Schaumburg Township District Library notes

For more information, call the Schaumburg Township District Library at (847) 985-4000.

April programs: As spring arrives, the Schaumburg Township District Library offers a variety of seasonal and general programs, trips and classes.

• Writers have the opportunity to gain valuable insight and tips from author Libby Fischer Hellmann during "20-20-20: Dialogue, Plot, Research" from 7 to 9 p.m. today in the Rasmussen South Room.

Fischer-Hellmann, author of "A Shot to Die For" and "Chicago Blues," will present basic guidelines for writing dialogue, developing plot and doing research.

• Adults age 50 and older are invited to attend the two-part "AARP Safe Driving Course" from 1 to 5 p.m. today and Thursday in the Rasmussen South Room. This eight-hour classroom refresher course will provide a review of driving skills and techniques, as well as strategies and tips.

• Parents and grandparents of children ages 3 to 5 are invited to attend "Ready to Read" from 11:30 to 11:45 a.m. Wednesday in the Youth Services Classroom. During the mini-workshop, Early Childhood Librarian Nancy O'Connell will provide simple techniques for preparing children to read. During the workshop, children ages 3 to 5 may attend Preschool Storytime.

Many other programs are planned throughout April for all ages. A full listing is available in the library's Program Guide, which is mailed to Schaumburg Township Residents and also available at stdl.org. To register for adult programs, call (847) 923-3347.

Pizza with Patrick Jones: Teens in eighth- through 12th-grade are invited to a pizza dinner with author Patrick Jones, held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Adult Classroom of the Schaumburg Township District Library, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg.

Author of "Things Change," "Nailed" and "Tail Lights," Jones enjoys talking to teen readers about his edgy young adult novels covering real issues, as well as his love of wrestling and more.

"This is a great opportunity to get to know a rising author of teen novels over a fun meal," said teen coordinator Amy Alessio.

Space is limited for this free program, so registration is required. Teens who attend will receive an autographed book. To register, call the Information/Magazines Desk at (847) 923-3347.

Investor education programs: Thanks to a $31,000 grant, the Schaumburg Township District Library will present effective investor education programs to the community. The library is one of 13 libraries nationwide selected for participation in Smart Investing @ your library, a joint grant program sponsored by the American Library Association and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Investor Education Foundation.

"Over the past few years, the national savings rate has continued to fall," said Rebecca Teasedale, director of reference services. "With the funding from this grant, the library will help residents of Schaumburg Township become more knowledgeable as savers and investors. We will create a series of videos that community members can view on our Web site and on YouTube to learn more about a variety of investing topics. We'll also highlight free resources available at the library and how people can use them to get started with smart investing."

As part of the outreach for the program, the library will work with a number of local civic groups to present programs. These will be announced in the newspaper and the library's Program Guide.

"(The library) has always been a valuable source of information for Schaumburg Township, and we are pleased to be able to help them expand their offerings in the area of investor education," said American Library Association president Loriene Roy. "Whether choosing what type of savings plan makes most sense for a family, researching a potential stock investment or learning more about bank products, (the library) offers the needed resources to help its patrons make smart investing decisions."

Live Homework Help: Students facing homework challenges are invited to use the library's "Live Homework Help," available to library cardholders in fourth- through 12th-grades, or the first two years of college.

Assistance is free and connects students with certified online tutors in math, science, social studies and English.

Live Homework Help is available from 3 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, either from computers at the three libraries, or from home or school. Students can start online at stdl.org, and then click on "Live Homework Help."

After logging in with their library card number, students select their grade level and the subject in which they need help. They are then immediately connected to a tutor in an online classroom.

The online classroom enables students to interact one-on-one with tutors in a variety of ways, including chatting, using whiteboard technology (an interactive "chalkboard"), sharing documents and browsing online together.

Students can use Live Homework Help as often as needed. For more information, call (847) 923-3322.

Coffee and current events: Local, national and international events are always on the agenda at the Coffee and Current Events group, which meets from 10 a.m. to noon the second Monday of each month at the Schaumburg Township District Library, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg.

There is no fee or registration required. Drop in and meet with a group of adults who enjoy sharing their opinions on what is going on in the world today.

Visit MyMediaMall: Schaumburg Township residents are among those in the Chicago area who can benefit from a new, free online service used to download popular digital audiobooks and ebooks.

Using MyMediaMall -- www.mymediamall.net -- patrons can enjoy their favorite digital books on a wide range of devices, including MP3 players and PDAs.

MyMediaMall is the result of 20 Illinois libraries working together with the North Suburban Library System to offer patrons 24/7 access to the latest digital materials. The consortium's online collection provides hundreds of titles, including bestsellers and classics, fiction and non-fiction from popular authors and leading publishers. Titles include the works of Dean Koontz, Ridley Pearson, Charles Dickens, Nora Roberts and Catherine Coulter.

"Digital technology and books were a marriage meant to happen," said Sarah Long, director of the North Suburban Library System. "Downloadable books prove what librarians knew all along, that computers and the Internet would support expansive growth of library services, not the death that many predicted."

To access materials, patrons first download free reader software from www.mymediamall.net, pick titles, then download the digital books to their personal computers. Audiobooks can be enjoyed on PCs and hundreds of portable devices. Audiobooks can be transferred to portable WMA/MP3 players, or burned to a CD for use on any standard CD player. eBooks can be read on personal computers, PDAs and Smartphones.

For more information, call Amy Peterson at (847) 923-3332.