Meet your match at 20s & 30s mixer Feb. 11

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Updated: March 3, 2012 8:11AM

There’s nothing like February in Chicagoland to bring out the grumpy in local singles. There’s plenty of slush to step in, the sun sets before you leave work in the evening and everybody but you is celebrating their love with heart-shaped chocolates.

Before you decide to wallow in another pint, be it ice cream or beer, take a closer look at the Oak Park Public Library, where you just might find the tool you need to meet your match.

Before you set out to find Mr. or Ms. Amazing, visit the library and check out a style guide to help you look your best. For ladies, I would suggest Nina Garcia’s Look Book. Men can get a leg up with The Chic Geek’s Fashion, Grooming and Style Guide for Men by Marcus Jaye. The library also has a number of dating guides. An introverted bookworm could benefit from Bonnie Jacobson’s The Shy Single: A Bold Guide to Dating for the Less-Than-Bold. For a more general guide, try Helen Fisher’s Why Him? Why Her? or TV’s Patti Stanger’s Become Your Own Matchmaker.

While everyday is an opportunity to connect with somebody new at the library, genre X is upping the probability on Saturday, Feb. 11, with “Shaken and Stirred: a 20s and 30s mixer.” Starting at 8 p.m., adults in their 20s and 30s will mix it up during a modified speed dating event. Everybody will meet for a mini-date, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. You could meet a new friend or a potential date. Registration is filling up quickly at www.genre-x.com.speed.

If mini-dates aren’t your style, genre X will host a panel discussion about digital dating at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21. A panel of experts will share tips on everything from tactfully removing an ex from your online life to crafting an attractive online dating profile.

Whether you’ve met your date at the library or not, prepare to impress them with your knowledge of the local food scene. Food writer Jennifer Olvera’s will talk about her book The Food Lovers’ Guide to Chicago at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9.

Of course, despite your amazing personality and the stellar library resources you’ve used to prepare, your relationship might not work out. If you’re heartbroken, stop by the library on your way to Ben and Jerry’s, and pick up Love is a Four Letter Word: True Tales of Breakups, Bad Relationships, and Broken Hearts. Or, if you’re reveling in your newfound singledom, see what Aaron Karo says in I’m Having More Fun Than You.

Whether living it up as single or searching for The One, make your February a little bit brighter at the Oak Park Public Library .

Rebecca Malinowski is an Adult and Teen Services librarian at the Oak Park Public Library.