Good 2 Know

50 Years of Beatlemania!

reference — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 21:04:44 +0000

John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr arrived in the United States on February 7, 1964. They performed on the Ed Sullivan Show later that month and changed the music world. The foursome performed its last live concert on August 29, 1966 in San Francisco and the group retired from touring and live performing. The Beatles continued to release albums and made movies. The individuals in the group also had successful solo careers.

The Beatles continue to this day to be enormously popular. Whether you are an old fan or a new one, the Library has a large collection of CDs, DVDs, and books by and about the Beatles.

Click on the cover art below or check our online catalog for more titles. As always feel free to Ask Us!

Hands Off Your Phone While Driving

reference — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 19:52:55 +0000

A new state law becomes effective on January 1, 2014 that bans the use of hand-held devices while driving. Fines for violating the law will start at $75 and rise to $100 for a second offense and $125 for a third offense. Drivers can only use hands-free technology, such as speaker-phone or a Bluetooth device.

The new law expands existing law which already bans hand-held cellphone use in school and construction zones. “Your hands should be on the wheel and your eyes should be on the road,” states state Senator John Mulroe, who sponsored the bill.

For more info, check out the Illinois State Police website.

Melody Makers

reference — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 14:05:22 +0000

If you enjoy reading about your favorite musical artists, you might try one of these new biographies.

Johnny Cash: the Life by Robert Hilburn (B CASH). This book covers Cash’s personal and professional lives and is written by a noted music critic who knew Cash.

Simple Dreams: a Musical Memoir by Linda Ronstadt (781.64 RON). Ronstadt writes about her early life in Tucson and her rise to stardom in the California music scene.

Wild Tales: a Rock & Roll Life by Graham Nash (B NASH). This is a candid autobiography by the founding member of Crosby, Stills & Nash.

Kentucky Traveler: My Life in Music by Ricky Skaggs (781.642 SKA). The author is a beloved American bluegrass and country singer.

For other titles check our online catalog or Ask Us!.

50 Years Later

reference — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 18:54:22 +0000

The upcoming 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy has resulted in the publication of many books about Kennedy’s life and death. Here are a few:

The Day Kennedy Died: 50 Years Later LIFE Remembers the Man and the Moment (OV 973.922 DAY). This book has numerous photos and includes each frame of the Zapruder film.

Dallas 1963 (973.022 MIN) by Bill Minutaglio and Steven L. Davis provides an absorbing account of what was happening in Dallas prior to Kennedy’s visit.

The Kennedy Half-Century: the Presidency, Assassination, and Lasting Legacy of John F. Kennedy (973.922 SAB) by Larry Sabato describes how the assassination has affected our memory of the event and our view of his legacy.

Camelot’s Court: Inside the Kennedy White House (973.922 DAL) by Robert Dallek. The author is a leading Kennedy historian and this book adds new insights to his 2003 biography of Kennedy.

For additional titles check our online catalog or Ask Us!

Book covers that make you say “aww”!

reference — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 17:50:23 +0000

If you enjoy reading about animals, especially dogs and cats, you might try one of these books. They all have wonderful covers that make you say “aww.” And the books are “good reads.”

A Dog Walks into a Nursing Home by Sue Halpern (636.70886 HAL) is the memoir of Pransky, a Labradoodle, and her owner Sue and their encounters with the residents of a nursing home.

A Street Cat Named Bob and How He Saved My Life by James Bowen (636.8 BOW) is the story of street musician Bowen and how his life changes when he finds an injured cat he names Bob.

Katie Up and Down the Hall by Glenn Plaskin (636.7 PLA) is the story of how cocker spaniel Katie turned five neighbors into a family.

We have many more titles like those above. Check our online catalog or Ask Us! for additional titles.

Emergency Contact Database and Organ/Tissue Donor Registry

reference — Wed, 21 Aug 2013 19:03:14 +0000

Have you signed up for the Illinois Secretary of State’s Emergency Contact Database? If not, it is easy to do so. Just visit www.cyberdriveillinois.com. You can also call 800-252-8980 (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.) for more information. You will be asked to enter emergency contact information. This will allow law enforcement to access the database to help them reach your designated contacts in the event of an emergency.

