Author Archive: Kate Silver

A photo of deep dish pizza from Pizano's Pizza and Pasta, broth being poured over foie gras at Moody Tongue, and pig face topped with an egg at Girl & the Goat

Second to None

By Kate Silver | June 1, 2023

Below you’ll find some favorite spots within a walk, train ride, cab, or water taxi from McCormick Place and downtown hotels. Many were also featured in my guidebook, Frommer’s Chicago Day by Day (2019). Others have opened more recently, during the pandemic. Let the eating begin! South Loop, Hyde Park, and Near South Side Medici … Continue reading Second to None →

Windy City Eats

By Kate Silver | June 1, 2017

A few years ago, I was given one of the best assignments a writer could hope for: to eat my way around Chicago and share the best restaurants in the Frommer’s EasyGuide to Chicago. American Libraries asked me to take some of my favorites and create a guide just for you, ensuring that you’re well … Continue reading Windy City Eats →

Get Cracking on Code

By Kate Silver | March 30, 2015

In a matter of months, Ferguson took a series of free coding classes through the library. It opened up an array of career possibilities, and he was quickly hired as a front-end web developer with an advertising agency. “When I was working as a paralegal, I had reached the ceiling,” says Ferguson. “Whereas with web … Continue reading Get Cracking on Code →

Hot Eats for Cold Nights

By Kate Silver | December 30, 2014

While the ultimate Windy City comfort foods are the oh-so-familiar Chicago-style hot dogs and deep dish pizza, each neighborhood offers its own soothing culinary creature comfort: noodles in Chinatown, tacos in Pilsen, and reinvented diner fare in the trendy West Loop. (All of the spots listed within this guide are within an easy El or … Continue reading Hot Eats for Cold Nights →

Latest Library Links

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Ada EZach Knippen writes: “In honor of National Library Week, teachers and staff [at Ada (Ohio) Exempted Village Schools] cooperated on a fun event for their students. Teachers volunteered to be a ‘Masked Reader’ and picked a book to read in their mask, and just like the show The Masked Singer, their voices were modified so the students couldn’t easily guess them. ‘I’ve heard kids of all ages, I’m saying kindergarten through 12th grade, who have just been chattering this week about the videos that they saw and guessing who they were,’ said District Librarian Chanda Smith.”

WLIO-TV (Lima, Ohio), Apr. 10
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Robin Camille Davis writes: “Are you the only person thinking about user experience (UX) at your library? Most libraries don’t have a whole team dedicated to UX, so you’re not alone, even if it feels like it! This post offers practical tips, moral support, and bite-sized UX wins for solo UX advocates trying to make change from within. When you’re flying solo, it’s all too easy to underestimate the amount of time, mental energy, and emotional labor that it may take to conduct just one study. So start small.”

Choice 360 LibTech Insights, Apr. 14
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“Elton John’s monumental album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, the original cast recording of Broadway’s Hamilton, and Microsoft’s reboot chime have been selected as some of the defining sounds of history and culture that will join the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress. On April 9, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden named 25 recordings as audio treasures worthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage. The recordings selected for the National Recording Registry this year bring the number of titles on the registry to 675.”

Library of Congress, Apr. 9
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“Due to continued challenges in accessing federal funding, the Maine State Library will temporarily close and reorganize its operations. This decision follows layoff notices issued this week to 13 employees whose positions are funded through a program grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in Washington, DC. The library tentatively plans to reopen to the public on April 28. IMLS support accounts for approximately 30% of the library’s annual budget, and the 13 affected employees represent about 30% of its staff. Should access to federal funding be reinstated, the layoffs may be reversed.”

Maine State Library, Apr. 10
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Brittany Allen writes: “The American Academy of Poets launched National Poetry Month in 1996. Reviving a recent tradition, the fine minds at Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (FSG) are celebrating the sonnet in style this spring. Every weekday this entire month, you can call the FSG Poetry Hotline (385-DIAL-FSG) and hear an FSG author read a poem, right into your personal ear.” For recommendations of poetry books, see lists from NCW Libraries in Washington; Utah State University; Canton (Mich.) Public Library; Boston Public Library; or St. Joe County Public Library in South Bend, Indiana.

Literary Hub, Apr. 1; NCW Libraries, Apr. 9; Utah State University, Apr. 7; Canton (Mich.) Public Library, Jan. 8; Boston Public Library; St. Joe County (South Bend, Ind.) Public Library, Apr. 10
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Phil Morehart writes: “The Secret Life of Librarians has been nominated for a Webby Award. Produced by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the online series explores the unexpected stories of librarians across the country. The 10 recipients of the American Library Association’s 2024 I Love My Librarian Award are at the series’ heart, with each penning a short piece encapsulating their work, and more importantly, why they do it. These are the stories of the unsung heroes whose work impacts lives both inside the library and outside its walls. Award voting is open until April 17.”

I Love Libraries, Apr. 14
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Ella Creamer writes: “Requests to remove books from library shelves are on the rise in the UK, as the influence of pressure groups behind book bans in the US crosses the Atlantic, according to those working in the sector. Most of the UK challenges appear to come from individuals or small groups, unlike in the US, where 72% of demands to censor books last year were brought forward by organized groups, according to the American Library Association earlier this week. However, evidence suggests that the work of US action groups is reaching UK libraries too.”

The Guardian, Apr. 14, Apr. 8

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