By Children’s Librarian Eileen Saam Have you heard about TechGirlz? Each month, the Oak Park Public Library hosts TechGirlz workshops for girls in grades 5-8. What is TechGirlz? Nonprofit organization TechGirlz offers free, fun, interactive workshops with a focus on empowering middle school girls to explore the possibilities of technology and empower their future careers. TechGirlz’s … Read more
By Children’s Librarian Genevieve Grove Love it, hate it, or just tolerate it, snow is a fact of life for those of us living in the Midwest! Here are some of my favorite ways to look at those fluffy, icy, crunchy, and powdery piles outside our windows. Read & explore Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley was a … Read more
Welcome everyone! Today we will briefly explore a pillar of Puerto Rican cultural expression known as Bomba. We will learn that beyond its existence as a musical genre in Puerto Rico, Bomba has its origins amongst the enslaved Africans on the island dating back to at least the 17th century and it was used as … Read more
By Children’s Librarian Eileen Saam As mentioned in my first post in this series, Google is a great resource of information and can be a useful first source when researching for school projects. But did you know that there are many subscription-based library resources that can be accessed online with your Oak Park library card? … Read more
By Hal, Rainbow Services Librarian Astrology and astronomy are similar words that are easy to confuse! Both relate to space and the universe, but astronomy is a branch of science, and astrology is an interpretation of the movements of the stars, planets, and other celestial bodies. Back in September, Children’s Librarian Genevieve Grove shared books and … Read more
By Children’s Librarian Eileen Saam Many people use Google to search for information on the internet. Google is a powerful tool for research. It is fast and convenient and can help you access lots of useful information. But is Google always the best research tool for everyone? Often Google is not a good tool to … Read more
By Children’s Librarian Genevieve Grove The physical sciences study the non-living systems of our world, and astronomy expands that investigation into the universe! Galaxies, stars, planets—we want to know about their physics, their movement, their atmospheres. Just like Galileo Galilei, who turned his telescope towards the stars and recorded what he saw, you too can … Read more
Chess challenges young minds to think critically. It teaches sacrifice and strategy, and exercises the ability to think ahead. And it’s fun! Whether kids are new to chess or have been playing for some time, your public library has resources for all experience levels—including a virtual chess tutorial, an ongoing virtual workshop series, live tutoring, … Read more
Here in Oak Park, the Village of Oak Park has proclaimed 2021 as the Year of the Butterfly, and we are learning so much about monarch butterflies and their need for milkweed plants to thrive. Did you know that the extinction of monarch butterflies ties into climate change? Check out these resources to learn more … Read more
Library assistant Margaret can always be found doing origami and helping kids learn! Origami helps kids practice visual and spatial skills, concentration, and math, and is a great fidget activity for experienced creators. It’s also a lot of fun! Watch this video Can you make a butterfly following her tutorial? It’s the perfect way to … Read more
