Schaumburg Township District Library notes

Teen programming:ŒTeens will find plenty of programs, contests and useful information in October at the Schaumburg Township District Library, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg. Registration is required for all of the following programs.

October is Teen Read Month, with this year's theme "LOL @ Your Library." To celebrate, the library is holding a "What's So Funny" writing contest through Oct. 31. Teens can enter by submitting a story, 200 words or less, about the funniest thing that has happened to them.

Winners will have dinner with an author or win a gift certificate to Borders Books. To enter, send an e-mail with the story, name, phone number and age to aalessio@stdl.org, or drop off a hard copy at the Reader Services Desk the central library, or the branch libraries in Hoffman Estates or Hanover Park.

Teens are invited to meet Printz Award Author John Green at 7 p.m. today in the Youth Services Classroom on the library's first floor. Green, author of "Looking for Alaska" and "An Abundance of Katherines," is known for his humor and appeal to young adults. Books will be available for sale and autographing.

Teens who could use some help with research papers may want to attend "Electronic Resources for High School Students" from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday in the Adult Computer Lab on the second floor. This interactive class will provide tips and tricks for using several electronic resources available through the library Web site.

Author Anne Ylvisaker will visit the library at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Rasmussen North Room. Ylvisaker, author of "Dear Papa," will discuss her new book, "Little Klein" set in the 1940s. Her presentation will be suitable for ages 9 and up. Books will be available for signing and autographing after the presentation.

The Teen Advisory Board, which meets monthly and is open to teens in grades seven to 12, will celebrate Halloween "Potter style" and make cards for soldiers in meetings at the central library and Hanover Park Branch. The groups will meet from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. Oct. 9 and Nov. 13 at the Hanover Park Branch; and from 5:45 to 7 p.m. Oct. 16 and Nov. 20 at the central library. Food and beverages will be served.

The Teen Writing Club (TWC), led by columnist and author Catherine Stier, will celebrate the launch of Stier's new book, "If I Ran for President" during the October meeting from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 16.

Writing Club members should register to reserve their autographed copy. The TWC meets monthly and welcomes teens in grades seven-12 to come and share creative writing pieces including poetry, short stories and more. New members are always welcome.

To register for teen events, e-mail Amy Alessio at aalessio@stdl.org or call (847) 923-3191.

Upcoming programming: Autumn is here, and the Schaumburg Township District Library is ready with seasonal programs, day trips and more. Programs take place at the central library, 130 S. Roselle Road, unless otherwise indicated.

Laughs and entertainment will be on the agenda when Carolyn Stein Stillman performs "The Gardener's Gripe Book" from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday in the Rasmussen South Room. This performance, sponsored jointly with the Hoffman Estates Garden Club, is a perfect choice for gardeners.

Moviegoers may enjoy discussions by Daily Herald film critic Dann Gire and award-winning author Raymond Benson during Dann and Raymond's Movie Club, held from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Thursdays, Oct. 4, Nov. 1 and Dec. 6, in the library's Audiovisual Department on the first floor.

There can be many challenges to being part of a stepfamily. Clinical Psychologist Lisa Irgang will provide some practical tips on building communication, managing discipline and resolving money concerns in "Moving From a Step to a Blended Family," held from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Oct. 11 in the Rasmussen Room.

Upcoming trips on the library's agenda include historic Galena Saturday and the Chicago Lyric Opera House for LaTraviata on Oct. 12. All require registration and fees. See the library's August-September Program Guide for details.

To register for adult programs and trips, call the library at (847) 923-3347. Fees may be paid via telephone with a credit card, or in person at the library's Information-Magazines Desk on the second floor.

Calling all movie buffs: Those who enjoy movies and discussing them with others can join the American Cinema and Book-Film Discussion groups at the Schaumburg Township District Library, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg.

The American Cinema Group meets at 6:45 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month, September through May, in the library's Adult Classroom.

Members will view the movie and follow up with a discussion lead by film critic Alan Grimm. Registration and a $20 fee are required for the series.

The Book-Film Discussion Group meets at 7 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of the month in the library's Rasmussen North Room. Group members view the movie at the first meeting and discuss the book and movie at the second.

Led by Grimm and fellow film critic Bonnie Antosh, registration and a $30 fee are required for the group. The fee includes the cost of all books in the series.

For more information or to register, call (847) 923-3347. Fees can be accepted via telephone with a credit card, or in person at the Information/Magazines Desk on the library's second floor.

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 best sellers 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 several 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.