Welcome to the Front Desk

We have asked our presenters to tell us a little about why they do what they do and what they are hoping you will see, through their display.  This month’s display features:

 Bonsai Trees -- Mr. Reed

“The exhibit presented, is a snapshot of a body of sculptured art work know as Bonsai (pronounced BONS-eye).  Bonsai basically means a plant, tree, or group of trees or plans growing in a container.  The art of bonsai is all about growing miniature trees in the form of full-size trees.  The art form is not just the styling of the tree but the composite picture of a cohesive whole: the visual balance between the pot and tree, the appearance of the soil, and the creative process of producing an art with beauty and plants but the display art presented has been created and designed from were grown from living trees.  The featured bonsai styled as a semi-cascade titled “Life and Tragedy.”

How did you start to do this type of work/collecting?
“The idea of creating an artificial bonsai developed while attempting to design a centerpiece for a small Japanese dry landscape rock garden on the front porch of my Chinese style home.  (I) educated myself with books on bonsai and became driven with the idea of perfecting the design of that first crude tree into trees that attempts (to) convince the viewer the tree is real.  The presented sculptured art of “Silent Bonsai” (artificial trees without the voice of living trees) was a self-taught process achieved through countless hours of trial and error over the past 20 years.”

As people stop and take in your display, what do you hope they will gain from the experience?
“Hopefully the viewer will be surprised to know the trees are not real yet after reading the information provided, see the art of bonsai in a totally different artistic perspective relating to human qualities and emotions.  Be creatively challenged and inspired by a self-taught artist who seeks the embodiment of creative “soul” into each of his semi-cascade, full-cascade and literati windswept bonsai trees featured in this display.  Enjoy.”

-- If you have a collection you would like to display, please contact Diane at 708-798-0121 ext. 226. --

Exploring Your Swan Patron Account

To learn more about the things you can do with your SWAN patron account, view these brief tutorials.

• #1: How to login, create a PIN, forgotten PIN, view checked out items, renew items
• #2: Viewing your requests/ holds, cancelling and freezing holds
• #3: How to pay fines and bills online with Ecommerce
• #4: Updating your Email address and changing your PIN
• #5: Creating, updating, and emailing preferred searches

Did You Know? 

• Paper due tomorrow?  No Library card?  Get a temporary number to use eResources.
• Our Reference materials are available on a "Short Loan" basis.  You can check out one reference book at a time for one week.  No renewals.
  
• Your group can now apply online to reserve the meeting room.
• You can "Go Green" with the Homewood Library and the H-F Park District. Learn more about the Green-Up, H-F! program.

Questions We're Frequently Asked: 

Borrowing Materials

• What kinds of materials can I find at the Homewood Library?
• How do I get a Homewood Library card?
• How long can I keep an item I borrow from the Homewood Library?
• How many talking books, CDs, DVDs, etc. can I borrow at one time?
• How can I find out when my books are due?
• What if I'm not finished with something?  Can I renew it?
• What if I want to borrow an item that Homewood doesn't own?
• Can I place a hold myself?
• Can I cancel a hold myself?
  
  

Fines

• How much will I pay in fines if I am late in returning a Homewood item?
• Can I pay fines online?