2017 marks the 100 year anniversary of the poet, Gwendolyn Brooks’ birth.  Though Brooks died on December 3, 2000, her legacy is very strong in modern literary history.  She is very highly regarded as one of the most important poets of the 20th century.  Brooks was born in Topeka, Kansas on June 7, 1917.  Her family moved to Chicago when she was just six years old and the Windy City became her home until her death.

Brooks began writing poetry at an early age and even published a poem in a children’s magazine when she was only thirteen.  She went on to continue publishing and gained praise from prominent African American poets such as Langston Hughes and James Weldon Johnson.  Brooks drew much of her inspiration from the everyday life of inner city Chicago.  Her second poetry book, Annie Allen, focuses on a young girl in Bronezville, a neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago.  Brooks was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1950 for this book.  She was the first African American author to win this prestigious award.

Gwendolyn Brooks continued to gain much recognition during her lifetime. For example, she was named the official poetry consultant to the Library of Congress.  Also, in 1968 she was appointed as Poet Laureate of the state of Illinois.  This was a position that Brooks held until her death.

Poems such as “Song in the Front Yard,” “The Lovers of the Poor,” and “We Real Cool” are among her most famous.

The library is celebrating Gwendolyn Brooks’ Centennial by hosting a Coffeehouse Poetry Night on Wednesday, June 14th. Drop in for refreshments and a short lecture as well as a reading of Brooks’ poetry.  An open mic session will follow where participants are encouraged to read original poetry or a favorite poem.  See more about this event here. 

Read more about Gwendolyn Brooks below:

Illinois State Library Heritage Project

Poetry Foundation

Posted by: Susie Rivera, Reference Specialist

About #FDL

Welcome to #FDL! #FDL is a twice weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and East Peoria. Twice a week, library staff will make posts that highlight some aspect of library life and relate it to you – our readers. Have you ever wanted to know which Dewey number represented a certain topic? Are you looking for book recommendations based on your favorite television show or television recommendations based on your favorite book? Have you ever wondered about the secret details of librarian life? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then #FDL is for you. We look forward to writing posts that are informative and entertaining and hope that you enjoy getting better acquainted with Fondulac District Library.

The Summer Reading Program kicked off at our library on June 1st.  What you may not realize is that summer reading is not just for kids.  Teens and adults are encouraged to participate as well! If you already enjoy reading, joining the program and earning points will be a breeze.  Here are some things you may not know about our library’s  summer reading program.

Read for Prizes:  For every 30 minutes of reading, high school students and adults can record 1 point on a point card.  Points can be redeemed upstairs in the Adult Services Department once per week.  Teen and adult prizes are different from the prizes given out to children.  For example, you could win gift cards and coupons from area businesses like Firehouse Pizza, Chick-fil-A, or Potbelly’s.  We also have coupons for library fine forgiveness or our Coffee Corner.  The catch is that these prizes are only available until supplies last. Get your reading in and redeem them early.   Once you reach the maximum of 80 points, turn in the point card for your age group’s grand prize drawing.

We have a theme: Every year the Summer Reading Program has a theme that is adopted by most area libraries. This year it’s STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math). STEAM is an educational approach to learning that encourages critical thinking, creative problem solving, and collaboration.  Most of the programs offered this summer have something to do with STEAM education.

Attend Programs:  Want to take a break from reading but still earn points? That’s okay.  Summer reading participants can earn up to 10 points on a point card for attending summer reading programs.   We have quite a variety of programs for teens and adults this summer including 3D printing, Maker Day, Bad Art Night, interior design, and a presentation on the solar eclipse.  Keep track of the programs you attend on your point card as well. Follow this link to view our event calendar.

Stop in  if you have any questions about our Summer Reading Program.  We would be more than happy to help you sign up or find your next great read.

Posted by: Susie Rivera, Reference Specialist

About #FDL

Welcome to #FDL! #FDL is a twice weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and East Peoria. Twice a week, library staff will make posts that highlight some aspect of library life and relate it to you – our readers. Have you ever wanted to know which Dewey number represented a certain topic? Are you looking for book recommendations based on your favorite television show or television recommendations based on your favorite book? Have you ever wondered about the secret details of librarian life? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then #FDL is for you. We look forward to writing posts that are informative and entertaining and hope that you enjoy getting better acquainted with Fondulac District Library.