Homer Library Blog

It's Time to Think Spring! (No, We're Not Crazy)

2012-02-01T18:14:00.002-06:00

We realize it is still winter but it is never too soon to start thinking about your spring garden.
Do you want to learn how to garden but don't know where to start? Join us for a 3- Part Beginner Garden Program series at the Homer Community Library.

Laura Wetzel is a life-long gardener with a degree in botany. We discovered her and her garden series on the Common Ground Food Co-op website and are very excited to have her come to Homer as well to share her knowledge and joy of gardening! Sessions will be 12:30PM- 2:00PM on the first Saturday of the month February- March. Following is a brief description of each planned session. You can come to one or all!

FEBRUARY 4th- Planning Your Garden---Dream Time
The perfect time to plan a garden is when it is much too cold to plant! In the first two sessions of this series, participants will evaluate their garden space and learn to maximize it. We will start the process of deciding what to plant and where. If you have seed catalogs that you are willing to share, please bring them!

MARCH 3rd- When and Where to Plant
A continuation of evaluating each participants available space. Where sun and space are in short supply, we will look for ways to fit food crops into landscaping. Other topics covered will be early spring soil preparation, use of compost, cool season growers, succession planting and what to do if it just won't stop raining!

APRIL 7th- How To Plant
In this session we will talk about direct seeding, transplanting, protecting new plantings from animals, crops that are easy to grow (usually), mulch, companion planting, and how to find that all too illusive window of opportunity for planting. If you have extra seed, we invite you to bring it along for a seed swap.

Questions?? Call the Homer Library at 896-2121

New Reader Incentive!

2012-01-07T10:51:00.001-06:00

You May Have
Seen the Movie –
Now Read the Book!

Read any book that has been made into a popular movie and enter our prize drawing!

Read a qualifying book that has not been checked out in at least 3 years and you will be entered twice!

Prizes include gift cards, tote bags, books and other misc. items.

All of the books currently displayed on our end-caps have been made into movies but these aren’t your only choices – there are many more qualifying books in our collection.
And, NO – watching the movie does not count!

Stories & Crafts & More at the Library!

2011-12-15T18:51:00.000-06:00

Come on out for stories and crafts and other fun at the Homer Community Library on Wednesday, Dec. 28th from 10am – noon. We will learn about Chinese New Year and make some dancing dragons and hear some fun stories. Kids of all ages are welcome to attend. Come out for just a few minutes or the whole two hours!

Champaign and Urbana have their new cataloging system up and running so Homer Library card holders can being using the larger libraries again. Even if you had been using these libraries, you will need to re-register with them. You will need to be in good standing without any fines and your library card cannot be expired. You will need to bring your Homer Library card, a photo ID and fill out a short form. Champaign has instituted a new policy and will only allow our patrons to have two items checked out. The Homer Library allows up to 20 books at a time and our strictest limit is that only 3 DVDs can be checked out on a patron’s card.

Did you know that besides holding fun events and checking out books, the library offers many other services? We have several computers for the public to use and offer printing, copying, scanning and faxing services. We have a color printer available for public use and only charge 15¢ per page for prints, copies or FAXES – this is one of the cheapest rates around for faxing!

The Homer Library will be closed on Dec. 24th and 25th and again on Dec. 31st and Jan. 1st for the holidays.

It's Getting Cold Outside - That Means It's Time To Read!

2011-12-08T15:05:00.003-06:00

We had a great turn out for Santa in the Library – thank you all who came to visit and to all who picked a wish-list ornament from our tree. We still have quite a few items left on our wish list if you would like to donate something to the library. Keep in mind, donations of money or new items to the library are tax exemptions. Just let us know, and we can give you a receipt letter for you tax records.

We just got in our latest stack of new releases. We have: V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton, Shock Wave by John Sandford, Zero Day by David Baldacci, 11/22/63 by Stephen King, and Chasing Fire and The Next Always by Nora Roberts for our adult collection. We have Bloodlines by Richelle Mead and Witch & Wizard: The Fire by James Patterson for our Young Adult collection.

Don’t forget – Free Family Movie Night will be Friday, Dec. 16th. All ages are welcome to attend.

The Calendars Are Here! (and much more!)

2011-11-18T16:01:00.001-06:00

If you ordered a Homer Library birthday calendar they are available for pick-up now at the Homer Library! We are open M, Tu, Th, Fri 2-7pm, Weds 9am-2pm and Sat 10am-2pm.

We keep filling our shelves with new book and DVD titles. Some of our most recent dvd additions are: Cars 2 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.

For adult fiction books we have added: The Litigators by John Grisham, Kill Alex Cross by James Patterson, Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks, The Priest’s Graveyard by Ted Dekker, Secrets of the Tudor Court by Kate Emerson, and Hotel Vendome by Danielle Steel.

For the juniors and teens we have in: Cabin Fever (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) by Jeff Kinney, Inheritance by Christopher Paolini, Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead, 1st Kill (a Vladimir Tod book) by Heather Brewer and Destined by PC Cast (the most recent House of Night novel). We have also been getting in some wonderful non-fiction for both kids and adults.

Have you read something wonderful lately? We are looking to start a display for “patron recommendations”. If you’ve read something that you think others might like, please let us know – we would love to pass along your recommendation. Just give us a brief description of what you liked about the book. You can do this anonymously if you prefer.

Want to keep up with the most current library news and events? Search for the Homer Community Library and ‘like’ us on Facebook.

Mango Language Demo!

2011-11-09T13:01:00.002-06:00

Thursday Nov. 10th at 7pm the Homer Community Library will give a demonstration on how to use Mango, the on-line language learning program. There are about 45 different languages to choose from. We offer all of the common languages, such as French, Spanish and German but also offer Urdu, Slovak, Korean, Chinese, Farsi and many, many more! This is perfect for home schoolers who would like to learn a foreign language as well as anyone about to travel. You DO NOT need a library card to attend. If you are interested in a demonstration but can not attend this event, please contact the library and we can arrange something.

Meet Author Maureen Holtz on Nov. 12th

2011-11-03T16:11:00.003-05:00

Meet author, Maureen Holtz and learn about,

Robert Allerton:
The Private Man & The Public Gifts

Most people know Robert Allerton only as the rich and mysterious man who built a mansion on many acres outside of Monticello. But few people realize that the main building of the Art Institute of Chicago is named after him, or that he's the son of the founder of the Chicago Stockyards, & the First National Bank of Chicago. Robert Allerton was also named Chicago's Richest Bachelor in 1906!

To find out more about this mysterious man and the connection between him and the town of Allerton, Illinois join us at the

Homer Community Library
Sat, Nov. 12th @ 1:30pm

The Homer Community Library is located at 500 East 2nd St., (the Homer-Catlin Rd), Homer, IL. For more information contact us at 217-896-2121 or homerlibrarian@gmail.com

The Homer Community Library Has GONE TO THE BIRDS!

2011-10-05T10:14:00.002-05:00

The Illinois Audubon Society has set up a wonderful display of photographs of local Illinois birds. Come on in any time during Library hours and check out the display.

On Tues., Oct. 18th join us for a presentation on Champaign and Vermillion county birds by Jim Smith.

Keep an eye out for upcoming events including a presentation on Nov. 13th by Maureen Holtz, author of the book, "Robert Allerton: The Private Man and the Public Gifts".

Going to College?

2011-09-19T12:51:00.002-05:00

If you are going to college soon, you may want to look into applying for student loans and other student aid. The Library has links to all of the Federal Student Aid publications which are available online. I'm posting the most important links here, but we have more information at the Library that you may find useful. If we don't have the information handy we can help you find it - that is what we are here for!

Here are some of the most important links to start out with:

http://www.studentaid.ed.gov/pubs offers student- and parent-oriented publication ins PDF. Note that we have a number of items in PDF that are not available in hard copy so be sure to visit this page to find a variety of useful fact sheets and other items that you can print out.

http://www.edpubs.gov is the ordering site that students and parents should visit to order single copies of our hard copy publications.

http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ is the site you will go to apply for student aid. There is a lot of good information on here including application deadlines, college codes, and the FAFSA4caster which can help you estimate how much you will need to contribute for your college education.

