"Just what a librarian needs - another book!" - Conrad May to Beth Klein, Youth Program Coordinator at the Prospect Heights Public Library District.  
 
Actually, anyone can use a new cookbook!
 
We welcomed Tom Grana to our meeting today.  He's related to the Arlington Heights Granas, in case you were wondering ;)
 
Beth Klein was our speaker today.  She is the Youth Programmnig Coordinator for the Prospect Heights Public Library District.  She started off her talk by stealing a bit of our beloved Sgt. At Arms' thunder.  Do you know why it's called a red herring?  The process of turning herrings into kippers turns them red and greatly increases their odor.  So much so that they were used to throw bloodhounds off the trail back in the day.  
 
Beth outlined just a few of the myriad of youth programs going on at the Library.  There is just one day during the month of March that does not have a program going on - and many have two!  
 
The programs emphasize early child development for infants and toddlers and curriculum support for school-aged kids.  There has been a lot of concentration on STEAM over the past several years.  STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.  Our regular lego and math clubs are popular results of this effort, as is our new Music Makers programs.  
 
The Library sponsors several reading programs that can be completed anywhere.  1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is a program designed to help parents and kids read 1,000 books before, well, kindergarten.  It's not as imposing as it seems after you've read Goodnight Moon for the 10th time at bedtime. 
 
Older kids take part in the Reading Patch Club where they read books on different topics to earn patches they can sew onto their own library book bag.  
 
Beth is a member of the Suburban Mosaic council.  Suburban Mosaic is a community reading program designed to confront issues of racial and social justice and promote cross-cultural understanding through literature.  It's been a popular program throughout the northwest suburbs for over ten years thanks in large part to the support of the Daily Herald.
 
There's a lot going on at the Library.  You should come and check us out!
 
(ba dum bum)