Connections

JENNIFER WEINER

A special author appearance to benefit the Princeton Public Library Foundation

SUMMER READING Join a club for a rewarding experience CENTENNIAL

GALA

Terry Gross helps us celebrate our 100th

2

spotlight

SUMMER READING

INDEX Books and Authors p2 / Music p7 / Kids p10 Teens p12 / Film p13 / Enrichment p16 / Friends p19

Catch a reading wave

Summer clubs for all ages focus on things aquatic

S

ummer reading programs have been around for more than a century. In the 1890s, public libraries began offering them as a way to encourage schoolchildren, particularly those in urban areas and not needed for farm work, to read during their summer vacation, use the library and develop the habit of reading.

While it might be a challenge to find Princeton area kids taking a break from farm work this summer, there are plenty of youngsters around who have some time on their hands. Last year, more than 2,000 young readers took part in Princeton Public Library’s summer reading clubs, which kick off June 21. While young readers make up the majority of participants, the library’s summer reading programs are for readers of all ages, from preschoolers just discovering the joys of the printed page (or screen) to adults who make leisurely reading a major part of their summer vacations.

There is a watery theme to this summer’s clubs. In addition to Wee Reads, which is for preschoolers, there is “Make a Splash,” for children in kindergarten through fifth grade, “Make Waves at Your Library” for teenagers, and “Water Your Mind” for adults. Each will encourage members to

participate with the added incentive of prizes and special programs throughout the summer.

The littlest patrons, who register with parents or caregivers, will read books, do artwork, go to story times, and take part in a variety of fun early reading activities. Everyone can earn a certificate for a special treat from Thomas Sweet Ice Cream on Nassau Street.

Adult readers have a range of programs to choose from this summer. New at the library are Booktalk Walks – informal, late-morning and early evening strolls during which participants can share what they’ve been reading. For respite from the heat, there is the Monday night series of films and concerts, all with some reference to the “water” theme (“A Fish Called Wanda” and “Jaws” among them). Princeton Tour Company will lead a Literary Walking Tour of Princeton. Those taking part in any of these programs can win prizes just for attending, and the first 80 to register will receive a reading log and book light.

“There really is something for everyone,” says Allison Santos of the Youth Services Department.

“We hope readers of all ages will visit the library this summer and get involved.”

For an up-to-date calendar of all Princeton Public Library programs, visit www.princetonlibrary.org and click on EVENTS

cover story

3

Jennifer Weiner gets political In ‘Fly Away Home,’ the author, appearing at a library benefit, looks at a politician’s infidelity and its impact on his family

By ANNE LEVIN Connections Staff Writer

L

ike the lead character in her novel “Certain Girls,” Jennifer Weiner is a journalist-turned-novelist who lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughters (one in the book; two in real life). She graduated from Princeton (class of ’91). She is perceptive, smart, funny, and a bit self-deprecating.

Weiner’s newest novel, however, is not autobiographical. “Fly Away Home,” from which she will read at an appearance at the library on July 14, takes on the phenomenon of politicians who cheat on their wives and the chaos their behavior creates. Between disgraced New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, former presidential candidate John Edwards and South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford — not to mention former New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey — she has had ample material from which to draw.

“The book is about a politician who has an affair and creates a minimedia scandal, and the impact of that on his wife and his daughters and how they deal with that fallout,” Weiner says. “Like many women, I was really riveted by the Spitzer thing – the ‘Like many women, I was idea that here is this super-educated, woman, Silda, with a career of really riveted by the Spitzer smart her own. What is she doing standing thing – the idea that here on the podium with this shmuck, and why is she letting herself be is this super-educated, OK with this? I think a lot of women smart woman, Silda, with a have these questions, and this was attempt to answer them. It’s such career of her own. What is my a lose-lose situation, because people she doing standing on the talk about them no matter what they do. The women wind up implicated podium with this shmuck, in things that are not their fault.” and why is she letting Weiner has always loved to write.

Raised outside of Hartford, CT, she herself be OK with this?’ was an English major at Princeton — Jennifer Weiner and remembers fondly writer John McPhee’s class “The Art of Fiction.”

A recession was on by the time she graduated and began her journalism career, starting with a job at the Centre Daily Times in State College, Pa. She stayed two years, moving next to a feature-writing job at the Lexington Herald-Leader in Lexington, KY. She signed on as a feature writer and columnist at The Philadelphia Inquirer in 1995.

With some former colleagues still employed by the paper, Weiner has watched the decline of the newspaper industry with great sadness. “It’s heartbreaking,” she says. “I was such a newspaper person. I loved working there. I loved the energy of the newsroom. I think, I hope, that it’s all going to shake out somehow, because people need information. But it’s a terrible thing to watch.”

The transition from columns about books and pop culture to her first novel “Good in Bed” wasn’t difficult, Weiner says, because she was always freelancing and writing fiction on the side.

“I wish I could say I was really smart and saw which way the wind was blowing, but I can’t,” she says. “Lots of newspaper people have that novel in the shoebox under the bed. I had gone through a very bad breakup. I was 28. I was with the nice, Jewish guy I was supposed to marry, and it didn’t happen. I felt like my world had ended, and I wanted to write a book, starting out as a catharsis, where the guy was going to suffer horribly and the girl would get a happy ending. It was a thing that I did in my ample free time, to get over it.

“Certainly by that point I had read a lot of what was not yet being called

Jennifer Weiner appears July 14 at noon in a benefit for the Princeton Public Library Foundation. ‘chick lit’ by Melissa Banks, Helen Fielding, and other writers,” she adds. “There was a new boom of young, single women and the books they were writing, and I thought maybe I could get in on it. So I finished the manuscript and got myself an agent.”

