Posts

Our #1 question at the NPL Temporary Branch these days: "What are you doing in there?" No, not at the Branch itself. Everyone is wild to know what's going on behind the scenes at 206 these days. 

One day, it happens: you search for a book in Normal PL's catalog or bookshelves, but it's NOT THERE. What to do?!? Like countless seekers before you, you approach a NPL staffer or email us or phone us.

Do you miss our main library building at 206 W. College yet? Yes, our wonderful annex across the street at 201 W. College is delightfully cute and beautifully stocked with a handful of new items in every format, staffed by the same smiling NPL faces you've come to know.

New year, new pile of books to read -- and maybe some new book challenges, too. you may find it useful to track your reading this year.

Oh friends: the December holidays are almost upon us. I don't know about you, but this is when I start to think about the best gifts to give to family and friends who celebrate.

Ready to game on? We thought so, and Normal Public Library is here to help. Tabletop gaming, that is. Our Library of Things has games for all ages and stages. 

It's (almost) the most wonderful time of the year: SPOOKTOBER. As you know, our Adult Reading Challenge for October 2023  is to read / listen to a spooky book. Ohhhhhhhh, friends, WE HAVE GOT YOU.

I've said it often: as the Collection Development Librarian for NPL, I have the best job in the building. Why? I get to purchase lots of materials for the library collection. I'm frequently asked, "How do you know what to buy?"

Did you know the library still has music CDs available for check-out? Located just before the nonfiction books, near the printers, we have loads of CDs ready for borrowing. While my personal favorites are Broadway showtunes, there are music choices of all genres!

We surveyed our patrons and staff to see what books stood out as their best reads in 2022 and why. Then we put them on display! Looking for your next read? Start here with some listed below or peruse the display in person near our main floor service desk.

Welcome to 2023! It's National Hobby Month as well as International Creativity Month, and we at NPL have plenty to spark your creativity this year. Ready to pick up a new-to-you hobby? Stop by our Create Joy display in the adult nonfiction section for some inspo.

Time for one of my favorite book-casions: Jolabokaflod. What's that, you say? It's the Christmas Book Flood and originated in Iceland. It's the tradition in this book-loving country to purchase books for one another which are given on Christmas Eve along with chocolate.

Planning a trip to Italy to celebrate your anniversary? Collaborating with your Chinese counterparts in your company’s Beijing branch? Just want to brush up that language you studied for four years in school, but somehow can’t seem to remember at all? We’ve got you covered.

Got a tedious task? Need to exercise but find it dull? Long trip on the horizon? We’ve got the solution: a Playaway. Playaways are ultra-portable books on audio you can check out with your library card. There’s one audio ‘book’ per device, so load up on several!