Year: 2020

“Be Yourself” Booklist | For Kids

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Miss Diane from the Youth Services Department has hand-picked her favorite picture books encouraging kids to “be yourself”!

  • All of the books featured here are books that we have in our collection. To see if an item is available to check out or place on hold, click the cover image or button to the right of the description.

Miss D's "Be Yourself" Picks

Giraffes Can't Dance

by Giles Andreae

Gerald the giraffe wants nothing more then to dance but all the animals laugh at him…that is until he learns to dance to his own tune.

AGES: 4 to 8 years old

Check out this title in our catalog!

The Story of Ferdinand

by Munro Leaf

Ferdinand isn’t like the other bulls. He just wants to sit and smell the flowers. So, what do you think happen when he’s picked for the bullfights in Madrid?

AGES: 4 to 8 years old

Check out this title in our catalog!

The Little White Owl

by Tracey Corderoy

The little white owl meets some colorful owls and wants to share his happy stories, and his toast, with them. They’re not interested in a plain white owl and that’s when the magic begins!

AGES: 3 to 7 years old

Check out this title in our catalog!

Elmer

by David McKee

All the other elephants are grey, but Elmer is a patchwork of colors and he hates it! Find out what happens when he sets off one day to make a change.

AGES: 4 to 8 years old

Check out this title in our catalog!

More favorites... Click the cover to view in our online catalog!

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Perfectly Norman

by Tom Percival

Norman is perfectly normal, until one day when he grows wings! He loves his wings but will everyone else? See what he does to hide who he really is.

AGES: 3 to 7 years old

Check out this title in our catalog!

Tacky the Penguin

by Helen Lester

Tacky is pretty odd compared to the other pretty penguins. But, when hunters show up, being different can save the day!

AGES: 3 to 7 years old

Check out this title in our catalog!

How to Be a Lion

by Ed Vere

Leonard the lion and Marianne the duck are best friends. But the other bully lions say a lion a duck can’t be friends, ducks are for eating! How many ways exactly are there to be a lion?

AGES: 3 to 7 years old

Check out this title in our catalog!

Spoon

by Amy Krouse Rosethal

Spoon was always a happy utensil, until one day when he decides fork, knife and chopsticks are much cooler. But wait until you read what they think about that!

AGES: 3 to 6 years old

Check out this title in our catalog!

Founding Families | The Lesters

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Welcome to “Founding Families”, a local history series that highlights and features a founding family of Bensenville through ancestry, photos, and more. Stay tuned for more Founding Families to be featured on our website and as a part of our “Flashback Friday” series on Facebook. In the meantime, be sure to browse the Bensenville Historical Collection on the Illinois Digital Archives for more local history information.

Frederick E. Lester, son of Edward Lester, was born July 3, 1828, in Clinton County, New York. Edward’s third son John, made a claim at what is now Irving Park Rd and Salt Creek in 1834, at the northern end of  Dunklee’s Grove. In 1835, his father Edward brought the rest of their family to the DuPage County claim, arriving November 1st. The Lester family were parents Edward and Hannah, five boys and two girls. Louis, Marshall, John, Daniel, Frederick, Julie, and Acinthia.

Their first shanty was 14×16, which served as living quarters through their first winter. A 30×40 block house was erected in the spring of 1836. Oldest daughter Julie ran the first Addison Township school in 1836, housed in a log cabin. 

Frederick Lester was the youngest son and went on a threshing tours up the Fox River for eight seasons, until his leg was crushed and amputated when he was 18. After recovering, he began driving cattle, and was married to Julia A. Dunklee, daughter of one of the first settlers, Ebenezer Dunklee, in 1854. Frederick and Julia had four boys and four girls.

In 1873 Frederick Lester gave the Chicago & Pacific Rail Road right of way and ground for a new station (in present day Wood Dale), paying for much of the construction after the single line railroad from Chicago to Elgin was completed. Soon after, Frederick Lester and Frederick Heuer built the first industry in the area, a cheese and butter factory next to the station.

A post office was established in Salt Creek in 1874, with Frederick Lester being appointed postmaster by Gen. U.S. Grant, President. Frederick Lester died shortly after the station he helped build, was moved for a new general store and saloon, in 1891.

