The Sherrard Public Library District is celebrating National Military Appreciation Month by declaring the month of May as a special time to show our active duty military personnel, veterans and reserves from all branches of the military, and their families that we care. On Thursday, May 31^st at 6:00pm we will be creating care packages and crafts to send to soldiers. We will have guest speakers from the Rock Island Arsenal at 7:00pm.

Please stop by the Sherrard Library or the Mobile Branch to donate items to send to our active duty military troops. We have proved a list of items that you can donate below and a printed list is available at our library.

If you have a friend or family member currently serving in a combat zone and would like to suggest they receive a care package please stop by the library and fill out a request form.

FOOD, SNACKS AND DRINKS:

• BEEF JERKY / SLIM JIMS
• POWDER DRINK MIX (Gatorade, Kool-Aid, Crystal Light)
• SUNFLOWER SEEDS & PUMPKIN SEEDS
• TUNA & CHICKEN SALAD (in foil pouches, or ready-to-eat kits (no cans)
• PROTEIN POWDER & PROTEIN BARS
• CHOCOLATE PRODUCTS accepted from OCTOBER through MARCH (it will melt in high temperatures!)
• COFFEE (Ground or whole; instant or drip. Ground is preferred)
• Hot Chocolate packets, Herbal teas
• Hard Pretzels / Cheetos / Fritos / Chex Mix / Wheat Thins / Ritz
• Gum / Hard Candy (must be individually wrapped in large bags)
• Granola Bars / Power Bars / Cereal Bars / Cliff Bars
• Fig Newtons, Oreos, Cheese & Crackers – Small Packs
• Trail Mix, Dried Fruit, Granola, Fruit Roll-Ups / Fruit By The Foot / Fruit Gummies
• DRY SOUP: (Ramen Noodles / Cup-O-Soup: just add water)
• NUTS: Peanuts, Mixed Nuts (salted preferred)
• MICROWAVE FOOD (Popcorn, Chef-Boy-R-Dee, Mac’n'Cheese…)
• COOKIES / Girl Scout Cookies (with chocolate: Oct. – Feb. only!)
• Rice Krispie Treats (Store-bought only)
• Little Debbies & Hostess cake products
• Oatmeal Packs (Instant: just add water)
• Cereal (Small, individual boxes)
• Condiments, Spices; Sugar; Salad Dressing (no glass jars)
• Caffeinated gum or candy (to stay alert)

ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORTS:

• BATTERIES: (AA, AAA, C & 9 Volt are the most requested)
• DVD Movies (new or used - recent releases only, please!)
• Xbox Games, PSP, PS2 & PS3 Games (new or used)
• iTune Gift Cards
• 35 mm disposable cameras
• Computer Flash Drives & Thumb Drives
• Portable CD players / head phones
• Electronic handheld games
• Small homemade gifts - reminders & comforts of “home”
• Small photographs or posters of scenery for their tents & walls
• Pens & mechanical pencils, small note pads
• Stationery & Envelopes; blank cards to send home
• Double-sided tape, small crafts kits, scrap-booking items
• Day planners / Calendars / Small, Pocket Calendars
• Game Books: (Crossword Puzzles / Word Search Books / Math Puzzle books / MAD LIBS / Logic Problems / Sudoku)
• Yo-Yo’s, Dominoes, Playing Cards (new), Poker Chips & Mats, Dice
• Board games (UNO, Othello, Checkers – travel size is great, too!)
• Dart Boards (regular or magnetic – any size)
• Nerf Footballs / Whiffle bats, balls & Mitts / Sports equipment
• Frisbees / Hackey sacks
• Music CDs, Magazines & Books

TOILETRIES: NO HOTEL SAMPLES

• BABY WIPES (travel size)
• HAND SANITIZER (travel size)
• Body Wash, Liquid Soap, Facial Cleanser
• Shampoo /Conditioner (travel size)
• Hair Gel (for female troops to pull hair back)
• Combs / Brushes / Bobby Pins (in original packaging, please)
• Deodorant (travel size)
• Razors (disposable or “Intuition” or “Mach 3″ types)
• Shaving Cream in Tubes / Shaving Soap (No CANS of Shaving Cream, please!)
• Lip balm / Chap Stick / Carmex / Blistex
• Baby Powder & Foot Powder (travel size)
• Tissues (individual packs; travel size only)
• Hand & Body Lotion / Moisturizer (travel size)
• Sunblock, SPF 45, Zinc, Vitamin E, Aloe Vera Gel
• Bug Spray / DEET / Skin-So-Soft
• Mouthwash (travel size)
• Toothpaste & Toothbrushes & Dental Floss
• Breath Mints / Breath Strips
• Lozenges / Cough Drops
• Loufa Sponges / Buff Puffs / Washcloths
• Nail files / Emery Boards / Nail Clippers
• Feminine Hygiene Products
• Cotton Swabs (i.e. Q-tips) – also used to clean guns!
• Cotton Balls
• Band-aids, Gauze Pads, First Aid Kits / Ace bandages, Icy Hot or Bengay cream
• Moleskin
• Shoe Insole Cushions (gel kind is best)
• Tylenol, Motrin, Advil or Aspirin Packets
• Eye Drops (i.e. Visine)
• Nasal Spray
• Vitamins (multi-vitamins are always needed!)

