2024 Year in Review Scroll down to begin

Take a look back at a few of the moments that made 2024 so memorable at the library.

Whenever I found myself in need of help, you were the first people I thought of, and turning to the Skokie Library where you all work was always the best decision." —Nominjin S.

A Community of Readers

During Illinois Family Reading Night, families built forts in the Kids Room

Reading is better together! We hosted several reading parties for all ages; celebrated Día: Children’s Day/Book Day with community storytellers and book-themed activities; launched the Book Trails Walking Club at Emily Oaks Nature Center as a way to encourage adults’ reading lives while enjoying the outdoors; and offered monthly Family Book Clubs and Graphic Novel Hangouts.

Teens talked with staff about censorship issues and the freedom to read during Banned Books Week in September

We love talking about books. Staff shared their expert recommendations through handwritten “shelf-talkers” on book displays and our popular annual staff picks lists. Our staff made 77 presentations to more than 4,500 local students to share our Breezy, Hot, and Cool Reads lists, and 800 kids in grades preK–8 received new library cards as part of our campaign for all of our kids to have library cards.

This year’s summer reading program welcomed everyone—even reluctant readers—to join our circle, and almost 2,000 community members participated. During our Jump-Start Your Summer Reading night, hundreds of patrons participated in crafts and activities in the Kids Room, while more than 100 adults stopped by our Advisory Desk to pick up reading lists. We adapted the program for childcare centers and family day cares, reaching 40 classes and more than 500 young children. Individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities were also encouraged to participate, in collaboration with Shore Community Services and the Douglas Center.

Kids completed a scavenger hunt on the bookmobile during Party in the Park

A Community of Learners

A winning participant in Election Preparation Trivia at Sketchbook Brewery with their prize

To support an informed electorate in preparation for both the November General Election and the 2025 spring consolidated election, we hosted numerous events, including two trivia nights, and provided information on the local election process and how to get on the ballot. We also offered drop-in election information and voter registration tables with Information Services staff and the League of Women Voters. We also celebrated Media Literacy Week in October with opportunities to discuss news, media consumption, and how to stay confidently informed.

We welcomed our community back to an updated Petty Auditorium in late November with a concert featuring violinist Rachel Barton Pine, who first performed at the library as a young musician in the early years of our Young Steinway Concert Series.

To promote lifelong learning, we published blog posts about art in the library, STEAM activities to do at home, citizen science, the women who shaped the library, and more. On our YouTube channel, we published instructional videos on using Studio equipment and our electronic resources. Our podcast, Your Family, Your Library, celebrated one year in production and its 1,000th listener, with episodes on topics like parental burnout, talking to kids about scary things, and nature in the community.

Members of the first Black family to own a house in Skokie shared their experiences during a panel discussion.

To reflect on where we come from, we updated our local history page, hosted a panel discussion and mounted an exhibit on Skokie’s Fair Housing ordinance in collaboration with the Skokie Heritage Museum nd the Skokie Human Rights Commission, and made our own history as 1,300 community members gathered during the solar eclipse to enjoy the rare phenomenon and take in artwork created by kids in grades 1–8 from seven local schools on display in the library.

Teens learned about summer volunteering opportunities at the library

Teens were a vital part of life in the library this year. Our Teen Library Council provided input on numerous topics, including the new Teens in Action initiative, which creates a way to engage teen patrons who are unable to attend in-person volunteer opportunities. Over the summer, 190 teens completed 2,031 hours of volunteer service.

A Community of Connections

Patrons contributed memories to our community ofrenda in November

Everyone is welcome at the library, and we proudly added 26 additional languages represented in our community to the welcome sign at our main entrance this year.

Nigerian community members shared book recommendations, folk tales, and delicious appetizers during The Ark of Naija: Nigerian Storytelling

In addition to ongoing classes like ESL Café and ELL Literacy Circle, we offered events in many languages, including family workshops to learn basic American Sign Language, Arabic, French, Mandarin, Spanish, and Tigrinya; a Bilingual Bulgarian: Read, Breathe, Meditate event; a multilingual, intergenerational book café; tech classes and Medicare Park D assistance in Urdu; bilingual storytimes in American Sign Language, Spanish, and Hebrew; and demos of language-learning resources like Mango Languages and LOTE4Kids—a new resource this year that provides online access to children’s books in almost 60 languages.

Volunteer Palooza, presented in partnership with the Village of Skokie, the Skokie Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Skokie Community Foundation, gave over 300 patrons opportunities to give their time to make a difference

We added a service to our website that provides tools for translation and accessibility so users of all abilities and fluencies can find the information they need. We also acquired several digital devices that enable in-person translation at our service desks.

We served 938 meals to kids and teens this summer as part of our summer lunch program with the Greater Chicago Food Depository

With the Skokie Village Commission on Family Services, we cosponsored a Disabilities Town Hall, where individuals in the disability community shared their experiences and ideas to increase accessibility in Skokie. Shore Community Services Inc. awarded the library a Community Partnership Award for providing inclusive opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Staff member Dawn Wlezien was recognized with the Alexander J. Skrzypek Award for Exceptional Service to People with Disabilities during the Illinois Library Association Conference in October.

Thank You!

Skokie Public Library staff and volunteers

Board of Trustees

  • Gene Griffin, President
  • Shabnam Mahmood, Vice President
  • Mary Pietrucha, Secretary
  • Voula Colburn
  • Amanda Lichtenstein
  • Michelle Julaton Mallari
  • Ella Whitehead

Management Team

  • Executive Director, Richard Kong
  • Deputy Director, Laura McGrath
  • Director of Access Services, Annabelle Mortensen
  • Director of Community Engagement, Nancy Kim Phillips
  • Director of Organizational Development, Leah White
  • Director of Public Services, Amy Koester
  • Building Services Manager, Vinny Tangherlini
  • Communications and Multimedia Engagement Manager, Jane Hanna
  • IT Manager, Mark Kadzie
  • Learning Experiences Manager, Amy Holcomb
  • Safety Manager, Thalma Brooms
  • Teen Services Manager, Laurel Dooley
  • Youth Services Manager, Shelley Sutherland
Created By
Communications and Multimedia Engagement Department

Credits:

Skokie Public Library Staff Photographer