Exploring the World from Home
Looking for things to do while self-isolating? Your Library has some suggestions!
From book, movie, TV show, or podcast recommendations to virtual museum tours to exercise videos, we hope to have something for you.
New York Times Access (NYTimes.com)
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Enjoy Complimentary Access to the full NYTimes.com through the Highland Park Public Library!
To receive a redeemable code and activate your subscription, you will need to log in or register first.
Use the following link to redeem 24 hours of full off-site access:
NYTimes.com Access Compliments of Highland Park Public Library
By clicking this link, the patron affirms they are older than 13 years of age.
Conversations About Race
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Many within our community are looking for resources to assist with antiracist education and action. To support community members in accessing these materials, the Library has crafted a few recommendation lists made up of both books and online articles.
The items on these lists encourage critical thinking and aim to inspire conversations about the issues of anti-Blackness, state violence, and racial justice in the United States of America:
- List for Adults
- List for Children
- List for Teens & Young Adults
- Media Resources Available through kanopy
- Media Resources Available through hoopla
- OverDrive Materials
Movies presently free to stream:
- 13th (2016 Documentary), directed by Ava DuVernay (streaming via Netflix's YouTube channel)
Robin DiAngelo, author of White Fragility, in conversation with Marcus Campbell, Ed. D., Assistant Superintendent/Principal of Evanston Township High School in Evanston, IL. Presented by Family Action Network on YouTube: Robin DiAngelo Interview
The School Library Journal has compiled additional resources as well: Antiracist Resources and Reads: Lists for All Ages.
Library Journal’s main publication has also compiled a list of lists for fiction and nonfiction reading recommendations: LibraryJournal Antiracist Reading & Viewing.
Other online articles addressing the conversation:
- Anti-Racism Project
- Rachel Ricketts’ anti-racism resources
- 75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
- Showing Up For Racial Justice’s educational toolkits
- Save the Tears: White Woman’s Guide by Tatiana Mac
- Vox's How to Be a Good White Ally, According to Activists
- Resources for White People to Learn and Talk About Race and Racism
- Forbes' First, Listen. Then, Learn: Anti-Racism Resources For White People
- New York Times' These Books Can Help Explain Racism and Protest to Your Kids
- “Why is this happening?” — an introduction to police brutality from 100 Year Hoodie
If you are seeking specific recommendations, please feel free to complete a Perfect Picks Online Readers’ Advisory form for a personalized response.
Podcast Recommendations
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Book Themed
Music
Movies & TV
Interest
History
Shelf-Isolation
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Check out the Library in Your Living Room Readers' Roundtable mini-series, Shelf-Isolation! Located on the Library's YouTube Channel, Shelf-Isolation updates weekly on Friday mornings.
Virtual Museum Tours
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- Try Google Arts & Culture's virtual tours of these museums:
- Take a look at the Smithsonian's online programs, many of them free, and their 3D-scanned collections.
- The German Liebieghaus has online exhibits in English available for free on their website.
- The MET (Kids)
- Chicago Art Institute
- Chicago Field Museum
- Boston Children's Museum
- Guggenheim Museum, New York
- The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
- National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
- Chicago's Peggy Norbert Nature Museum
- Chicago's Adler Planetarium Online Exhibits
- Tour Studio Ghibli with videos from their beloved Tokyo Museum!
Virtual Storytimes
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In addition to the Highland Park Public Library's virtual storytimes on Facebook, here are other storytime options.
- Romper has #OperationStorytime, where celebrities read aloud. You can find these and more by searching the #OperationStorytime hashtag on social media.
- Alongside Imagination Library, Dolly Parton launched Goodnight With Dolly. All 10 stories come with activity sheets and parent reading tips.
- Dame Julie Andrews (Sound of Music) presents Julie's Library.
- Publisher Penguin Kids hosts Story Time! every weekday at 11AM on Penguin Kids' Instagram account and Facebook page.
- Author and illustrator Oliver Jeffers (The Day the Crayons Quit) read all his books on video, archived at Stay at Home Storytime with Oliver Jeffers, Staying Safe Together (But Apart)
- “Mondays with Michelle Obama” featured the former First Lady reading from favorite picture books. You can see the whole playlist on the PBS YouTube channel.
- Neil Gaiman reads aloud.
- Join astronauts as they read aloud from space!
- Every Thursday at 10AM CST, join Gail Carson Levine as she read a chapter from Ella Enchanted (earlier chapters are on Facebook).
- Dav Pilkey (Captian Underpants, Dog Man) posts storytimes, drawing lessons, and other kid-friendly events online on Fridays. Find episodes at Dave Pilkey at Home
- 15-episode Lunch Doodles! series with Mo Willems (Knuffle Bunny, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!), all episodes hosted at the Kennedy Center's Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems! and Pigeon Presents.
- Draw every day with author/illustrator Jarret J. Krosoczka
- Illustrator Wendy Mac hosted #DrawTogether sessions, available at Wendy Mac's YouTube page.
- Tom Watson read aloud and hosted drawing lessons on his YouTube page!