If anyone else has some good on-line resources, please let us know about them.

On-line Language Courses at the Homer Library!

2011-09-10T13:21:00.002-05:00

The Homer Community Library is proud to announce our new partnership with Mango Languages. Mango is an on-line language learning program that any Homer library card holder can access from any computer with internet and basic capabilities. You can chose from about 30 different languages, including english as a second language. For more information, call or visit the Homer Library during open hours.

Phone: 217-896-2558
Open: M,T,Th, Fri: 2-7pm; Wed 9am-2pm; Sat 10am-2pm

Pre-School Story Time Coming to the Library!

2011-08-24T09:36:00.002-05:00

Parents and daycare providers - The Homer Community Library is going to begin a pre-school story time! Story time will be held the first and last Weds of each month at 10 a.m. beginning Sept. 7th.

Our first few stories will be Pirate themed!

We are looking for both listeners and a few more volunteer readers so that no one person is responsible for every story time. If you are interested in coming in to listen, just show up! If you are interested in being a reader, please call or email the Library. 896-2121 or homerlibrarian@gmail.com

As with any of our programs we would love to get ideas or feedback.

3rd Friday Movie Night - Coming to Your Library!

2011-08-18T14:12:00.002-05:00

Moms - Dads - Kids of All Ages!

The Homer Community Library is happy to announce the start of 3rd FRIDAY MOVIE NIGHT!

We will be showing family-friendly (PG-13 or less) movies the 3rd Friday of every month. This month's movie is Gnomeo & Juliet.
Come on out to the Library at 7pm. Bring your favorite pillow or blankie and enjoy the show!

For more information call 896-2121 or email homerlibrarian@gmail.com

2011-08-02T15:29:00.003-05:00

Meet Sarah Holmes, author of the book “How to Get Free Groceries” and columnist for the Coupon Corner in the News-Gazette …

…and learn

Techniques Coupon Pros Use
To Get Free Groceries!

Fri., Aug. 12th @ 7pm
Homer Community Library
500 E. 2nd St., Homer Community Library

Sarah began couponing at the age of 12 when Sarah's mother offered to give her half of the amount Sarah saved on her mother's grocery bill. At the age of 16 for a Mother's Day gift she took her mother on a $135 free grocery shopping spree. Using the methods featured on TLC's Extreme Couponing program, Sarah went on her own grocery shopping spree where she bought $400 of groceries for $5. Join us August 12th to learn coupon techniques and perhaps you will soon bring home your own free groceries.

For more information call 896-2121

New & Classic Movies Just In

2011-07-29T15:40:00.002-05:00

We just got in our latest batch of new movies: Gnomeo & Juliet, Sucker Punch, Red Riding Hood, Burlesque, Country Strong, The Pajama Game, The Wiz, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, 7 Brides for 7 Brothers, Pirates of Penzance, Repo! The Genetic Opera, The Stoning of Soraya M, Slumdog Millionaire, Cleopatra & Taming of the Shrew. Yes-lots of musicals to fill help fill out our Hunter Music Collection.

Whenever we get in new movies they fly off the shelves so if there is something here you are just dying to see, you might want to call before coming out. We can tell you if it is in and hold it for you.

Stay Tuned for upcoming news on Homer Community Library MOVIE NIGHT. We will be hosting 1 - 2 movies a month through the winter and spring. We will announce a preliminary schedule soon! Come on out and enjoy free movies. If we get a good turnout we will continue our movie license for another year or more.

Give a Big Hand to Our Top Readers!

2011-07-19T13:18:00.002-05:00

We just wrapped up our Summer Reading Program - Congratulations to our prize winners! Kailee Eldridge won the top prize for most pages/books read out of all the reading levels. She also took 1st prize for the Level 2 Readers. 2nd prize for Level 2 went to Sage Lundquist and 3rd went to Sophia James. Our top Level 1 reader was Aren Lundquist, 2nd was Mazie Ronk and 3rd was Jordan Eldridge. For the Read-to-me kids, Gwendolyn and Anthony Happ tied for 1st place, Olivia Wallace took 2nd and Nathan Eldridge took 3rd. All the kids did a great job reading this summer - let's keep it up! I had a great time with the Summer Reading Program this year and want to thank all of the parents and volunteers who worked hard to make it a success.

For other Library news... we just started our own Facebook page. Come visit us there to keep up with what is going on at the library.

We continue to get in new books about twice a month - don't forget to come see what we've got in. It's been so hot, now is a good time to find a good summer read and stay inside. Today I am cataloging about a dozen new early Reader books - we have some Disney Fairies, Barbie Ballerina, Tangled, Fancy Nancy and Princess and the Frog and some Star Wars, Transformers, Batman and Superman. I also just got in a set of manga - Hikaru no Go for the teens. Give me a day or two to get them all cataloged but they will soon be ready to go out!

And remember, the Library is always cool and a good place to go if your house is too hot!

We're Now on Facebook!

2011-07-07T13:26:00.002-05:00

For those of you who just can't get enough information about your local library, YOU CAN NOW JOIN US ON FACEBOOK!! Yes, the Homer Community Library now has a Facebook page - please visit our page and "Like" us. While the blog is a good place for longer posts, I will be able to do much more frequent short posts on Facebook. I'm also hoping to get a few more teens informed on what is going on at the library by using Facebook. So, please, tell your friends and kids. I'm hoping to get 100 "Like"s before the end of July. You can find us at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Homer-Community-Library/140749452667547

If you search for Homer Community Library, there are two entries that come up. The active one is the one with the picture (and once you go to it, the one with the recent posts!) I'm trying to get the second one deleted to avoid confusion.

I will still be updating the blog but will be posting different types of things in each place so please don't forget to continue to check us out here, too!

Free Books!

2011-06-30T10:25:00.003-05:00

The Homer Community Library is having a
FREE BOOK Giveaway!!!

When? July 4th from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm

Where? At the Homer Village Hall
(500 East Second Street for non Homer people)

The Catch? Take as many as you would like, just PLEASE don't bring them back!

We have too many books accumulated for our book sale and don't have the room to store them. This is good news for you - bring a bag and pick up some reading material. I know we have lots of mysteries, drama, romance and a little bit of everything else!

We have HOW MANY Biographies??

2011-06-20T16:56:00.002-05:00

In the Summer Reading Programming we are discussing the difference between legend and history - how during the Dark Ages and early Medieval times when very few people read and books were hard to come by, history was repeated orally from generation to generation and it was much easier to forget real events and people but is, of course, how we've come up with some of our favorite legends, like King Arthur and Robin Hood. In thinking about this topic for the kids, I thought about how wonderful it is that we have such great access to books about real people and events so that we can learn from history and from the lives of others. It also dawned on me that we have quite a few biographies sitting here in the Homer Library and very few of them come across my desk for circulation. Doing a very quick check, just by call number, I discovered that we have 580 biographies in our adult section. This does not include many books that are shelved just as a general non-fiction because it is not a 'true' biography but could easily be considered one.

We also have close to 250 biographies in our Junior section.

We have many different types of biographies. We have the typical school 'book report' biographies on people like George Washington, Harriet Tubman, and JFK. We also have some celebrity biographies on such personalities as Princess Diana, Judy Garland, Lucille Ball, John Lennon, and Woody Allen. We have books that run the spectrum of politics - from funny to quite serious and from the extreme left to the extreme right. We also have the first volume of the long anticipated autobiography of Mark Twain which he asked not be released until 100 years after his death. He must have had a lot (and perhaps not a lot good) to say about his contemporaries.

With biographies there is so much to choose from, the subject matter so varied, that there is sure to be something to interest almost everyone. I am someone who is usually much more interested in legends than history, but find myself fascinated by the biographies of people such as Cleopatra, Ann Boleyn, or Catherine the Great. There is so much adventure, mystery and intrigue in the lives of people like this that their stories are a lot more interesting than a lot of the fiction I read.

