the

Gail BordenPublic Library

District

Main270 N. Grove Ave.

Elgin, Illinois 60120

Rakow Branch2751 W. Bowes Rd.

Elgin IL 60124

847-742-2411www.gailborden.info

explorer

THE EXPLORER IS THEGAIL BORDEN PUBLIC LIBRARY

DISTRICT NEWSLETTERPUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY

ISSUE NO. 2010-04JULY 1, 2010

July - August 2010

Through August 22Discover the history of comic books, take a look at comics-related toys, games and statues from the 1920’s to today, then try your hand at drawing comics! Components of the exhibit are from the Elmhurst Historical Museum and The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.*

We have so much to celebrate—more than 168,000 visitors, more than 127,000 books and 40,000 movies checked out during the last nine months, and gold LEED certification for

environmentally friendly features. Join us for fun, food and music along with the unveiling of A Green Story, the Fox River Mural at 2 p.m. This beautiful tile mural celebrates the natural life along the Fox River. The last opportunity to purchase a tile with your own personal inscription will be July 31. Please visit www.gailborden.info/store/ to check tile availability.

*This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas.

Guest Artists: Baltazar, Tiny TitansBilly Batson, Magic of Shazam! Scott Beaderstadt, Trollords Cory Carani, Legionnaires Dave Dorman, Batman, Magic the Gathering Jeff Moy, Legionnaires, Excalibur Philip Moy, Batman: the Brave and the Bold, Power Puff Girls Independent creators Brad Bellmore, Serena Guerra, Justin Madson and Mike Penick

Rakow Branch One-Year Celebration*2751 W. Bowes Road

Gail Borden Public Library District

All ages.Saturday, July 10 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.No registration or admission fee.

Comic Book Mania! Convention*

Best Costume Competition

All ages.2:30 p.m.

Starman Film Festival - All Day!

Kids entering 3rd grade and up can register for either tournament at gailborden.info/register, at the Youth Help Desk or by calling 847-429-4685. Prizes will be awarded.

Presented by Dr. Terrence WandtkeAssociate Professor of Literature and Media, Judson UniversityTuesday, July 13 7 – 8 p.m. Meeting Room 1Author of The Amazing Transforming Superhero: Essays on the Revision of Characters in Comic Books, Film, and Television, Dr. Wandtke looks at how superheroes have changed through the years and how events in American history as well as characteristics of graphic novels have influenced the development of superheroes. Please register.

Marvel/DC Tournament 1:15 p.m.

Tournament 10:15 a.m.

Sunday, August 15 1 – 3 p.m.

The Amazing Transforming Superhero*

Bicycles on ParadePage 6

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month

Page 8

Read Elgin resident Will Lytle’s blog from www.gailborden.info

as he pursues his quest to be the youngest solo kayaker to travel the

length of the Mississippi River this summer. Reading the blog

can count toward the summer reading

program!

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Register for the 2010 summer reading program by July 23 at the Main Library or Rakow Branch or online at gailborden.info. The last day to finish the summer reading programs and receive all prizes is August 7.

youth servicesThree ways to register: • Online at gailborden.info/register• In person at the Early Learning or Youth Center Help Desk• Call 847-429-4595

Programs take place at the Main Library unless otherwise noted.

Summer Activities

Next Door Neighbor Storytime Age 2 – kindergartenJuly 5 – July 27Mondays 2 or 7 p.m. Tuesdays 9:30 or 11 a.m.No registration required.30 minutes of puppets, stories, movies and music. Nedrob returns from outer space and meets friends and heroes in the neighborhood. On July 12, the Family Picnic replaces the 7 p.m. Next Door Neighbor Storytime.

Cuentos Con Los VecinosUn programa para la familiaComenzando el 7 de Julio al 28 de JulioLos miércoles a las 7 de la nocheNo se requiere registracíon.Nedrob regresa del espacio y conoce amigos y heroes en la vecindad. ¡30 minutos de marionetas, cuentos, películas, manualidades, juegos, música y más!

