Grayslake Library Blog

  Love is in the air every February 14th with Valentine’s Day, but did you know that February is also National Library Lovers Month? Did you also know that you can earn some free SWAG by sharing a story about what the library means to you? Check out our Stories for SWAG program here ! Just by sharing a short story about what you love about your library, you get a small gift! (while supplies last; items received may vary) Here are some stories that patrons just like you have already shared with us: “Going to the Grayslake Library is something I always enjoy! The staff is kind and helpful. There are many resources for everything you need. Plus, I am encouraged to pick up a good book during the summer and winter reading challenges. Thanks to all the staff for making this possible!” – Kelly “When my son was little, we relied on the library and staff to help him build his reading skills.  I would bring him each week for story times where he loved the readings as well as the crafts...

  Every year since 1976, February has been observed as Black History Month in the United States. Listed below are a number of books, movies, and music, both for education and entertainment, that highlight the black voices on your local library’s shelves (physical and digital). All you need to access them is your Grayslake library card! Picture Books: A History of Me by Adrea Theodore Stacey's Extraordinary Words by Stacey Abrams We Shall Overcome by Byran Collier All Because You Matter by Tami Charles I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes Books for Teens: Say Her Name by Zetta Elliot Light It Up by Kekla Magoon Stamped by Jason Reynolds How to Be An Antiracist by Ibram X Kendi Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles Books for Adults: My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newson The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates Graphic Novels: Nubia: Real One...

Do you have a stack of books you keep renewing but never get around to reading? Are you keeping up with your “Want To Read” list on Goodreads? Do you feel a bit disappointed when you get a Libby notification that your hold is ready, but you don’t have time for it right now?  Great, you’re just like us!  We’re constantly trying to fit more reading into our day, and we’ve got a few ideas for you:  Create a reading routine. Maybe you don’t have a lot of time in your busy schedule, but you can include reading in your regular daily activities. Listen to audiobooks during your commute, while you're getting ready for the day, while you’re cooking, or while out for a walk. Insert reading times into the errands you already have to do or the downtime you may have throughout the day. Use different formats for the same book. Often you can borrow the audiobook, ebook, and hardcover of the same title, and if you use your library card, they are all FREE! Stuck waiting for an appointmen...

  February 1st is the 36th annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day! Originally observed in 1987 as a day to remember Flo Hyman, an Olympic volleyball player who tragically passed away in 1986, it has grown to recognize and celebrate the achievements of all women in sports on a national level. Your library card grants you access to a wide range of books and movies about women athletes, from biographies to fiction titles. Listed below is a small sample of what you can check out! Adult Nonfiction: Good for a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man's World by Lauren Fleshman Part memoir, part manifesto, Good for a Girl is Fleshman's story of falling in love with running as a girl, being pushed to her limits and succumbing to devastating injuries, and daring to fight for a better way for female athletes. State: A Team, a Triumph, a Transformation by Melissa Isaacson The unlikely story of a Chicago high school basketball team that became one of their state’s first-ever girls' bask...

  The Grayslake Library will be OPEN on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, this January 16th. Come in and browse our selection of books and other media titles about King’s life and the Civil Rights movement, as well as fiction that takes place during the era. Adults Non-Fiction: Alabama v. King The defense lawyer of Martin Luther King Jr., Fred Gray, works with author Dan Abrams to piece together the history of the trial that turned King into a national hero. Kennedy and King This title explores the relationship between two prominent rivals in United States history: President Kennedy and Pastor Martin Luther King Jr. DVDs & Blu-Rays: Selma (2014) This historical drama film highlights King’s struggle to secure voting rights for all people and the historic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965 in the face of violent opposition. MLK/FBI (2022) This documentary explores the FBI's surveillance and harassment of Martin Luther King, Jr., based on declassified documents and incorpo...

  Elisabet M. enjoys making special custom-decorated cookies for her family and friends.  However, she realized how time-consuming it was for her to hand-cut card stock to make the special shapes.  Elisabet was familiar with The Hub’s 3D Printer from taking her children to Hub classes, asked the staff for help, and soon made her own custom cookie cutters! “The staff helped me understand the steps to use the 3D Printer and told me about Thingiverse.com where I found 3D designs of cookie cutters in the shapes I needed.  Their help made it very easy to make my own cookie cutters,” said Elisabet.  “Making my own cookie cutters is fun and also saves me money and time,” said Elisabet.  “It would cost at least $10 for one cookie cutter from a specialty website and might take weeks to arrive, but in The Hub, I can get them in a much shorter time.” Next, Elisabet explored designing stencils on the Silhouette Cameo to personalize the icing and decorations for her coo...

  October is LGBTQ+ History Month, a time to reflect on the important people and events that have shaped the history of this marginalized community. From the Stonewall riots to the AIDS crisis, from key people like Harvey Milk and Sharice Davids to the tales of everyday members of the LGBTQ+ population, there is plenty to learn about this month. Below is a selection of documentaries and books you have access to with your Grayslake library card. Documentaries: Welcome to Chechnya (Kanopy video) P.S. Burn This Letter Please (Kanopy video) Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood (Kanopy video) The Times of Harvey Milk (DVD) Paris is Burning (DVD) Picture Books: Sharice's Big Voice by Sharice Davids Stonewall: A Building, An Uprising, A Revolution by Rob Sanders ‘Twas the Night Before Pride by Joanna McClintick I am Jazz by Jessica Herthel The Meaning of Pride by Rosiee Thor Adult Nonfiction How to Survive a Plague by David France Real Queer America: LGBT Stories From Red States by ...