So the next time you are looking for a good story, think about looking in the Biography section. You never do know what you might find!

It's Summer Reading Time!

2011-05-26T16:41:00.001-05:00

School is officially out and summer is here! That means we are getting ready for the Summer Reading Program at the Homer Community Library. This year's theme is "A Midsummer Knight's Read" and we will be having a lot of fun with knights, dragons, castles and princesses. We have a local resident building some mini catapults for us and we will learn about castle design and defense along with many other medieval facts. Don't worry - it won't all be facts - there will be plenty of fantasy! We will read about fighting dragons (and maybe even practice on one of our own) and make some edible magic wands. Even if you can't participate in the activities you can still complete a reading log. Summer is the perfect time to read for fun. This summer's program will run on Tuesdays at 1pm from June 7th - July 12th. Any student in the Heritage School district entering K - 5th grade is eligible to participate. You can register at the Homer Community Library starting now! Call us at 217-896-2121 for more information.

Pet Care and Gardening is Hot at the Library

2011-05-22T14:17:00.004-05:00

This is the time of year when many families start planting gardens and when younger children beg for a new pet. If either of these situations apply to your family, the Homer Community Library can help!

We have recently purchased a wonderful series of Pet Care for Kids books in the memory of Gertrude Brown, a long-time teacher and pet lover in our community. These books are aimed at younger kids - up to about 3rd grade and explain the basics of caring for different pets. We have books on caring for cats, dogs, fish, parakeets, hamsters, lizards and turtles. Rabbits seem to be a popular pet this year so we have also purchased an Animal Planet book on caring for your rabbit. We also have various other pet care books for all ages - juniors through adults.

We also have added a few new books on gardening for kids thanks to a generous donation from the C-U Herb Society. We have books on growing plants for fun and food and books that explain the different uses of herbs to children. We also have many wonderful books on gardening with and using herbs for cooking and crafts in our adult non-fiction section.

With school coming to a close, this is the perfect time of year to visit the library and keep your family both entertained and educated through the summer.

Is Your Child Struggling In School?

2011-05-17T17:14:00.002-05:00

If your child is struggling in school, you are invited to attend one of seven free workshops being offered in Illinois to explain how Response to Intervention strategies can result in improved outcomes fr students with and without disabilities. The Champaign Public Library is hosting a workshop on Sat., August 13, 2011 from 10am-noon at the Champaign Public Library, 200 W. Green St., Champaign. Here is a link to the complete flier listing all seven locations: http://www.fmptic.org/download/rti_flyer.pdf

Registration is required. Contact Family Matters at 866-436-7842 or at www.fmptic.org/family-matters-trainings.htm

May is a Manic Month for New Releases!

2011-05-10T13:35:00.005-05:00

May is a big month for new releases so I am in a buying frenzy! Here is some of what's new on our shelves:
10th Anniversary by James Patterson
Buried Prey by John Sandford
Ella's Wish by Jerry Eicher
Love You More by Lisa Gardner
44 Charles St. by Danielle Steel
Eve by Iris Johansen
Fatal Error by J.A. Jance

For Juniors and Young Adults, we have filled out our selection of junior sports novels by Tim Green, including his newest release, Best of the Best. We have also completed the Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull and the first of his new Beyonders series, we have the newest books in both the 49 Clues series as well as the Ranger's Apprentice series along with the latest books by Rick Riordan, Cassandra Clare, Scott Westerfeld and Anthony Horowitz.

We just got in a great new set of books on pet care for younger children as well as some nice picture books, including the newest Elephant and Piggie book by Mo Willems - we will be getting many more of these of the next several months..

We have also added some new DVDs to our collection including; Tangled, Harry Potter Deathly Hallows part 1, Black Swan and The King's Speech.

Summer is almost here - don't forget that your local library is a great place to find some entertainment!

Mysteries and True Crime Novels

2011-04-26T18:44:00.002-05:00

Many of our patrons love mysteries. We always try to keep up with the newest releases by our most popular mystery writers as well as look for a few new ones to keep our readers fresh. But did you realize that along with the popular fiction novels, we also have several true crime mysteries. These are mostly located in the non-fiction section under the call number 364.1....

We just recently cataloged a book titled, "The Devil in the White City" which looks like a fascinating true crime story that takes place in Chicago circa 1893. Here is the description from the back cover:

"Bringing Chicago circa 1893 to vivid life, Erik Larson's spell-binding bestseller intertwines the true tale of two men -- the brilliant architect behind the legendary 1893 World's Fair, striving to secure America's place in the world; and the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death. Combining meticulous research with nail-biting storytelling, Larson has crafted a narrative with all the wonder of newly discovered history and the thrills of the best fiction."

However, if you want to stick with your tried and true favorites, we just got in the new releases by James Patterson, J.A. Jance, Danielle Steel, and Iris Johansen (as well as many other non-mystery favorites!)

Poems to Read and Books to Sell

2011-04-06T17:38:00.006-05:00

Did you know that April is poetry month? Thanks to Mr. Honeycutt at the Heritage Jr. High we have dozens of poems on display by our local students. See what is on their minds and see if they can make you smile.

Also..... the Homer Community Library is having its semi-annual book sale starting this Saturday, April 9th. Come on out to the Village Hall for the HCIA Business Expo and the Library book sale - all happening from 10am-2pm.

Thousands of books - hardcover and paperback, new and old, fiction and non-fiction. We have added A LOT of books to our sale. The money you spend on our book sale all goes back into improving your local library.

Hope to see you this Saturday or anytime during open hours during the month of April!

Magazines at Your Local Library

2011-03-22T16:45:00.002-05:00

It seems strange to me (Librarian's personal editorial here) that we have subscriptions to about 20 different magazines which rarely get checked out BUT I know there are a number of people in the community who would like to read these magazines. Is the problem in getting the word out? Do people just not know what we have available? Do they not think to see if their local library has a subscription to a magazine before they subscribe themselves? Or, do people just like to read magazines in the bathtub and get the pages all wet and wrinkly so they don't want to do that to a borrowed copy?

I can't really help with that last one, but... In the attempt to get the word out, I am listing the magazines that we currently have a subscription for. We also receive several free serials so comes check out what we have!

Autoweek
Better Homes and Gardens.
Tips & Tricks Video Game Codebook.
Consumer Reports.
Country Living.
Country
Disney FamilyFun.
Good Housekeeping.
THE Journal : Transforming education through technology.
Motor Trend.
National Geographic.
Newsweek
Prevention.
Redbook
The Reader's Digest.
Slam.
Smithsonian.
Seventeen.
Tennis.
Website Magazine.

We keep approximately a year's worth of magazines available to check out. We also get the two local newspapers, "The Leader" and "The Southern Champaign County TODAY". We also keep about a year's worth of back issues for these.

We also offer a magazine trade-in area. People bring in the magazines they are finished reading and other people can take them home and read them. This is a great way to 'try out' a magazine before you commit to a subscription or to see what other magazines are around. This is also where our "old' magazines go so it is a great place to pick up magazines for kids' cut-and-paste school projects!

Lots of New Materials In!

2011-02-24T16:04:00.002-06:00

The 2010 Newbery and Caldecott award winners are in. We are still hosting our reading incentive - if you check out a Newberry or Caldecott book (past or present) you will have your name entered for a prize drawing!

We have several new movies in, including:
The A-Team
Salt
Paranormal Activity 2
Secretariat
The Social Network
Iron Man 2
Sherlock Holmes
Disney's The Princess and the Frog
(along with several Disney Classics now on DVD)

We have several new fiction and non-fiction best-sellers and have had a good number of new fiction books donated. If you like Nicholas Sparks you will enjoy several of these new authors. We also have some new Lisa Gardner books for those of you who like mysteries!

We also have had a number of newer historical romance and paranormal romance books donated. If you like this genre, come see what's new!

Tax Forms Are Here...

2011-02-05T10:10:00.002-06:00

...most of them anyway. The IRS is a bit late getting all of their tax forms out but we do have the most common forms people need in from both the IRS and the state. I understand the post office is not carrying as many forms this year, so as always, THE LIBRARY is the place to go for what you need!