Who’s Your Hero? Grades 1 – 2July 5 – July 29Mondays 2 p.m.Thursdays 10 a.m. No registration required.Learn about all kinds of heroes—real and imaginary, human and not—through stories, games, crafts and more in this 45-minute program.

Hero QuestGrades 3 – 5July 1 – July 29Thursdays 10 a.m.No registration required.Tuck in your cape and join the fun! Bring your imagination to life like never before with action-packed fun, solving puzzles and experiencing new quests.

W a c k y W e d n e s d a y s !School-aged children July 7 – July 28Wednesdays 2 – 3:30 p.m.No registration required.Enjoy a variety of activities at the Main Library including Wii video games, crafts, board games and more.

Sports Trading Card ClubBoys and girls age 6 and olderThursdays, July 8, August 123 – 4:30 p.m. (drop in anytime)South StoryroomNo registration required.Bring your collections to show or trade or learn how you can start collecting and trading. Earn free cards by answering trivia questions.

Sports Cards Wanted - Please consider donating sports cards you no longer want to the Sports Trading Card Club. Contact Carol Skelton at 847-608-5011 or cskelton@gailborden.info.

The Dog Days of Summer: Tails are Wagging at Read to RoverElementary age childrenMain Library: Saturdays, July 10, August 14 10, 10:30, 11 or 11:30 a.m.Registration required.

Practice reading skills by cuddling up with a good book and reading aloud to a fully trained and certified therapy dog. Register for a 20-minute session. Please call 847-429-4595 or visit gailborden.info to check if space is available.

Find The Library on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube!

Touch-a-Truck@The LibraryMonday, July 12 6:30 p.m.Touch and climb real city vehicles and meet the City of Elgin’s heroes who drive the firetrucks, ambulances, police and public works vehicles. In the event of inclement weather, this program will be canceled.

Fun with D.J. CarlosMonday, August 9 7 p.m.Dance and sing with D.J. Carlos from Highland School. Enjoy Latin music, interactive songs and games. In case of inclement weather, tickets will be needed for the 7 p.m. performance and will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis at the Greeter Desk beginning at 6 p.m. on the evening of the performance.

Bring a picnic supper to the library’s west lawn at 6 p.m. Beverage and dessert will be provided by the library.No registration required.

youth services

Summer Extravaganzas Children ages 5 to 8 years old, please bring a caregiver of at least 14 years of age.

Comic Book Trivia CompetitionGrades 3 – 8Thursday, July 22 7 – 8:30 p.m.Registration required.Put your knowledge to the test playing Wheel of Borden Comic Book Trivia. Compete to win valuable collectible comic books. Everyone will receive a prize.

Animal Rescue HeroesFamily EventTuesday, July 27 7 – 8 p.m.No registration required.Representatives from Animal House Shelter, No Splitting Hares and Hooved Animal Rescue and Protection Society will share their stories. You’ll meet dogs, rabbits and a horse!

Adopt-An-InsectAll ages. Kids, please bring an adult.Sunday, August 1 2 – 3:30 p.m.Registration required.Hawthorne Hill Nature Center naturalist April Anderson will lead a walk to find, catch and learn about insects of summer. Insects will be released back into their habitat unharmed.

Build It Up!Children younger than 8, please bring an adult.Thursday, August 19 2 p.m. Community Rooms Registration begins Monday, August 2.Children are invited to bring their imaginations and building abilities to a fun-filled building block program. Building materials provided.

Design a Super Hero Workshop*With Artist Doug KlaubaGrades 3 – 5Thursday, August 12 3 – 4 p.m. Community RoomsRegistration required.Doug Klauba illustrates many superheros and villains including the Phantom, Superman and Zorro. In this

energetic workshop, participants will create their own super hero or super bad guy. Class size is limited to 25. Participants should bring their own pencils and thin black markers.

Jod i Kop l in ’s J igg le jam Preschool – third grade with an adultTuesday, August 17 10 a.m. Community Rooms No registration.Jodi Koplin’s highly contagious energy will get the whole audience on its feet singing and dancing along to her original tunes as well as some old favorites.

