Genealogy Reads

Look for these genealogy reads at the library, and discover how DNA might be used to find connections to family.

  • The Forever Witness : How DNA and Genealogy Solved a Cold Case Double Murder by Edward Humes
  • Npe*: A Story Guide for Unexpected DNA Discoveries (*a non-paternity event - when 'dad' is not... your biological father) by Leanne Hay
  • Your DNA Guide the Book : Step-by-step Plans to Connect You with Your Family Using Your DNA by Diahan Southard
  • Finding Family : My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA by Richard Hill
  • The Lost Family: How DNA Testing is Uncovering Secrets, Reuniting Relatives, and Upending Who We Are by Libby Copeland

2022 In Review – Top Digital Check-outs from Libby

Need some Winter Reading suggestions? Why not try an ebook or downloadable audiobook? Ebooks and downloadable audiobooks count toward Winter Reading the same as print books, and go where you go! Just download the free apps from Libby, Hoopla, or Axis360, enter your AAPLD card number, and you're in! Cardholders from other libraries can access digital books through their home library. If you need assistance, contact the Adult Services department.

Read on to see Libby's ten most popular ebooks and downloadable audiobooks for 2022. How many have you read?

Most popular ebooks borrowed from Libby/OverDrive in 2022

 

  1. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave (Simon & Schuster)
  2. Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty (Henry Holt and Co.)
  3. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah (St. Martin’s Publishing Group)
  4. Verity by Colleen Hoover (Grand Central Publishing)
  5. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Washington Square Press)
  6. The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles (Penguin Publishing Group)
  7. It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover (Atria Books)
  8. The Girl in His Shadow by Audrey Blake (Sourcebooks) *Big Library Read title
  9. The Judge’s List by John Grisham (Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group)
  10. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by E. Schwab (Tor Publishing Group)

 

 

Most popular audiobooks borrowed from Libby/OverDrive in 2022

  1. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (Books on Tape)
  2. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave (Simon & Schuster Audio)
  3. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah (Macmillan Audio)
  4. Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty (Macmillan Audio)
  5. The Guest List by Lucy Foley (HarperAudio)
  6. Atomic Habits by James Clear (Books on Tape)
  7. Dune by Frank Herbert (Macmillan Audio)
  8. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson (HarperAudio)
  9. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Simon & Schuster Audio)
  10. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (Duke Classics)

Kick off Winter Reading With A Sweet Holiday Read

Sweet Reads Winter Reading 2023 is here! What better way to earn prizes and celebrate this special season, than indulging in holiday reads! Whether you enjoy your books happy and heartwarming, delight in classics, cozies, or warm to novels that explore the inspiration for the season, we're pleased to present some reading suggestions. Stop by the Main Library and browse our Holiday Reads display, or search our online catalog.

And don't forget to register for Sweet Reads Winter Reading. Signing up is easy! If you've participated in our past reading programs, just log into Beanstack on or after December 19,  click on the Sweet Reads Winter Reading 2023 logo, and you're set. If you're new to Beanstack, or would like some help, stop by the library and a staff member will be happy to get you signed up. Winter Reading ends January 31, 2023.

 

Found Families

Book cover- view through a window at christmas tree and fireplaceA Vineyard Christmas by Jean Stone -Annie Sutton is finally following her dream of living on Martha's Vineyard. In her cozy rented cottage she's settling in for her first Vineyard winter--complete with a fierce nor'easter on the way. But the blizzard also brings something unexpected to Annie's front porch: a basket, encircled by a ribbon, containing a baby girl.  Adopted as a child, Annie is grateful for wonderful parents who raised her as their own. Yet she also hopes to spare the little girl the feelings of abandonment that still haunt her. And so, rather than take the baby to the police, Annie decides to keep her and try to find the birth mother, giving her a chance to change her mind.

But it's not easy keeping a secret in a close-knit, island community, especially amid the bustle of Christmas. Before the holiday ends, there will be revelations, rekindled hope, and proof that families--the ones we are born into and the ones we claim for ourselves--are the gifts that truly matter . . .

 

Book Cover- Staircase decorated with garland and lightsThe Gift of Family by Mary Monroe - Successful, and still very much in love, middle-aged couple Eugene and Rosemary Johnson have never given up on one special wish--to be parents. And while Christmas always brings happiness and a whirlwind of holiday fun, their hopes for children of their own seem further away than ever. Especially this year, when Rosemary must have emergency surgery and home help to recuperate. Wanting to lift his wife's spirits, Eugene suddenly has an inspiration.