Our Digital Librarian & Archivist has been reorganizing and preserving the Library’s physical local history collection and digitizing resources for the Illinois Digital Archive. To start browsing the Bensenville Historical Collection on the Illinois Digital Archives, please visit: benlib.org/local-history-online.

Local history questions? Please contact Digital Librarian & Archivist, Elizabeth Morris, at emorris@benlib.org.

Sources:

  • 1874 Atlas & History of DuPage County, Illinois
  • DuPage County Historical Society Website, Wood Dale History, by Mary Lou Mittel

Now Recommending: Great Eats & Cool Treats

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Need some new recipe ideas and inspirations for your summertime cooking? Look no further! Whether you prefer to be behind the grill, or if you’d rather stay cool in the kitchen, we’ve got a variety of cookbooks in our collection — grilling, barbecuing, salads, sandwiches, and sweet treats — all perfect for summertime fun and good eating.

by Christine France — Tempting savory and sweet barbecue recipes, as well as new ideas for salads and accompaniments, salsas, dips and marinades.
by Danielle Bennett — Packed with simple recipes for casual, down-to-earth family food.
by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby — Demonstrating their cardinal principle: cooking your food can be as much fun as eating it!
by America’s Test Kitchen Editors — If you can eat it, you can cook it on the grill and do it better with ATK.
by Bill Kim with Chandra Ram — 80 recipes tailored for home cooks, includes suitable substitutions for hard-to-find ingredients.
by Tom Colicchio — Creates new classics like Tuna with Fennel, Black Olives, and Lemon; and elevates basic cold cuts through imaginative and tasty combinations.
from the editors of Food52 — New salad blends made substantial with vegetables, meats, grains, beans, fish, seafood, pasta, or bread.
by Michele Jordan-- Make stand-out salads & sides with over 50 recipes for sensational vinaigrettes, salad dressings, and sauces.
by Gunter Beer — Taste tempting creations to suit all occasions.
by Matt Kadey — Turn up the flavor-not the heat… with these fast and fun no-cook meals!
Be sure to check-out issues of the Allrecipes magazine — available at the library and for curbside pickup. Check out their website www.allrecipes.com for seasonal inspiration!
by Leslie Bilderback — Mouthwatering collection of shortcuts & classic techniques that help you achieve delicious results.
by Bruce Weinstein — Fill your summer days with scrumptious frozen treats and beverages!
by Nathalie Jordi, David Carrell and Joel Horowitz — Pair new ingredients, balance sweetness, and explore fruits (and vegetables and herbs!)--in simple recipes that work with standard ice pop molds or improvised ones.
by Adams Media — Featuring step-by-step instructions and nutritional data for each tasty drink, break out your blenders!
by Christine Watson — Crammed with refreshing recipes, clear and easy to follow.

Want more recommendations?

 

You can check out all of our online booklists (for kids and for adults), or reach out to us! Our staff is ready and willing to make reading, listening, or viewing recommendations to you! Email us at reference@benlib.org or contact us via our online form!

If You Liked… “Little Fires Everywhere”

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Did you love Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng? It’s also now a mini-series on Hulu starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington! If you’re looking for more reads like this one, check out this list of read-alikes.

Such a Fun Age

by Kiley Reid

A striking and surprising debut novel from an exhilarating new voice, Such a Fun Age is a page-turning and big-hearted story about race and privilege, set around a young black babysitter, her well-intentioned employer, and a surprising connection that threatens to undo them both. With empathy and piercing social commentary, Such a Fun Age explores the stickiness of transactional relationships, what it means to make someone “family,” and the complicated reality of being a grown up. It is a searing debut for our times.

Check out this title in our catalog!

Commonwealth

by Ann Patchett

Commonwealth is the story of two broken families and the paths their lives take over the course of 40 years, through love and marriage, death and divorce, and a dark secret from childhood that lies underneath it all. Told with equal measures of humor and heartbreak, Commonwealth is a meditation on inspiration, interpretation, and the ownership of stories. It is a brilliant and tender tale of the far-reaching ties of love and responsibility that bind us together.

Check out this title in our catalog!

The Leavers

by Lisa Ko

One morning, Deming Guo’s mother, Polly, an undocumented Chinese immigrant, goes to her job at a nail salon-and never comes home. No one can find any trace of her. With his mother gone, eleven-year-old Deming is left mystified and bereft. Eventually adopted by a pair of well-meaning white professors, Deming is moved from the Bronx to a small town upstate and renamed Daniel Wilkinson. But far from all he’s ever known, Daniel struggles to reconcile his adoptive parents’ desire that he assimilate with his memories of his mother and the community he left behind.

