The Importance of Keeping an Eye on Your Child

Although they rarely make national headlines, as people who work in the library system, we often hear the horror stories of what can happen when children are left in the library unattended.  But the truth is, it doesn't take leaving your child alone in the library for something awful to happen.  Recently, at Gail Borden Library in Elgin, a child walked away from a mom who was helping her other child.  It took an hour for police to find him, during which the library was in lock-down, but when they eventually picked him up, he had walked a mile away.

You can read more about it here, but the truth of the matter is... here at the library we keep policies about keeping children under 8 near you for a reason.  It isn't that we think this is an unsafe area in which to live, but accidents can happen anywhere.  There are sliding glass doors that move when there is motion, and although we do our best to keep an eye on the library, there are always moments where we are helping others and can't see every person or child that leaves the library.

We hope that you are understanding of our policies, but most of all, we hope that all children stay safe while they are in our library.

Remember the Civil War?

My children think I am old enough to remember the Civil War. For the record, I am not. However, I do know that the Civil War began exactly 150 years ago today. I am looking forward to learning more about this historic time period as we begin the Sesquicentennial. (I love fun words, don't you? In case you've forgotten, sesquicentennial means 150th anniversary.)

I was excited to discover the Illinois Civil War Sesquicentennial website. Since it represents the work of Save Illinois History and the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, the information is reliable and extensive. Downloadable articles and curriculum materials for teachers are included.

This online resource also has a comprehensive calendar of events related to the Civil War Sesquicentennial, including activities at the Lake County Discovery Museum. Free general admission passes are available for Des Plaines Public Library cardholders through the Museum Adventure Pass program.

One of the dates included in the website's detailed timeline is April 12, 1861. That is the day that Confederate troops fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. (That's how I knew that the Civil War began 150 years ago today.) The timeline extends through the end of the War in 1865, so there is plenty of time to explore.

You can also explore the books here at the library. Great Civil War Projects You Can Build Yourself has great projects for hands-on learning.

You Wouldn't Want to Be a Civil War Soldier! is a catchy name for a book. I was absolutely convinced of the truth of that title when I read that soldiers often brought their wives along to cook, wash clothes and take care of the sick.

I plan to learn more about this important time in our history throughout the Sesquicentennial. Let me know if you have any good resources to suggest.

April is National Autism Awareness Month

Did you know that April is National Autism Awareness Month? It was started in the 1970s to bring awareness to Autism.

The Autism Society defines autism as a "complex neurodevelopmental disability" that usual appears in a child's first 2 years. It affects their ability to interact and communicate with others. Autism is a "spectrum disorder" which means that it affects people differently and to different levels. Currently 1 in 110 Americans are being diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum.

You might not be aware that the Des Plaines Library has several resources for parents and caregivers needing information or support. We have a large collection of books for parents needing information or help dealing with particular issues relating to autism. The books are located within our Parenting Collection on the 2nd floor. Here are some selected titles from the collection: Visual Supports for People with Autism, The Official Autism 101 Manual, and Autism Heroes: Portraits of Families Meeting the Challenge.

Also in the Parenting Collection are adapted books for children on the spectrum. These are traditional books that have modified with picture communication added for children to have been understanding of what's happening in the story. The pages are laminated and in a binder to make it easier for them to hold, and there are textured foam "fluffers" that separate the pages to make it easier for them to turn the pages.

The library also maintain the Autism Resource Center, which is a wiki that the library started. This is a site for parents or caregivers where you can find links for local resources such as dentists, family support, or therapists. You can find the link to the wiki here.

Finally, the library runs a monthly program with Rainbow Animal Assisted Therapy where trained therapy dogs help children work on motor skills, interaction, and communication. The children interact with the wonderful aides and dog handlers, while their parents get a chance to check out the library's collection.

If you are a parent of a child who has autism and want to suggest a book for our collection or an area resource for our wiki, please feel free to email us, call us at 847.376.2839, or stop by and talk to us at the 2nd floor information desk the next time you're in.

