Five Ways to Show Your Library Love

National Library Week (April 14th to 20th) is a great time to show your library love and here are five great ways to do it.

1. Sign up for the eForward newsletter

Each week our eForward newsletter keeps you informed about library events, services, and more. Go to our website and sign up now. Be sure to share the love! Forward the newsletter to your friends (and encourage them to sign up too!).

2. Like us and follow us

We love staying connected with you. If you're on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Tumblr, be sure to add us to your list of friends, followers, likes, whatever. And speak up! Let us know what you're reading. Tell us about a fun program you attended. We're listening!

3. Tell your friends about events

When you're signing up for a program or event, be sure to tell your friends. The events calendar makes it very easy to "like" an event on Facebook and let others know about the film you'll see, or the lecture you're attending. Be social! Your friends will thank you.

4. Donate to the Friends of the Library

The Friends of the Library are volunteers who raise money, assist with programs, and fund special programs and equipment. Supporting the Friends is easy. You can sign up to become a member at the library. You can shop at the seasonal book sales (and give them your used books). Or you can give to them directly. Either way, you're helping the Friends make the library a special place. Learn more about the Friends on our website.

5. Join the library's Board of Trustees

For the civic minded among you, why not apply to join our Board of Trustees? Write to the mayor's office and indicate your interest (and send a resume too). You can help guide decisions about policy and procedures to ensure the library's continued success. Board positions will be opening this summer.

Thanks for the love! We really appreciate it.

Library Board Meet and Greet

If you have been reading PlainTalk for the last few years, you know that we are striving to make the governance and operations of the library more open and transparent for you. You view the board minutes and reports on our website and view Boad meetings on our Vimeo channel (last month's meeting is embedded below). Making Library Board meetings and minutes accessible online is not only legally mandated but also an important part of this process.

Des Plaines Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting - October 18, 2011 from Des Plaines Public Library on Vimeo.

As a part of their effort to be transparent and to engage the community, two members of the Library board—Steven Mokry and Vince Rangel—met library patrons in the lobby last Tuesday night. According to Mr. Mokry, the event gave them a chance to interact with some of the library patrons they are working to serve. When reflecting on the event, Mr. Mokry said:

The patron's are always appreciative at the Library, thanked the Staff, and the Board, though many don't know all the workings of the Staff and the Board... I encouraged a patron to attend a Board meeting and speak for just a few minutes... I think the person left feeling his or anybody's voice could be heard.

That last point is probably the most important take away. For a library like ours to flourish and thrive, we have to listen to your feedback. Events like the Board member meet and greet are just one way to do this. As Mr. Mokry explained:

I think it a good thing to reach the citizen in some of the ways that President George Mageral and others on the board have talked about.......Ward Meetings, Civic Events, Meet and Greet, just to name a few.

The next Library Board meeting will be held here at the library on November 15, 2011 starting at 7:00 pm.