Check out this title in our catalog!

Ask Again, Yes

by Mary Beth Keane

In Mary Beth Keane’s extraordinary novel, a lifelong friendship and love blossoms between Kate Gleeson and Peter Stanhope, born six months apart. One shocking night their loyalties are divided, and their bond will be tested again and again over the next thirty years. Heartbreaking and redemptive, Ask Again, Yes is a gorgeous and generous portrait of the daily intimacies of marriage and the power of forgiveness.

Check out this title in our catalog!

The Mothers

by Brit Bennett

A dazzling debut novel from an exciting new voice, The Mothers is a surprising story about young love, a big secret in a small community–and the things that ultimately haunt us most. Set within a contemporary black community in Southern California, Brit Bennett’s mesmerizing first novel is an emotionally perceptive story about community, love, and ambition. It begins with a secret.

Check out this title in our catalog!

The Perfect Nanny

by Leila Slimani

A dazzling debut novel from an exciting new voice, The Mothers is a surprising story about young love, a big secret in a small community–and the things that ultimately haunt us most. Set within a contemporary black community in Southern California, Brit Bennett’s mesmerizing first novel is an emotionally perceptive story about community, love, and ambition. It begins with a secret.

Check out this title in our catalog!

The Most Dangerous Place on Earth

by Lindsey Lee Johnson

The wealthy enclaves north of San Francisco are not the paradise they appear to be, and nobody knows this better than the students of a local high school. Despite being raised with all the opportunities money can buy, these vulnerable kids are navigating a treacherous adolescence in which every action, every rumor, every feeling, is potentially postable, shareable, viral.

Check out this title in our catalog!

A Good Neighborhood

by Therese Anne Fowler

A gripping contemporary novel that examines the American dream through the lens of two families living side by side in an idyllic neighborhood, and the one summer that changes their lives irrevocably. A Good Neighborhood asks big questions about life in America today―what does it mean to be a good neighbor? How do we live alongside each other when we don’t see eye to eye?―as it explores the effects of class, race, and heartrending love in a story that’s as provocative as it is powerful.

Check out this title in our catalog!

Big Little Lies

by Liane Moriarty

A murder…A tragic accident…Or just parents behaving badly? What’s indisputable is that someone is dead. Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the little lies that can turn lethal.

Check out this title in our catalog!

The Gifted School

by Bruce Holsinger

Crystal, Colorado. Four young families juggle the stresses of parenthood, careers, and marriage. As the kids head for middle school, the families are still tight. But when an exclusive magnet school for ‘gifted children’ is being built, cracks begin to form in their relationships. As the parents go to great lengths to ensure their child is accepted, relationships turn toxic and secrets are exposed.

Check out this title in our catalog!

Want more recommendations?

 

You can check out all of our online booklists (for kids and for adults), or reach out to us! Our staff is ready and willing to make reading, listening, or viewing recommendations to you! Email us at reference@benlib.org or contact us via our online form!

A Father’s Day Booklist | For Kids

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Father’s Day is Sunday, June 21! Our Youth Services staff handpicked a bunch of their favorite books all about dads! All of the books featured here are books that we have in our collection. To see if an item is available to check out or place on hold, click the cover image or button to the right of the description.

Our Favorite Father's Day Picks

Father's Day

by Anne Rockwell

What’s the perfect gift for Dad? In Mrs. Madoff’s class, it’s a book made just for him. First the kids think about their special moments with their fathers. Sam’s dad is so strong, he can carry Sam on his shoulders. Eveline’s dad sings to her when Maman has to work at night. Jessica writes about her father in Texas and her stepfather at home. And when it’s time to celebrate at school, both of her fathers give Jessica the best surprise of all.

Check out this title in our catalog!

The Night Before Father's Day

by Natasha Wing

In rhyming text based on “The Night Before Christmas”, Mom and the kids have a plan to surprise Dad with a special gift. When Dad goes for a bike ride, everyone gets to work. Dad wakes up the next day to find his garage newly organized and his car sparkly clean. So, of course, he celebrates by taking everyone for a spin!

Check out this title in our catalog!

