Indian Trails Public Library notes

For information or to register, call (847) 459-4100 or visit www.indiantrailslibrary.org.

Almost all Indian Trails Public Library District programs are free and everyone is welcome; however, most programs require registration in advance, unless otherwise noted.

Storytimes: Toddler Family Story time will be from 10 to 10:30 a.m. today, Thursday and Jan. 23 and 24. Encourage a child's pre-literacy skills with stories, songs and finger plays. This 30 minute program is designed for children 18 months through 36 months and their caregivers.

• Bilingual Storytime: Children ages 3 to 7 and their families are invited to listen to stories and rhymes and sing songs in English and Spanish from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday and Jan. 26.

• Preschool Drop-in Storytime will be held from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Jan. 21, 22, 28 and 29. These drop-in storytimes are for children ages 3 to pre-kindergarten 5. Kids attend on their own. No registration is required.

Edward R. Murrow: Historian Jim Bernard will discuss the life and times of broadcast pioneer Edward R. Murrow from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday. Selections of Murrow's audio and videotapes will be featured.

Teen Crafts: Teens in sixth through 12th grade can make a craft from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Friday.

High School Coffee House: Students in ninth through 12th grade can express themselves in poetry, art, song or short stories from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday. Refreshments will be available.

Children's health care: In collaboration with Wheeling Community Resource Center, Indian Trails Library will provide information and registration for All Kids, a low-cost or free health care program, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Registration is not required. Medical care is very expensive for those without insurance; therefore, the State of Illinois All Kids program covers trips to the doctor, dentist, eye doctor and more. The program is designed for kids 18 years and younger who do not have health insurance. To learn more about who qualifies and required paperwork, visit www.allkidscovered.com/.

Chess for All Ages: Bill Harrison will be available to teach people of all ages the joys of playing chess from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Sunday. All skill levels are welcome. No registration is required; just drop by.

Gift Card Exchange: Find out how to get maximum value from gift cards from Arlen and Stacy of Star Gift Card Exchange from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday. Bring unspent and unwanted gift cards with receipts, if available, to trade with others. Participants must be 18 or older to exchange gift cards. Co-sponsored by the Wheeling Park District.

Lapsit: Babies and their caretakers can enjoy time together building emerging language skills through the use of songs, finger plays, rhymes and stories, from 10 to 10:30 a.m. Monday and Jan. 28.

Pot stickers & Asian Salad: Prepare for the Chinese New Year when Chef Ami Sananes from the Culinary Experience, in Wheeling, shows participants how to prepare pot stickers and Asian salad from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday. Participants get to taste samples.

Book discussions: Tom Hermann will discuss "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. New members are welcome. Registration is required.

• Heather Resnick will lead a discussion of "Digging To America" by Anne Tyler from 7 to 9 p.m. Jan. 28. Registration is required.

High School Exam Study: Students in ninth through 12th grade can bring books, papers and friends to study at the library from 6 to 9 p.m. Jan. 16. In addition to having all of the library's resources at their fingertips, snacks and beverages will be provided.

American Girl: American Girl fans in second through fifth grade can see what life was like for Felicity, a young girl in 1774. Children can make a craft and play a game from the 1700s from 2 to 3 p.m. Jan. 21.

Teen DDR: Students in sixth through eighth grade can play Dance Dance Revolution from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Jan. 22.

Mardi Gras: In celebration of Mardi Gras, students in sixth through 12th grade can create masks with beads and feathers from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Jan. 25.

India Republican Day: Celebrate Indian Republican Day by attending a dramatic rendition of Indian freedom fighters performed by the students of Balodyan School from 1 to 3 p.m. Jan. 26. This program will be offered in Hindi, India's national language, and Marathi, one of India's regional languages. Refreshments will be served following the program.

Spelling Bee: The library will hold a spelling bee for adults from 2 to 3:15 p.m. Jan. 27. Register early to be a participant because there are only 15 spots. Audience members are also asked to register because spaces fill up quickly. Register online or by calling Michelle at (847) 459-4100, ext. 226. There will be prizes for the top finishers.

For Doris Day aficionados: Historian Jack Diamond will discuss Doris Day's dual career as a popular singer and movie star whose movies combined drama, music and comedy at 2 p.m. Jan. 29. Co-sponsored by the Buffalo Grove Park District.

Quesadillas For Any Meal: George Economos from the Marketing staff of Whole Foods in Palatine will show teens in sixth through 12th grade how to make healthy quesadillas for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Jan. 30.

Poetic License: Poetic License, a writers group specifically for poets, will meet from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Jan. 30. Members share creative ideas, learn about publishing markets, engage is writing exercises and read poems aloud with co-facilitators Charlotte Willour and Sharon Faciana. Registration is required.

Read-With-Me Program: Children ages 5 and under and their parents can join the Winter Read-With-Me program and "Take a Ride on the Reading Railroad." Sign up at the "Ask Here" desk. Those who complete the program will receive a free paperback book. The program runs through Feb. 18; the last day to register is Feb. 9.

Read-to-Succeed: Children between the ages of 6 and 14 can join the Chicago Wolves' "Read to Succeed" program by signing up at the "Ask Here" desk. Participants will be given a reading log to keep track of time spent reading through Feb. 18. Upon completion, participants will receive a free paperback book and a chance to win prizes from the Chicago Wolves. The last day to register is Feb. 9.

Karaoke Night: Karaoke Night for sixth- through 12th-graders will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 14. Make reservations; space is limited.

New Russian books: The library's Russian collection has 2500 titles. The Russian collection of adult and juvenile books, CDs, DVDs and audio books is growing quickly. The library adds hundreds of items to its World Languages collections every month.

A few examples of some of our newest books in Russian:

• "Zharkaia Noch" by Mishel ZheroAptekar,

• "Ego Sestra I Ee Liubovnik" by Sandra Brown

• "Rikoshet" by Sandra Brown

• "Polished Off" by Barbara Colley

• "Ispoved" by Oleg Strizhenov

IM help available: The library is ready to provide information via Instant Messaging through AOL or Juno: indiantrailslib. IM the librarians to receive timely information.

E-Media: Movies can be downloaded and watched on laptops or PCs. Print e-books can be read on computers and PDAs. Digital audio books can be played on PC's and transferred to many portable devices and many can be burned to CD for playback on a portable CD player or car stereo.

A valid Indian Trails Public Library District card is needed to download digital books. Download, install and activate the free reader software from the library's Web site, select the desired books, check them out with a library card, and download to listen or read.