We look back at USA250 and discuss how we can show up for one another and remain civically engaged in our communities. 

Show Notes: 

USA 250 page

Sifting through Information podcast episode 

Combatting the Loneliness Epidemic podcast episode 

Your Government page

Civic Love event (Monday, September 21) 

Civic Love cards (National Public Housing Museum)

Making Change in Chicagoland blog post

Look Back to the Bicentennial blog post

The Record Northshore

Evanston RoundTable 

The Inheritance by Trisha Sakhlecha

The Score by C Thi Nguyen 

Melody and Laurel join the podcast to chat about the importance of intergenerational interactions and how the library creates opportunities for these relationships. 

Brenna and Amy talk with Marni about the trending loneliness epidemic we're experiencing and how the library creates space for human connection. 

Brittany Bouyer and Zeeshan Farooq were chosen as our November 2025 and March 2026 Makers in Residence. Marni sits down with them individually to talk about their inspiration and community projects. 

Librarians Laurel and Maria share the idea behind the Skokie Yearbook Project, a yearlong community-focused initiative, and some of their favorite moments from the past year. 

Information Services Supervisor Amy shares her tips for evaluating and navigating information, as well as some of her favorite reference questions. 

Show Notes: https://www.skokielibrary.info/podcast

We wrap up our conversation with Niles Township Supervisor Bonnie Kahn Ognisanti. We explore her background in policy writing, what's new in Springfield, and how the community can give back. 

Niles Township Supervisor Bonnie Kahn Ognisanti joins Marni and Richard to dive into the workings of a township and what services they provide. 

We conclude our conversation with Executive Director Richard Kong. After the interview, we give you a behind-the-scenes look at a recent community volunteer project. 

Find the show notes on our website: https://www.skokielibrary.info/podcast

Richard Kong became the Skokie Public Library executive director in 2016. During his tenure, he's experienced a lot of change (like multiple renovation projects), but the library's commitment to the community hasn't wavered. 

Show notes: https://skokielibrary.info/your-family-your-library/