Posted by eileen on November 22, 2011
I was just thinking about writing a Thanksgiving-related post when I noticed XRT‘s Marc Alghini’s, “The Essential Thanksgiving Playlist.” If you’re not familiar with WPL’s music collection, stop by and take a look!
Click the links below to find albums in our catalog that contain Marc Alghini’s Thanksgiving picks.
Big Star – “Thank You Friends”
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – “Home”
Fairport Convention – “Now Be Thankful”
Sly and the Family Stone – “Family Affair”
Phish – “Birds of a Feather”
Drive By Truckers – “The Thanksgiving Filter”
Patsy Cline – “Hungry for Love”
Bob Marley and the Wailers – “Give Thanks and Praises”
William DeVaughn – “Be Thankful for What You’ve Got”
For more ideas for your Thanksgiving playlist, check out our AV Department’s Feast of Songs list.
Posted by eileen on September 23, 2011
The Friends of WPL Book Sale is in full swing! Find new and used books, DVDs, video tapes, CDs, cassettes, vinyl, computer games, and more at super cheap prices. On Sunday, every item is 50 cents! Held in the Lower Level of the library.
Friday – 9am-5pm
Saturday – 9am-5pm
Sunday – 1pm-5pm
Check out Book Sale pics on Facebook!
Posted by eileen on June 30, 2011
After reading Investopedia’s, “13 Things You Pay for that Your Library has for Free,” I decided to adapt this to exactly what our library offers. So, thank you to Investopedia for giving me a great base for this post.
1. Read for Free
As you already know, WPL has thousands of books to be checked out: fiction, nonfiction, children’s lit., etc. We also have downloadable ebooks through eMediaLibrary. If you’re interested in finding out more about using eMediaLibrary, come to Ebook Q & A on Tuesday, July 12 at 7pm. You can even earn a prize (and be entered in drawings) this summer. Just join our Summer Reading Program and get a coupon for a free bowl at Noodles & Company. Read nine books to be entered in the Grand Prize drawing for an ebook reader! Stop by the Reference Desk to sign up.
2. Magazines and Newspapers for Free
WPL has all local papers and many many magazines to be read in the library or checked out. Have a specific magazine or newspaper in mind? Do a Magazine Search in the catalog and see what we have!
3. Listen for Free
We have pretty much every kind of music you can think of on CD. Plus, there is also a pretty awesome audiobook collection. You can check out audiobooks on CD, MP3, Playaway, or even download them straight to your phone or iPod from eMediaLibrary. Not sure what a playaway is? Take a look at Pierce County Library’s description.
4. Free Periodicals Searches
This is great for students. Need scholarly articles for your research papers? The library offers many subscription databases. WPL cardholders can use our databases from anywhere, but anyone can come use them on one of the library’s computers. Take a look at Magazines A-Z to get an idea of how many journals you can actually search (it’s A LOT).
5. Multiple Ways to Ask a Librarian
We have Reference Librarians just waiting for your questions! Can’t find an address you need? Need help getting started with genealogy research? Just looking for something good to read or watch? Ask Us! You can call: 630-868-7520, send a text message: 630-384-9751, email: askref@wheatonlibrary.org, or even IM a librarian.
6. Internet and WiFi
Stop in with your laptop, tablet, smartphone, etc. and take advantage of our free wireless access. Don’t have one of those things? Use a library computer. There are computers on the first floor with access to all our databases, as well as many useful sites that have no time limit. Need full Internet access for email, Google, etc.? Go to the second floor. If you don’t have a WPL card and are over 18, you can have a guest pass to use for 30 minutes. Have a WPL card? You get two hours of access per day.
7. Rent a Movie for 50 cents
The library has a pretty extensive DVD collection, including TV Series, Feature Films, and How-To DVDs, among other things. Check out Coming Soon on DVD to place a hold on a movie the library is about to get. Non-fiction and Children’s DVDs are free to check out!
8. Learn a Foreign Language for Free
Our Foreign Languages page links to Mango Languages, a database that teaches practical conversation and cultural awareness for the world’s most popular languages. You can also check out CDs, DVDs, and books to help with your language skills.
9. Job Preparation for Free
“Learning Express enables you to study for hundreds of tests including civil service, military entrance exams and preparation tests for SAT/ACT, MSAT, LSAT and dozens of others. You will find practice tests at all levels. You can practice, save your test, see your results and try again all for free.” - Investopedia
10. Find Your Family History for Free
Learn more about our Genealogy Collection from some of my previous posts or go straight to our Genealogy and Local History page. Every Thursday evening from 7-9pm, Genealogical Society volunteers are available in the library to help with your search.
11. Free Resources for Parents
Having trouble with potty training? Looking for free things to do with your kids? Helping them with homework? Let WPL help you!
12. Car Repair and Buying Help
Did you know the library offers free access to Auto Repair Reference Center? This wonderful database provides repair procedures, service bulletins and recalls, wiring diagrams, and more for pretty much any car you can think of (since 1954). WPL recently started subscribing to Consumer Reports – Cars online. You no longer have to wait for the print edition each year, just check it out online for constant updates.
13. Other Services
The library offers tax forms during tax season, voter registration on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:30pm, bus schedules, Rules of the Road, test proctoring, free introductory Microsoft Office classes. WPL is much more than just a place to read! Although, it’s still a great place to read too. 
Posted by eileen on January 12, 2011
New Book Alerts is a free online service that showcases the newest titles purchased by Wheaton Public Library. You can select to receive alerts via email and/or RSS feeds, which are updated weekly. You can choose which alerts you would like by category or genre, including: Comics and Graphic Novels, Romance, Sports, Children’s Books, and many more. Plus, the alerts aren’t just for books! The New Book Alerts service also includes DVDs, audiobooks, and CDs.