Another important program from the Secretary of State’s Office is the organ/tissue donor registry. For more information visit http://www.lifegoeson.com/. Be an organ/tissue donor and save a life.

Dirt, Worms, Weeds & Kids

reference — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 18:07:17 +0000

If you would like to try some gardening projects with your children, the Library has a selection of books that will help you get started.

Rocks, Dirt, Worms & Weeds by Jeff Hutton will show you and your kids how to grow your own food and flowers. 635 HUT

The Family Kitchen Garden provides tips on how to make children and teens an integral part of a family garden. 635 LIE

Gardening Projects for Kids by Whitney Cohen is a step-by-step guide for turning your children into mini-gardeners. 635 COH

The Library has a selection of gardening magazines available in print format in the Magazines and Newspapers area, and in digital format through our Zinio service.

For additional home and garden resources, check out our hot topics.

Questions? Ask Us!

Battle of Gettysburg

reference — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 19:47:14 +0000

The Civil War Battle of Gettysburg took place 150 years ago on July 1-3, 1863. Beginning on June 29 of this year, Gettysburg will begin nine days of commemoration of this key event in American history.

Some interesting facts about the battle: Union General George Meade commanded approximately 100,000 soldiers who fought against Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s more than 70,000 soldiers. Gettysburg had the largest number of casualties in the Civil War and it ended General Lee’s invasion of the North. At least 46,000 troops were left dead, wounded or missing.

Marcellus Jones, a member of the Illinois 8th Cavalry from Camp Kane, is widely regarded as the soldier who fired the first shot in the Battle of Gettysburg.

For more information see the Gettysburg 150th Anniversary official website for a list of events and programs.

The Library has a large collection of books and dvds on this topic. Check our online catalog or Ask Us! for assistance in finding materials. For online sources see our History Research Guide.

Shop Local Farmers Markets

reference — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:21:49 +0000

Local farmers markets are now open and ready for business. Check out these local markets for a wide selection of vegetables, herbs, flowers and more! Shop local–as well as fresh and delicious.

St. Charles: Baker Methodist Church, East Main Street at Fourth Avenue. Open 7 a.m.–1 p.m., Fridays, June 3–October 25.

Batavia: Downtown on N. River between Wilson and State. Open 8 a.m.–noon, Saturdays, June 8–October 19.

Geneva: French Market, Metra parking lot, South and Fourth Streets. Open 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Sundays, through November 10. Year-round Green Market, 27 N. Bennett Street, 2 p.m.–6 p.m. Thursdays, June 6–October 31.

Elgin: Harvest Market, Old Gail Borden Library parking lot, 200 N. Grove Avenue. Open 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Thursdays, June 6–October 3.

The Bounty of Kane website lists Kane County farms that sell direct to the consumer. The Kane County Farm Bureau updates this website.

Check out the Library’s local information database for even more farmers markets.

Questions? Ask Us!

Time to fire up the grill

reference — Thu, 09 May 2013 14:51:39 +0000

It’s time to get out of the kitchen and start cooking on the backyard grill. If you need ideas for what to grill or how to do it, try one of the Library’s many cookbooks and DVDs devoted to grilling. Here are a few:

Bobby Flay’s Barbecue Addiction (641.5784 FLA) is written by the celebrity chef and Food Network host.

Fire It Up: More than 400 Recipes for Grilling Everything (641.76 SCH), by Andrew Schloss and David Joachim, answers the question “What can we grill?” Answer is “Everything!”

Barbeque Makes Everything Better (641.76 CHR), by Aaron Chronister and Jason Day, is a collection of easy-to-follow recipes for any occasion.

Zinio, your resource for full digital copies of favorite magazines, has cooking magazines, and you will find some tasty recipes. Questions? Ask Us!