I Love Dad with the Very Hungry Caterpillar

by Eric Carle

Celebrate Dad’s special day by saying “I Love You” — with a little help from The Very Hungry Caterpillar. This bright and colorful book is the ideal way to tell the person you call “Dad” how much you love them.

Check out this title in our catalog!

A Brave Bear

by Sean Taylor

After suggesting he and his father go to the river to cool down, a little bear tries to impress his father along the way.

For very young children just beginning to dare to do new things and their supportive and loving parents, this gentle read-aloud just might be the best thing in the world.

Check out this title in our catalog!

More favorites... Click the cover to view in our online catalog!

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I Am Perfectly Designed

by Karamo Brown

I Am Perfectly Designed is an exuberant celebration of loving who you are, exactly as you are, from Karamo Brown, the Culture Expert of Netflix’s hit series Queer Eye, and Jason Brown―featuring illustrations by Anoosha Syed.

In this empowering ode to modern families, a boy and his father take a joyful walk through the city, discovering all the ways in which they are perfectly designed for each other.

Check out this title in our catalog!

Daddies are Awesome

by Meredith Costain

Loving and thoughtful, playful and daring, cuddly and caring–daddies are awesome. This gentle rhyming text celebrates the special bond between father and child. Adorable doggy daddy and pup illustrations make this perfect for sharing!

Check out this title in our catalog!

Daddies are Awesome

by Meredith Costain

So you want to surprise your dad? You’re in luck! The pages of this book are full of tips on how to become a super dad surpriser, including tips for things you can make, do, or find—just for your dad.

Two siblings provide instructions for how to surprise one’s dad, including surprises you can make, do, or find — and how to plan a Special Day surprise party for him.

Check out this title in our catalog!

My Two Dads and Me

by Michael Joosten

Celebrate Pride every day with this adorable board book for the babies and toddlers of gay fathers, featuring a variety of diverse, loving families with two dads. Families with same-sex parents are celebrated in this board book that follows busy dads and their kids throughout their day — eating breakfast, getting dressed, heading out to the park, and settling back in at night with a bubble bath and a good-night lullaby. 

Check out this title in our catalog!

More favorites... Click the cover to view in our online catalog!

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It's Great Being a Dad

by Dan Bar-El

A gang of mythical creatures is roaming around a magical land having a great time, until Bigfoot gets his foot stuck in a tree trunk and Unicorn gets her horn impaled on a table and Robot’s saw-arm gets rusted into position. But no fear! Dad is there to fix things – even when a Sneaky Flying Alligator Pirate steals the Fairy Queen Ballerina Doctor’s wand.

Check out this title in our catalog!

When a Dad Says I Love You

by Douglas Wood

How do you like to hear “I love you”? This cozy picture book shows all the ways dads can say it best.

Dads know how to do everything. They can help with homework and carry you on their shoulders. They can make pancakes and teach you how to sing songs. These loving actions are just some of the ways dads show how much they care—and no matter how he says it, “I love you” is wonderful to hear!

Check out this title in our catalog!

Founding Families | The Fischers

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Welcome to “Founding Families”, a local history series that highlights and features a founding family of Bensenville through ancestry, photos, and more. Stay tuned for more Founding Families to be featured on our website and as a part of our “Flashback Friday” series on Facebook. In the meantime, be sure to browse the Bensenville Historical Collection on the Illinois Digital Archives for more local history information.

Christian Fischer and his brother Conrad’s oldest child, Henry Deitrich Fischer, both from the Kingdom of Hanover in Germany, arrived in Illinois separately in 1833 and 1834. Christian was one of the first three Bensenville settlers and made a 1000-acre claim, near Grand Avenue and Church Rd. The settlers found plentiful timber and water, and flat prairie without stones. Henry worked carrying ashes for soap-making in the frontier town of Chicago, and also worked in a sawmill up north in Green Bay, Wisconsin. 

Christian’s brother Conrad Fischer and his wife Louisa arrived with their five children in 1836. They had sailed across the Atlantic to New York city, and lost one of their daughters to drowning while taking a boat up the Hudson River. They then traveled west on the Erie Canal and by ship across the Great Lakes. Henry walked to Chicago from Green Bay, to reunite with mother, father and siblings.

Christian met his brothers family in Chicago, and they walked to their land claim in northeast DuPage county, where they cut down trees from Dunklee’s Grove and built their new home. 