FamilyPicnics

Trash to Treasures: Children’s Flea MarketSellers entering grades 2 – 9 (all ages welcome to buy)Friday, July 16 1:30 – 3 p.m.Northeast parking lotAdvance registration in person as a parental permission slip must be signed.Bring your old treasures to sell and earn some spending money. Nothing will be priced over $4. Rain date is Friday, July 23.

Steve Weeks Family Concert* Children younger than 12, please bring an adult.Saturday, July 17 10:30 a.m.Community Rooms No registration required.A fun, interactive show filled with music,

stories and humor for the whole family.

More Summeractivities...

Fall Storytime RegistrationDistrict residents - August 23• Out of district residents - August 30• Visit gailborden.info, pick up a flier in the Early Learning • Center, or call 847-429-4595.

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youth services

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Children younger than 12, please bring an adult.Wednesdays 10 a.m. Community RoomsNo registration required.July 7 Alice in Wonderland (2010) (PG, 108 minutes) July 14 StarStruck (2010) (G, 85 minutes) July 21 The Iron Giant (1999) (PG, 86 minutes) July 28 Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (2003) (PG, 75 minutes)

Super-Heroes in Animation Children younger than 13 must be accompanied by an adult. Fridays 2 p.m. Community RoomsNo registration required.July 9 Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009) (PG-13, 69 minutes) July 16 Wonder Woman (2009) (PG-13, 74 minutes) July 23 Batman Vs. Dracula (2005) (PG-13, 83 minutes)

Family FilmsSponsored by the Rotary Club of Elgin.

Summertime at Rakow Branch Terrific TuesdaysPreschool and school-aged childrenTuesdays in July and AugustNo registration required.Drop in anytime on Tuesdays for fun activities such as LEGOS, coloring sheets, games and sidewalk chalk.

An Afternoon With Miss Spider Saturday, July 24 11 a.m.No registration required.Bring a brown bag lunch and enjoy some buggy stories. Then join Ms. April from the Hawthorn Hill Nature Center on a bug hunt around the building. Drinks provided.

The Dog Days of Summer: Tails are Wagging at Read to RoverElementary age children Saturdays, July 31, August 2810, 10:30, 11 or 11:30 a.m.Registration required.Practice reading skills by reading aloud to a fully trained and certified therapy dog. Register for a 20-minute session. Please call 847-429-4595 or visit gailborden.info for available space.

TEEN SCENE For Teens entering

grades 6 - 12Advance registration is required for all teen activities.

Three ways to register: • Online at gailborden.info/register• In person at the Youth Center Help Desk• Call 847-429-4685

Spa DayThursday, July 1 2 – 3:30 p.m.Relax and enjoy making your own bath and beauty products while sipping on a homemade smoothie.

Design-a-WalletThursday, July 15 2 – 3 p.m.Design your own wallet using colored tape, discarded graphic novels, manga, teen magazines and your imagination.

Movie: Halo Legends (2010) (PG-13)Thursday, July 22 2 – 4 p.m.Explore the Halo universe with eight anime shorts from prominent Japanese anime producers.

MarioKart TournamentThursday, July 29 2 – 5 p.m.Tear up the track as Mario, Luigi or your favorite Nintendo character and race to the finish line to see if you’ll be our tournament winner.

Design a Super Hero Workshop*With Artist Doug KlaubaThursday, August 12 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.Community RoomsDoug Klauba’s paintings and drawings have been recognized for their heroic-deco style and have included the Phantom, Superman and Zorro. His

illustrations have been used for posters, ads, book covers, magazines and calendars. In this energetic workshop, he will discuss super heros and villains, then brainstorm with participants to help them create their own super hero or super bad guy. Class size is limited to 25. Participants should bring their own pencils and thin black markers.

Young Teen Advisory BoardGrades 6 – 8Applications available August 2.Enthusiastic middle school students are needed to serve on a teen advisory board to brainstorm library program ideas, make suggestions for teen materials, help with special projects and more. Meetings held once a month at the library. Contact Jennifer Bueche at jbueche@gailborden.info or call 847-429-5973 with questions.

