Indian Trails Public Library notes

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

Downtown Chicago Transition: Learn about downtown Chicago history starting with the Great Fire of 1871 up to the present time with the closing of Carson's State Street store in 2007, at 7 p.m. today. Meet Eric Bronsky and Neal Samors, the authors of "Downtown Chicago in Transition."

Storytimes: Toddler Family Story time will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Nov. 21. Encourage your child's pre-literacy skills with stories, songs and finger plays. This 30-minute program is designed for ages 18 months through 36 months and their caregivers.

• Lapsit Storytime: Infants build their language skills using songs, fingerplays, rhymes and stories from 10 to 10:30 a.m. Nov. 12 and 26. For babies up to 18 months of age and their adult caregivers.

• Family Storytime: Enjoy stories at the library while celebrating Children's Book Week, from 7 to 8 p.m. Nov. 15. All ages are welcome.

• Bilingual Storytime: Children 3 to 7 years and their families are invited to listen to stories, rhymes and sing songs in English and Spanish from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Nov. 24.

Polish Cooking: Taste special Polish recipes including pork chops, potato pancakes and dumplings prepared by Chef Ala Ozynko from the Accent Cafe in Mount Prospect at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Carson's Community Days: The Foundation for Indian Trails Library is participating in a Carson's Community Day event Friday and Saturday by offering special discounts for coupon packets that can be purchased at Indian Trails Public Library District. The cost for the booklet is $5 and purchasers will get back $10 on their first purchase, eight 20-percent-off coupons, and offers for two bonus items. For each booklet sold, $5 will be donated to the Foundation for Indian Trails Public Library District.

Sign With Your Baby: Susan and Rick Rizzo from Simply Signing will demonstrate the benefits of the Sign With Your Baby Method of teaching American Sign Language at 1 p.m. Saturday. Learn 75 different signs. For adult caregivers only.

The American Song Book: Singer-pianist Michelle Greenberg will celebrate Veteran's Day and Polish Independence Day with songs by George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, Duke Ellington and others at 2 p.m. Sunday.

The Art of Writing Comics: Comic book writers Russell Lissau ("Batman Allies Secret Files & Origins," "The Batman Strikes") and Joshua Elder ("Mail Order Ninja," "The Batman Strikes") will talk about creating comic books, and breaking into the highly competitive comics business from 7 to 9 p.m. Nov. 12. Previews of upcoming comics and copies of published books will be available. For fifth through 12th grade.

Family game day: All ages are welcome to play Nintendo Wii, Guitar Hero II and Dance Dance Revolution from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Nov. 13 and 18. Water and snacks will be provided. Children 6 and younger must be accompanied by an adult caregiver. No registration is required.

Learn to converse: Learn tips on conversation basics to help get through social gatherings and business events with "How to Be a Winning Conversationalist" at 7 p.m. Nov. 13. Learn how to remember names and more.

Coffee House: High school students can express themselves in poetry, art, song or short stories at 7 p.m. Nov. 16. Refreshments will be available.

Fudge Making: Students in sixth through 12th grade can make fudge in several varieties: maple, chocolate, peanut butter, with nuts or without; from 1 to 2 p.m. Nov. 17.

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. Nov. 18. All skill levels are welcome. Just drop by.

"La Boheme": A representative from the Lyric Opera's Speaker's Bureau will present a program introducing this year's most popular opera, "La Boheme," at 7 p.m. Nov. 19.

Thanksgiving Storytime and Crafts: Children ages 3 to pre-kindergarten 5 and their adult caregivers can listen to Thanksgiving stories and make something to take home from 10 to 10:45 p.m. Nov. 20.

America's Heritage exhibit: "America's Heritage: A History of U.S. Immigration" will be on display at the library until Nov. 30. The exhibit provides an overview of American immigration history and laws beginning with the colonial period. Twelve panels describe the social and economic conditions of a specific period and the laws that were enacted to regulate entry into the United States. The exhibit explains, for example, how the Naturalization Act of 1795 and the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1789 were the first public laws to restrict immigration to the new nation.

The exhibit also explores European immigration and its impact on American economic prosperity in the latter half of the 1800s.

Other critical periods are highlighted, including the rise of the Know Nothing Party, the Red Scare of the 1950s, the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act that finally abolished national origin quotas, and changes in the 1990s that revised employment-based categories for immigration and placed restrictions on immigrant rights.

This story of U.S. immigration law and policy is told through vintage photographs, accompanying text and instructive timelines. The exhibit is open during library hours but may not be accessible during certain library programs. Call ahead to check program times at (847) 459-4100. Indian Trails Library is located at 355 South Schoenbeck Road in Wheeling.

Chicago Holiday Bus Trip: Take a tour led by Bill Hinchliff and experience Chicago during the holidays, from 1:15 to 8 p.m. Dec. 11. Tour participants will start at the Museum of Science and Industry and view "Christmas Around the World"; visit a German holiday market at Daley Plaza; walk to Macy's if they want; shop on North Michigan Avenue; dine on their own at Water Tower Place, Food Life, where they can choose from 13 different "world kitchens"; and end the day with a tour of the city's holiday lights. The cost is $42, which does not include dinner. Registration and checks payable to Bill Hinchliff are due by Nov. 20. Bus trips are for adults.

DDR, Guitar Hero II and Wii: Join other students in sixth through 12th grade to play Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero II and Wii, at 2 p.m. Nov. 21

Holiday Choirs: The adult Shalom Choir, under the direction of Linda Dorfman, and the children's Campanella Choir, under the direction of Marianna Kosaya, will present a repertoire of Russian, Ukrainian, Yiddush, Hebrew, and American holiday music at 2 p.m. Nov. 25. Both Choirs are made up of immigrants from the former Soviet Union.

Got Clutter?: "Recovered Pack Rat" and author Rita Emmett will discuss four habits that make clutter grow and how to make it melt away at 7 p.m. Nov. 29.

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

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