June is Audiobook Month/Audiobook Appreciation Month, and we at FRVPLD are always ready to celebrate this way of reading. Aren’t audiobooks cheating, you may ask? Definitely not! Reading is reading, whatever form it takes. Studies have shown that there is no significant difference in how the brain comprehends audio vs text books. Humans were oral storytellers for tens of thousands of years before the written word evolved, so it takes us back to our roots.

Audiobooks can be wonderful for people with dyslexia because they eliminate the frustrating decoding of words on paper or screen. Audio is also a way to facilitate understanding of different dialects, assisting in learning pronunciation of unfamiliar terms. Are you going on a road trip this summer? There’s no reason you can’t finish a couple books while driving to help you reach your Summer Reading Challenge goal!

At FRVPLD, we have multiple formats to get you into listening to books. We have books on CD and in digital format through our Hoopla, Libby/Overdrive, and Axis360 e-resources. Specifically for kids, we have Vox books and read-along books at the library, and the TumbleBooks Library online has a read-along selection.

Take a look at some of the newest popular titles throughout our collection. 

CD:

HOOPLA:

LIBBY/OVERDRIVE:

AXIS 360:

Dive in to the ocean of possibilities awaiting you at the library this summer! Explorers of all ages will find books, programs, and activities that will make it a summer to remember.

This year’s theme illustrates the endless possibilities of discovery at the library --  from humanity and nature to culture and science. We’ve used the theme to develop a log of programs and events to help you get the most out of your library value, have fun, and learn something new.

The benefits of summer reading are clear. National research finds that students who participate in library summer reading programs scored higher on reading achievement tests at the beginning of the next school year than those who did not participate. The mission of summer reading challenges is to provide student with the tools to bridge this summer gap, while inspiring literacy and life-long learning in readers of all ages.

The 2022 summer reading challenge will be offered using the online platform Beanstack. Participants earn badges by reading and completing activities. It is available using a web browser as well as an easy, fun to use app for all mobile devices. Patrons can also register at the library and keep track of their progress with a paper log, if preferred.

Here is this year’s challenge

Reading Badges

Earn a reading badge for every two hours you read. Collect all the reading badges in your age category to earn your finisher book prize and ticket to the Finisher Pool Party at the Dolphin Cove Family Aquatic Center on Sunday, August 7.

The challenge closes on July 31. Make sure to log all of your reading badges to receive your prizes. Prizes can be picked up at the Dundee Library or the Randall Oaks Library from June 15 - August 6.

Bonus Activity Badges

Activity badges are fun challenges that will help you learn, explore, and try new things! Each activity badge earns you a chance in our bonus prize drawings. The more you collect, the more chances you have to win!

For prereaders and youth, the bonus activity prize is a Dundee Township Park District 10-Punch Pool Pass and Beach Toy Basket. Three winners will be randomly chosen and will be contacted via email or phone.

For teens and adults, the bonus activity prizes are $25 gift cards to Van’s Frozen Custard & Burgers, Village Pizza, and Half Price Books. Twelve winners will be randomly chosen and will be contacted via email or phone.

The drawings will take place on Monday, August 15.

Sign Up

On Your Computer

frvpld.beanstack.org. Create one account for the whole family or your own individual account. If you already have a Beanstack account, just log in and sign up for the new challenge.

On Your Device

Keep your challenge at your fingertips by downloading the Beanstack mobile app for your Apple or Android device.

In Person

Sign up and receive a paper reading log at the Dundee Library Info Services or Youth Services Desk, or at the Randall Oaks Customer Service Desk.

Mark Your Calendars!

Free Summer Lunches at the Dundee Library

DUNDEE LIBRARY CRAFT ROOM
DINE IN ONLY
MONDAYS THROUGH FRIDAYS
JUNE 6  - AUGUST 15
NOON TO 1 P.M.
All children 18 and under can get free, healthy, and nutritious meals when school is out. No registration is necessary. Meals are paid for by the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), a federally funded program managed by the USDA and operated by the Illinois State Board of Education in conjunction with the Northern Illinois Food Bank.

BIBLIOTECA DUNDEE - CUARTO DE ARTESANÍAS
SOLO PARA COMER DENTRO
DE LA BIBILOTECADE LUNES A VIERNES
DE LAS 12:00 A LA 1:00 DE LA TARDE
6 DE JUNIO - 15 DE AGOSTO
Niños menores de 18 años podran recibir almuerzos gratuitos, saludables y nutritivos durante el verano. No requiere registración. El Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) paga los almuerzos. Este programa, de presupuesto federal,  es manejado por el USDA bajo la operacíon del Illinois State Board of Education en conjunto con el Northern Illinois Food Bank.