Faithful and sensible, Ethel Perkins raised Eugene and his brother. Unforeseen tragedy has left the sixty-something widow struggling with little money and two jobs to keep her great-grandchildren off the streets. She's glad to help Rosemary back on her feet. But she can only stay until Rosemary is well enough to resume her normal routine. For Ethel, survival means keeping to her grueling schedule, being there for everyone but herself, and, as always, handling her troubles all on her own . . .

As Ethel's problems go from bad to much worse, Rosemary and Eugene find themselves helping her more and more--and growing close to her lively youngsters. Soon, there's only one way both families can salvage the season: by celebrating it together. But will their temporary family work into the future . . . and possibly make a lifetime of happiness?

Nativity Novels

The Christmas Journey by Donna VanLiere - The eighty-mile journey of a common carpenter and a simple peasant girl is one of the most powerful stories in history. As books go out of print and stories fade from memory, the journey of Joseph and Mary and her delivery inside a common barn continues to bless and inspire hope in people around the world. Donna VanLiere’s retelling shows that the story of the Nativity is alive in our modern world.

 

 

Book Cover with title in old fashioned letteringThe Handmaid and the Carpenter by Elizabeth Berg -  Berg, the bestselling author of "We Are All Welcome Here "and "The Year of Pleasures," transports us to Nazareth in biblical times to reimagine the events of the classic Christmas story. We see Mary-young, strong, and inquisitive-as she first meets Joseph, a serious-minded young carpenter who is steadfastly devoted to the religious traditions of their people. The two become betrothed, but are soon faced with an unexpected pregnancy. Aided by a great and abiding love, they endure challenges to their relationship as well as threats to their lives as they come to terms with the mysterious circumstances surrounding the birth of their child, Jesus. For Mary, the pregnancy is a divine miracle and a privilege. For Joseph, it is an ongoing test not only of his courage but of his faith-in his wife as well as in his God.

Murder Under the Mistletoe

December Dread by Jess Lourey - 'Tis the season for grinning sales-elves on TV and maddeningly jolly muzak. But for Mira James and other Battle Lake-area women, the holidays are marred by something far worse—a serial killer leaving candy canes as his calling card. His target? Thirty-something brunettes who look just like Mira. When a woman from her high school graduating class becomes the latest victim, Mira plows through a case of online dating turned deadly.

A Christmas Revelation by Anne Perry - In this intriguing, uplifting holiday mystery from bestselling author Anne Perry, an orphan boy investigates a woman's kidnapping--and discovers there's more at stake than a disappearance. When Worm, a young orphan boy who works at the local clinic, sees Eloise being kidnapped by two men in the days leading up to Christmas, he immediately recruits Squeaky Robinson to help rescue her. But as they track Eloise down, they're surprised to hear that she does not, in fact, wish to be rescued. Instead, Eloise intends to bring the kidnappers, who drew her father into their shady business deals and then murdered him, to justice. The kidnappers are skilled illusionists, and after they try their tricks on Worm and Squeaky, the friends are determined to help Eloise with her plan--and they might just be able to use the kidnappers' tricks against them.

Scrooged!

The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand - On Christmas Eve five years ago, Holly was visited by three ghosts who showed her how selfish and spoiled she'd become. They tried to convince her to mend her ways.She didn't. And then she died.

Now she's stuck working for the top-secret company Project Scrooge--as the latest Ghost of Christmas Past. Every year, they save another miserly grouch. Every year, Holly stays frozen at seventeen while her family and friends go on living without her. So far, Holly's afterlife has been miserable.But this year, everything is about to change. . . .

Book Cover showing a bearded Ghost of Christmas PresentA Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens - Dickens' story of solitary miser Ebenezer Scrooge, who is taught the true meaning of Christmas by a series of ghostly visitors, has proved one of his most well-loved works. Ever since it was published in 1843 it has had an enduring influence on the way we think about the traditions of Christmas. Dickens' other Christmas writings collected here include 'The Story of the Goblins who Stole a Sexton', the short story from The Pickwick Papers on which A Christmas Carol was based; The Haunted Man, a tale of a man tormented by painful memories; along with shorter pieces, some drawn from the 'Christmas Stories' that Dickens wrote annually for his weekly journals. In all of them Dickens celebrates the season as one of geniality, charity and remembrance.