The Newberys are Coming!

2011-01-14T20:30:00.002-06:00

This week the American Library Association announced the latest Cauldecott and Newberry Award winners. Cauldecott awards are given to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. The Newbery awards are given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

We will be purchasing some of these newest medal winners soon. In the meantime, check out a previous medal winner or honor book from the Homer Library and you will have your name entered into a prize drawing! This is our latest reading incentive. You don't have to be a child to enjoy these books either. We will have many of these books on display but ask us for our full list and see what might interest you. You might be surprised!

Congratulations Keegan!

2011-01-11T16:55:00.003-06:00

Thank you to all of the kids who participated in our winter break Treasure Hunt. I hope you all had fun answering our questions and learned something about how your library works! Congratulations to Keegan for winning our grand prize!

We have had several purchases from our Wish List Tree - thank you to the patrons who bought gifts for the library. Following is a partial list of wish list items now in:

Despicable Me - DVD
Twilight Eclipse - DVD
Knuffle Bunny Free by Mo Willems - Easy book
Llama Llama Mad at Mama - Easy book
Llama Llama Holiday Drama - Easy book
4 Judy Moody books by Megan McDonald - Junior Fiction
4 Sports books by Mike Lupica - Junior Fiction
(there are 3 more Mike Lupica books on their way!)
Hero by Mike Lupica - Junior Fiction
Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan - Young Adult Fiction
Fall of Giants by Ken Follett - Adult Fiction

Thanks again to all who participated in our Wish List Tree!

We have several other books and movies just in or on order so check in with us and see what's new!

ARR! There Be Treasure Here, Matey!

2010-12-21T10:10:00.003-06:00

Did you know there is HIDDEN TREASURE in your Library?

Join us over the holiday break for a SCAVENGER HUNT and earn prizes for answering questions about your local library.

This event will be on-going during open Library hours starting Dec. 22nd and ending Jan. 3rd.

Come in and pick up your Treasure Hunt form!

This event is open to kids of all ages.
Younger kids may need parental help.

Library will be closed for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Otherwise we will be open Mon, Tue, Thur & Fri from 2-7pm, Weds 9am-2pm and Sat 10am-2.

December 2010 Library Board Meeting

2010-12-13T14:28:00.002-06:00

Our next Library Board meeting is Tuesday, December 14th at 7pm. Board meetings are open to the public. The agenda for this month's meeting is as follows:

Call to Order
Public Comment
Secretary’s Report
Treasurer’s Report
Bills
Income
Librarian’s Report
Old Business
• SSPP Meeting Report
• OMA Meeting Report
• Nov. 13 Craft Day
• Dec. 4 Tree Walk
• Remainder of Circulation Desk
• T-shirt contest
• Community Calendar
• Chili’s fundraiser
• Other fundraising
• Patron card mailing campaign
• Personnel Review
• Year Books
• Awards Programs
• Scavenger Hunt
• Christmas Kid’s party
• Christmas Decorating
• Book Sale
New Business
• Long Range Plan Review & Update
• Policy Review
• Tentative Budget

Brrrrrr!

2010-12-08T16:18:00.002-06:00

It is COLD outside! But it is always warm in the Library! We have nice comfy, cozy reading chairs and lots of good books to chose from.

Have you been to the City Building to see Christmas Tree Lane? All the lighted trees sure do make the entryway feel warm and welcoming. We still have our Wish List tree with plenty of wishes still available! Thank you to all of our patrons who have already picked an ornament with a book to buy for the Library. We try to do our best to offer everything our patrons want but we are able to do a much better job with the help of our generous community members! Thanks again for all you do for us. Please let us know if there is anything you need us to do for you!

Happy Holidays

2010-11-30T14:59:00.003-06:00

The Library is a busy place right now. We have finished cataloging many new books and are continuing to receive many nice donations.
We still have our book sale set up for the next few weeks. We have many hardcover books by Danielle Steele, Patricia Cornwell, Dean Koontz, Sandra Brown and many, many more authors! We are also getting ready for the Christmas in Homer event on Dec. 4th and will be open 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. that day. There will be activities set up for the kids and a special display of holiday books. Please visit our ‘Wish List” tree in the hallway. Each ornament on the tree represents a book we would like to have in the library. Please think about your local library during this giving time of the year!
The Librarians wish everyone a happy holiday season and a safe and merry New Year. Thank you all for your patronage of our Community Library!

Autumn is Here ....

2010-11-18T11:56:00.003-06:00

and with Autumn comes Football! Come in and check out the various books and videos we have on display about football.

It is also Harvest and Thanksgiving time and we have a number of wonderful cookbooks to help you through the holidays.

Not cooking this year and don't like football? Sounds like the perfect time to pick up a good book and we just got in several new bestsellers:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney
Crocodile Tears by Anthony Horowitz
Deja Vu by Fern Michaels
Cross Fire by James Patterson
The Confession by John Grisham
Chasing the Night by Iris Johansen
Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich

The cooler fall weather gives you the perfect opportunity (or excuse) to curl up on the couch with a blanket and a good book. Your librarian will be happy to help you find just what you need.

Trick or Treat at the Library!

2010-10-25T09:47:00.002-05:00

We will be open 5-7pm on Halloween night as part of Trunks for Treats at the Homer City Building. The High School band will be putting on a Halloween Carnival and costume contest for ages up through 5th grade as a fundraiser for their Orlando trip, too.

Come see your favorite librarians and show us your costumes. We have plenty of spooky books on display for all ages.

Many New Titles at the Library

2010-10-20T09:27:00.002-05:00

October is a big month in the publishing world. Many of the new best-sellers have just come out or are about to come out. We recently got in a big order and will be putting in another order in November to catch some more of the popular new titles. COME IN AND CHECK OUT WHAT'S NEW!

In new adult fiction we have:
Don't Blink James Patterson
Postcard Killers James Patterson
Port Mortuary Patricia Cornwell
Lucid Intervals Stuart Woods
Bad Blood John Sandford
Safe Haven Nicholas Sparks
Devil Amonst the Lawyers Sharyn McCrumb
Worth Dying For Lee Child
Reversal Michael Connelly
Charming Quirks of Others Alexander McCall Smith
Painted Ladies Robert B. Parker

For all of the juniors, teens and young at heart who have been reading the Ranger's Apprentice series, Book 9,
Halt's Peril by John Flannagan, is in.

I found a really nice set of sports books for juniors and teens. This series is published by Sports Illustrated for Kids and I'm hoping it will be a popular set of junior non-fiction:
Baseball: How It Works David Breier
Basketball: How It Works Suzanne Slade
Skateborading: How It Works Emily Sohn
Football: How It Works Suzanne Bazemore

In the Young Adult section we have the latest Camp Confidential book, In It to Win It by Melissa Morgan

For those of you who loved Percy Jackson, Rick Riordan's first book in his knew series, Lost Hero is here.
We also are completing James Patterson's YA series, Maximum Ride with School's Out Forever.

Being a Sci-Fi/Fantasy reader myself, I was quite happy to come across the Camulod Chronicles by Jack Whyte. If you like King Arthur, if you like Roman and British historical novels (and especially if you love the military history aspect) you'll enjoy these. The first few read much more like historical novels than fantasy but they are setting up the whole King Arthur story. I've only read the first two and can't wait to finish the series. That being the case, we now have all 8 books in the series.

We also have gotten a large number of donated items in lately. We are still working on cataloging these but we will have some more nice additions to our collection when I get them done.

Don't forget - you have until the end of October to read a banned book and enter our drawing for a $25 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble.

Celebrate Your Freedom to Read!

2010-09-21T16:44:00.002-05:00

THINK for Yourselves and Let Others Do the Same

Every year many books, both newly published and old favorites, are challenged in America's school systems and public libraries. The American Library Association (ALA) promotes Banned Book Week as a way to support our freedom to read. If people are not aware that many books are being banned from our public schools and libraries, they will not understand the importance of standing up for our right to read what we choose and to not allow others to make these choices for us and our children.