OTHER:

• LINENS: Pillow cases, twin sheets, towels (green & tan)
• T-SHIRTS: Cotton green & tan under shirts – new (Sizes: M, L & XL)
  [Note: The DOD banned "Under-Armor" shirts due to its material being potentially flammable & bad reactions to open wounds.]
• LAUNDRY DETERGENT & FABRIC SOFTENER SHEETS:
• FLASHLIGHTS – SMALL (battery operated. Surefire Brand preferred)
• AIR FRESHENERS (standalone-not plug-in. Car types are also good)
• SOCKS: Black, Olive Green & White (cotton or wool)
• PHONE CARDS – Pre-
• Gift Cards to send home to loved ones (for Restaurants, Supermarkets)
• Small toys (Beanie babies) & school supplies for Iraqi & Afghan children
• Patriotic knick-knacks, USA flags, flags from your state, bandanas, baseball hats, football jerseys, banners to tack on their walls or tents.
• Black or Green duct tape, small tool kits, dust masks, carpentry tools, Fly swatters, fly paper, mosquito netting, bug repellent in plastic pump bottles only (NO AEROSOL CANS, PLEASE!)
• Paint brushes, adhesive wall hooks, sponges
• Generic sunglasses (Ballistic, black only. No “mirror” types)
• Alarm Clocks (Small in size; wind-up or battery-operated)
• Fleece Blankets (Yes, it gets very cold in the winter over there!!)
• Disposable Hand warmers and Foot warmers (in the wintertime)
• Winter Hats
• Water Bottles, Travel Mugs & Thermoses with Lids, (for Coffee, Tea & Soup)
• Elixir & Water Purification Tablets for Camelbaks
• Holiday and Seasonal Decorations

The Sherrard Public Library is now a member of the OMNI (Online Media of Nothern Illinois) Libraries. You can download e-books and digital audio books to your computer, mobile device or e-reader. You will need a current Sherrard Library card to download items. You can find available titles at www.omnilibraries.org. If you are unsure if your device will work please visit http://www.overdrive.com/resources/drc/Default.aspx?type=ebook.

For instructions about using ebooks, view or download this pdf file.

The annual Friends’ of the Library Easter Egg Hunt will be held on Saturday, March 31st at 10:00am at the Sherrard Park. Rain date is scheduled for Saturday, April 7th at 10:00am.

Winning means fame and fortune. Losing means certain death. The Hunger Games have begun… Your name has been selected for your district, and now you’re entering the Hunger Games. Test your skills at the library on Friday, March 16th at 6:00pm and see if you have what it takes to survive in the arena. Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor! Enjoy Capital treats and prizes. Bring  a non-perishable food item to donate to the Sherrard Food Pantry. Each item you donate you will get an additional entry into the door prize giveaway.

Come help us celebrate Dr. Seuss’ BIRTHDAY!! On March 2nd at 6:30 pm, we will be having a Lorax themed birthday party for Dr. Seuss. There will be crafts, a game, a story, and of course, a birthday treat! Please sign up for this event so we can be sure to have enough craft supplies.

The Friends of the Sherrard Public Library District would like to announce Special Elections!The Friends of the Sherrard Public Library are looking for individuals who wish to run for the Executive Board. These positions are: President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary. Each office is a one year term. These elections will be held February 27, 2012, 7:00PM at the Sherrard Library.The Friends of the Sherrard Public Library are looking for energetic and enthusiastic people wanting ti help work with the community for special Friends and Library events.Any questions? Feel free to call the Sherrard Public Library at 593-2178.

I wanted to take a minute and let everyone know what has been happening at the library. As many of you know, we had public meetings in November to talk about a new building project. I wanted to update everyone about our progress.

First some background. This summer, the Illinois State Library announced that there was going to be a new grant opportunity for Capital Construction projects available in spring of 2012. These grants will be funded by a one-time bond sale from the state (I have been assured that the money will be there). Each library that applies for a grant will be rated on a point scale in 5 different areas. These areas are:

1. Replacement or reconstruction of a public library that has been destroyed or damaged by disaster, either man made or produced by nature.
2. Projects that are designed to address population growth or to replace aging public library facilities.
3. Replacement or reconstruction of a public library facility determined to be severe and continuing health or life safety hazards.
4. Alterations necessary to provide accessibility for qualified individuals with disabilities.
5. Other unique solutions to facility needs.

After each library applies for the grant and receives their score, they are ranked in order of highest score to lowest. The funding begins with the highest score, and works down the list until there is no more money to spend. Each library will receive a certain percentage of its project based on a formula developed from its population’s EAV.  There is $50 million to give away. The Sherrard Public Library District will be applying for this grant program on April 16^th, 2012. If it is awarded, the grant will fund 66% of our project. This is an all or nothing grant; there will be no partial payments.

There is a lot for us to do to get ready to apply, and we have already taken some steps. In August, we hired Anders Dahlgren of Library Planning Associates to help us determine the size of building we need, both to serve our current population and the expected changes in the population over the next 20 years. Anders facilitated the meetings we had with the public in November. We have also taken steps towards hiring an architect. This is an important part of the grant application, as we need to have preliminary drawings as well as an architect’s budget in place by April 16.  Once we apply for the grant, we will be notified if we received it or not within 90 days. If you have any other questions, please call me at the library at (309) 593-2178 or email me directly at LauraL@sherrardlibrary.org. This is an exciting time, keep checking back for further updates.

Laura Long, Director

Jump ‘N’ Play into the new year, with Sherrard Public Library’s new story time for Toddlers! Starting the first Wednesday of January, and continuing each first Wednesday, we will be singing, dancing and reading from 10:30 to 11:30am. All pre-K children are welcome to join in the fun.

Handmade stockings are now up for auction at the Sherrard Public Library. Each stocking will be sold to the highest bidder. The bidding ends Friday, December 16th at 8:00 PM. Winners will be notified beginning Saturday the 17th. Even if you are not interested in bidding, stop by and check them out.