Holiday Romance

10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston - Sophie wants one thing for Christmas-a little freedom from her overprotective parents. So when they decide to spend Christmas in South Louisiana with her very pregnant older sister, Sophie flees to her grandparents' house, where the rest of her boisterous extended family is gathered for the holiday. That's when her nonna devises a (not so) brilliant plan: Over the next ten days, Sophie will be set up on ten different blind dates by different family members. Like her sweet cousin Sara, who sets her up with a hot guy at an exclusive underground party. Or her crazy aunt Patrice, who signs Sophie up for a lead role in a living nativity. With a boy who barely reaches her shoulder. And a screaming baby.  Sophie feels more confused than ever. Because maybe, just maybe, she's started to have feelings for someone else . . . Someone who is definitely not available.

book cover showing attractive couple beside a christmas treeThe Christmas Wedding Ring by Susan Mallery - In her youth, Molly Anderson couldn't help crushing on gorgeous bad-boy Dylan Black—even though he only had eyes for her older sister. When things didn't work out between them, he said goodbye to Molly as well, vowing they'd have a great adventure when she grew up. Years later, dumped by her fiancé just before Christmas, she's finally ready to take Dylan up on his promise.
A guarded Dylan always had a weakness for Molly, and when she waltzes back into his life—grown-up and gorgeous—he's stunned. So why not whisk her away for some no-strings-attached fun?
Laughter-filled days and late-night kisses are changing Molly's life, for good. The only gift she truly wants now is Dylan's love, but when he discovers the secret she's been keeping, she may lose him again…this time forever.

Homework Help Available Through BrainFuse!

If you (or your favorite student) could use some extra help with a particular subject, especially heading into finals week, be sure to check out BrainFuse HelpNow, a digital learning resource available to AAPLD cardholders.

Interact with live tutors for homework help, test preparation and writing assistance. Take college entrance practice exams, create flash cards for study, and collaborate with friends.

You'll find BrainFuse HelpNow under the Virtual Library tab. Select Learning Resources from the drop-down menu, and then scroll the alphabetical list of our databases. Sign in with your AAPLD library card number and your account password. Not sure of your account password? Call the Adult Services department for help.

 

Live Tutoring

Log in between 2:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. Central time, daily, and chat with a live tutor for free grade-level appropriate help in a variety of subjects. Choose Spanish-language tutoring, too! You can also submit a homework question to a subject matter expert. You'll find both under the Expert Help tab.

Skill Surfer

Find video lessons with written components to help students from kindergarten through high school, and older learners, too. Get ready for your AP exam with practice tests, hone your academic and tech skills, find exam prep for the PSAT, SAT, ACT, and the TOEFL iBT.

Writing Lab

Need feedback on an essay or term paper? Upload your work 24/7 for review by a writing expert. Be sure to include any questions or suggestions you would like.

Discover December’s Library Reads

Every month, librarians and library staff throughout the country select their top ten favorite new releases. Library Reads celebrate both established authors and exciting newcomers writing in a variety of genres. We'll highlight a few notable Library Reads picks for the month, which you can check out from AAPLD. Find the complete list of December's Library Reads here.

 

Historical Fiction

Circus Train book cover, night sky with train silhouetteThe Circus Train - Amita Parikh Lena Papadopoulos has never quite found her place within the circus, even as the daughter of the extraordinary headlining illusionist, Theo. Brilliant and curious, Lena yearns for the real-world magic of science and medicine, despite her father's overprotection and the limits her world places on her because she is disabled. Her unconventional life takes an exciting turn when she rescues Alexandre, an orphan with his own secrets and a mysterious past. Over several years, as their friendship flourishes and Alexandre trains as the illusionist's apprentice, World War II escalates around them. When Theo and Alexandre are contracted to work and perform in a model town for Jews set up by the Nazis, Lena becomes separated from everything she knows. Forced to make her own way, Lena must confront her doubts and dare to believe in the impossible--herself.

A must-read for fans of The Night Circus and Water for Elephants, The Circus Train will take readers on a heart-wrenching and spectacular two-decade journey across Europe. When all is lost, how do you find the courage to keep moving forward?

