High tech or old school? Take your pick
They say we're heading toward a "paperless" world these days, with more and more communications taking place online.
I don't know --the amount of daily junk mail we all receive certainly indicates otherwise. And the "old school" in me still prefers to read from a book in solid form, pages and all.
That said, I love the convenience of e-mail and getting information off the Internet. And if I had a commute longer than seven minutes, I'd probably enjoy an audio book as well. We baby boomers are a curious mix of old school and high tech, caught somewhere between our Depression-era parents and our techno-era children.
One of the great advantages of the Schaumburg Township District Library, like many libraries these days, is that it serves both ends. You can still hold a book in your hands and sit in the woods, a lawn chair or bedroom, and read like people have done for hundreds of years.
However, you can also download a novel or movie, access databases and more from the library Web site, stdl.org, as well as hit the Internet through many links also contained on the Web site.
If it's information on local history you want, we've got the old-school and high-tech versions of that as well. Visit our Illinois collection on the second floor for tangible books, maps, documents, photos and more to provide the information you seek. Parents, keep this in mind when your children enter fourth grade. That's generally the year for studying Illinois.
If it's just Schaumburg Township that captures your interest, there's plenty of material on that as well. Together, both the local history and Illinois collections are made up of 4,500 items.
Prefer the electronic way of getting your info? Again, using history as one example, you can peruse our extensive online local history archives of photos, documents and videos by going to stdl.org and clicking on the local history button at the top of the home page.
From there, simply type in a keyword -- like farm, church or cemetery, or names like Sunderlage or Atcher -- to find what you need. A great resource for American history is America the Beautiful, a database with easy-to-access information on all 50 states. On the library's home page, click the eResources button at left, then choose homework help.
And speaking of eResources, you'll quickly find that homework help is just one of many topics available. Databases on genealogy, health and medicine, law and government, newspapers, business and much more are all at your fingertips. Some may require the input of your library card number.
The newest eResource is AccessScience, an online version of the McGraw-Hill "Encyclopedia of Science and Technology."
Do you get tired of newsletters clogging up your mailbox? At the library, our electronic newsletters are Earth friendly and don't add to your plethora of junk mail. You can sign up for "Musically Yours," the audiovisual department's newsletter that promotes concerts and movies; "Electronically Yours," a newsletter for business owners; and "Novel Ideas," which offers synopses of new books as well as a listing of upcoming programs.
Additionally, we offer "Teen Weavings," with news and programs for teens; "Parent Connect," with valuable information on teaching children good reading and writing skills; and the "ESL Newsletter," which lists classes and other information for those learning English as a second language.
One of the Schaumburg Township District Library's missions is to provide something for everyone. That simple statement encompasses countless factors: age, gender, ethnicity, occupation, personal interests and much more.
Among those many factors is the way individuals prefer to receive their information and entertainment. High tech or old school? The choice is yours. Stop by in person, or click your mouse. We're here for you either way!