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Henry married Anna Franzen, from Prussia, in 1837, and they had eight children. The Fischer family prospered as farmers and leaders in the township. Conrad and Louisa Fischer donated land for a schoolhouse which his brother Henry Fischer built in 1851. The school taught English language to German immigrant children. Henry was an elected supervisor, and was Justice of the Peace from 1854 until his death in 1868, at the age of only 53 years.

The construction of the Fischer windmill, on Grand Avenue in front of Mount Emblem Cemetery, was begun in 1847. A well known cabinet maker, Henry Korthauer, helped build the mechanism, while men from Holland assisted with the three year construction period. The mill ground corn and wheat until 1916, and housed the Edward Ehlers family, after the Fischers sold the mill and moved to Oregon. 

Our Digital Librarian & Archivist has been reorganizing and preserving the Library’s physical local history collection and digitizing resources for the Illinois Digital Archive. To start browsing the Bensenville Historical Collection on the Illinois Digital Archives, please visit: benlib.org/local-history-online.

Local history questions? Please contact Digital Librarian & Archivist, Elizabeth Morris, at emorris@benlib.org.

Documents and photographs obtained from: Find A Grave and Ancestry.Com and 1874 Atlas & History of DuPage County, Illinois (DuPage County Historical Society).

History from Books, DuPage at 150 (Moore & Bray), Bensenville (Sebastian), 1874 Atlas & History of DuPage County, Illinois (DuPage County Historical Society), and Kenneth Ritzert, History of Bensenville, (DuPage County Historical Society website).

Bensenville/DuPage County Community Assistance Resources

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DuPage County Health Department COVID-19 Testing Sites

DuPage CRF Housing Assistance Program

  • DuPage County is providing Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) in the form of Emergency and Short-term Assistance in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. This emergency rental assistance targets low income households who have experienced a financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic and whose financial hardship has not been resolved through another source of assistance. The DuPage CRF Housing Assistance Program is for DuPage County residents only. Properties requesting mortgage assistance must be located in DuPage County. Learn more. (En español.)

DuPage County Resource Network

  • DuPage CRIS (Community Resource Information System) is a resource for housing, health and medical, legal, employment, transportation, food, and income support in DuPage County. CRIS is managed by DuPage County Community Services Intake and Referral, where they connect DuPage County residents with programs that can assist in many areas of need. Learn more

Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

The DuPage County Community Services Department’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) program assists low-income households by offsetting the rising cost of home energy through direct financial assistance, energy counseling, outreach and education. An overdue bill or disconnect notice is not required to receive LIHEAP assistance. For more application information, including how to apply, or to schedule a phone appointment, DuPage County residents may call (630) 407-6500, (800) 942-9412 (toll-free) or visit: www.dupageco.org/LIHEAP/

Bensenville Wood Dale Food Pantry

The Bensenville & Wood Dale Food Pantry remains open to serve the community. However, to ensure the health of its volunteers and its continued service, their hours of operation have changed. They will now be open only on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., located at 192 S. Center Street in Bensenville. Learn more

 

Looking for DuPage county food pantries? Visit: communityhungernetwork.org

Unemployment Due to COVID-19 Business Closures

workNet DuPage is committed to providing workers and businesses with every tool in their arsenal to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic stronger than ever. Learn more

 

Illinois workNet, along with affiliates and community partners, provide one-stop delivery of services, connecting individuals, employers, and education and workforce partners to career  planning, education and training, employment resources and tools and workforce programs.  Illinois workNet seamlessly connects people to local and statewide in-person and online services and is open to all Illinois’ citizens, employers, and education and workforce partners. Learn more

Applying for Unemployment Benefits

Access information regarding how to apply for unemployment through the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). Access IDES services, learn how to file an unemployment insurance claim, and more.

The new federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program via the Illinois Dept. of Employment Security, provides benefits for many individuals who have been determined ineligible for state unemployment benefits, including self-employed workers and independent contractors. Learn more

DuPage County Small Business Assistance Programs and Services

In an effort to assist small businesses and independent contractors impacted by COVID-19, DuPage County in conjunction with Choose DuPage is providing grants to use for employee retention payroll, utilities, and rent. Learn more 

Find information and resources regarding workNet DuPage business services related to COVID-19.