National Poetry Month and Contest

Have you been in the library lately?  If so, you may have noticed colorful 81/2x11 sheets of paper adorning the walls of the 2nd floor.  It is our 2nd annual Poetry Scavenger Hunt funded by the Friends of the Library. 

This two part scavenger hunt asks children to find 24 poems scattered throughout the floor, followed by finding 12 poems specifically about subjects listed on the scavenger hunt list.  After finishing the first part, children are given a pen (with which to write their own poems) made out of 100% biodegradable materials, and they are given a matching notebook (with which to write their own poems) after finishing the second part.

Bring your kids in to participate today, and while you are here, check out the great poetry books we have in our poetry corner (you know... near the Poet Tree...).  They have all month to finish, so if they don't finish while you are here, come back anytime before the end of the month to find all of the poems!

April Fools Anyone?

How many of you woke up this morning with toothpaste all over your face?  How many came downstairs at what you thought was the right time only to find out the clocks had been moved forward an hour or two?  Anyone told by their children they saw the school bus go by before it actually did?

Today is April Fools Day, A day that dates back to 1582 in France.  King Charles IX introduced the Georgian Calendar, moving the New Year from March 25-April1 (new year's week) to January 1.  Because the mail and telephone system were non-existent in those times, news traveled slowly and some people didn't find out about the change for several years, and some refused to make the change, continuing to celebrate on April 1st.  Those who continued to celebrate were labeled "fools" and jokes were played on them; invitations to fake parties were sent, they were sent on "fool's errands", all kinds of practical jokes were played.

In that tradition, we still celebrate April Fool's Day in the united states, mostly with kids playing tricks on their parents.  More information can be found here about April Fool's Day and how it is celebrated in other countries, but we also have lots of joke books and April Fool's Day books in the collection.  Stop in and check one out, but be careful.... you don't want to give your kids ammunition for next year!

Getting Good Deals

How money-savvy are your kids? I remember my father telling a story he heard from a colleague. The man's son had gone off to college with a checkbook in hand. The young student assumed that as long as there were checks left in the checkbook, there was still money in the account. You can imagine how that turned out. Teens make up an enormous chunk of the consuming public these days. Advertisers bombard teens with products and services clearly designed for their tastes and interests, and sometimes pushing them in directions they didn't even know they wanted to go. Help your teen be a conscientious consumer. The Des Plaines Public Library is once again a partner with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago for Money Smart Week 2011, April 2-9. The library is hosting three Money Smart programs in April, one of which is Getting a Good Buy: A Money Smart Week Program for Teens. Professor Helen Roberts of the University of Illinois at Chicago Center for Economic Education will present a workshop of educational games and information for students in grades 7-12. Participants will take an active part in learning why the items we want to buy sometimes cost so much more at one store than they do at another, why buying things like smartphone plans and computers makes you feel like you're comparing apples and oranges. In this workshop we will work on taking the frustration and mystery out of getting the best deal.

Countdown to Earth Hour

If you notice the lights around you going out on Saturday at 8:30 p.m., don't panic. Join millions of people and businesses around the world, and turn yours off, too!

We can all be a part of Earth Hour 2011 on Saturday, March 26 from 8:30 until 9:30 p.m. Lights will be turned off around the world to take a stand against climate change. The WWF (World Wildlife Fund) Australia started Earth Hour in 2007, and it has quickly spread around the world. Last year people in 128 countries and territories participated.

When I turn my lights off tomorrow, I will also be thinking of the people in Japan who have experienced rolling blackouts during this difficult time in their history. Perhaps you and your family will want to turn off your lights, crank up your "green" flashlight, and read a book about Japan. One book you might enjoy is Welcome to Japan. It touches on lots of topics and includes many photos.

Go to http://www.earthhour.org/Homepage.aspx?intro=no for more information about Earth Hour and ideas for fun activities for your family.