Category: Library Visit
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Roden (#23)
Is this even Chicago? BEN: Yes! But barely. Roden sits in Norwood Park, in the far northwest corner of the city. You may remember us being up in these parts last when we visited the Oriole Park branch not far away. SAM: We had the pleasure of having two guests with us on our visit!…
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Independence (#22)
Dogs in the library? BEN: Always looking for a reason to get our tails wagging, we headed up to Irving Park to meet Wally and Ruby, the stars of a therapy dog program at the Independence Branch. The turnout was huge! Librarian Maria, a 21-year veteran of CPL, gave us the scoop on the gorgeous…
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Edgewater (#21)
We interrupt this broadcast… BEN: Faithful readers, you probably noticed a bit of a hiatus in our posting – life has been busy! But, we’re back – in fact, we never stopped visiting libraries, but we got more than a little behind on writing blog posts. In the spirit of the adage, “don’t let perfect…
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Legler Regional (#20)
Survivor Training! SAM: Always on the hunt for interesting library programs, I was intrigued by “Survivor Training” at the Legler branch – how could we not check it out? Our facilitator, children’s librarian Ms. Jenny, was fantastic! We learned how to tie knots, tested their strength, and finished by making paracord bracelets. I was especialy…
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Water Works (#19)
Um…where’s the library? BEN: Given its location across the street from the iconic Chicago Water Tower on the Magnificent Mile, we’ve been wanting to visit this branch for months and were stymied by its closure. Finally, the day arrived! Right away, we were confused by the lack of signage on the exterior of the Water…
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Sherman Park (#18)
Books, jars, and fishing poles SAM: Daniel and Nathan are always looking for new ways to decorate their room (“The Cozy Den”), so the Sherman Park branch’s family event was something both of them were very excited about: making luminary jars. Afterward, we were fortunate to have an opportunity to interview Bria, the adult librarian,…
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Little Italy (#17)
But first, boba! BEN: You haven’t had Chicago’s best milk tea until you’ve been to Gathers Tea Bar, a mandatory stop anytime we’re in the vicinity of Little Italy / University Village. With our boba fix managed and a walk/scooter session at nearby Arrigo Park under our belts, it was library time. To the library!…
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Bucktown-Wicker Park (#16)
House History! BEN: Ever since I heard about the Chicago Workers Cottage Initiative, I’ve wanted to connect with them and learn more, and I finally got my chance! Our Bridgeport home, like many in the neighborhood, is a circa 1885 Workers Cottage. This style of home was built all over Chicago from the 1870s until…
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Oriole Park (#15)
BEN: Welcome to the far Northwest side! Oriole Park is one of 5 small neighborhoods in the Community Area of Norwood Park (which has its own library branch – stay tuned!), and is home to many city employees and first responders. Small, well-defined neighborhoods are common on the North Side, and the hand-drawn map in…
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Merlo (#14)
But first, coffee. BEN: Today’s adventures required extra liquid propellant and thus began at Pedestrian Coffee, directly adjacent to the Belmont “L” station and just a few blocks away from the library. This is obviously a super popular spot and the place was packed. I’m always excited by an 8 oz. option – the perfect…