The Peoria Historical Society will once again hold their annual Rennick Art Show at the Peoria Public Library Gallery. Artists are invited to submit work in late April for the May 2013 show. The Peoria Historical Society has expanded the list of mediums and is offering a $300 Best of Show cash prize.  For complete details, entry form and identification for your piece check at any library desk, the Peoria Historical Society or download the form.

     The Peoria Public Library Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Tuesday evening during the regular Board meeting to appoint Leann Johnson, who has been serving as Interim Director since November 2012, to the position of Library Director.
     Ms. Johnson has been with Peoria Public Library for 28 years, serving as Interim Director three times and spending 17 years as Assistant Director. She also served as Manager of Branches, Manager of the former Business, Science and Technology Department and Staff Liaison to the Building Committee throughout the recent building project. She came to Peoria Public Library from a position with the former Illinois Valley Library System.   An Illinois native, she holds a B.A. in English from Eastern Illinois University and a Masters of Library and Information Science from The University of Illinois.
    Linda Daley, President of the Peoria Public Library Board of Trustees said,  ”We were delighted that Leann Johnson accepted the position.  She is an experienced, talented, local professional with exactly the qualifications we were seeking.  She possesses the skills and knowledge we need to lead the Peoria Public Library into the future.  She will become the permanent Library Director immediately.”
   Margaret Cousin, Chairman of the Personnel Committee said, “Peoria Public Library has undergone a brilliant renaissance as a result of our recent capital development campaign. Leann Johnson's qualifications and depth of experience are impressive. The Board is confident she is the ideal candidate to serve as Director to lead the Library as it evolves to serve our community's needs and interests.
    Peoria Public Library recently completed a $28 million building project that remodeled and /or expanded four buildings and constructed the new North Branch. The buildings were designed to allow the staff to provide excellent, cutting edge service to Peorians.  In the past year circulation has increased by 24% with door traffic up 54%.

As a Reader’s Advisor I am often asked who my favorite author is. I thought it would be fun to poll the North Branch staff as to their favorites. Even considering the wide variety of experience and ages of the staff, I was surprised at the diversity of the titles.  We are a wide read bunch!

The next time you can’t decide what to read, just wander into any of the Peoria Libraries.        We’ll be happy to make recommendations.

Mary : Fydor Dostoevsky’s Crime & Punishment, Agatha Christie’s Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Pat: James Joyce ‘s Ulysses, Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain

Lisa: Jude Deveraux’s A Knight in Shining Armor, Marguerite Henry’s Misty of Chincoteague

Barb: Thyra Ferre Bjorn’s Papa’s Wife, Toni Morrison’s Beloved

Deb: Georgette Heyer’s The Masqueraders, David Eddings’ The Belgariad Series

Doug:  J R R Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations
Shruti: J K Rowling’s Harry Potter series

Breanna: Deborah Blum’s  The Poisoner's Handbook : murder and the birth of forensic medicine in Jazz Age New York, Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood & David Wong’s John Dies At the End

Maria: Julie Garwood’s For the Roses, James Patterson’s Along Came a Spider:
Leann: Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With The Wind, Sue Monk Kidd’s Secret Life of Bees (audiobook)

Ali: Chris Fabry’s Dogwood, Kristen Heitzmann’s The Edge of Redall

Rachel: Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice.

Anna: Umberto Eco’s, Name of the Rose, Gunter Grass’ Tin Drum

Peorians have come to rely on Peoria Public Library during tax season. Now that all forms are electronic and taxes are filed electronically, the public computers and our free wifi are great tools. We do still carry plenty of paper tax forms as well, but only the most common ones.  Others can be printed for you if you are not comfortable with finding and printing them yourself.

AARP has, for many year, offered free assistance with filling out tax forms. Remembering that these tax preparers do this work as volunteers, and volunteers are harder to come by, they now only offer this service at North Branch. From February 6 through April 11, someone will help you with your simple tax forms on Wednesdays from 11:00  a.m.  to  7:00 p.m. and on Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. The tax preparers are in the Seminar Room at the back of the library.

If you were hoping to get help nearer to downtown, ask at any library desk and our staff will help you find other sources of free help for filling out tax returns.

In other news, those who have used the Circuit Breaker program in the past should be aware that most of that program has been discontinued and Peoria Public Library will not have those forms.

Remember that we also have many reference materials that can help you understand how to file your taxes.  A librarian will be happy to help you find what you need.