Cooking, family, decorating, music, togetherness.  Grab a book highlighting the joys of the season.  We'll be adding more titles throughout the month.   Looking to give back this holiday season? Consider volunteering or contributing to a community organization.  Here is a general list of organizations in Northbrook to get started.  On a national level, you can consult the AIP Charity Rating Guide and Watchdog Report on our Consumer Table, located in Reference. 

One of the hardest conversations an adult child must have with a parent involves the decision to move to an assisted living or nursing home situation.  In the month of September, our display featured books about all aspects of elder care, from assisting aging parents to choosing the right nursing home.The North Shore Senior Center compiles a list of assisted living places in the local area that you can also look at in the library. Ask at Reference Desk for Assistance.

Did you know that the Northbrook Public Library offers materials in many languages other than English? The display this month near the Reference Desk features books written in Korean, Russian, Polish, French, Spanish and Chinese. The library’s growing World Language Collection is located on the 2^nd floor in Adult and Youth nonfiction.  Coming soon, the adult World Language Collection will move to a new location next to the ESL materials, also on the 2^nd floor. This new area will allow for easier browsing of the variety of titles and genres.  The library also carries several magazines and newspapers in languages other than English in the Periodicals area on the second floor. And you’ll find an extensive collection of foreign language films in the MultiMedia department on the third floor. For more information, stop by the Reference Desk, email at nbkref@northbrook.info, or call (847) 272-6224.

April 12, 2011 marked the 150^th anniversary of the start of the Civil War.  The war began at 4:30 a.m. on April 12, 1861 when Confederate forces attacked a military installation at Fort Sumter in South Carolina.  The many names attached to the Civil War reflect the nation’s deep and abiding emotions about this event: the War Between the States, The War for Southern Independence, the War Against Northern Aggression, the Brothers’ War, and the Late Unpleasantness. An excellent overview article on the PBS website notes: “It was the most horrible, necessary, intimate, acrimonious, mean-spirited, and heroic conflict the nation has ever known.” www.pbs.org/civilwar/war/

More books have been written about the Civil War than any other event in American history.  The Northbrook Public Library has an outstanding collection of non-fiction books that we encourage you to enjoy.  During the month of July there will be an interactive book display by the Reference Desk on the 2^nd floor. In addition, we have created a list of highly regarded Civil War books and websites. The list is available as a handout and through our new catalog. Access the List of Civil War Books and Websites Here.

You are invited to vote for your own favorite Civil War book by writing its title on our posters.  You may also email your choice to nbkref@northbrook.info or call us as 847-272-4873.  A result of this community poll will be published in August. So, vote early and often!