Teen Volunteers Soak Up Library’s Summer Reading Program

Naperville Public Library's annual Summer Reading Program encourages children and adults of all ages to read with the help of local teen volunteers.

When local teens like Julia Shaver and Saira Zuberi aren’t reading at the Nichols Public Library, chances are they’re motivating other kids to pick up a good book.   Shaver and Zuberi are just two of the roughly 85 teen volunteers at the Nichols Library helping out with the annual Summer Reading Program this year. Volunteers are also on hand at all three Naperville Public Library branches to sign-up kids and adults of all ages for the program, which began June 4 and runs through July 29. Earlier: Naperville Public Library's Food for Fines Program to Help Those in Need And with only two weeks into the eight week program, more than 7,600 people have already signed-up, according to the Naperville Public Library. This year readers are also …

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Naperville Public Library's Food for Fines Program to Help Those in Need

Last winter the library's Food for Fines Drive raised 3 tons of food for Loaves & Fishes. The Naperville Public Library will hold the food drive July 9-23.

Have you been holding off on taking out any new library books because you owe a fine? If so, you will soon have a chance to take care of that fine and help those in need in the community.  Library users who owe fines will have the option to make a food donation in place of paying the fee during the library’s Food for Fines Drive July 9 to 23. The Naperville Public Library will donate $1 per non-perishable food item that is donated (up to $20 per library card). The food will be donated to Loaves & Fishes Community Pantry, according the Naperville Public Library. “We are very excited to again partner with Loaves & Fishes. Having a summer drive is perfect because our Summer Reading Program is themed ‘Reading is So Delicious!’ As soon as we …

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Perfect Lawns, Perfect Kids and Other Fibs

How Just Four Books Make A Big Difference in Learning

This mom thinks reading is bridge enough for summer learning.

School’s going to be out for summer soon. My kids will be packing away the backpacks and sleeping in late but, with apologies to Alice Cooper, they will still be hitting the books. The slides at Centennial Beach aren’t the only ones our kids experience during summer breaks. Two months without schooling leads to the “Summer Slide,” the phenomenon that sees our children losing academic ground over the summer.  In the fall, teachers spend as much as a month getting students back up to speed. In the recent past, I’ve attempted to stop the slide with my own kids by using a variety of techniques, from activity books to curricula of my own making. I was generally successful in the beginning of the summer and generally with my daughter, who loves …

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Janice Lindegard

5:58 pm on Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Oh, Susan! My son makes fun of how much I read. I can match his four in about 12 days. He has an impersonation of me that I'd have to show you in person. Maybe when I come in to sign up!   more ›

Meeting on 95th Steet Extension Draws Concerned Residents

About 100 people attended a meeting Monday night, which provided information on the proposed 95th Street extension.

Naperville Public Library Putting Nook E-Readers on Loan

Naperville is a community that eagerly consumes new technology, which was just one reason the Naperville Public Library will allow patrons to check out Nook e-readers beginning May 1.

Readers who have always wanted to try an e-reader but weren’t willing to spend the money, or not sure about using the technology have a new way to give it a try without investing.  The Naperville Public Library will begin lending Nook e-readers on May 1 to library patrons.  Naperville is a community open to new technology, evidenced by the large number of library users who are downloading materials. Because the community is so open to new technology, the library wanted to offer e-readers to patrons, said Yan Xu, adult and teen services supervisor at Naper Boulevard Library. Other reasons the library is offering the e-readers to patrons is because some people may be hesitant about using the technology, may not be able to afford purchasing …

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Mary Ann Lopez

11:46 am on Thursday, April 19, 2012

I will be putting my name on the list to try one of these out, since I have yet to purchase an e-reader. I'm excited to try it.   more ›

Police: Heroin Presentation Materials Available Online

Due to an overwhelming response to a presentation about heroin, the police department presentation was put online.

Hundreds of people turned out last week for a program about heroin use in Naperville and as a result the Naperville Police Department is providing the presentation to anyone who wants to view it.  The Naperville Police Department, Naperville Public Library and the DuPage Child Abuse Prevention Coalition partnered for the program, which was held at the 95th Street Library.  Because of the large turnout for the presentation, a last minute decision was made to hold two back-to-back programs. A planned question and answer period was not held, due to the need to hold two programs rather than one. And, not enough of the presentation materials were available for those in attendance. The materials are available on the Naperville Public Library’s …

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Police: South Side of Naperville "Ground Zero" for City's Heroin Problem

Hundreds of people attended a Monday night program at the 95th Street Library, which offered statistics, information on heroin and graphic images of drug deaths.

The recent arrest of a 17-year-old Naperville teen charged with dealing heroin, coupled with e-mails sent by both of the city's school districts, led to a massive turnout Monday night for a program about heroin’s grip on Naperville. Naperville Police Chief David Dial started the program at the 95th Street Library by sharing the harsh statistic that Will County has had eight heroin-related deaths since the start of the year. “I’m told young people, they don’t know what they are getting into,” Dial said. “… They know the difference between right and wrong and they know it’s illegal. They think they can beat it, but they can’t.” Detective Mike Umbenhower said police are the last line of defense when dealing with a problem like heroin use. He …

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Program Tackles Naperville's Growing Heroin Use

A program is being held Monday at the 95th Street Library to address the use of heroin in the community.

More than a week after a Naperville teen was charged with dealing heroin, announcements went out Thursday to families in both Naperville School District 203 and Indian Prairie School District 204 about a program being held Monday to inform parents about the use of heroin in the community. Districts 203 and 204 sent the joint message to families in both districts requesting that parents be part of the conversation, the message said the focus of the meeting would be drugs in the community. The program titled: “The Rising Tide of Heroin Abuse in Naperville” is being sponsored by the Naperville Public Library in cooperation with the DuPage Child Abuse Prevention Coalition, the Naperville Police Department and the Naperville Fraternal Order of …

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Beyond the Card Catalog

Library Closed for In-Service Day and Data Migration

All three libraries will be closed Friday for a staff in-service day. The library's website will be upgraded in the morning.

The Naperville Public Library will be closed on Friday for a staff in-service day. Normal operating hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. will resume on Saturday. The morning of Jan. 20 the Library is also upgrading the computer server that houses its catalog system. As a result of the server upgrade, Library users will be unable to use the Collection/Catalog, My Account, Overdrive, Downloadable Catalog and subscription databases. “It is estimated that the data migration will take three or four hours,” explains Frances Tong, IT Manager. “When the migration is finished we expect faster access times for Library users.  The hardware upgrade is the first step in a series of software upgrades, Tong explains. “In the future there will be an upgrade of the …

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Beyond the Card Catalog

Get Free Help Figuring Out Your New Digital Device at the Naperville Public Library

The Naperville Public Library is ready to help new e-reader owners learn how to use their new toys.

Santa’s secret is out – lots of Naperville households got digital devices for the holidays!  We’re talking Kindles, iPads, eReaders, tablets and smart phones. Not sure how to set up your device to download free library books, music and videos?  The Naperville Public Library is here to help! You can get help right now by calling the Library 630-961-4100. We’ll try to help you over the phone. Would you prefer to bring your device in and get individual help? The first workshop is Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the Nichols Library, 200 W. Jefferson Ave. Library staff members as well as representatives from Best Buy will help you figure out your eReader, tablet, Kindle, iPad and other devices. And if you’re thinking about buying a device with…

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