- Learn to cartoon with illustrator Joe Wos on How to Toon (YouTube).
- See a recording of The Brown Bookshelf's KidLit Community Rally led by authors and activists in the children's literature community
Virtual Author Interviews & Discussions
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- Robin DiAngelo, author of White Fragility, in conversation with Marcus Campbell, Ed. D., Assistant Superintendent/Principal of Evanston Township High School in Evanston, IL. Presented by Family Action Network on YouTube: Robin DiAngelo Interview
- The American Writers' Museum in Chicago is hosting a number of author interviews associated with their My America exhibit. The recordings are done live, but are also made available on the Museum's YouTube channel in their Author Talks playlist.
- Bess Kalb, author of Nobody Will Tell You This But Me, was interviewed by The Virtual Book Channel on LitHub - watch the recording here.
- Publisher Penguin Random House's Books Connect Us Podcast is made up of author interviews.
- Chicago Humanities Festival interviewed fantasy novelist, Veronica Roth. View the conversation on Chicago Humanities Festival YouTube.
- Chicago Humanities Festival interviewed Cameron Esposito, whose memoir Save Yourself was published in March 2020. View the conversation on Chicago Humanities Festival YouTube.
Virtual Park & Garden Tours
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- Google's The Hidden World of Natural Parks: A new Google Arts & Culture Exhibit, in The Hidden World of Natural Parks a local ranger will guide viewers through each park. The virtual tours are available online, in the Google Arts & Culture App on iOS / Android, and in the Google Expeditions app for use in the classroom. Watch the YouTube promo video here.
- Waddesdon Manor, Waddesdon, England: The Waddesdon Manor is a Neo-Renaissance style château that has been a Rothschild family home since the late 1800s. After his death in 1959, James de Rothschild left the house, the grounds, and the majority of the collections seen throughout the home to the National Trust.
- National Geographic Virtual Library, 1998-Now: With your library card, you can browse through the complete library of National Geographic Magazines.
Movies, Music & Theater
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Movies presently free to stream:
- 13th (2016 Documentary), directed by Ava DuVernay (streaming via Netflix's YouTube channel)
- The Met: Streaming now for free are encore presentations of its Live in HD series.
- Playbill has a list of fifteen (15) Broadway shows and where to stream them: 15 Broadway Musicals You Can Watch at Home. Take a look at their Theater Alternatives tag to find out more about digital theater events.
- The Shows Must Go On uploads a new filmed play every Friday to watch during the week.
- Explore Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood - meet the puppets, explore the set, and watch five new episodes each week.
- Experience Magic Kingdom's "Happily Ever After" Fireworks Show From Your Couch (YouTube, 18 minutes)
- Andrew Lloyd Webber is featuring mini-concerns and Sunday Singalongs on his FaceBook Page
- Donny Osmond Singing along to Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Any Dream Will Do" from Sunday Singalongs (FaceBook)
Get Moving with Virtually Led Workouts
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- YMCA 360: The VMCA developed a variety of at-home exercise options called YMCA 360.
- Health & Fitness Videos: hoopla Digital offers a variety of instructional videos, including Mindfullness & Meditation, Dance Your Way to Health!, Yoga, and more.
- Golds Gym has free, on-demand workouts.
- Planet Fitness is offering "Home Work-Ins" streamed live at 6PM CST via their FaceBook page.
- 10 Disney Zumba Videos to Work Up a Magical Sweat
- Kids stressed and worried? Join the Monterey Bay Aquarium for a morning MeditOcean activity with jellyfish (link goes to FaceBook).
- Cosmic Kids' Yoga (YouTube) gives themed, led yoga instruction at various levels of activity.
- GoNoodle videos (YouTube) get kids moving to be their bestest selves!
Educational Content
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- Stay Home Hit Play showcases virtual field trips around Chicago with Mayor Lori Lightfoot!
- Tour Studio Ghibli with their new Youtube channel, stocked with walkthrough videos from their beloved Tokyo Museum! Videos are in Japanese.
- Listen to Studio Ghibli soundtracks, a collection of over 600 song tracks.
- National Weather Service's eLearning Tools
- Science Buddies presents STEM Activities for Kids! Materials are easy to find with most activities taking an hour or less.
- Science Buddies STEM Activities is a collection of 160+ hands-on STEM activities & videos for K-12 that can be done in an hour or less.
- Girls Who Code: Code at Home is making CS educational activities available for download free of charge, to anyone who wants to access them. Girls Who Code will release activities weekly!
- Khan Academy is a nonprofit mission to provide free education to anyone, anywhere.
- Access Mars! The real surface of Mars as recorded by NASA's Curiosity rover.
- Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum's programs, stories, videos, activities, and more!
- Free, printable worksheets from 1-2-3 Homeschool 4 Me.
- Free printable worksheets from Early Learning Practice's AWE Learning.
- Chicago Field Museum's printable storybook (blank sheets appear after completed story).
Kids' Podcast Recommendations
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Kids Science Podcasts
Stories of Adventure
Music & Moving