The Homer Community Library stands behind the ALA and their desire to protect your right to read. We will be "Celebrating Your Freedom to Read" by having a display of banned books (you might be surprised what's on the list!) along with our first all-age-group reading incentive. From now until the end of October, read a banned book and get your name entered in a drawing! We will have lists of banned books available but you can also go to the ALA website www.ala.org/bbooks to find out more about recently challenged books.

Did you realize some school districts are even banning books that have not yet been written?!? The House of Night series by P.C. and Kristin Cast, a popular young adult series similar to the Twilight series, has been banned from one Texas school district - INCLUDING the books in the series that have not yet been written! There is no way the district could know the content of these books and yet they have been banned.

While in no way are we suggesting that every book is appropriate for every person or child, we are suggesting that it is the right of the person or a child's own parents, to decide what is appropriate for themselves. So... in accordance with this year's ALA theme, we are hoping you will, "THINK for Yourself and Let Others Do the Same".

Quilts, Quilters, Quilting

2010-09-02T09:27:00.002-05:00

For those of you who haven't recently been to the Library, our current display is all about quilts. We have a great collection of books for people interesting in quilts and quilting.

Check out some of our great non-fiction books on the history of quilts, on quilting patterns or quilting techniques. If you like quilts but are not a quilter, we have a wonder fiction book series, "The Elm Creek Quilts" series by Jennifer Chiaverini that would be perfect for reading under your favorite quilt on a rainy day. We even have a few picture books in our Children's Department about quilts.

For those of you who frequent the library, have you stopped to look at the beautiful quilt in the hallway just outside our doors? This quilt was made by Homer's Art Needle Club.

If you are interested, you'll have to come check out this display soon! Our next display will be all about Banned Books and will be set up in about two weeks.

It's Hot Out - Cool Off At The Library

2010-08-03T17:02:00.002-05:00

With heat indexes at 110 degrees, relaxing at the Library is a great way to beat the heat. Our A/C is always on - we might as well be cooling down more than just the library staff. We have several comfy reading chairs (two of which even recline so be careful if you tend to snore!) and two plush loveseats just waiting to be filled with patrons. Come in and:

Pick up a good book - we have over 20,000 to chose from;

Browse a magazine - we have several of the top sellers including Newsweek, Country Living and Seventeen;

Catch up on local news - we have the current edition of both The Leader and The Today paper; or

Use one of our public computers to check your email, browse the internet or do some on-line shopping!

You don't need a library card to read a book or magazine in the library although once you start you may find you can't live happily without a library card - so come in and cool off!

Did you realize the Village offers coffee (by goodwill donation) in the Jackson Ellis Community Center across the hall from 9 - 11 am Mon-Fri? Another good place to cool down and chat with friends and neighbors when it is just too hot and humid to do anything else!

Lots of New Books!

2010-07-21T10:07:00.004-05:00

We had a very nice donation this week of Amish and prairie fiction by authors such as Kim Vogel Sawyer, Wanda Brunstetter, Beth Wiseman, Beverly Lewis and Cindy Woodsmall. Thank you to the patron who donated these to our collection!

We also just got in a shipment of Junior and Young Adult books that I hope will be of interest to more than just teens. Several deal with either specific periods in time or specific cultures and look to be both interesting and educational. Below are just a few of these 24 new award-winning books just added to our collection.

The Shepherd's Granddaughter - A coming of age story that is also a powerful reminder of the terrible tragedies confronting real people as a result of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

Off to War: Voices of Soldiers' Children - The children of soldiers relate in their own words, how war has marked and shaped their lives. Even though they may be living safely in North America, children always suffer when nations go to war.

Beneath My Mother's Feet - The story of a dutiful daughter who has to grow up way too fast when her father is injured and can no longer work. Once her only worry was if she would be happy in her arranged marriage but now that she is forced to be a maid to help her family survive she learns that her lessons of hardship turn out to be a lot more liberating than she ever imagined.

The Rogues - A powerful and resounding high adventure that brings life to the Scottish Clearances, one of the stormiest chapters in Scottish history. A good introduction to an almost forgotten time and place and the conflict between England and Scotland.

Morning in a Different Place - A touching story about a child of Irish immigrants and her struggles living with an alcoholic father and her unaccepted friendship with a black girl.

Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party - Drawing from her childhood experience, the author brings hope and humor to this powerful story of a girl who comes of age and fights to survive during the Cultural Revolution.

The Mayflower and the Pilgrims' New World - In a fresh and vivid account, Nathaniel Philbrick sheds new light on the settlement of Plymouth Colony. Here is the epic sago of how the Pilgrims and Native Americans forged an uneasy peace and how that peace disintegrated into King Philip's War, one of the deadliest conflicts ever fought on American soil.

Homer United Methodist Church Library

2010-07-15T16:49:00.002-05:00

Did you know that the Methodist Church in Homer has a library and that you don't need to be a member of the congregation to access it?

I had a wonderful visit this week with Joan Lane who took me on a tour of the church library. They have many religious books, CDs and DVDs for all ages from children to adults. Their entire book collection can be viewed online at:
http://www.librarything.com/profile.php?view=HUMC

The collection is open to anyone in the community. If you would like more information, please contact the church:
*in person - 301 South Main in Homer, M-F 9am-noon
*by phone - 896-2038
*by email - homerumc@gmail.com

Parades, Patriots and Fireworks at the Library!

2010-07-01T17:08:00.006-05:00

Help us celebrate the 4th of July at the Library. Our special hours on the 4th are from 6:30 - 9:00 pm (after the parade and before the fireworks). Bring your valid Homer Library card and your name will be entered into a drawing!

Come see our patriotic/military themed 4th of July display. We would like to thank the generous patron who donated several very nice, recent military non-fiction books. Partly due to such generous donors, we have a quickly growing selection of books regarding WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and more recent military efforts. Some of these new additions are:

The Pacific - The Official Companion Book to the HBO Miniseries;

Horse Soldiers - The Extraordinary Story of a Band of U.S. Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan;

The One Percent Doctrine - Deep Inside America's Pursuit of Its Enemies Since 9/11;

and Semper Fi Vietnam - Marine Corps Campaigns, 1965 - 1975.

These are just a few titles among many. Come on in and see what else we have to offer - you might be surprised!

4th of July at the Library!

2010-06-26T11:38:00.002-05:00

After the 4th of July parade and before the fireworks begin, join us in the Library. Our special July 4 hours are from 6:30-9 pm. If it is hot outside the Library is a great place to cool down. If you can show us your valid Homer Library card on the 4th we will enter your name into a prize drawing!

The Homer Library Book Club is reading "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger. The group will meet on Thursday, July 29. Check with the librarians for information on the time and place.

The Library board welcomed a new member, Jane Clark, at the June 8 meeting. Jane is a long time resident of Homer. She enjoys gardening, camping with her family. And, she organizes Cruisin' 4 Kids, a fund raiser to raise money and awareness for children with cancer. Also at the June 8 meeting Board of Trustees officers were elected: Sara Essig, President; Beth Woodside, Vice President; Kenny Jones, Treasurer and Linda Pruitt, Secretary. The board meets the second Tuesday of every month in the library at 7:00 pm. We welcome your participation.

Many New Books in for Junior, Young Adult and Adult Readers

2010-06-16T12:25:00.000-05:00

Just a reminder to parents who kids participant in the acceleratored reader program, we have many books available in the library to give your kids a head start on their reading requirements for the upcoming school year. Ask the librarians for suggestions.

Several new mystery/thriller books have been added to the adult fiction section including all three books in the bestselling Stieg Larsson Millenium series, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest. The latest books by several popular well-read authors are now available. They include 61 Hours by Lee Child, Blue-Eyed Devil by Robert Parker and Caught by Harlan Coben.

We also have available the debut novel by Linda Castillo, Sworn to Silence. Booklist describes it as follows: Ohio’s Amish country serves as the bucolic backdrop for romance novelist Castillo’s consistently chilling mystery debut. Kate Burkholder grew up in idyllic Painters Mill, where many residents drive buggies, shun electricity, and distance themselves from the complications of modern life. The presence of a serial killer shatters the stillness of the town, leaving its citizenry terrified and on guard.

