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Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Returns to Library

For many, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a day off school. The Northbrook Public Library is encouraging the community to turn their day off school into a day of service in observance of the holiday.

On Monday, January 18, the Library joins the nationwide movement to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. with a day of activities that draws attention to the importance of community service.

“We’ve always tried to do things that benefit the community, and this event is one way we’re able to do that,” said Youth Services Manager Kelly Durov. “We’ve been participating in the Day of Service for years.”

From a book drive to a collaborative craft project, anyone interested in joining the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service can participate in a variety of activities.

“We always have a craft table in Youth Services, but for the Day of Service, we’re making Valentine’s Day decorations for Covenant Village of Northbrook,” said Durov. “It’s nice to be able to bring one of our activities outside the Library to be enjoyed in the community.”

Here are the available service projects that will be offered in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day:

Book Drive for Open Books
The Library’s Book Drive benefits Open Books, a nonprofit dedicated to cultivating literacy skills and providing high-quality books to schools and other nonprofits throughout the Chicago area. Open Books sells donated books to help fund their programs and donates them for use in instructional and book grant programs. The Library’s Book Drive will accept books in good condition: fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, and more.
Donations will be accepted from January 2 to January 18.

On January 18, come to the Library to help box up the donations for delivery. Please call the Youth Services department at 847-272-4300 if you want to volunteer.
Monday, January 18, All Day  

Crafts for Covenant Village
Come to the Youth Services department to create handmade Valentine’s Day decorations for Covenant Village of Northbrook.
Monday, January 18, All Day

Caring, Community, Connection Storytime 
Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with a storytime that focuses on caring. For children in preschool through grade 2.
Monday, January 18, 1:30– 2:15pm

The Caring, Community, and Connection Storytime, said Durov, is a new addition to the Day of Service lineup.

“Service and giving are important concepts for children to learn, but they can be hard to teach,” said Durov. “By picking stories that focus on caring for friends, family, and other community members, we have a perfect way to introduce those concepts to kids during the Day of Service.”

All ages are welcome to participate in the Library’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. For more information on the Day of Service or other upcoming events, please visit the Library’s website.