Coronavirus Fraud & Criminal Intent: Information from the Federal Trade Commission

Click here for more DuPage County News & Press Releases

Standing for Justice and Equity

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A statement from Library Director David Sieffert on behalf of the Bensenville Community Public Library:

Racism and inequity have longstanding and far-reaching roots in our country. From the first enslaved people brought against their will to Jamestown to the horrific and senseless death of George Floyd, we all have a responsibility to stand up and voice our opposition to the systemic racism that remains in our country.

The Bensenville Community Public Library stands with the American Library Association, the Illinois Library Association, and Black Caucus of the American Library Association in condemning violence and racism towards Black people and all People of Color. We hope the road ahead is not as long or as painful as the history we leave behind.

Libraries across this country believe in the ideology that we serve with open and equitable access for everyone. We will always remain a center for compassion, education, and information. However, to be successful in this fight, it will take a collective effort from all of us to ensure that there is justice and equity for everyone in our country.

Every journey begins with a simple step. Please take the time to read this worthy statement from the Urban Library Council or explore some of these available resources below.

Nonfiction books about anti-racism and race

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Impactful fiction from black authors

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Anti-racism, race, and black voices for teens

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Starting conversations with kids: racism, diversity, activism, and social justice

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Documentaries & films for adults

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You can find all of the titles above available in either our collection via the online catalog, or through our digital resources, OverDrive and Axis360.

Curbside Pickup Service

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In an effort to provide safe, easy, and convenient access of materials to our community, the Bensenville Community Public Library now offers curbside pickup service!

Please note that our curbside service is a pickup service only. All materials must be put on hold prior to pickup.

  • Check out books, audiobooks, magazines, DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, board games, a selection of YS book bundles, and WiFi hotspots!
  • Printing, scanning, copying, and faxing services are also available for curbside pickup. Please call the Adult Services Desk at (630) 766-4642 for more information.

Curbside pickup hours:

Monday — Thursday
9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Friday
9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Saturday
9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Sunday
1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

How can I request materials for curbside pickup?

Place your items on hold:

  • Through the online catalog at: benlib.org/catalog

  • Through the SWAN Libraries Mobile App

  • By calling us at (630) 766-4642. We’re available Monday—Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Fridays 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sundays 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Once your hold is received and processed, we will notify you by phone or email when your items are ready for pickup. Please do not attempt to pick up your items until you have been notified. Once notified, you will have 7 days to pick up your hold during curbside hours.

My items are ready for pickup. Now what?

  • First things first, bring your cellphone and your library card with you to the library.
  • Once you arrive, please park in a designated curbside pickup spot in front of the building and call the phone number posted on the sign. (Curbside pro-tip: Add the BCPL Curbside phone number to your contacts in your phone for even easier pickup service next time!)
  • Tell us your name and which curbside spot you are in. Open your trunk. Staff will bring your items out to you and place directly in your trunk. Please do not exit the vehicle. If your trunk is not accessible, staff will place your items on top of your vehicle.
  • You can now enjoy your materials at home!
  • Please note: Currently, staff cannot take returned items. Please kindly put all returned materials in the outside book drop.

The outdoor book drop is open for returns!

Frequently Asked Questions about Curbside Pickup:

When you arrive at the library, call the curbside number posted on the sign in the parking lot and let us know you are here and not in a car. Please stay close to the outside book drop and a staff member will come out and place your items on the bench under the awning. You may retrieve your items when the staff member has returned to the building.

If you do not have a cell phone to use, please call the Library at (630) 766-4642 prior to picking up your items and alternate arrangements can be made.

No, the card number you received online is only valid for online use. Please call the Library at (630) 766-4642 to arrange to receive a physical card that can be used to for both online and in-house materials.

For the safety of our staff, we ask that you wait until one of the two spots is clear and park in a curbside spot when one becomes available. 

Books, audiobooks, magazines, DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, board games, binge boxes, youth kits & book bundles, Chromebooks, WiFi hotspots, and more!

Printing, scanning, and faxing services are also available during curbside pickup. Please call the Adult Services Desk at (630) 766-4642 for more information.

If your items are on the shelf, you should receive notification that your items are ready for pickup within 24-48 hours. Please do not come to the library until you are notified that your items are ready. Some holds may take longer than usual due to items being quarantined upon return.

All items have been quarantined for 7 days prior to being checked out to you. Please do not use liquid disinfectant on library materials. Time is the best disinfectant!