In addition to the Vladimir Todd Chronicles, we have also added two other series in the young adult fiction section: the first three books of the House of Night series of books by P.C. and Kristin Cast follow 16 year-old Zoey Redbird as she ‘marked’ by a vampire tracker and begins to undergo the ‘change’ into an actual vampire; and the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare which introduces Clary Fray to the world of Shadowhunters, a secret cadre of warriors dedicated to driving demons out of our world.

A lot is happening at the Library

2010-06-13T20:46:00.000-05:00

The 2010 summer reading program theme is Scare Up a Good Book. Come join us at the Homer Library every Tuesday, June 8 to July 27, from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm. We’ll learn about insects, bats, monsters, mummies and more! This program is open to students entering kindergarten through 5th grade in fall 2010.
Have you ever wondered what a tobacco hornworm caterpillar or a giant lubber grasshopper looks like? Join us on June 8, when members of the Entomological Graduate Students’ Association will visit the summer reading program. Learn what defines an insect and what happens during the metamorphosis phase. They’ll also have displays of insects that can be found in Illinois. Enter the drawing to win a bug observation box which will be given away during the program!
New adult fiction books in the library include The Shadow of Your Smile by Mary Higgins Clark, The 9th Judgement by James Patterson and Storm Prey by John Sandford.
There are new faces to see at the Homer Library. After over 15 years of involvement with the library as a board member and as head librarian, Chris Reel recently announced her retirement. Chris oversaw the move of the library to its new location and the implementation of the new online catalog.
Our new head librarian is Christine Cunningham. Christine is familiar to most Homer residents. She previously owned and operated The Emporium and The Homer Soda Company. She is active in the community with the Historical Society and the HCIA. Previously, she was a library board member and has been working part time in the library over the last six weeks.
The new assistant librarian is Angie Ray. Angie and her family have lived in Homer over 17 years. She has been a fundraising volunteer for the library and has helped raise funds for the American Cancer Society.
They will be joined over the next few months by Cathy Fager who will work with the summer reading program.
For more information, call 896-2121or email HomerLibrarian@gmail.com. Online catalog: http://opac.libraryworld.com. If asked for a Library Name, enter: Homer Library (no password necessary).

Our New Magazine Titles

2010-04-14T12:11:00.002-05:00

WebMD and Website are two of the new magazine titles that we are carrying. All of our magazines can be checked out, and the ones just inside the door are available for the taking - no need to return.

Event on Saturday

2010-04-14T09:48:00.002-05:00

This is National Library Week - a week to celebrate the freedom to read - or not read! The Homer Library will celebrate on Saturday, April 17, beginning at 12:30. All items in the book sale are half price. There will be freshments, and overdue materials may be returned without a fine.

There will be board games for the children. And checkout our new browser bins.

What's new in the library?

2010-02-17T12:08:00.002-06:00

Have you seen our magazine exchange? You don't have to check these out. They are back issues, in great shape, that just need someone to read them. Take one out, return one. If you have magazines in good shape, and you don't want to throw them out, bring them here.

Check our freestanding display shelf for the newest books. Look on the top shelf for award-winning children's books. The second shelf holds books that were paid for by funds raised at our sale day at Barnes and Noble.

Things keep changing here. More new features to come.

Do you have old electronics that you want to get rid of? Take them to 3202 Apollo Drive in Champaign, just off of North Market Street. TVs, VCRs, computers, zip drives, PDAs, fax machines, etc. Ten items per resident.

Residential Electronics Collection

2010-02-17T12:05:00.002-06:00

Got an old tv, VCR, radio, etc that you want to get rid of? On Saturday, Feb. 27 you can take them to 3202 Apollo Drive, located just off of Market Street in Champaign, to dispose of them.

Interlibrary Loan

2009-12-05T14:28:00.002-06:00

We are running into problems with patron usage of interlibrary loan. If you go to another library and ask for a certain book to be sent to the Homer Library for you, please let us know. We are receiving books through the delivery system, and we have no idea who they are for. If we don't know who the book is for, we will have to return it.

Interlibrary Loan Books

2009-11-18T13:27:00.002-06:00

The following books were requested by one of out patrons. check this list and see if any of your requests have arrived:

The Dancing Floor by Barbara Michaels
Ammie come home by Barbara Michaels
The Crying Child by Barbara Michaels
Hope's Highway by Dorothy Garlock
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
The Best Short Stories of Mark Twain
Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Interlibrary Loan

2009-11-18T09:41:00.002-06:00

If you go to another library, and ask for a book or books to be sent to the Homer Library for you, please let us know. Otherwise, we will have to call the owning library to find out who the book is for. That will delay getting the book(s) to you.

Links

2009-11-14T13:12:00.002-06:00

www.Amazon.com
www.b&n.com
www.news-gazette.com
www.weather.com
www.ltls.org
www.infoplease.com/homework
www.cyberdriveillinois.com
www.illinoishomepage.net
www.wicd15.com
www.pbs.org

Interloan Library Book

2009-11-13T15:09:00.002-06:00

If you requested the book, The Dancing Floor by Barbara Michaels, you can now pick it up at the Homer Library.

2009-11-11T18:26:00.000-06:00

Interlibrary Loan Books

2009-11-11T11:16:00.004-06:00

The following book is in. If you requested it, you may pick it up now.

Hope's Highway

Accessing our collection

2009-10-28T13:39:00.018-05:00

November 14, 2009

****Patrons can now access the Homer Community Library's online card catalog by clicking on the Favorites Link to the left or by going to:

http://opac.libraryworld.com/

When asked which library you want, type: Homer Library (no password is necessary)

When you find an item you want to check out, email us at homerlibrarian@gmail.com
or telephone us at 896-2121.

2009-10-20T17:59:00.003-05:00

Interlibrary Loan books

2009-10-09T14:26:00.001-05:00

Two new books came in today. If we ordered one or both for you, just let us know.

Galway Bay by Mary Kelly
The Big Bad Wolf by James Patterson

Interlibrary loan books

2009-10-06T10:01:00.004-05:00

The following items are in and ready for pickup:

EcoTerrorism
Hope's Highway
Pendragon, Book 4

Interloan materials

2009-10-03T13:30:00.003-05:00

The library will be using this blog as an additional way of letting you know that items you requested by interlibrary loan have come in.

At present, we have Hope's Highway by Dorothy Garlock and Bedtime Stories, a DVD. If either of these are for you, please stop in for them.

Growing and growing

2009-09-30T13:11:00.002-05:00

Please welcome our new assistant librarian, Michelle Self-Ballard. She has a Master's Degree in library science, and many years of experience in various roles at the Champaign library.

We are adding books daily to the shelves. Come in and see what's new! Michelle has set up a Banned Books display. You might be surprised at what titles have been banned. It may even be one of your favorite books!

WEB MD

2009-09-18T11:02:00.001-05:00

On another note, we will be receiving a one year complementary subscription to WebMD. You can find it on our magazine rack.

Welcome, Michelle!

2009-09-18T10:40:00.003-05:00

Last night the library board voted to hire Michelle Self-Ballard as assistant librarian. She replaces Catherine Fager. Michelle has a Masters in Library Science, so is very well qualified. We had many good candidates to choose from, and wish we could have hired more than one person.

Cathy ???

2009-09-09T12:24:00.005-05:00

Some of you know that Cathy is no longer on staff. Family needs are more important. But she may be around from time to time. Soon, we will be able to announce who is taking her place, although, no one can really do that. Our new employee will be someone who brings her own skills, knowledge, and experience.

More Suggestions

2009-09-09T12:13:00.002-05:00

ALA WINNERS:
http://www.ala.org/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/index.cfm

Young adults:
http://www.ala.org.ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/quickpicks/qphome.cfm

Murder Mystery
http://www.stopyourkillingme.com/

Fantasy:
http://bestfantasybooks.com

Good Reads
http://goodreads.com
A site at which you can comment on books, and see what others are reading. There are specfic groups on the site.

