New to the Tinley Park Public Library is Destination Do-It-Yourself, a series of five sessions set to inspire and incite creativity among patrons, which begins Saturday, June 10.
“We like to be creative when summer comes around,” said Sue Bailey, the library’s adult program coordinator.
The program is meant to coincide with this year’s summer reading program theme titled “Reading by Design,” and all five [speakers] show a practical, handy new skill,” Bailey said.
Destination DIY starts at 11 a.m. with a lesson on how to improve one’s health and relationships. The next sessions focus on little, affordable projects patrons can take on to help organize and simplify their lives like organizing their closets to make more space, hanging pictures on their walls and creating containers for gardening use.
The hope, Bailey said, is that everyone will find enjoyment in the new program’s offering.
“The bottom line is it’s going to be a lot of fun,” she promised.
Bailey offered a piece of advice to patrons looking to maximize their Destination DIY experience.
“The secret is just attending,” Bailey said. “[The speakers] are good at what they do. Those two factors say a ton.”
“The idea is that ‘the simpler, the better,’” Bailey continued. “The speaker is sharing one tip or idea. [It’s important] not to [get] bogged [down]. It’s supposed to be simple and practical.”
Among those scheduled to speak at the Destination DIY sessions is Jenny Riddle, Nancy Depcik, Beth Randall, Julea Joseph and Nina Koziol.
Riddle—who is dramatic book reviewer by trade—said she plans to focus on the meaning behind DIY and its effort to help people improve themselves.
“I went looking for books under the DIY heading,” she said. “This is my thing. I’m always reading books, and when you give me a theme, it’s fun for me.”
From Pinterest to HGTV, DIY is often in the spotlight—some projects being more lavish, some being more achievable than others.
Riddle sought to dispel the myth that DIY projects are not always realistic goals for the average person to achieve.
“I’m sure that is a reality, but I think it gets oversimplified in the hype,” she said. “It becomes a phenomenon and a fad. In reality, not everyone can do it, but the takeaway is we can be inspired.”
The reason for the excitement surrounding DIY is evident, Riddle said.
“I think it’s such a popular trend right now,” she said. “People can do a lot on their own. The Internet has expanded. Before people didn’t think they could do what they can do today.”
Koziol, who has taught at the Chicago Botanic Garden for 18 years, intends to bring her expertise in garden design and horticulture.
Koziol is to demonstrate how to create three different container gardens—one with herbs, one with butterfly plants and one for shade plants.
“I want to show residents how easy it is to have a pretty and useful container for their deck, patio or by a door,” she said.
Koziol added, “Do-it-yourself projects are popular because many people see it as a way to save money, but it also gives you a chance to express your creativity.”
And she encouraged to bring a notebook, ask speakers’ questions and bring their library cards, so they can check out some DIY books for further reference and ideas.
Destination DIY is just one of the many summer programs that the library is offering.
“There’s tons and tons of participation in our summer programs,” Bailey said.
Last year, more than 600 adults and more than 1,800 children and teens signed up to participate in the summer reading challenges.
More information about library events can be found at www.tplibrary.org. Registration may also be done online.