New Comics!

Any Empire, by Nate Powell

Widely considered one of 2011′s best graphic novels, Any Empire by Eisner Award winning creator Nate Powell (Swallow Me Whole) is a thoughtful, gripping, and emotional meditation on the price that small-town America pays for it’s wars and the violence that results.  The story focuses on three young kids, Lee, Sarah, and Purdy, as they while away the summer with adolescent power-fantasies and G.I.Joe.  Coming back together as adults, they struggle to come to grips with the chaos that has enveloped their lives.  Starkly drawn, utilizing powerful imagery, wordless sequences, and full-page spreads, Any Empire is a chilling yet emotional exploration of the effects that armed conflict sows on the lives of our citizens.

 

Between Gears, by Natalie Nourigat

Originally conceived as a web-comic, and collected here in its entirety, Between Gears is an uplifting, heartfelt, and optimistic autobiography of life as a college senior at the University of Oregon.  Nourigat takes us on a tour of her life at a time where most of us are consumed with uncertainty as graduation looms and the prospects of life outside of school seem grim.  With a manga-inspired style that is both comforting and familiar, Nourigat’s hopefulness and lust for life is plainly evident, exuding from the pages like honey from the comb. Putting her faith into the joys of life and the positive relationships with her friends, Nourigat offers a warm lesson for those of us for whom pessimism and doubt have become the norm.

New Comics!

Criminal, the Deluxe Hardcover, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips

Ed Brubaker is a longtime fan-favorite author of many superhero books (his run on Captain America is particularly noteworthy), and he is the recipient of a number of Eisner Awards.  Brubaker began his career writing true-crime stories, where his knack for realism and authenticity made for satisfyingly gripping pot-boilers.  Returning to form in this on-going series with artist Sean Philips, Brubaker delivers a gritty meditation on the cliches of crime fiction while remaining believable and true to the form.  Phillip’s moody artwork pairs well with the arc-driven storylines and ensemble cast.  This title is definitely worth checking out if you like crime-fiction or noir.

Corto Maltese: The Ballad of the Salt Sea, by Hugo Pratt

Translated into many languages, this series was penned by an Italian comics creator, Hugo Pratt.  The book centers on the adventures of the titular character, Corto Maltese, a sailor, sea-captain, and adventurer described as a “rogue with a heart of gold.”  Old-fashioned high-seas action is the focus of this exemplary series, and it delivers on all counts.  Hugo Pratt was highly skeptical of national, religious, and racial ideologies, and he infused Maltese with these concepts; he instinctively helps the oppressed,  soundly rejects  notions of fatal determinism, and often befriends a wide range of characters no matter their nationality.  This edition faithfully reprints the first major story-arc featuring Maltese, The Ballad of the Salt Sea.

Adult Summer Reading 2012

The 2012 Adult Summer Reading program is now open for sign ups!  Just go to our web site and create an account.  We will be using the same basic format as last year, so for each 2 books you read and review, you will complete a level and be eligible for a drawing.  This year’s them is Reading is So Delicious, so we’re putting together some tasty prize baskets for you to win.  We’ll also be including a twist this year.  You can substitute an original recipe for one of your 6 reviews and if you make the dish and bring it to our potluck party on August 4th, we’ll choose the best dish and award a special prize.  We’ll also be holding some exciting food and drink events in the Library and around town throughout the Summer, so check back for dates and locations.

You can view the complete list of rules on the summer reading site after you’ve created an account and logged in.

May Computer Classes

The Elmwood Park Public Library offers monthly computer classes on a variety of topics for those looking to expand their skills.   Registration is required for all classes.  Use our event calendar to sign up online or call us at 708.395.1217.

 

Internet 101 –  2:00 May 12

This class will explore the landscape of the online world.  Questions like “What is a blog?” and “What is a wiki?” will be covered, as well as descriptions of internet terms such as the difference between .com, .net, and .org.

Email -  2:00 May 19

Set up an email account and start writing to friends and relatives in this introductory class.

Google It!- May 21 2:00 May 21

Learn how to search the Internet using this popular search engine.

Microsoft Word – 7:00 May 22

In this class we will learn how to create letters, fliers, resumes, and other documents.  This class is good for those looking to upgrade their computer skills for work or home.

 

Facebook – 2:00 May 24

Participants will learn about popular social networking sites including Facebook and Twitter.

 

Microsoft PowerPoint – 7:00 May 29  

MS PowerPoint is a slideshow program that will enhance your presentations.  You can also use it to make a running slideshow of photos to entertain your next party.

 

Microsoft Excel – 7:00 May 31   

Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet program used to create databases and perform simple budget tasks in the workplace and at home.  It is helpful to have familiarity with MS Word before taking this class.

New Comics!