Thriller

Book Cover with close-up of a glamorous woman against a dark backgroundSomeone Had To Do It - Amber and Danielle Brown Brandi Maxwell is living her dream as an intern at the prestigious Manhattan fashion house Simon Hanson. Except “living the dream” looks more like scrubbing puke out of couture dresses worn by hard-partying runway models and putting up with constant microaggressions from her white colleagues, who think her braids “don’t fit with the culture” at Simon Hanson.

When Brandi snags an invite to an exclusive party at the home of Simon himself, she’s excited to meet his daughter, Taylor, a style influencer whose taste she loves. But at the party, she accidentally overhears something she can never un-hear. And her life shatters.

Taylor Hanson has everything…and is this close to losing it all. Her dictator of a father—who, as far as she’s concerned, is responsible for her mother’s death—has threatened to donate her entire inheritance to a wildlife charity if she fails her next drug test. Taylor wants the money that’s rightfully hers. Wouldn’t it be terrible if something happened to Simon?

All she needs is the perfect person to take the fall for it…

 

Fiction

Ms. Demeanor book cover with cartoon woman wearing a pantsuit, falling through the skyMs. Demeanor by Elinor Lipman - Jane Morgan is a valued member of her law firm--or was, until a prudish neighbor, binoculars poised, observes her having sex on the roof of her NYC apartment building. Police are summoned, and a punishing judge sentences her to six months of home confinement. With Jane now jobless and rootless, trapped at home, life looks bleak. Yes, her twin sister provides support and advice, but mostly of the unwelcome kind. When a doorman lets slip that Jane isn't the only resident wearing an ankle monitor, she strikes up a friendship with fellow white-collar felon Perry Salisbury. As she tries to adapt to life within her apartment walls, she discovers she hasn't heard the end of that tattletale neighbor--whose past isn't as decorous as her 9-1-1 snitching would suggest. Why are police knocking on Jane's door again? Can her house arrest have a silver lining? Can two wrongs make a right?

Celebrate Native American Heritage Month

November marks National Native American Heritage Month-- a time when we recognize the rich cultural heritage, traditions, and contributions of North America's Indigenous people. Algonquin Area Public Library invites everyone to take part in these fun and informative activities, that run throughout the month.

Native American Heritage Beanstack Challenge

This challenge runs November 1 - 30 and includes both reading and activities that explore the heritage of Native Americans. To start, log into Beanstack and register for the Native American Heritage Month challenge. You'll earn a Medicine Wheel Beading Kit, available at the Adult Services Desk, just for signing up. Complete the Book Recommendations Activity Badge, plus any two of the additional badges explained below, to win a special Native American Heritage Month Button.

Activity Badge #1 Book Recommendations(required):

  • Read a book written by an Indigenous author. Choose from one of the recommendations for Adults listed in Beanstack, select a book from the Native American Heritage display at the Main Library, or ask a library staff member for a recommendation. Type the name of the book you choose in the box at the bottom of the recommendations list.

Complete two of the following Activity Badges and record your progress in Beanstack

Activity Badge #2 Events from Algonquin Library: Attend ONE of these in-person or virtual library events:

Activity Badge #3 Land Acknowledgements: Complete BOTH activities to earn this badge:

Activity Badge #4: Local Indigenous History: Explore ONE of these websites:

  • Visit the Cahokia Mounds website. Cahokia Mounds is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located near Collinsville, IL that contains the archaeological remnants of an ancient Indigenous settlement.
  • Explore the Trickster Cultural Center website. The Trickster Cultural Center in Schaumburg features contemporary Native American art, and exhibits relating to the contributions of Native people to the U.S. military.
  • Visit the website of Mitchell Museum of the American Indian in Evanston. You can also get two free regular admissions with your Algonquin Library card and the Museum Adventure Pass, while supplies last. Contact the Main Library or Eastgate Branch to check availability.
  • Visit the American Indian Center Gallery website. The Gallery is dedicated to Native American First Voice Art. Explore the website and plan a visit.

Activity Badge #5: Native American Voices. Watch ONE of these webinars:

The Native American Voices Webinar Series was presented in collaboration with Illinois public libraries, and the College of DuPage Native American Studies Committee. The webinars are recommended for ages 14 and over.