When you see a new title you are interested in, just click Borrow to see if the item is on the shelf. If it’s not currently available, click Place Hold and the library will notify you when the item is available. To place a hold, you need a WPL card number and PIN.
Posted by eileen on December 22, 2010
Haven’t seen all the Golden Globe nominated movies? The library has many of them on DVD! If the one you want is checked out, just put it on hold and we’ll notify you when it can be picked up! (Updated 1/17 – Winners in bold)
Inception – Best Motion Picture-Drama, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Original Score
Inception: Music from the Motion Picture
The Social Network - Best Motion Picture-Drama, Best Actor-Drama, Best Supporting Actor, Best Director – David Fincher, Best Screenplay – Aaron Sorkin, Best Original Score – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
Winter’s Bone – Best Actress-Drama
Alice in Wonderland – Best Motion Picture-Comedy/Musical, Best Actor-Comedy/Musical, Best Original Score
The Kids are All Right – Best Motion Picture-Comedy/Musical, Best Actress-Comedy/Musical – Annette Bening, Best Screenplay
Red – Best Motion Picture-Comedy/Musical
Easy A - Best Actress-Comedy/Musical
Animal Kingdom – Best Supporting Actress
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps - Best Supporting Actor
The Town - Best Supporting Actor
Despicable Me – Best Animated Feature Film
How to Train Your Dragon – Best Animated Feature Film
Toy Story 3 - Best Animated Feature Film
I am Love (Italy) – Best Foreign Language Film
Cecil B. DeMille Award – Robert De Niro
Posted by eileen on October 25, 2010
by Carolyn DeAre
The 2010 Friends Book Sale broke all records! We had more items to sell than ever before: an estimated 33,000! More volunteers worked on the sale than ever before: 64. The number of volunteer hours spent sorting donations was a staggering 439. And how much did the sale take in? Over the days of the sale (Sept. 23-26), we took in $21,783.75! Adding in the leftover books now being sold on the first floor, the Friends have netted over $25,000– an all time record. And the Friends aren’t finished yet. Special books selected from the book sale donations are featured in the upcoming Holiday Book Sale. If you donated books, bought books, posted a sign, told a neighbor about our sale, or worked at the sale, you contributed to our success. Thank you! Some of the funds from prior sales are going this year toward our new eMediaLibrary service which allows patrons to download audiobooks and eBooks (details coming soon).
Don’t miss the Holiday Sale! November 11-14 during library hours. This sale features artwork, collectible items, first editions, autographed copies, and much more.
Posted by eileen on September 17, 2010
Don’t miss the last outdoor concert of the season! This Sunday, at 2pm, Steve Justman performs Vintage Folk and Classic Country. The library has some outdoor seating available, but feel free to bring chairs and blankets. If the weather is too bad, the concert will be held inside the library. This concert is free and no tickets are necessary.
“Steve Justman has been performing Americana and folk music in the Chicago area and neighboring midwest region for many years. A collector of songs as well as other artifacts of Americana, he is in a way a throwback to a different era, singing a mix of traditional and popular folk and country that people might know while focusing on connecting with his audience.
Once upon a time folk music was extremely popular and a folk song could sell a million records. Many, many songs became folk music standards. At the same time, country music was not very popular especially in the big cities, but many songs became standards either by the original artists or by many others who recorded them over the years. This recipe, with a dash of bluegrass, pop standards, and country rock, is the premise behind Steve Justman’s Vintage Folk/Classic Country: The Roots of Americana.
Steve has performed and entertained in many of the best folk and acoustic venues in the Chicago area as well as concerts and programs at many public libraries, festivals and concert series, along with many community and special events for appreciating audiences of all ages.
Steve has performed and appeared live on WGN radio on Rick Kogan’s Sunday Papers show as well as WDCB Public Radio’s Folk Fest with Lilli Kuzma. He has also appeared on Internet and college radio stations as well as local cable television.
Steve is available to perform for all kinds of venues, community and private events, festivals, house concerts and parties, senior centers and clubs, wherever people enjoy popular folk and Americana music.”
- from http://www.stevejustman.com/.
Posted by eileen on August 18, 2010
The Friends of the Wheaton Public Library are now accepting donations of the following items for the annual book sale:
- Hardcover and paperback books
- DVDs
- VHS tapes
- CDs
- Cassettes
- LPs
- Framed and unframed art (will be sold at a later sale)
The library cannot accept donations of any magazines. The library cannot accept textbooks older than five years.
All donations should be in a box or bag (that can be left behind) and may be dropped off at the Checkout Desk on the first floor. If you have items to donate and are unable to bring them to the library, we may be able to schedule a pick up. Please call Carolyn at 630-868-7592 for information.
Looking to buy? Join us for the Book Sale, September 23-26. Book Sale Rules
Posted by eileen on July 19, 2010
Join us on Tuesday night at 7pm for an evening with Jazz Spectrum, held on the library’s West Plaza. In the event of bad weather, the concert will be held inside the library. The library has some outdoor seating available, but feel free to bring your own chairs and blankets.
Jazz Spectrum is an energetic, jazz-influenced vocal quartet backed by four swinging musicians, playing updated versions of hits by the vocal groups of the ’40s and ’50s. Listen to lush ballads, Doo Wop, and lightning fast vocalese style lyrics.
Posted by eileen on April 9, 2010
Join us on Tuesday, April 20 for a pre-concert lecture about the upcoming New Philharmonic program, Passionate Piano Strings. Learn about Tanya Bannister, the featured pianist, as well as information about the musical pieces. Tickets are not necessary and the program begins at 7pm in the library’s Lower Level Large Meeting Room.
If you would like to attend the Passionate Piano Strings concert at the McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage, more information is available from the MAC’s website.
