Grayslake Library Blog

  According to Holly, the Grayslake Library’s resident embroidery expert: “If you can hoop it, you can embroider it!” Whether by hand or machine–like with one of the embroidery machines in The Hub , your library’s very own makerspace–embroidery is an excellent way to personalize anything from bibs to sweaters, from patches to towels, and so much more. It’s the perfect way to make a special gift for someone or to customize your own items! Looking for patterns for hand embroidery? Look no further than the shelves of your library! Hoop Dreams by Cristin Morgan comes with 20 projects and templates. Embroidery for Everyone by Kelly Fletcher has over 50 patterns and is perfect for beginners. Creative Mending by Hikaru Noguchi can inspire you to add a little bit of beauty to your worn-down clothes. Check out any of these titles to get started today! Want to learn how to use the embroidery machine? It’s as easy as setting up an appointment for certification! Give us a call at 847.223.5...

  March is Women’s History Month, and we here at the Grayslake Library are excited to observe the contributions of women to our world’s history, which, unfortunately, are often overlooked. Your Grayslake library card grants you access to a variety of titles about influential women, historical and fictional alike. Kamala’s Way by Dan Morain is an excellent insight into the life of the USA’s first female vice president. Ida B. the Queen by Michelle Duster tells the story of Ida B. Wells, civil rights activist, and journalist. The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson details the efforts of the scientist Jennifer Doudna, who discovered ways to ward off viruses and diseases. Are digital collections more your style? Check out Kanopy’s collection of films and documentaries , curated to celebrate Women’s History Month. Want to listen to a good book? Hoopla has you covered with a collection of audiobooks with female leads . Also, this March 13th, educational entertainer Martina Mathisen will ...

  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...