The days are getting closer to the new branch opening its doors to the community. Library staff are busy facilitating the move and preparing the new location to welcome you!
The Winfield Branch will close at end of business on Saturday, September 24.
Library movers will arrive to start boxing the collection, breaking down shelving and furniture delivery, staff training and other functions will all occur from September 25 through October 8. The new branch location is scheduled to open on Tuesday, October 11. Grand opening and ribbon cutting activities will be announced in October.
To help along the process, patrons will only have access to the DVDs and CDs located at the Crown Point Library until the Winfield Branch reopens.
HELP US MOVE!
We are encouraging our patrons to check out enough reading material to last while we are closed. Fines will not be charged for materials that are due during the library closure. Due dates for all materials checked out from the Winfield Branch will be adjusted to be due after we open in the new location.
The Crown Point Community Library announces the launch of a fun and exciting reading program for children ages 0-5 years – 1,000 Books before Kindergarten! The program was developed to increase awareness of the importance of reading to very young children as well as to inspire parents to embrace their role as their child’s first teacher.
The concept is simple, the rewards are priceless. The 1,000 Books before Kindergarten program encourages families to read at least 1,000 books to their preschooler, birth to age 5, before they enter school. Does it sound hard? Not really if you think about it. If you read just one book a night, you will have read about 365 books in a year. That is 730 books in two years and 1,095 book sin three years. IF you consider that most children start kindergarten at around five years of age, you have more time than you think.
Families can sign up beginning September 1 at the Crown Point and Winfield Branch libraries. Each child will receive a reading log to record the books they read, and a free book, compliments of the Friends of the Crown Point Library. Each time a goal of recording 100 books is reached, children are encouraged to bring their log to the library to receive the next reading log and receive a special reward!
The program is a fun, exciting, and free way to start your child on the path to success! Any child ages birth to five years can participate. Just follow these steps:
Register: Sign up at the Crown Point or Winfield Branch library. Pick up program materials at either library branch.
Track Your Reading: Fill in a square for each book you read with your child on your reading record. You can also download the 1,000 Books before Kindergarten app for iPhones or Androids.
Every Book Counts: Even if your child wants to hear the same book again and again, you can count it each time. You can also count the books your child hears in storytime, in daycare or preschool, or with a friend or family member, as long as your child listens to the entire book.
100-Book Milestones: Each time you read 100 books, bring your reading record to the library to receive a special reward.
1,000 Books: You did it! Come celebrate at the library, get your final sticker, reading certificate and prize.
Keep on Reading: Don’t stop at 1,000! Keep on reading together; there’s more learning ahead!
For more information contact the Children’s Library at 219-306-8068.
The Crown Point Library now offers the Mango Languages online language-learning system to its patrons! Mango can be accessed for free by :
going to www.crownpointlibrary.org,
clicking on the Research tab,
and then choosing Database List.
This exciting new resource is available in the library (using headphones!), and remotely, for library card holders, from home and on mobile devices. Mobile apps may be downloaded from the Google Play store for Android devices and Apple App store. Apps for Kindle and Nook are also available.
Mango offers access to 60 foreign language courses and 17 English courses taught completely in the user’s native language. In addition to traditional language courses, Mango also offers the opportunity to learn through foreign film with Mango Premiere™ and access to a variety of specialty mini courses, like Pirate, Medical Spanish and romance courses.
For more information please visit the Reference Department or call (219) 306-4593.
The Crown Point Community Library is pleased to announce it has received a $76,338 grant from the Crown Point Community Foundation. The Foundation introduced the “BIG IDEA, BIG IMPACT” grant opportunity to non-profit organizations in January 2016. The goal of the BIG IDEA Grant was to give local non-profit organizations the opportunity to DREAM BIG about how their organizations could significantly impact the local community. The funds provided by the Foundation’s grant will allow the library to expand literacy and library outreach services to the Crown Point and Winfield Township communities.
“The Library is thrilled to be able to extend its outreach further into the community as a result of receiving this generous grant award from the Crown Point Community Foundation. The Library looks forward to implementing our BIG IDEAS in order to serve the community in a bigger way.” said Julie Wendorf, Adult Programming and Outreach Librarian.
The Library’s BIG IDEA, funded by the grant, is both a partnership and collaborative effort in the community consisting of three compatible outreach activities that support literacy and increase library access for people of all ages:
• Outreach to Literacy organizations – The Conlon Community Literacy Center (CCLC)
The Crown Point Library will repurpose the James C. Conlon Periodical Room in the Crown Point location. The new space will house the Crown Point Adult Learning Center and their activities, as well as provide space (free of charge) to other literacy based organizations and providers. The magazines and newspapers will be relocated to another area without negative impact to patron services.