WhatShouldIReadNext.com

reader2.com
Search for book recommendations

AllReaders.com
"Search for a book to see recommendations.

WHAT TO READ

2009-09-09T11:58:00.003-05:00

Do you need help in finding something to read? We have suggestions.
Go to http://ala.org/ala/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/index.cfm

For young adults try: http://www.ala/mgrps/yalsa/booklistawards/quickpicks/gphome.cfm

Meeting Minutes - School, Village, Library

2009-09-09T10:13:00.002-05:00

Can't attend village board meetings, or school board meetings? The Homer Library will be making available the minutes of the Village of Homer, and Homer Library board meetings.

Minutes of the Heritage School Board can be found at their website:
www.heritage.k12il.us

Click on School Board Meetings & Agendas

WIFI here

2009-08-12T12:08:00.002-05:00

Did you know that the Homer Village Hall has wifi? Many people take advantage of that service by bringing their laptops here to use. No computer? The library has 5 available for public use.

Delivery information

2009-08-12T10:09:00.002-05:00

Many of you are returning books to the Homer Community Library for return to the Urbana or Champaign libraries. Please keep in mind that your books may not get back to those libraries for several days. You may want to call the Urbana library or the Champaign library to renew your books, before returning them here, in order to avoid late fees.

Position available

2009-08-12T10:02:00.002-05:00

The Homer Community Library is looking for someone who loves people and books, and who can work 12 hours a week at the Homer Community Library.

If you are that person, call us at 217-896-2121 during library hours, or mail us to get an application.

The job entails working 12 hours a week, extra hours as needed. You must be able to help patrons find materials, manage circulation, and help with or direct children's programming, and other programs throughout the year. You must be computer literate.

For more information, call us at 217-896-2121 during library hours. We are open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

More in the library

2009-07-07T16:26:00.002-05:00

Our library now has one of the best collections of musicals on videos in the area. They have been paid for by a memorial gift. Whether you like a classic such as Les Miserables, or a contemporary one like Cats, we've got them. Come in and see what we have.

The Army of Women

2009-07-01T09:38:00.002-05:00

Want to help cure breast cancer? Join the Army of women. Thousands of women together can provide a huge database to collect information on the cause and treatment of breast cancer. Go to armyofwomen.org to find out more.

Cataloging

2009-06-23T16:15:00.001-05:00

As of this minute, we have cataloged 6493 items. How many to go? We'll find that out later.

Food Preservation

2009-06-23T16:12:00.002-05:00

Dr. Phil Dzuik will be presenting a program on preservation of food, that is, the produce that you grew in your garden. Hear his advice at the FS on University
Avenue in Urbana. He will be there on Friday, June 26 at 3 p.m. He has a wealth of experience in all aspects of growing and preserving produce.

Visitors

2009-06-16T15:15:00.002-05:00

Good news! Company is coming in September. Five, maybe six of them! What fun we will have.

2009-06-16T15:10:00.001-05:00

What’s new in the Homer Library? The following books have arrived:
A Dream to Call My Own by Tracie Peterson;
Always Looking up by Michael J. Fox;
Vision In White by Nora Roberts.
Other books include Eldest by Christopher Paolini,
First Family By David Baldacci,
Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark,
Mountain Top by Robert Whitlow
You may also enjoy The 8th Confession by James Patterson,
Matters of the Heart by Danielle Steel,
Wicked Prey by John Sandford.
Other new bestsellers will soon be on our shelves.

To date, we have processed 6028 items, and more are being done each day. Thanks to all of you who have donated such good materials to us.
Check the DVD shelf and you will see that we have added a large number of items, many of which were donated. You will also soon see many more DVDs of musicals.
Middle and High School students may sign up for Go Wild @ the Library. It runs from June 8 to July 31, 2009. Read whatever you want and be rewarded with some cool treats. Reading one book will get you a Twilight prize, read 4 books for another wild prize and when you read 8 books you will be rewarded with a t-shirt of your choice. Continue reading to enter your name in our grand prize drawing for a gift certificate to Charlie’s Grubb & Sudds.
Kindergarten through 5th grade students should come in and check out our reading campsite. You may even find some wild animals lurking in the bookshelves. You never know what you will encounter at the Homer Community Library!
Our hours are 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesdays we open at 9 a.m. and close at 2 p.m. Saturdays we open at 10 a.m. and close at 2 p.m. Our phone number is 896-2121.

Home again

2009-05-21T21:23:00.003-05:00

Obviously it's been awhile since I last posted. Life happened. The kids were sick. We got sick. We hiked. We went to the zoo and the Children's Museum. We celebrated a birthday - Gracie's 5th. We got better. We flew home. Back to work now. Would we do it again?? In a heart beat!

Friday

2009-05-15T16:22:00.003-05:00

Stinking dead skunk is still by the side of the road.

Took the kids to the Children's Museum yesterday - Bob the Builder exhibit. Cousins and church friends were there, too.

Today is piano practice and final lesson before recital tomorrow night.

Youngest grandkid calls Dan, "Daddy" or "Papa." Doesn't call me anything. Has a huge temper and throws himself backwards when not happy. Grandpa Dan is a huge help with baby issues, such as changing poopy diapers.

Weather is perfect today. Gotta get out.

Sunday the parents return. They've been to Nashville TN and Greenville, SC. We'll all be glad to see them return!

Time Change

2009-05-13T13:47:00.002-05:00

At home we are up before 6 on workdays. Daughter and her family sleep in until 8 or so. Here, I have time to myself before bedlam starts.

Toddler calls his grandfather, "Daddy." Son used to call all men "daddy." Favorite phrase - where are you?

Saw a west coast jay. It is a darker blue than midwestern blue jay.

Rain today. Indoor noise level forecast - high. The grass is a bright spring green. Kids antsy. Jan gets them for the afternoon. Total of 7 cousins, 4 are my daughters. Bless you, Jan.

TUESDAY

2009-05-13T11:01:00.002-05:00

We went to the zoo. Saw native creatures that I don't want to meet in the wild, like cougars, and black bears but I know they are around. One girl not feeling well. Jan has offered to keep all the grandkids today to give us a respite.

Older boy is a great help. He knows the what, where and how of things around the house that we need to know. Older girl not feeling well. Hope Motrin will help her feel better. She doesn't cope well with being sick - a normal reaction.

Toddler misses parents, but too young to verbalize or understand why they are gone, or that they will return. Younger girl doing fine. Sticks to Grammie (that's me!!)

A dead skunk by the roadside. Everytime we go by, we have a discussion about black and white kitty kats.

Older two are practicing for piano recital on Saturday. One is diligent, the other not. He might prefer playing the trumpet.

We're slowly getting used to the routine - no big problems yesterday- but it is a full time job for two people. A new appreciation for our daughter, who is relaxing in Nashville while hubby is at convention.

Typical Oregon weather - cloudy, cool, could rain.

INTERVAL

2009-05-12T09:55:00.002-05:00

Daughter called - going with hubby to Nashville - annual convention. Great. We can drive down and spend some time with her.

Daughter called - no one to stay with the kids. Can we help?

Arrangements made - off we go

They leave - I need to get the breadmaker going for Sunday dinner. Think it's not working right. No time to grind and fix coffee. Should have gotten up much sooner.

Only slightly late for church. Had trouble staying awake. Glad we sat near the back.

Back home - breadmaker didn't work right - more on that later. Called daughter for the 2nd time. She had no idea of the problem.

With much effort got the meal on the table. WITH coffee!! Got the meal cleaned up.

Found loaf of homemade bread in the frig. Cut into it - found the missing thingy that mixes the ingredients. I wasn't losing my mind after all.

No evening service = business meeting.

MONDAY

We'll go to the zoo! We load up, and stop at favorite lunch spot. Already it's mid afternoon. Had a great meal. But forgot the diaper bag. Can't go without that. Now too late for the zoo, we head home. We'll go tomrrow.

Two year old took nap. Find him with no diaper on. Now we make sure he wears something to bed that he can't take off.