VOLUNTEENSGrades 7 – 10Applications, available at the Youth Center Help Desk August 16, require a parent’s signature.Volunteens spend one hour each week in the Youth Center preparing craft materials, scanning books, shelving materials and doing other tasks. Sessions begin in September.

adult programs

Super-Couponing with Coupon Queen Jill Cataldo

Super-Couponing 1*Thursday, July 8 7 – 8:30 p.m.Community Rooms Change the way you shop by discovering the secrets of couponing. Find out which stores let shoppers multi-stack coupons, how to track sales and discounts online and, best of all, how to get stores to pay you to shop. This is a prerequisite to Super-Couponing 2. Registration required.

Super-Couponing 2: Saving on Everything!*An Advanced ClassThursday, August 26 7 – 8:30 p.m.Community RoomsLearn how to combine multiple discounts, store promotions and coupons to maximize grocery savings. Coupon Queen Jill Cataldo will also teach you how to apply Super-Couponing principles to clothing, toys, housewares and many other items, saving up to 90% off regular prices. Super-Couponing 1 is recommended as a prerequisite. Registration required.

Jane Austen Fan ClubDinner at Rosings: The Culture and Comedy of Food in Jane Austen* Tuesday, July 6 7 p.m. Meeting Room 2William Phillips is vice president of the Greater Chicago Region of

the Jane Austen Society of North America. He will discuss meals enjoyed by the gentry in Austen’s day, how dishes were prepared in the early 19th century and how Austen used food and eating to develop character and create comic situations. No registration required.

Pride and Prejudice Book Discussion Tuesday, August 3 7 p.m. Meeting Room 2No registration required.

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Three ways to register: • Online at gailborden.info, Calendar• In person at the Adult Services Information Desk• Call 847-429-4680

Programs take place at the Main Library unless otherwise noted. Meeting Rooms 1 and 2 are located on the second floor.

health & wellness

5 Secrets to Permanent Weight LossPresented by Dr. Jason Y. HuiMonday, July 19 7 p.m. Meeting Room 1Dr. Hui will explain why diets don’t work, why eating fat doesn’t make you fat, what hormones are out of control in your body,

how you can regain energy and vitality and much more. Discover the library’s collection of health-related books, DVDs and other resources. Please register.

Put Your Oxygen Mask On: Why Taking Care of Yourself Will Make You More Effective in Your Life *Presented by Healthcare Professional Sue SalachMonday, August 16 7 p.m. Meeting Room 1 Do you have problems saying “no”? Do you find your hand up even before anyone has asked for a volunteer? Do you find it difficult to keep up with your calendar? Sue Salach will talk about healthy ways to create boundaries without all of the guilt. Please register.

Brown Bag Lunch

Classic Films Bring your lunch or buy it at LaTazza Café and enjoy a short introduction of highlights as Gail Borden’s own Bob Cassinelli reveals little-known trivia about the featured film. Coffee and tea will be served. No registration.

Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) Monday, July 12 Special Start Time! 10:30 a.m. – 12 noon

Summer Stock (1950) Monday, August 9 11 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.

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adult programs

Reel Women for Real Women Co-sponsored by the American Association of University Women Elgin Area Branch.Held at 6 p.m. in Meeting Room 1, these films and discussions focus on women’s issues. Pick up dinner at LaTazza Café to enjoy during the movie. No registration.

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio (PG-13, 2006)Tuesday, July 27

Young Victoria (PG, 2009) Tuesday, August 24

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Programs take place at the Main Library unless otherwise noted. Meeting Rooms 1 and 2 are located on the second floor.

Sponsored in collaboration with the Elgin Community Network and ECCO. Presented by the City of Elgin’s Sustainability Master Plan Task Force. Programs are held at 6:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month in Meeting Room 1. For more information, go to elgin-ecn.org. No registration. July 20 Green Urbanism August 17 Alternative Energy

Drawing From Experience in Commercial Art and Publishing*

With Artist Doug KlaubaThursday, August 12 7 – 8 p.m.Community Rooms Professional illustrator Doug Klauba will discuss his experiences working with publishers, authors and various clients in producing commercial art for magazines, books and comic books as well as provide insight into the creative process he uses for

his work. Time permitting, he will give one-on-one portfolio reviews, so bring your work to share. Please register.

