Recent News & Announcements

The Mighty Twig, an experimental library and internet outpost, welcomes the public to celebrate the holidays with crafts that emphasize giving to others, a sing-a-long, cookie decorating, and wonderful holiday tale telling reflecting unique traditions and beliefs. Three local storytellers will celebrate the beauty of our community’s diversity at The Mighty Twig’s Holiday Open House on Thursday, December 15 from 6 to 8 PM, at 900 Chicago Avenue in Evanston.

The evenings’ featured storytellers are Bennett Johnson, publisher of the Evanston Sentinel, Isidro Lucas, who hosts regular story-times in Spanish for The Mighty Twig, and Jane Stenson, former long-time Baker Demonstration School kindergarten teacher and co-author of The Storytelling Classroom.

Fun “giving” activities will include making cards for wounded veterans and active personnel still on-duty abroad. Evanston artisan and PhotoPhlowers business owner, Evan Finamore, will lead stations for children to make presents for friends and family. Kids can create their own cookie masterpiece, take home a book, and possibly win a door prize. There are even little pouches of seeds and oats so children can spread a little holiday happiness to our animal friends.

The Mighty Twig, sponsored entirely by donations and run by volunteers of the Evanston Public Library Friends, provides a lending library, WIFI, children’s/teen/adult programming and free books to keep for your home library. To donate: write your check to EPLF and mail to P.O. Box 8001, Evanston, IL 60204 or visit http://www.themightytwig.com to donate online.

Please join us at The Mighty Twig

Celebrate six months of success and kick-start 2012!

Enjoy live Jazz, art by area students., and the excitement of an iPad2 Raffle!
Help us raise $25K by December 15th!
Saturday, November 5, 2011 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Appetizers & Drinks will be served.

Big Numbers Tell Our Story of Success: 

In just 6 months 

18,017 visitors,

3481 computer users.

2591 toddlers at storytime

509 children checked out 6062 books

15,297 free books distributed to 11 locations across Evanston.

Run with 3,431 volunteer hours, with volunteers ranging from ages 9 to 89.

The Mighty Twig welcomes Evanston author Sam Park, who will read from his celebrated first novel, “This Burns My Heart,” on Friday, September 23 at 7:00 p.m. Acclaimed author Audrey Niffenegger (“The Time Traveller’s Wife”) describes the book as “quietly stunning — a soft, fierce story that lingers in the mind. Samuel Park is a deft and elegant writer; this is a very exciting debut.”

According to the publisher, “This Burns My Heart” is equal parts classic romance, page-turning literary drama, and cultural history. Set in South Korea in the 1960s, it centers on Soo-Ja Choi, an ambitious young woman who finds herself trapped in an unhappy marriage. Faced with adversity and oppression, she struggles to protect her daughter and to fulfill her own dreams—all against the backdrop of a society caught between tradition and modernity.

Kirkus Reviews calls THIS BURNS MY HEART “captivating” and a “first-rate literary effort,” saying, “Park’s novel can be read as a contemplation of loss and the angst of unrequited love, much like Dr. Zhivago.”

Please join us at The Mighty Twig, 900 Chicago Ave. on Thursday, September 22 at an open house to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Between 6-7 pm, there will be craft tables set up to make mini-piñatas (stuffed with candy, of course), decorate maracas, and more…

- Beginning at 6:30, Abuelo Isidro will tell classic stories from several Spanish-speaking countries, and provide the audience with some interesting facts about the Hispanic culture

- At 7:00 pm, we are going to pick up the pace, turn up the music, and learn to dance the Bachata! Dance instructor Veronica Quiroz will show us a few basic moves that will get everyone up and dancing!

We hope to see you there!

Family Events and Open Houses:
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with song, dance, and storytelling. Thursday 9/22 from 6-7:30pm
Thomas the Tank Engine Night. Thursday, 10/13 from 6-7:30pm. Toot. Toot. The track is back!
Howling Hallowe’en. Saturday, 10/31 from 3-5pm. Parade, stories, and treats. Wear your costume!
National Gaming Day. Saturday, 11/12 from 3-5pm. Got game? Bring it on!
Holiday Open House.Thursday, 12/15 from 6-7:30pm. Celebrate the season, Mighty Twig style.

Teen Scene
Get your Latino Dance Moves shaking at The Mighty Twig tonight. Thursday, 9/22 from 7-7:30 pm.
It’s Teen Read Week from October 16-22. After school snacks all week, plus check out the book suggestions from YA librarian Nori. She picked them just for you.
NO PARENTS ALLOWED EVENT. Friday, 10/21. All day. Music, Fun, ‘Nuff said.

Mighty Author Night. Join us for a reading. Spend an evening with Sam Park, author of This Burns My Heart, an Amazon Best Book of the Month. Friday, 9/23 at 7pm.

Adult Book Club. Thursday, 10/20 7PM, All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren
Thursday, 11/17, 7PM, Blame by Michele Huneven

Computer How-to Class Learn to Search the Internet for What You Need, Faster. Looking for a job? Need information? We’ll offer tips and techniques for maximizing the time you spend searching. Thursday, 10/6, 6-7PM.

Holiday Closures for 2011: November 20-28, December 16-31