This was a program that will be talked about for a long, long, time!
Posted by Susan at 04:48 PM
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
April 29, 2009
Meet the New Gerbils
The Youth Services Department is proud to announce the addition of three new "staff members". Hickory, Dickory, and Doc, our new Library Gerbils, made their debut last week. Come on by and see them.
Posted by Susan at 10:50 AM
April 17, 2009
2010 Book Match Lists Are Out
The reading lists for the 2010 Book Match season have been published. The online lists link to our catalog so you can easily check book availability or you can download the pdf versions if you want to print a hard copy.
Posted by Susan at 09:30 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
October 13, 2008
American Girl Author Speaks At The Library
300 American Girl fans – and their dolls – came to hear author Valerie Tripp speak at the Library on Saturday, October 4th. Tripp, the author of more than 40 American Girl books, spoke about how she began writing the American Girl stories 20 years ago, and about the characters she features in her books. She finished the program by signing copies of her books for many young readers.
View more event photos on Flickr
Posted by Helene at 02:05 PM
June 18, 2008
Summer Reading Begins
A young reader playing the Reading Safari summer reading game
Summer Reading in the Youth Services Department has been popular as always. With programs for infants to entering 9th graders there is something for everyone! New this year is a chance for readers to donate their tokens from the Reading Safari game or reading credit from the EcoTrek Outfitters program to Room to Read which builds libraries in developing nations. We have $350 pledged to this cause by the Friends of the Library and private donors and our young readers are really getting into the spirit of giving. Come into the Youth Services Department and see our Room to Read “bookshelf” which is starting to fill with a “books” decorated by the donors.
Posted by Susan at 01:41 PM
May 03, 2008
Library's Instrument Petting Zoo Draws Crowds
The Instrument Petting Zoo was a great hit again this year! The Music Institute of Chicago and Highland Park’s Field Violin Workshop provided the instruments and helped young patrons learn to play them. We have heard that at least one child was so inspired by the experience that he will be taking cello lessons very soon.
Click here to see photos of the event on the Highland Park News website.
Posted by Susan at 09:23 AM
April 03, 2008
Circus Boy
Everyone had a great time at the two Circus Boy shows. Brian Thomas of The Highland Park News came by and took some great photos and video of the shows.
To see more photos and to read the article by Brian Thomas, click here.
Posted by Harriet at 12:56 PM
February 08, 2008
Book Match News
Attention Bibliophiles and Game Show Lovers!
If you enjoy books and friendly competition join the audience at one of our Book Match meets. Book Match is a program for students in 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th grade. Teams are asked questions which can only be answered by the title of a book. The book is one of fifty from the Book Match lists.
Posted by Stephanie at 03:06 PM