Finisher Pool Party on Sunday, August 7 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

All summer reading challenge finishers will earn a ticket to the pool party! You must turn in your completed log at the library to receive your ticket by Sunday, August 7. The ticket is good for the finisher and his/her family. Capactiy at the pool is 1000 people.

The challenge:  

April is National Poetry Month and I’m sure it comes as no surprise to you that at FRVPLD, we have a few poetry lovers on staff. This served as inspiration for our newest reading challenge in Beanstack. Just like our other Beanstack challenges, readers will select badges of their choice to finish. This time, however, 5 badges out of 13 will need to be completed to finish the challenge. Each badge is based on a theme or a style of poetry and offer multiple options for poems. Those poems are directly linked from inside the badge for the ultimate ease of access.  

With this reading challenge, we also want you to flex your poetic muscles. One of the badge options is to share a favorite poem with us and another is to share one you composed yourself. We can’t wait to see what you share with us, whether by your own hand or someone else’s.  

Registration and prize info: 

The challenge runs from April 1-April 30 and is available through the Beanstack app (App Store or Google Play) or website. You can also register in person at the library. Once you log in, you’ll be able to join the new challenge. Click on any badge for reading recommendations. Once you’ve read a poem in any given badge, enter the title in the text box and move on to the next badge!  

All who sign up for the challenge will receive a poetry bookmark. Adults and Teens who complete the challenge will receive a National Poetry Month journal to continue your journey with poetry. 

Sign-up and finisher prizes can be picked up from either the Dundee Library or the Randall Oaks Library. All prizes are while supplies last. Prizes will be available beginning the week of April 4. 

If you’re looking for additional collections to continue the month-long celebration beyond the poems featured in the Beanstack challenge, here are some additional recommendations for you to check out from our collection.

I began painting with watercolors around 2010 and enjoyed playing with how the colors mixed and blended on paper. In the beginning my art was more illustrative, but I like to explore different techniques and have expanded into more technical and realistic paintings. I attended a few classes at Positive Strokes Art School in Palatine in 2012 but am otherwise self-taught. After having my daughter in 2015 I took a long break from art, then rediscovered my passion for painting when creating a custom mural in my foyer in 2020. I realized how much I was missing the freedom and creativity that art brings, and that everything in my life becomes better when I have a consistent art practice. Art is a safe space for me, where there are no mistakes.

I began sketching with ink, painting more murals, and doing creative projects with my daughter. In the depths of the pandemic my daughter and I visited the library and I picked up the book Botanical Art Techniques from the new book section. I was immediately captivated, and the book provided tutorials and examples of art techniques that I had never seen before. In a time of such uncertainty and high anxiety it was especially comforting to dive back into painting. I’ve recently been focusing on technical painting techniques and building my skills with watercolors and composition.

Dana moved from Essexville, Michigan to the Chicago area in 2003 to study interior design at the Illinois Institute of Art and now works as a designer specializing in commercial and healthcare interiors. She finds inspiration in nature, her garden, her pets, and family. She lives in East Dundee with her husband, daughter, two dogs, two cats, and three fish.  In her free time, you can find her kayaking, hiking, and biking in the Chicago area. 

Dana Maynard-Tatge

Danadesign15@gmail.com

P 847.890.9194

danamtatge.squarespace.com

Special Note: Dana was the winner of the Fox River Valley Public Library’s Celebrate Diversity Art Contest. You can view her entry, “Patterns of the Land” at the top of the Dundee Library staircase.

Women's History Month is celebrated annually in March, with International Women's Day falling on Tuesday, March 8 this year. As Kirstin's blog here details, we are doing another Beanstack Reading Challenge to celebrate this month. Take a look at her post for information about how to sign up, prizes, and more. I'm here to share our recommended reads for the challenge. To honor women's progress through history, we divided our badges into various time periods to choose from and the titles in each badge reflect the women of that era. As always, you are more than welcome to complete the challenge reading a book that is not on our recommended reads list as long as it meets the badge criteria!

Medieval period (5th-15th Centuries)

18th Century

19th Century

Early 20th Century

World War II

1950s

1970s

1980s

1990s

Women Throughout History

Happy Galentine's Day! For those not aware, Galentine's Day entered our pop culture from the TV show Parks and Recreation (season 2, episode 16). It's celebrated on February 13, the day before the well-known holiday that focuses on romantic love, and serves as a counterpoint, shifting the focus to female friendship. In the years since its TV debut, it has become an extremely popular day for "ladies celebrating ladies", in the immortal words of Leslie Knope. 

In honor of this fake holiday that took on a real world life of its own, I've gathered together some books about female friendship. Friendship can be beautiful and empowering, but it is imperfect, and sometimes even toxic. In that vein, some of the relationships featured in these books may make you yearn for a friendship as strong as that between the characters, while a few may make you glad you don't have women like them in your life. 

This Galentine's Day, take a moment to celebrate all your poetic, noble land mermaids.