Photo Release - All program participants agree to be photographed during library activities and programsfor use in future library publications.

Bicycles on Parade - Art in Motion 2010Pick up a Tour d’ ArtBike Competition Passport at Gail Borden Library and head out to the downtown area to see what local artists have done to transform bicycles into works of art. Fill out the passport entry form with at least 10 names of bicycles in the competition for a chance to win an LCD TV, Nintendo Wii, Taste of Elgin Basket and more! Entry forms can be put in the drop-off box

on the Greeter Desk at the library until 5 p.m. July 11.

Voting for the Community’s Favorite Bicycle will take place from July 12 to 29 at 5 p.m. online at gailborden.info or at the library, where all bicycles in the competition will be on display. After the voting, there are two ways you can own one of these works of art, by silent auction July 31 or live auction August 1 at 1 p.m. at Art & Soul on the Fox 2010 Festival.

Interviewing for Success*With Human Resource Management Consultant Tom Hovany Wednesday, July 28 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.Meeting Room 1Learn about the job interview process and how to prepare for successful interviewing. Please register.

Elgin Job SeekersTuesdays, August 3, 10, 17, 24, 311 – 2 p.m.Meeting Room 2Bring your job-related questions to these open discussion meetings. Learn, share, and network! Please register.

Pathways to Health CareersWith Kathleen Callahan, Program Director of Community Based Job Training, Elgin Community CollegeWednesday, August 4 6:30 – 8 p.m.Meeting Room 1Career tuition assistance + Specialized training = Healthcare job! Learn about education and training needed for healthcare careers. Please register.

Applying for a Job OnlineCómo Solicitar Empleo En LíneaThursday, August 5 7 – 8:30 p.m.Meeting Room 1Learn how to prepare your online application in this bilingual program, presented in English and Spanish. Please register.

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adult programs

World of ComputersSaturday SummerBoot Camp*Presented by Jeanette Via, Microsoft Office Specialist Certified, and a Spanish-speaking Lab Assistant. To register, bring your Gail Borden Library card to the Computer Center in advance. Students are encouraged to bring their own laptops. Classes are free and held in the Computer Training Room.

Introducing WindowsSaturday, July 17 or August 21 10 a.m. – 12 noon Start Windows programs, type in a Windows program and issue program commands using a menu bar and toolbar.

Using Word ProcessorsSaturday, July 17 or August 21 1 – 3 p.m.Create a new document using Word, then learn how to edit using various commands and print your document.

Starting with FilesSaturday, July 24 10 a.m. – 12 noonLearn about the Windows Control Panel and how to browse, move, copy and delete folders and files on the computer.

Maintaining Your Hard Drive and Data Saturday, July 24 1 – 3 p.m.Identify hands-off operating systems folders, backup, restore and recover files through a variety of methods.

Managing Computer FilesWednesday, August 28 10 a.m. – 12 noon Learn how to browse, open, copy, create and restore files.

Sábados de Campode EntrenamientoMundo de Computadora*Presentado por Jeanette Via, Especialista Certificada de Microsoft Office, y un asistente que habla español. Para inscribirse, traiga por adelantado su tarjeta de la Biblioteca Gail Borden al Centro de Computación. Exhortamos a los estudiantes a que traigan sus propias computadoras portátiles. Las clases serán en el Salón de Entrenamiento de Computación. Todas las clases son gratis.

Presentando Windows, programa gratissábado, 17 de julio o 21 de agosto 10 a.m. – 12 mediodía Inicie los programas de Windows, escriba en un programa de Windows, y ejerza comandos utilizando la barra del menú y la barra de herramientas.