• Outreach to the Community and Under served Populations – The Mobile Library
The library will purchase a customized van with promotional vinyl wrap featuring the library’s image, motto and website. This van will function as a mobile library, and will be equipped to market and deliver library materials and services to the community. A “Library In A Box” program will be introduced to participant locations, as requested, focused on serving local senior center/living facilities and daycare/preschools. The Mobile Library will also be used to capitalize upon outreach efforts at local community events and allow us to provide mobile circulation and registrations of new library patrons.
• Connecting Communities: Library Courier Services
The Library van will provide transportation of materials between the main library location and its branch and creates delivery service that optimizes the use of library materials. The highly decorated van will highlight the library’s presence within the community and provide optimized advertising and marketing of the Library, while improving services between the two communities of the library district.
TEEN VOLUNTEER Call Out!
Teen volunteer applications for the 2016-2017 school year are available at the Children’s Library or online at http://crownpointlibrary.org/teens/.
• Volunteers must be in grades 7-12.
• Work one hour per week from October 10-May 26.
Applications are due to the Children’s Library desk by August 31. For more information please Call 306-8068.
Do you like to color? Today is National Coloring Book Day. Stop by and help color the giant coloring sheet located in the lobby at the Crown Point Library and the Winfield Branch.
There is a lot of community enthusiasm about the new branch, and one of the questions most asked is “when will it open?!” Branch manager, Brenda Thompson added, “We’re thrilled that it isn’t going to be very much longer!”
Patrons of the Winfield Branch Library shouldn’t have any trouble finding their new library when it opens late September. The new location is just down the street in the Doubletree Plaza located at the corner of Randolph and 109th.
Not much work is needed on the outside, but plenty of work is being done in the interior. The new branch location features over 3,000 square feet of more space. It will offer a public meeting room, more seating, additional public computers, dedicated spaces for Teens and Children, an outside book drop and better parking options.
A ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening celebration is being planned in October. Please look for updates on the library’s website and the September issue of Check It Out.
The Crown Point Community Library Board of Trustees will hold a Public Hearing, to discuss appropriations for rainy day funds, approval of
personnel manual revision and new ILS system, on Monday, July 18 at 5:00 p.m.
The meeting will be held in the Board Room, located on the 3rd Floor. A special board meeting will immediately follow. I.C.# 5-14-1.5-6.
In 2016, Hoosiers can check out state parks by checking out an entrance pass from their public library. The State Park Centennial Annual Pass Library Check-out Program is a partnership between Indiana State Parks and the Indiana State Library to encourage people to visit libraries and parks. The passes will provide access to Indiana’s 32 state parks and also to Indiana’s state forest recreation areas where entrance fees are charged. Passes will be available for check-out until December 31.
Let the Library help you explore! Both the Crown Point and Winfield Branch Libraries have ONE Indiana State Park Pass that can be checked out for up to seven days at a time. The pass can’t be renewed, and a $1 per day late fee will be assessed if the pass is not returned by the due date. If the pass is lost, the patron will be charged a $50 replacement fee, which is the cost of the annual pass.
In addition, the library has a variety of road trip guides to help you plan your journey. Come in today and “Check It Out!”
The Crown Point Community Library Indiana Room celebrates and collects the history of Crown Point, Lake County, and Indiana. It is a place to learn about the community and to conduct genealogy research. “If Solon Could See Us Now?” is the history blog for the Indiana Room- a place to explore new people, places, and other entries featuring a variety of topics. Please enjoy this online display about the Cobe Cup.
Celebrating the Indy 500? Thank the Cobe Cup
2016 is the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 (also known as: The 500, The 500-Mile Race, Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, Indy 500, or International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race {sweepstakes dropped in 1981}). Although the Indy 500 first ran in 1911, it paused for several years during World War II. The Greatest Spectacle in Racing may currently run in Indianapolis, but it has its beginnings 134 miles to the north in Crown Point.
Conceived by Ira Cobe, president of the Chicago Automobile Club, the race was intended to bring car racing to the west and create a new race to rival the Vanderbilt Cup in the east. Cobe chose Northwest Indiana for its vicinity to Chicago and its hospitable landscape. He planned the event for June 1909, even underwriting the road preparation and telegraph stations that needed to be installed along the route.
The course was 23.27 miles per lap which included Crown Point, Cedar Lake, and Lowell. Affectionately known as “The Nine Mile,” Indiana Avenue was nicknamed so after the Cobe race since it was the Nine Mile Stretch of track from Lowell to Crown Point. The roads were smoothed, some new sections built, and parts were coated in macadam at the cost of $21,000.00, starting at the beginning of May 1909. Time was of the essence since there would be a $500/day delay fee if the road was not completed for the first day of the race.