Activity Badge #6: Suggested Viewing. Complete ONE of these activities:

Watch something on Kanopy or Hoopla about Indigenous people. An Algonquin Library card is required to access these resources. Don't have an Algonquin Library card? Check with your home library to see if they have access.

Activity Badge #7: Visit the Museum. Complete ONE of these activities:

Google Arts and Culture works with institutions and artists to bring the world's art and culture online so it's accessible to anyone.

Big Library Read

The Big Library Read, the world's largest digital book club, will read the Newberry Award-winning Young Adult fantasy novel A Snake Falls To Earth by indigenous author Darcie Little Badger. Between November 2-16, library patrons can check out the digital book from Libby with no waiting.

Reader holding a digital reading device showing cover of A Snake Falls to EarthNina, a Lipan Apache girl has always felt there was something more beyond her quiet life, and still believes in the old stories. Oli is a young cottonmouth from the land of spirits and monsters. Like all cottonmouths, he's been cast from home, but has found a new one on the banks of a bottomless lake. Nina and Oli have no idea the other exists. But  a strange sickness that befalls Oli's best friend brings their worlds together, even as there are those who will kill to keep their worlds apart.

Once you've read the book, join the online discussion board to share your thoughts with readers from around the world, through November 23.

Write Your Story This November

November is National Novel Writing Month, when writers of all experience levels craft a 50,000 word novel or non-fiction work in 30 days.

It might sound like a daunting challenge, but many NaNoWriMo projects have gone on to become best-sellers, including The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes, The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory, and An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green.

If you've always wanted to write a book, we have plenty of resources to help! Let us inspire and encourage you to create the book of your dreams!

Algonquin Area Writers Group

Writing can be lonely! Find your tribe with this community of local authors. AAWG meets monthly at the Main library for critiques, conversation and brainstorming. Writers of all experience levels are welcome. Register today for November’s meeting!

Soon To Be Famous Illinois Author Manuscript Contest

Take your complete but unpublished adult fiction novel to the next level!  Beginning November 22, enter the 2023 Soon To Be Famous Illinois Author Manuscript Project contest. Winner receives professional line editing, cover design, self-publishing guidance, and automatic entry as a semi-finalist in the Soon To Be Famous Illinois Author Project contest. Sponsored by the Illinois Library Association.

Inkie

Inkie is a free online self-publishing platform. Create professionally-designed e-books, and the PDFs needed for print book production. Upload your e-book to the Indie Illinois digital library to reach readers throughout the state!

Research Help

Need to know what medieval knights ate for breakfast? What it was like to live in Victorian London? The most popular song in 1902? Our Adult Services staff can help you find accurate information to bring your story to life.

AAPLD cardholders can access these databases from anywhere:

  • Archive Grid- Search historical collections of libraries, museums, archives and historical societies around the world
  • Birthday Time Capsule- Type in a date to learn the day's news, top movies, songs, and more.
  • EBSCO Explora (Masterfile, History Reference Center, Science Reference Center)- Arts and Literature, Biography, Current Events, Geography and Culture, Health, History and Social Science, Science and Math articles, arranged by topic.
  • Illinois Digital Archives- Books, pamphlets, photographs, and maps related to Algonquin, Lake in the Hills and McHenry County history.
  • World Factbook- Learn about the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, and military, of 267 countries.
  • Gale Virtual Reference Library- Encyclopedias, almanacs, and specialized reference sources, including Grzimek's Animals Guide, American Decades, Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, Business Plans, and more!
  • Health & Wellness Resource Center- Research current disease, disorder information, conventional treatments, and alternative medicine.
  • How Products Are Made- Detailed descriptions and pictures about how things are made. Search by keyword or through an alphabetical list.
  • How Stuff Works- Covers Auto, Science, Health, Entertainment, Travel, Computer, Electronics, Home, Money, and People.
  • Freegal- Discover music from numerous genres and decades, create custom playlists to set the mood while you write!

Hints and How-To

Check out our collection of writing books! Get inspired by renowned authors like Stephen King, Anne Lamott, and Janet Evanovich. Find advice on writing for teens and kids, or finding a literary agent.

Whatever you need to know, your library is the place to go.

 

Discover November’s Library Reads

Every month, librarians and library staff throughout the country select their top ten favorite new releases. Library Reads celebrate both established authors and exciting newcomers writing in a variety of genres. We'll highlight a few notable Library Reads picks for the month, which you can check out from AAPLD. Find the complete list of November's Library Reads here.

