The Library will be closed on Chrismtas Eve (12/24), Christmas Day (12/25), New Year's Eve (12/31), and New Year's Day (1/01).

There will be no Thursday/Friday story times the week of Christmas (12/26 and 12/27) and the week of New Year's (1/2, 1/3).

Happy Holidays from the Staff of the Beecher Community Library!

For Kids Aged Birth - 8 Monday, December 30th 11:30AM
Register by Friday, December 27th
Space is Limited.

We’ll enjoy games and activities, and at 11:59, we’ll count down to the “noon year” and celebrate with balloons and confetti!

Beecher Bookworm Buddies
Thursdays & Fridays, 10AM
There will be no story times on
November 28th & 29th,
December 26th & 27th,
and January 2nd & 3rd.

Enjoy stories, activities, games, and crafts!  Call to register.

For Kids, Teens, And Adults Of All Ages
Patrons of all ages and artistic abilities can pick up a 4x4 inch canvas and paint supplies to create their own masterpiece to display at the Library!  Our tiny art show will run May 3rd - May 18th. 

Important Dates:
April 15th - May 1st:  Canvas and art supplies are available for pick up on a first come first serve basis.  Supplies are limited.
May 2nd:  Return finished art by this date.
May 6th -  May 30th:  Art is on display at the Library!
May 31st:  Artists can pick up their canvases.

The SWAN Libraries + app is available for iOS and Android devices. If you used the old SWAN Libraries app, you can delete it after logging in to the new app.

(Note: The new app is named the same as the old app, just with a “+” at the end.)

We are once again hosting a pumpkin decorating contest for kids!  Decorate a pumpkin based on a book or book character.

Winners will be chosen from 0-preschool, K-5th grade, and 6-12th grade.  For each group, first prize will a $15 gift card to Barnes & Noble, with small prizes for 2nd and 3rd place.

October 21st—27th: Pumpkins will be on display for patrons to enjoy.  They can be picked up the 27th and 28th. Left over pumpkins will be disposed of.

Congrats to Our Winners!
Everyone did a fantastic job of decorating their pumpkins, and judging was extremely difficult!

0-PreK
1st:  Liam L. (Spot)
2nd:  Lainey N. (Sesame Street)
3rd:  Andi R. (The Grinch)

K-5
1st:  Aubrey L. (Pigeon)
2nd:  Addison B. (Turtle)
3rd: Violeta R. (Coco)

6-12th
1st:  Zoey M. (Where the Red Fern Grows)
2nd:  Jaxon E. (Holes)
3rd:  Aaralyn M. (If You Give a Mouse A Cookie)

Here is how judging worked:  All pumpins were assigned a number, so children were anonymous.  Four staff members served as judges.  For each age group, the judges collectively pulled 5 top pumpkins.  The judges then privately ranked the 5 pumpkins from 1 for the best down to 5, and the scores were tallied.  The pumpkins with the lowest total scores won. 

Connect a Roku to your TV and enjoy preloaded streaming services for free!  Apple TV+, Britbox, Disney +, Hulu, Max (HBO), Netflix, and Paramount are available!

Requires a wifi network and an HDMI port on your TV.

Beecher Community Library cardholders over the age of 18 may check out a Roku for 2 weeks and renew twice if there are no holds.  Overdue fines will be $1 per day. Please return hotspots at the circulation desk.  $5.00 will be charged if put in the book drop.

The Beecher Community Library is now circulating wifi hotpots!  Hotspots can be taken anywhere to connect mobile devices, like laptops, tablets or phones, to the internet.

Beecher Community Library cardholders over the age of 18 may check out a hotspot for 1 week and renew twice if there are no holds.  Overdue fines will be $1 per day. Please return hotspots at the circulation desk.  $5.00 will be charged if put in the book drop.

Hotspots can be placed on hold here* or ask at the circulation desk to check one out. 

* "Ask Staff" in the online catalog means the hotspot is available for checkout.  Ask for the hotspot at the circulation desk.

From Mid-May through July, the Library will be the temporary home of a tadpole.  Visit the Library to watch its progress as it grows into a frog!

During the first month, we’ll also be taking name suggestions for our new friend.  Look for updates posted on Facebook and Instagram.

Thursday/Friday Morning (10AM)
Enjoy stories, activities, games, and crafts!

Congratulations to everyone who entered pumpkins into our pumpkin decorating contest!  Everyone did a wonderful job, and both adults and children have enjoyed looking at the pumpkins on display.  Don't forget to pick up your pumpkins on Friday 10/28 or Saturday 10/29.  Anything left over will be disposed of.

The winners for the contest are:
Birth - PreK:  1st Place:  Ruby Bivian, 2nd Place:  Davina Hood, 3rd Place:  Ellie Walker
K-5th Grade:  1st Place:  Zoey Manning, 2nd Place: Gabino Bivian, 3rd Place:  Emily Ryan
6th-12th Grade: 1st Place:  Madison Gibson, 2nd Place: Delila Magana, 3rd Place: Marios Killis

Hoopla Digital is now available for Beecher Community Library card holders!

Ebooks, music, audiobooks, comics, TV shows, and movies for all ages are available for checkout and can be enjoyed on all smart devices.

Patrons may check out a set number of items per month.  Best of all, checkouts are immediate…no waiting for holds to be filled!

Visit hoopladigital.com or download the app.

The Library offers free ebooks and audiobooks through Media on Demand.  To get started, download the Libby (by Overdrive) app on apple and android tablets and smartphones, or for basic ereaders or other devices, click here for further assistance.  Books are available for adults, kids, and teens. 

Books are also available in foreign languages, such as Spanish. 

Need help?  Call (708-946-9090) or visit the Library.  

Tumblebooks is a digital collection of animated, talking picture books for children, whether they are learning to read or are already reading! To access TumbleBooks, click here and enter your Beecher Community Library card number. 

The Talking Book and Braille Service (TBBS), offered through the state of Illinois, supports the activities of the Illinois Network of Libraries Serving the Blind and Physically Handicapped in providing excellent public library service to any Illinois resident who is unable to read standard print material due to a permanent or temporary visual or physical disability.  Through this service, citizens can borrow talking books, braille materials, and more.

For more information and to apply, visit the Talking Book and Brialle website.  The Beecher Community Library also offers audiobooks and large print materials for patrons with impaired vision.

Looking for great reading and wonderful discussion? Try joining one of our book discussion groups.

Call the library for more information.

The Beecher Community Library is offering 30 minute one-on-one computer sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2PM-5PM.  The following topics can be covered during the session:

• Basic Computer Use
• Using the Internet
• Email
• Facebook
• Microsoft Word, Excel, Publisher, or PowerPoint
  

Patrons should have a Beecher Library card and call the library to register for a session at least a day in advance.

Come to the library to get free or discounted tickets to 15 Chicago area cultural destinations, including the Brookfield Zoo and Legoland Discovery Center. Passes are available for Beecher Community Library cardholders on a first-come, first-served basis, but you can call the library to find out if passes are available. Visit www.museumadventure.org for more information.

Library board meetings are held on the third Tuesday of month at 7P.M. at the library and are open to the public. Visit the library board page for more information.