Community Giving

Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community and feel connected to your neighbors! Community Engagement Librarian Holly and the Skokie Community Foundation Executive Director Jim return to the podcast to share the many benefits of volunteering and highlight some upcoming opportunities.

Neighbors supporting neighbors creates a strong foundation and community. Marni sits down with Community Engagement Librarian Holly and Jim, the executive director of the Skokie Community Foundation, to explore the different ways people can give back and how Skokie neighbors are helping each other. 

Screen time seems to be the topic of conversation nowadays. Our library staff shares what concerns they've heard from patrons and explores different options for screen time, both for kids and adults. 

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.