 

Fantasy/Mystery

book cover A Restless TruthA Restless Truth by Freya Marske Magic! Murder! Shipboard romance! The second entry in Freya Marske's beloved The Last Binding trilogy, the queer historical fantasy series that began with A Marvellous Light

The most interesting things in Maud Blyth's life have happened to her brother Robin, but she's ready to join any cause, especially if it involves magical secrets that may threaten the whole of the British Isles. Bound for New York on the R.M.S. Lyric, she's ready for an adventure.

What she actually finds is a dead body, a disrespectful parrot, and a beautiful stranger in Violet Debenham, who is everything—a magician, an actress, a scandal—Maud has been trained to fear and has learned to desire. Surrounded by the open sea and a ship full of loathsome, aristocratic suspects, they must solve a murder and untangle a conspiracy that began generations before them.

Fiction

book cover Now Is Not The Time to PanicNow Is Not The Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson - From the New York Times bestselling author of Nothing to See Here comes an exuberant, bighearted novel about two teenage misfits who spectacularly collide one fateful summer, and the art they make that changes their lives forever.

Sixteen-year-old Frankie Budge—aspiring writer, indifferent student, offbeat loner—is determined to make it through yet another sad summer in Coalfield, Tennessee, when she meets Zeke, a talented artist who has just moved into his grandmother’s unhappy house and who is as lonely and awkward as Frankie is. Romantic and creative sparks begin to fly, and when the two jointly make an unsigned poster, shot through with an enigmatic phrase, it becomes unforgettable to anyone who sees it. The edge is a shantytown filled with gold seekers. We are fugitives, and the law is skinny with hunger for us.

The posters begin appearing everywhere, and people wonder who is behind them. Satanists, kidnappers—the rumors won’t stop, and soon the mystery has dangerous repercussions that spread far beyond the town. The art that brought Frankie and Zeke together now threatens to tear them apart.

Twenty years later, Frances Eleanor Budge—famous author, mom to a wonderful daughter, wife to a loving husband—gets a call that threatens to upend everything: a journalist named Mazzy Brower is writing a story about the Coalfield Panic of 1996. Might Frances know something about that? And will what she knows destroy the life she’s so carefully built?

A bold coming-of-age story, written with Kevin Wilson’s trademark wit and blazing prose, Now Is Not The Time to Panic is a nuanced exploration of young love, identity, and the power of art. It’s also about the secrets that haunt us—and, ultimately, what the truth will set free.

Debut Author

book cover the cloistersThe Cloisters by Katy Hays - In this “sinister, jaw-dropping” (Sarah Penner, author of The Lost Apothecary) debut novel, a circle of researchers uncover a mysterious deck of tarot cards and shocking secrets in New York’s famed Met Cloisters.

When Ann Stilwell arrives in New York City, she expects to spend her summer working as a curatorial associate at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Instead, she finds herself assigned to The Cloisters, a gothic museum and garden renowned for its medieval art collection and its group of enigmatic researchers studying the history of divination.

Desperate to escape her painful past, Ann is happy to indulge the researchers’ more outlandish theories about the history of fortune telling. But what begins as academic curiosity quickly turns into obsession when Ann discovers a hidden 15th-century deck of tarot cards that might hold the key to predicting the future. When the dangerous game of power, seduction, and ambition at The Cloisters turns deadly, Ann becomes locked in a race for answers as the line between the arcane and the modern blurs.

A haunting and magical blend of genres, The Cloisters is a gripping debut that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

VOTE! (at your library)

Mid-term elections are just a few weeks away. Illinois voters will elect a new governor and lieutenant governor, State Treasurer, Secretary of State, three Illinois Supreme Court justices, one U.S. Senator, new representatives to the U.S. House, plus numerous state senators and representatives, judges, county and local officials. Voters will also decide on an amendment to the Illinois State Constitution concerning workers' rights.

Make plans to vote now, whether through early voting or on Election Day, and make your voice heard.

Get Registered

To vote in Illinois:

  • You must be a United States Citizen.
  • You must be 17 years old on or before the date of the Primary Election and turn 18 on or before the date of the 2022 General or Consolidated Election.
  • You must live in your election precinct at least 30 days prior to Election Day.
  • You must not be serving a sentence of confinement in any penal institution as a result of a conviction.
  • You may not claim the right to vote anywhere else.