Source: A Special Souvenir Edition of you Post-Tribune: Share in the Celebration: A Salute to One Hundred-Fifty Years of Progress in Crown Point (June 21, 1984, Page 5) and The Lake County Star newspaper microfilm collection
May is the first mention of the impending race in The Lake County Star newspaper. There were sporadic articles each week about the progress of the road and other necessary construction, the potential visitors to the area, and the racers themselves.
The main grandstand was built along IN 55 about 1.25 miles south of the turn onto what is now Joliet Ave. It served as the start and end point of the race. Crown Point lumberman, D.A. Root was awarded the contract to supply the lumber and build the stands as well as the walking bridge over the course. The Grandstands were located on the east side of the street and the parking was provided on the west.
Source: The Lake County Star newspaper microfilm collection
Although financial backers and elite racing fans from around the country sat in the stands, most people lined the streets along the course rather than pay $10 for parking and then $5/person for a seat in the grandstand. Illinois National Guardsmen also lined the course- to protect both spectators and racers. There was a secondary stand on Main Street at the Square that only had 1 customer and a brass band.
The Western Stock Chassis Championship was planned as a 2 day open road race. The Indiana Trophy race was only a 10 lap race on the same course for smaller engines, held the first day. Joe Matson was victorious on June 18th, beating 17 other drivers. He finished the race in 4 hours 31 minutes and 21 seconds in a Chalmers-Detroit with an average speed of 51 mph. The Cobe Cup was awarded on June 19, 1909, following the 395 mile race (17 laps) for “bigger engines.” Driving a Buick, Louis Chevrolet won the staggered start race that included 12 cars. Chevrolet was victorious not by order of finish, but by his time. With the average speed of 49 mph, he won in 8 hours 1 minute and 39 seconds, beating the first to cross the finish line by 65 seconds.
Hoping to be a commercial success and annual event, investors actually lost money. Expectations were high for filling the newly built grandstand with spectators. There were estimates for up to 100,000 fans before the race, with actual numbers around 35,000. Since those fans chose to picnic roadside along the course, it cost backers an estimated $25,000. The Cobe Cup is considered a success only from a racing point of view. Assessment included, “Not a racer was spilled and not a car turned turtle. The pilots went around the curves discreetly instead of precipitately.” Perhaps this due to the fact that the drivers were permitted to practice the course that included a dangerous, and infamous, S-Curve halfway between Crown Point and Cedar Lake starting June 10th, from 2-4pm, per the public notice on the front page of the June 4, 1909, edition of The Lake County Star. The S-Curve has since been straightened slightly, no longer the danger it once was.
The Cobe Cup Trophy was presented to Chevrolet on the steps of the Courthouse. The 5’4” trophy no longer exists, rumored to have been melted down for scrap metal after Chevrolet’s death.
At the time, there was little love lost about the event. The Lake County Star front page headline on the edition following the race read “THE GREAT RACES ARE OVER. The Crowds Have Dispersed. Thank the Lord.” along with, “the best part is no one was killed or severely injured and plenty of vendors frosted.” The full column article mostly recalled the hassle of the race rather than the crowds and notoriety it brought to the area. Later in the edition, an article headlined “Threaten to Come Again” quoted Cobe as saying “Well, from the way I size up the situation now, I believe that we can repeat our races next year: in fact, I think I can safely say that the second running of the Cobe Cup will be in 1910. As to our plans it would be hard to say right now, but we are going ahead with our preparations just the same and are going to begin early next time.”
Subsequent races were cancelled and moved to the Indianapolis Speedway, where it was later decided to only hold one annual race starting in 1911- The Indianapolis International Sweepstakes.
Nostalgia has taken over, as it often does. Lyricist Victor H. Smalley and composer Bernard Adler retold the story of the Cobe Cup race with their song, “I Love My Horse and Wagon, But Oh! You Buick Car.” Since 1984, there have been annual reenactments of the Cobe Cup- a general cruise along the course with a police escort of cars pre-dating 1975. More recently, newer cars have been allowed to participate if qualified within the rules. It was cancelled in 2013 due to lack of local support, but returned in 2014. In 2015, 90 participated in the cruise, which commenced at the Lake County Fairgrounds and ended there with a celebration and car show. Want to participate this year? The 2016 Cobe Cup Cruise will be held at the Lake County Fairgrounds on June 18th.
As you watch the Indy 500 this Memorial Day, say a little thank you to Crown Point- it created the path to The Brickyard.
HELP US MOVE!
The Crown Point Community Library announces the launch of a fun and exciting reading program for children ages 0-5 years – 1,000 Books before Kindergarten! The program was developed to increase awareness of the importance of reading to very young children as well as to inspire parents to embrace their role as their child’s first teacher.
