On Wednesday, June 14, the Board of Library Trustees issued a proclamation in conjunction with the Village of Algonquin: June 19-25 is Pollinator Week!
In 2007, the U.S. Senate
unanimously approved the annual designation of National Pollinator Week in June. It marked a step in recognizing and addressing the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations. Pollinator Week is now an international celebration of bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles as critical contributors to Earth’s ecosystem. This is a time to celebrate pollinators and spread the word about what you can do to protect them.
AAPLD and the Village of Algonquin will work together to make a difference for pollinators in general — and the monarch butterfly in particular — by planting the native milkweed and nectar plants that are essential for pollinator habitat. Visitors to the Harnish Main Library or Eastgate Branch Library can pick up free packets of milkweed seeds June 19-25 (one packet per household; while supplies last). During National Pollinator Week, AAPLD will provide pollinator education through displays of library resources and social media posts. The Library is also developing a pollinator garden in a raised planting bed near the Harnish Main Library building.
What can YOU do to protect and support pollinators?
Plant a Pollinator Garden
Download the BeeSmart Pollinator Gardener, an easy-to-use app to help you plant a garden that butterflies and other pollinators will love. Check out eco-regional planting guides from Pollinator Partnership.
Provide Nesting Habitat
Discover the critical plant for Monarch butterfly feeding and breeding via the USDA Forest Service web site.
Avoid or Limit Pesticide Use
A chemical-free garden is best for all pollinators, as pesticides can kill more than intended. Learn more from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Keep Learning!
Visit Butterfly gardens for inspiration or just to enjoy our winged pollinator friends at:
Chicago Botanic Garden features a butterfly exhibit May 27 through September 4 (weather permitting)
Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens is a Rockford-area attraction features a butterfly exhibit in the Spring.
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Chicago has a year-round indoor butterfly haven.
illustrator creating work depicting anatomy, biology, and wildlife. She illustrates for scientists, publishers and medical professionals, with her work appearing in textbooks, websites, and research journals.
med. She spent time working in the university’s cadaver lab as a human prosector and student aid. “It’s much easier to illustrate a liver when you’ve taken one apart yourself,” Caitlin says.
always learning new scientific information, which I really love.”
commercial art/advertising/graphic design Jennifer knows a lot of thought and planning goes into the design of what we throw away, whether it’s the pattern printed on a
tissue box or the complicated cardboard packaging of a bottled six pack. She started noticing it all, and wondering to herself “What can I do with this? What can this become?” Art from refuse was the result.
picking up a free comic book at both Library locations! We’ll have a costume contest for kids and teens, superhero craft stations, a comic-themed photo booth, a scavenger hunt, and much more! Open to the public; all ages welcome. One comic book per visitor, please.
will host the Village of Algonquin’s Student Art Exhibit at the Harnish Main Library from April 1 through April 20.
Show” winners from each school. The overall prize in design and execution is awarded the Richard A. Rehwaldt Memorial Award, in honor of the late community arts supporter and former Algonquin Public Arts Commission member who helped develop the Village’s first student art exhibit in 2012.
year’s exhibit and invites the public to view the students’ works during regular library hours. For more information about Library hours and location, call 847-458-6060 or visit www.aapld.org/about-us. For more information about the exhibit itself, please contact Ben Mason, Village of Algonquin Senior Planner (847-658-4184).
Library gallery in March to view the intricate creations of Jennifer and Peter Lilliebridge. This creative couple has experience in graphic design, illustration, advertising, and printing. AAPLD is pleased to display the cross-stitch patterns they’ve designed.
companies, including District 300. That logo features the silhouetted figures of their family members. The couple often designs custom cards, photo slide shows, and illustrations, as well a creative home and holiday party displays for family and friends.
to access what they need to succeed! With our Limited Access and Digital Access cards, students ages 14-17 can sign up for their own card on their own time. Just complete an application and provide photo identification with verification of address in the form of a driver’s license, driver’s permit and school ID, or school ID and other address verification. These cards do not require the signature of a parent or legal guardian and will expire when the cardholders turn 18 years old.