Not sure if you’re registered to vote, or your polling place location? Use Illinois’ online voter information site to find out. If you’re not registered, you can do so online, through 11:59 pm on October 23, or in-person at an early voting site (including AAPLD),  Monday- Friday, October 24-28, 8:30 am -4:30 pm, and Saturday, November 5, 8:30 am to 12:00 pm.

You can also register in person on Election Day, at your precinct polling place. To find your precinct polling place click here. Two forms of identification with at least one showing your current residence address are needed when you register in-person.

Here are the acceptable forms of ID for voter registration:

  • Passport or Military ID
  • Driver's License or State ID card
  • College/University/School/Work ID
  • Vehicle registration card
  • Lease, mortgage or deed to home
  • Credit or debit card
  • Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid card
  • Insurance card
  • Civic, union or professional membership card
  • LINK/Public Aid/Department of Human Services card
  • Illinois FOID card

Mail of the following types addressed to you

  • Bill, transcript, or school report card
  • Bank statement, pay stub, or pension statement
  • Utility, medical, or insurance bill
  • Official mail from any government agency

Cast Your Ballot

Beginning Oct. 24, the downstairs program room at the Main Library on Harnish Drive will be an early voting polling place for voters registered in McHenry County, regardless of their home precinct. Early voting polling place hours are:

  • Monday, October 24 through Friday, October 28: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
  • Saturday, October 29: 8:30 am – 12 pm
  • Monday, October 31 through Friday, November 4: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
  • Saturday, November 5: 8:30 am – 12 pm

If you are voting with a mail-in ballot, please note that we are NOT a ballot drop-off location! The closest McHenry County mail-in ballot drop box is inside the Lake In the Hills Village Hall, which is also open for early voting. The ballot drop box is available Monday- Friday,  October 24- 28, 8:30 am and 4:30 pm,  Saturday, October 29, 8:30 am-12 pm,  Monday- Friday, October 31-November 4, 8:30 am- 7:00 pm, Saturday, November 5, 8:30 am- 5 pm, Sunday, November 6, 8:30 am-3 pm, and Monday, November 7, 8:30 am- 7:00 pm.

For other McHenry County early voting locations and hours click here.

Kane County residents can find a complete list of early voting locations and hours here. Nearby Kane County early voting sites include Del Webb Sun City in Huntley, the West Dundee Village Hall, and at Kane County’s Vote Mobile, which will visit Jewel-Osco locations in Huntley (Oct. 27) and West Dundee (Nov. 1-2). Vote Mobile hours are 9 am- 4 pm. Visit the Kane County Clerk's website for Mail-in Ballot drop box locations and other information.

Tuesday November 8 is Election Day. The library functions as a polling location for Algonquin Precincts 15 and 18 only. Voting hours are 6 am – 7 pm.

Not sure where your polling place is? Click here.

Family History Month at AAPLD

Registration is open for October and November Genealogy Programs! Click program names to register.

Finders/Keepers Genealogy Club - A Genealogy Interest Group

Join us each month at Finders/Keepers Genealogy Club to explore genealogy topics and resources, and to get help with your family research.

Thursday, October 13: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Online or in-person at Harnish Main

Beginning Polish Genealogy

Explore your Polish heritage with the help of Polish genealogy expert and author Jason Kruski. This in-person genealogy program is appropriate for beginners.

Saturday, October 15: 1:00pm - 2:00pm
In-person at Eastgate Branch

Available October 14: Algonquin Cemetery Scavenger Hunt

Participate online or pick up a paper entry form at the Adult Services Desk. Each correct answer will earn an entry into a prize drawing

 DNA Deep Dive Workshop - A Genealogy program

Have you already taken a DNA test and don't know how to use the results? Join this in-person DNA workshop and learn how to sort your DNA matches, chart relationships, and extend your family tree.

Thursday, October 20: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Computer Lab Harnish

Finders/Keepers Genealogy Club - A Genealogy Interest Group

Join us each month at Finders/Keepers Genealogy Club to explore genealogy topics and resources, and to get help with your family research.

Thursday, November 10: 10:00am - 11:30am
Online or in-person at Harnish Main