Gonzo, by Will Bingley & Anthony Hopre-Smith

For most,  Johnny Depp’s crazed performance as Hunter S. Thompson in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is the primary image conjured up whenever the infamous gonzo journalist is mentioned, yet few are aware of Thompson’s background or the logic behind the iconoclastic reporter. In this evocative graphic biography, writer Will Bingley and artist Anthony Hope-Smith examine the story of a man little understood, yet universally known as a hedonistic outlaw capable of prose both soaring and scathing.

The Compleat Terminal City, by Dean Motter & Michael Lark

Nominated for both Harvey and Eisner awards, this series is a perfect showcase for the talents of Dean Motter, a celebrated graphic designer and comics creator.  Terminal City is a place where gangsters lurk in the inky shadows, sharing the streets with shining robots packed with transistors and vacuum tubes. A series of peculiar mysteries have forced a legendary group of adventurers out of retirement, and now they must face a cruel criminal conspiracy to prevent disaster.  The colors and the concepts are bold, and the genre-bending sci-fi noir is bound to satisfy!

Take The Library’s 2012 Community Survey

In order to better serve you and the changing needs of our community, we want to learn how you use the library (or why you don’t use it), ways you feel we could improve our services, and where you would like the library to focus its financial resources. We want to provide you with the best possible selection of library materials, programs and services with the resources that we have.

This survey is for anyone who lives or works in Elmwood Park, and should take only 5-10 minutes to complete.  More than one person in a household may complete a survey. Additional print copies are available at the library.

Click HERE to take the survey.

Dorothy Holland 1934-2012

This week, the Library suffered a tremendous loss when Dorothy Holland passed away.  Dorothy served the Elmwood Park community as a Youth and Adult Services Librarian for 24 years.  Many of you have probably attended a book discussion, film screening, or computer class that Dorothy led here at the Library over the years and experienced her passion for reading and teaching.

Dorothy grew up on the West Side of Chicago and attended Mundelein College.  She raised a family of four children before becoming a teacher in the Chicago Public School System.  In 1988, she joined the staff of the Elmwood Park Library and has been a friend and colleague ever since.  We will miss her greatly.  Please feel free to share your memories of Dorothy here by clicking “Leave a Comment”.

Businesses and Libraries: Working Together

The Library has been awarded a grant from the Small Business Administration and Illinois State Library to assist local businesses.  A package of equipment and materials is now available exclusively to the local business community.  This package includes:

• A laptop computer loaded with software designed to help entrepreneurs start, market and run their small business including MS Office, Business Plan Pro and Sales and Marketing Pro.
• A camcorder that can be used to film commercials or training videos.  The laptop includes video editing software.
• A projector and screen for giving presentations to investors and customers.
• Books, DVDs and training materials.

More books and equipment will be added to the collection as they become available.  If you have any questions, contact Dan Beringhele at the Library.  Phone: 708.395.1217 or email dberinghele@elmwoodparklibrary.org.

New Comics!

The Finder Library Volume 1, by Carla Speed McNeil

Ms. McNeil has been self-publishing the Finder series as a web-comic since 1996, and in that time, the series has been the recipient of multiple Eisner Awards and critical accolades too numerous to count.  Described by the author as “aboriginal science-fiction,” Finder is set in an Earth of the far-future, vastly depopulated and home to urbanites dwelling in sprawling city centers juxtaposed against a plethora of  nomadic hunter-gatherer tribes that surround them.  The clash between the media-saturated city-folk and a breathtaking variety of animal-human hybrid cultures forms the groundwork for a lush and detailed world, filled with memorable and well-developed characters, compelling drama, and spirited humor.  Hailed as a science-fiction masterpiece, this series is sure to appeal to sci-fi fans of all stripes.

Is That All There Is? by Joost Swarte

The phrase, “Underground Comics” evokes images of Robert Crumb or Harvey Pekar here in the United States.  In Europe, however, “underground comics” were simply the norm for adult fans.  Enter Joost Swarte, a Dutch artist who developed his particular brand of ribald satire in the mid 70s through the early 80s.  Collected here and faithfully translated and re-lettered (according to the artist’s exacting standards) is a slice of what American audiences missed during a period of social upheaval. The colors and line-work bear the unmistakable influence of Hergé, whom you may recall as the beloved creator of Tintin; but in this case, the stories are certainly more risqué and definitely crafted for an adult audience.  While the colors and the detail are exquisite, the content is absurd, daring, and colloquial.

Book Discussion – The Family Fang

The Family Fang, by Kevin Wilson

Come join the discussion in the Korbel Lab on Tuesday, March 6th, at 7:30pm! The Family Fang is Kevin Wilson’s debut novel.  At it’s heart, it is a story about family, art, and the consequences of putting one before the other.  Caleb and Camille Fang have dedicated their lives in the pursuit of grand performance art, dragging their unwilling children, Buster and Annie, along for the ride.  Now that Buster and Annie are grown up, they have found it increasingly difficult to survive in the real world.  Turning back to their parents, who insist on involving them in yet another bizarre stunt, the Fangs now face a familial conflict of artistic proportions.