Usando Procesadores de Palabrassábado, 17 de julio o 21 de agosto 1 – 3 p.m.Cree un documento nuevo usando el programa de Word, luego aprenda cómo editarlo usando varios comandos, e imprima su documento.

Comenzando con Archivossábado, 24 de julio 10 a.m. – 12 mediodíaConozca el Panel de Control de Windows y aprenda a buscar, mover, copiar y borrar archivos y documentos en la computadora.

Manteniendo su Disco Duro y Datossábado, 24 de julio 1 – 3 p.m.Identifique los archivos de los sistemas operativos, y haga copias de seguridad, restaure y recupere archivos a través de una variedad de métodos.

Manejando los Archivos de la Computadora miércoles, 28 de agosto 10 a.m. – 12 mediodía Aprenda cómo buscar, abrir, copiar, crear y restaurar archivos.

Drop-in Technical SupportThursdays, July 15, August 19 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.Computer Training RoomNo registration required.Do you have questions about computer hardware? Is there something

you’d like to do using computer software but not sure where to begin? Stop by for one-on-one assistance. If your question relates to a portable device such as a laptop, digital camera or MP3 player, please bring it along.

ECRWSSLOCAL POSTAL PATRON

MAIN LIBRARY HOURS:

Monday - Thursday9 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Friday - Saturday9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Sunday1 - 5:30 p.m.

RAKOW BRANCH HOURS:

Monday - Wednesday9 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Saturday9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Sunday1 - 5:30 p.m.

Non-Profit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDElgin, IL 60120Permit No. 164

Carrier Route Sort

Richard McCarthy - PresidentJean Bednar - Vice PresidentJo Ann Armenta - SecretaryLisa Knight - TreasurerRandy Hopp - TrusteeSue Moylan - TrusteeLibrary Director - Carole MedalNewsletter Editor - Denise RaleighWriter - Liz Clemmons

Main270 N. Grove Ave.

Elgin, Illinois 60120Rakow Branch

2751 W. Bowes Rd.Elgin IL 60124

847-742-2411www.gailborden.info

PROGRAMAS EN ESPAÑOL

THE MAIN LIBRARY AND RAKOW BRANCHWILL BE CLOSED:

Sunday, July 4, for the holiday.Both will re-open Monday, July 5.

This newsletter contains recycled paperand is printed with soy-based ink.

Gail BordenPublic Library

District

Board of Trustees:

Great Books Discussion GroupHave you ever wanted to read some of the world’s greatest books of literature, philosophy, economics, political science, and psychology but needed guidance to understand the content? Meetings are on the second Monday of the month at 6:55 p.m. in Meeting Room 2. For more information, please call Rachel Bloomberg at 630-391-2966.July 12 The Lower Depths by Maxim GorkyAugust 9 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

The Gail Borden Online Book ClubStop by http://groups.google.com/group/gailborden and chat about our book of the month anytime, anywhere! For more information, contact Billie Moffett at bmoffett@gailborden.info or 847-289-5833.July The Probable Future by Alice HoffmanAugust Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

20’s and 30’s Book ClubCo-sponsored by the American Association of University Women Elgin Branch. The group meets at 7 p.m. in Meeting Room 2. Selections are a mix of contemporary, fiction, nonfiction and classics. For more information, call Rachel Bloomberg at 630-391-2966.July 26 A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William ShakespeareAugust 23 Silas Marner by George Eliot

book clubs

Walking Book ClubJoin us on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. for great reads, lively discussion and exercise. For more information, call Danielle or Nancy at 847-429-4680.Beginning July 21The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Beginning August 18The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

September is Library Card Sign-up Month!Join Gail Borden Library in our effort to put more library cards in people’s hands during September! It’s easy—local businesses give a small discount during September when shown a Gail Borden Library card. It’s a win-win situation when more people in the community use their library card and local businesses see more people come through the door. During September, the names of participating businesses are posted in the library rotunda, an area that welcomes approximately 3,000 people each day, and are listed in the library’s November/December Explorer newsletter, which is mailed to about 53,000 households and businesses. To become a participating business, contact Liz Clemmons at 847-429-4698.