4th Annual Mini-Links Golf Outing March 17, 2012

The Friends of Woodstock Public Library's Mini-Links in the Library is just around the corner. Don't miss the chance to be a part of it! The Friends are looking for sponsors for the golf holes that will convert the Woodstock Public Library into a 18-hole mini-golf course. Other sponsor opportunities include donating towards the Silent Auction, Leaderboard Sponsor, Hole in One Sponsor. For further information please see the Friends Sponsor Brochure.

Photographs from last year's Mini-Links Event:

www.flickr.com WoodstockPublicLibrary's Mini-Links in the Library 2011 photoset

Groundhog Day Events

Complete schedule of this year's Groundhog Day Celebration.

Self guided tour of the Woodstock filming locations.

Tickets for the Groundhog Day Breakfast  at Pirro's Restaurante and the Shake Off the Winter Blues Dinner/Dance at the Woodstock Moose Lodge are available for sale at the library's front desk.

Groundhog Day Movie Memorabilia Display Case at the Woodstock Public Library

Everyone is welcome to attend the ceremony to Unveiling of the Groundhog Day Movie Memorabilia Display Case on Tuesday, January 31 at 7:00 p.m. at the Woodstock Public Library. The display case is on the upper level of the library in the Margaret Field Crane Local History Area.

Received an eBook reader as a present? Use our eBook service - www.mymediamall.net to access free eBooks!  This link to Overdrive provides a list of compatible eBook devices.

The District 200 All School Art Show will be on display throughout the main floor of the Woodstock Public Library from December 19-January 9th. Artists' Reception will be held on Monday, December 19 from 5-7 p.m.

Photographs of earlier D200 Art Show are available on the library's Flickr photostream.

www.flickr.com WoodstockPublicLibrary's Anime Art Show - Fall 2011 photoset

The Anime Art Show will be on display in the library until November 25

The Woodstock Public Library is switching to a new email newsletter service called BookNews. Get news on books by your favorite authors or from your favorite categories by signing up for these email newsletters. Newsletters are offered for both fiction and nonfiction and for different age levels. You can also subscribe to receive newsletters from the library that tell about upcoming programs and services.

If you subscribed to "BookLetters" through the library you will need to re-subscribe to the BookNews newsletters of your preference. BookNews offers genre newsletters for everything from Mysteries to Christian Fiction to Best Seller lists.

If you do not want to subscribe via email or RSS feed you can still view the newsletters as they change each month by clicking on the BookNews link and selecting the newsletter you are interested in seeing.

ONLINE Registration

Online Registration for the fall storytime programs begins on Monday January 9th. The programs are listed on the Woodstock Public LIbrary's Calendar of Events website. If you are unable to register online then you can can call or visit the library to register (on Sept 7th or later).

Because of the new system, storytime registrations are not by lottery. When a session is full Online Registration Program will give you the option to add your child to the waiting list. Library staff will email/call you if there is an opening. A short video demonstrating how to register for programs online is available on the library's YouTube Channel.

1) Locate the program on the Calendar of Events and click on the program that you want to register for

2) Fill out the registration form and receive a confirmation number and email (if you provide your email when registering).

3) When registering for a Childspace or Babies & Books Storytime program you can click and register on any one of the dates listed for that storytime your child is automatically registered for the entire 6-week session. Do not try to register for each week's class.

If you are registering more than one child for the same program you can use the "Recall Previous Registrant" button to automatically fill in your information, and then simply change the child's name and click "Complete Registration"

Friends of Woodstock Public Library
2nd Annual Mum & Fall Plant Sale
Friday, Sept 9th 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept 10th 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Chrysanthemums and othe fall plants will be for sale at the Friends of WPL's 2nd Annual Mums the Word Plant Sale. All plants are locally grown at the Hoffie Nursery near Marengo.

Adult Programs:

Container Gardening - Friday, Sept 9th at 3 p.m. Looking to spruce up your front entrance or back deck with beautiful containers? Marlene Frisbie from Hoffie Nursery, Inc. will return to the library to demonstrate a new arrangement of fall plants. Tips and tricks for year-round containers will be included. This program will be held rain or shine - no registration necessary.

Using Mums to Decorate - Saturday, Sept 10th at 1 p.m. Colorful mums make great gifts and decorations! Betty Crisp from Apple Creek Flowers will show how to use just a few embellishments to enliven fall mums and flowers. No registration necessary.

Children Program:

Jump into Fall - Saturday, Sept 10th at 11 a.m. . This hands-on program explores the changing season through stories and art. Take home your own personalized pumpkin. Grades: Kindergarten to 5. Registration required, online registration begins August 25.

Highlights from last year's Mum Sale on Flickr:

www.flickr.com WoodstockPublicLibrary's Friends Mum Sale 2010 photoset

NetLibrary has been purchased by the EBSCO database company. EBSCO has released a new platform which is creating a lot of challenges for our customers and staff who are trying to use it. Please be patient as we try to work out these challenges.

Our other eBook & audiobook service, MyMediaMall is working great and may be an alternative until the NetLibrary/EBSCO/Recorded Books problems are resolved.

As things stand right now:

• Do NOT use the old NetLibrary URL/link -- it will take you to an EBSCO login screen, but it will not recognize you as a Woodstock Library customer.
• Use this link to log-in to EBSCO. You will need to enter your 14-digit Woodstock Public Library card number (21567...)
• Once you are logged in click on the EBSCO link that says: "Access journal & magazine articles AND download fiction & nonfiction eBooks & Audiobooks"
• Click on the link for Audiobooks OR eBooks, depending on which you are looking to download
• There is no "browse" feature -- in the search box you can type in a genre type ("mystery" "thriller" "romance") to see books by genre, or enter a specific author or title.
• To download you will need to create a unique EBSCO login for yourself (separate from your library card number) to create this click on "Sign In" in the the upper right corner. Then click on the "Create a New Account" link (mid-screen, rightside).
• Once your sign-in is created you will be able to a) download the EBSCO Download Manager required to download books and b) checkout the books and download them.

There is one nice feature of the EBSCO service - you are able to select how many days you want the book checked out for (1-21 days)

In September (exact date unknown) the Recorded Book audiobooks are being pulled from EBSCO and we (Woodstock customers) will be able to access the new Recorded Books One Click Audio service  - which looks very promising and user-friendly.

We are very sorry for all confusion, please be patient as we work out the problems with these new services.

Additional information on downloading eBooks & audiobooks is available on our Download Center page.

In thanks to a generous gift by the Friends of Woodstock Public Library, the library has released a new "Calendar of Events" website. The Calendar of Events page allows our customers and staff with more information, easier online registration and the ability to create reminders for upcoming programs.

Highlights of the new Calendar include:

• No need to repetively enter your contact information for each program you are registering for at one time. Click "Recall Previous Registrant" and the program will automatically fill in the contact information you entered for the previous program. If you are registering another family member you can use this button and then simply erase the first name and enter the next person's name.
• Receive confirmation & reminder emailed notices (if email entered). 
• Receive a confirmation number for each program registered that you can use to cancel your registration if needed.

The new Calendar of Events website is a completely different website. To return to the library's main website click on the "Home" button on the new Calendar of Events website.

A YouTube video is available that gives a demonstration of the new calendar.