MONDAY

It's raining. Maybe the Children's Museum. Grandbaby kept diaper on all night. During earlier visit, thought grandson to be very happy guy. This trip, learned how strongwilled he is. And strong.

Progress

2009-04-21T16:59:00.002-05:00

Even with taking a week off, we are up to 4406 items cataloged. Our newest are Geometry of Sisters by Luanne Rice and Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith. But please be patient. They are not quite ready to go out yet.

Update on the cataloging

2009-04-10T14:00:00.001-05:00

We are now up to 4260 items that have been cataloged.

If you have a website, or would like to have one, you might enjoy looking at Website Magazine, in our magazine rack now.

Story of a local World War II veteran

2009-03-28T12:46:00.003-05:00

Copy and paste the link below into your browser to read about local resident and UIUC gardening expert Dr. Phil Dzuik - our Dr. Phil.

http://will.illinois.edu/WWII/stories/C569/

Fruit and books and books about fruit

2009-03-20T16:32:00.002-05:00

Thursday, March 26 at 1 p.m. is the day for the Small Fruits workshop at the library. There is no fee for attending. So all you gardeners eagerly awaiting to get out in the garden, don't miss out.

Meanwhile, the cataloging goes on, almost 3400 so far.

Cataloging

2009-03-17T17:06:00.002-05:00

We're up to item #3398 in our cataloging project. Our volunteers, including library board members, patrons, and community residents, have made a lot of progress. But there's lots more to do. We've done almost all of the donated books, and just beginning on items already in the collection.

Do you need help in managing costs in a time of job losses and budget squeezes? Check out the internet blogs. You may find some very useful information.

I have been researching for information about HR875, which deals with the food supply. Our government is concerned that we can't take care of outselves. They like to impose more and more restrictions for our own good. The concern with HR 875 is that it might affect backyard gardens, etc. More on that later.

Cataloging continues

2009-03-06T16:51:00.002-06:00

To date, 3146 items have been cataloged. Previously, we have sorted, pulled duplicates, wrapped, not all in that order, and checked card files in preparation for the cataloging effort. All donated books are now on the shelves, and we are thankful for all who have donated materials to us.

Summer Time

2009-03-05T18:00:00.003-06:00

Do you need ideas to keep your kids busy in the summer? Check our bulletin board. There are five pages of programs for children ages infant to 18, all sponsored by or led by people from the University of Illinois. Sports, business, engineering, foreign languages, and computers are just of few of the activities offered.

Are you tired of winter?

2009-02-28T11:27:00.002-06:00

If so, join us at the Homer Library on March 26 at 1 p.m. and learn about growing fruits. Local agricultural expert, Phil Dzuik,will be presenting a program on growing small fruits.

It won't be long before the early veggies can be planted, things such as peas and lettuce, if the soil is friable enough. Some of us just can't wait!

A WRITING CONTEST FOR CHILDREN

2009-02-27T15:21:00.003-06:00

Does your child like to make up stories? The Youth Literature Festival is sponsoring a writing contest for children, grades Kindergarten through 5th. The prizes include a savings bond of $100 for first place winners, and $50 for runners-up, plus a book and Contest certificate.

You can pick up an entry form in the library.

Progress

2009-02-25T09:49:00.003-06:00

To date, 2848 items have been cataloged. That may or may not sound like a lot, but there are hundreds and hundreds to go. All of the cataloged books are donated or new purchases. We have not even begun to catalog the books that are already in the collection.

Book Club

2009-02-20T15:54:00.002-06:00

The next meeting of our book club is February 25 at 4 P.M. We are reading Margaret Truman's murder mystery, Murder on Capitol Hill. Who killed the senator?

Additions to the collection

2009-02-20T15:09:00.002-06:00

Over 2500 items have been cataloged so far, most of them donations of all types. We have yet to start on cataloging books already in the collection.

Materials for the blind and disabled

2009-02-17T16:16:00.001-06:00

Do you have a problem reading? Whether it is blindness, inability to hold a book, or turn pages, there is a solution. Large print books, books on cassette or CD are available. Just ask.

BOOK SALE

2009-02-17T16:10:00.002-06:00

The Homer Library is holding a fundraising book sale. A large selection of used books in good condition are available for purchase. Here's an opportunity to purchase books by your favorite author for a very low price.

The sale will be ongoing during regular library hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday - 2 to 7 p.m.
Wednesday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

We're Growing and Changing!

2009-02-11T11:11:00.001-06:00

CHANGES At the Homer Library

It seems that change is a constant right now in the Homer Library. We are hard at work cataloging our books onto a website. Thousands are done. Hundreds more are waiting to be cataloged. The end result will benefit both our members and our librarians.

On January 30, thirty children and their parents enjoyed a program on Egypt. They got to smell some of the aromatics that are part of Egyptian culture. They heard a story of an ancient Egyptian, and the challenges and danger he faced in pursuit of the lady he loved. The children discovered how life was lived and how death was treated. They learned big words, such as mummification and hieroglyphic writing. The presenter from the Spurlock Museum also displayed artifacts.

The next event will be Reading is Fundamental, when each child in the Homer Grade School, grades K through four, gets to pick out and keep a new book . We look forward to providing this opportunity for the children.

Our new adult fiction includes The Associate by John Grisham, Mounting Fears by Stuart Woods, Run for Your Life by James Patterson, A Darker Place by Jack Higgins, Riven by Jerry B. Jenkins, Midnight Sons by Debbie Macomber, Train Your Brain by Ryut Kawashima, Who Needs Classical Music? By Julian Johnson, and The Returning by Ann Tatlock.

Was FDR a good president? Was the New Deal a good program? Should we emulate it to fix present problems? Read Jim Powell’s take on current problems in his new book, FDR’s Folly, and see what you think.

If you don’t have a barcode on your library card yet, please stop in and get one. It will only take a minute.

We are open from 2 to 7 p.m on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesdays, we are open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, you will find the library open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Our phone number is 896-2121. Visit us in the blogosphere at http://www.homerillinois.blogspot.com/

Changes

2009-01-31T12:35:00.003-06:00

If you are in the village hall on a weekday morning, you will see library people hard at work. We are putting our catalog onto a website. Hundreds if not thousands have already been cataloged. Hundreds are waiting to be cataloged. The end result will benefit both our members and our librarians.

On January 30, thirty children and their parents enjoyed a program on Egypt. They got to smell some of the aromatics that are part of Egyptian culture. They heard a story of an ancient Egyptian, and the challenges and danger he faced in pursuit of the lady he loved. The children discovered how life was lived and how death was treated. They learned big words, such as mummification and hieroglyphic writing. The presenter from the Spurlock Museum also displayed artifacts.

The next event will be Reading is Fundamental, when each child in the Homer Grade School, grades K through four, gets to pick out and keep a new book . We look forward to providing this opportunity for the children.

Our new adult fiction includes Train Your Brain by Ryut Kawashima, The Associate by John Grisham, and Mounting Fears by Stuart Woods.

et tu, Brutus?

2009-01-23T16:55:00.001-06:00

CHANGES At the Homer Library

It seems that change is a constant right now in the Homer Library. We are hard at work building our catalog onto a website.

Meanwhile, since the Berean Bookstore in Champaign is closing, we took advantage of that and bought a collection of Christian fiction and other books at a discount. Look for books by Lynn Austin, Gilbert Morris, a biography of Ben Carson, and one of Michael Reagan. We have a new Veggie Tales DVD, The Pirates Who Don’t Do anything. and two other DVDs for young people, Hermie the Common Caterpillar, and The Ballard of Little Joe.

Brutus has been here! He had his photograph taken with two young people from Homer. Who or what is Brutus? Ask a librarian to show you little Miss and Mister April. Who or what is Brutus? You will have to come into the library to find out.

Winter

2008-12-23T14:48:00.002-06:00

It's a good idea on a bad weather day to call ahead to see if the library is open. If we can't open because of bad weather, we take that into account in determining whether an item is overdue or not.

We suggest you plan ahead and stock up on reading materials and movies if an extended period of severe weather is in the forecast.