Loan periods for all materials will be three weeks with two renewals, if there are no pending holds. Checkout limits remain the same.

For your safety and the safety of our staff, all returns must be made through the outside book drop. Staff will not accept any materials from patrons.

Please note: Items you have returned will remain on your account for approximately 7 days. At this time, no overdue fines are being charged on any library materials.

We can’t wait to see everyone again! We will reopen the building to patrons as soon as we can do so in a safe and responsible manner and in accordance with State guidelines. Please know that we will publicize any reopening information on our website and our Facebook page.

At this time, we are not accepting material donations. Please hold materials until an announcement is made that we are accepting donations. Thank you for your patience and understanding!

During inclement weather, the Library may suspend curbside pickup for the safety of the staff. Please call ahead to ensure curbside pickup is available.

Yes! We’re full of good suggestions! Staff members from the Adult Services and Youth Services Departments are available to help you find your next great read (or watch)! Call us at (630) 766-4642 and someone will be happy to assist you.

A Letter from the Director…

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May 22, 2020

To our residents and patrons,

Foremost, I hope that this letter finds you and those important to you happy and healthy. We are all in uncharted waters, struggling to come to grips with the public health crisis and fallout of COVID-19. While so much is beyond our control, one thing that I find much comfort in is the fact that we live and work in a community as vibrant and resilient as Bensenville. A community that wholeheartedly believes in solidarity and looking out for our friends and neighbors. You can see the results of this every day, from birthday parades and porch portraits organized by the Village of Bensenville, to the thousands of lunches distributed by our friends at Bensenville School District 2, Fenton School District 100, and the Bensenville/Wood Dale Food Pantry. I know that we will all get through this and want you to know that when we do, the Library will be here, as we always have, to serve you.

While we cannot be together in the building currently, we are still working hard to provide you and your family with valuable resources. Please visit our webpage or social media pages to browse the current services we have available. We have premiered a new Storytime (from home) series on Facebook and Vimeo. We currently have 30+ new storytime videos that are available to view from the comfort of your home. We also have a variety of crafting and family videos that we have recently created. Last month our videos were viewed thousands of times for more than 125 hours collectively, so we know many of you are already enjoying these new resources. We have increased user checkouts for eBooks through OverDrive and Axis360. We installed a new public WiFi access point near our 30-minute parking spots to allow residents free and open access to our WiFi. Our online seed library is in full swing and has been met with much enthusiasm. Visit our webpage and place your order for up to 5 seed packets (while supplies last), which will be mailed directly to you at no charge with your library card. Don’t have a library card? Visit our website to sign-up for a new digital library card, which will allow you access to all of our online services. Virtual book clubs have launched with a variety of titles and times. This is just the tip of the iceberg; there are many more things to be found on our webpage and throughout our social media accounts. Check frequently because there is much more coming soon this summer.

We are working diligently to take steps to ensure that when the Library reopens, we are doing so in a safe and responsible manner. The Library administrative team and Board of Trustees has developed and passed a phased reopening plan. This is our roadmap to get back to being able to provide the level of service you expect and deserve as a community. Things will undoubtedly look different at the library for the near future, but we are committed to adapting our procedures, services, and programs to these unprecedented times.

When we reopen, we will be taking the following steps:

• Introducing new curbside pickup option for materials on hold (launching early June 2020)

• Promoting new digital programs and services guide for July and August (available mid June 2020)

• Opening initially with limited hours to allow extra time for daily building maintenance and cleaning

• Quarantining all materials for 72 hours prior to placing them back on the shelves

• Installing new protective sneeze guards at all public service desks

• Placing social distancing stickers on the floor

• Limiting building occupancy according to public health guidelines

• Vigilantly cleaning commonly touched surfaces throughout the day

• Properly spacing computers and instituting new time limits on computer use

• Purchasing additional copies of new, popular materials to minimize hold times while materials are quarantined

• Introducing new digital programs and services

 

We understand the difficulty of not being able to access the Library and our physical materials during this time. I can assure you that we are working hard behind the scenes to open just as quickly as we can. At this time, the best service that we can provide is to be good stewards of public health. Thank you for your patience and support during this time and we cannot wait to see you all back in the building soon!  

David Sieffert

Library Director

To read more COVID-19 updates from the Library, please click here.

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