Peoria Public Library
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Music in the McKenzie offers a free concert monthly at North Branch. Find out who is playing.
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The Mayor's Community Coalition Against Heroin is providing information and discussion about the heroin epidemic in Peoria, Illinois.
Contest by Peoria Public Library to answer questions about Peoria History and take photos of historic sites.
This page contains information about the events planned at Peoria Public Library for The Great American Read
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Every year, the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association, honors and bestows prestigious awards for outstanding children’s books. The three main awards are the Newbery Medal, the Caldecott Medal, and the Coretta Scott King Book Award.
The Newbery is named for the 18th century bookseller John Newbery and is awarded to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. 2018’s winner is Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly. The synopsis is “Filipino folklore and real life converge at the bottom of a well. Even while following signs and portents, the characters are the definition of creative agency. Masterfully told through shifting points of view, this modern quest tale shimmers with humor and authentic emotion.” Three other books got Newbery honors this year: Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes; Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds; Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson.
The Caldecott is named in honor of 19th century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awards to the artist of the most distinguished picture book for children. 2018’s winner is Wolf in the Snow written and illustrated by Matthew Cordel. The synopsis is “In this spare, nearly wordless picture book, a girl and a wolf cub each get lost in the snow and rescue each other. Cordell uses pen and ink and watercolor wash to capture the frenzied snowfall and the brave girl’s frantic, frightful journey. Fairy tale elements and a strong sense of color and geometry offer an engrossing, emotionally charged story.” Four other books received Caldecott honors: Cat, Little Cat illustrated and written by Elisha Cooper; Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut illustrated by Gordon C. James; A Different Pond illustrated by Thi Bui; Grand Canyon illustrated and written by Jason Chin.
The Coretta Scott King Book Award commemorates the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and honors his wife for her courage and determination to continue the world for peace and world brotherhood. The award is given to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values. 2018’s author winner is to Renee Wilson who wrote “Piecing Me Together.” The story is “an inspiriting tale in which Watson pulls the reader into Jade’s world by sharing Jade’s love for the Spanish language and providing a different, yet necessary story of Black womanhood.” 2018’s illustrator award winner is Euka Holmes, illustrator of “Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets.” In the book, Holmes’ “mixed-media collage images balance the tone and tenor of the new poems created by the authors, while paying homage to each of the featured poets in the subtle details extracted from various aspects. “
Peoria Public Library always waits with excitement to see the winners of each year. We have current award winners and many, many past years’ winning books as well.
To see past winners of these awards and more, check out ALSC’s website: http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia
Check out our online catalogue to see our selection of award winners: www.peoriapubliclibrary.org
*Award information and synopsis found: http://www.ala.org
Our Film Noir Festival is back for another year this March. Steve Tartar hosts a movie and discussion each Saturday in March at 2:00pm at the Main branch in the auditorium. Each showing is free and open to the public.
This year the festival has picked movies that focus on bookstores with each movie having a bookstore scene in the storyline. Come early and browse our Friendly Finds Used Bookstore, run by our Friends of Peoria Public Library, and find some hidden treasure and get inspired by our bookstore. Then settle in to watch a classic noir film in digital projection and sound.
Here’s a short synopsis of each film being shown during the festival:
March 3: The Big Sleep (1946) starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall-
“Private detective Philip Marlowe is hired by a rich family. Before the complex case is over, he's seen murder, blackmail, and what might be love.”
March 10: Ministry of Fear (1944) starting Ray Milland- “Stephen Neale has just been released from an asylum during World War 2 in England when he stumbles on a deadly Nazi spy plot by accident, and tries to stop it.”
March 17: Vertigo (1958) starring Jimmy Stewart
“A San Francisco detective suffering from acrophobia investigates the strange activities of an old friend's wife, all the while becoming dangerously obsessed with her.”
March 24: Man Bait (1952) starring George Brent
“The married owner of a bookstore is attracted to his sexy blonde clerk. He finally gives in to temptation and makes a pass at her, but that only results in him getting enmeshed in blackmail and murder.”
March 31: The Big Steal (1948) starring Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer
“An army lieutenant accused of robbery pursues the real thief on a frantic chase through Mexico aided by the thief's fiancée.”
Please see our website for more information, www.peoriapubliclibrary.org, or call 309-497-2000.
*All synopsis were found on www.IMdB.com
October as we known includes Halloween and people love a good scary story this month. While we are inundated with scary movies and shows, this month is also a good time to remember the old classic horror stories.
Have you seen the new remake of the movie “It?” Whether you have or are still planning to, read Stephen King’s novel “It” and see how it compares to the movie. Was the old movie better or truer to the story, or are you a fan of the new one?
One of the classic writers of short story horror is Edgar Allan Poe. The story of the “The Tell Tale Heart” or “Pendulum” is always good for a quick case of goosebumps or chills down the spine.
I’m sure as a child we all read “Scary Stories We Tell in the Dark” by Alvin Schwartz. Did you know there’s a volume 2 and 3 as well? Maybe share some of these spooky tales with your kids if they like spooky stories.
If you like supernatural scary, grab a copy of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” and sit back and read with all the lights on. After than pick up a copy of “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley.
Other titles you might want to check out are: “The Haunting of House Hill” by Shirley Jackson
“Heart Shapped Box” by Joe Hill
“Silence of the Lambs” by Thomas Harris
“The Passage” by Justin Cronin
“The Strain” by Guillermo del Toro
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