Weiner’s hit book “In Her Shoes” took things to another level when it was made into a movie starring Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette and Shirley Maclaine. Since then, “Little Earthquakes,” “Goodnight Nobody,” “Certain Girls,” “Best Friends Forever” and a collection of short stories have been added to her list of published works. In between caring for and ferrying around her 2-year-old and 6-year-old, she fits in a few hours a day of writing at the local coffee shop. “I have an assistant and a baby sitter, so it works,” she says. “I have time to write.”

Some of the eccentric family members who show up in Weiner’s novels are drawn from real life. Like the grandmother in “Certain Girls,” her own mother met her female partner at the Jewish Community Center swimming pool. Her parents divorced when she was young.

“My father decided not only not to be married anymore but not to be a father anymore,” she says without apparent resentment. “The good news is that we all became more resilient than we would have been if we’d had a typical suburban upbringing.

And we all have really good sense of humor.”

Weiner is a fan of author Susan Isaacs, whom she calls “the queen of the smart, funny heroine who is sexy because she’s smart and funny.” She also loves Stephen King. “I will read anything he writes,” she says.

It is no accident that “Fly Away Home” is coming out in July. “It took a while, but we figured out that summer is when the sweet spot is for my books,” Weiner says. “It looks like July really works for us.”

Jennifer Weiner / July 14, noon / Tickets $25 / Available June 1 on www.princetonlibrary.org

4

events

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Susan Charkes At this book-signing with the author of “AMC’s Best Day Hikes Near Philadelphia,” learn about the geology and geography of the region and the best places to hike in natural areas of New Jersey, southeastern Pennsylvania and Delaware. Charkes knows where in our area to enjoy woods, waterways, mountains and meadows. Our region is replete with publicly accessible natural areas, which offer trails of varying difficulty. Hikes in our area can accommodate people of all ages, with kids or pets, avid athletes and weekend walkers.

Charkes is a regional author whose work has been published on the Sustainable Lawrence website.

She recently was an environmental planner for the Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association.

June 17, 7:30 p.m.

William Rosen

I

n “The Most Powerful Idea in the World,” the Princeton author tells the story of the men responsible for the Industrial Revolution and the machine that drove it, the steam engine. In the process, Rosen tackles the question that has obsessed historians ever since: What made eighteenth-century Britain such fertile soil for inventors? Rosen’s answer focuses on a simple notion that had become enshrined in British law the century before: that people had the right to own and profit from their ideas. Rosen will read from his book, sign copies and answer questions at this appearance, which will be taped for broadcast on C-SPAN’s Book TV. June 3, 7:30 p.m.

U.S. 1 Poets Invite Jane McKinley and Jake Willard-Crist McKinley is a professional oboist and artistic director of the Baroque chamber music group the Dryden Ensemble. In 2008, her sonnet “Mud Season” received the Patricia Dobler Award from Carlow University. Her work has appeared recently in The Georgia Review and in the Irish journal Southword. She lives in Hopewell. Jake Willard-Crist moved to Princeton four years ago to attend Princeton Theological Seminary. In the last few years, he has worked in various capacities at the Princeton Montessori School. He has published poems in journals such as Shenandoah and Rattle, and for almost two years has served as Poet-in-Residence at the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville, where he composes poems for worship services.

June 23, 7:30 p.m.

Thinking Allowed Author appearances co-sponsored by the library and Princeton University Press

Thomas Sugrue: “Not Even Past”

Award-winning historian Sugrue examines the paradox of race in Barack Obama’s America in this revealing assessment of the culture and politics of race in the age of Obama. What are our prospects for a post-racial America? How does Obama intend to deal with it? Sugrue, a leading historian of civil rights, race, and urban America, teaches at the University of Pennsylvania. His books include “Sweet Land of Liberty: The Forgotten Struggle for Civil Rights in the North” and “The Origins of the Urban Crisis: Race and Inequality in Postwar Detroit.”

June 9, 7:30 p.m.

Literary Walking Tour If you are registered for the adult Summer Reading Club, you can join this informative tour of literary Princeton. A guide from the Princeton Tour Company will meet participants in the Community Room to give a brief overview of the literary scene in Princeton, followed by a 2-mile walking tour of the sites. Registration is required and there is a limit of 40 people. Register by visiting www.princetonlibrary.org and clicking on Events.

Aug. 30, 7 p.m.

Fiction Book Group

Mystery Group

Led by Kristin Friberg.

Conference Room

Led by Gayle Stratton Conference Room

“Brooklyn” by Colm Toibin A quiet, industrious girl from a village in 1950s Ireland is swept into a new life when her sister engineers her move across the Atlantic to a boarding house in Brooklyn.

June 10, 10:30 a.m.

“The Eyre Affair”

by Jasper Fforde This 2001 novel takes place in alternative 1985, where literary detective Thursday Next pursues a master criminal through the world of Charlotte Bronte’s “Jane Eyre.”

June 7, 7:30 p.m.

Book Talk Walks Members of the Adult Summer Reading Club will walk around town, talking about the books they’re reading this summer while getting some exercise and enjoying the fresh air. Meet at the first floor Welcome Desk.

July 8, 22; Aug. 5, 19, 10:30 a.m., 7 p.m.

5

Fatherly advice The Rev. Pat Connor distills four decades of relationship advice into a new book

By ANNE LEVIN Connections Staff Writer

F

ather Pat Connor has seen it happen, over and over again.

Women involved in love affairs with men who are not good marriage material ignore the warning signs. They marry Mr. Wrong, and are baffled when things start to fall apart.

“It’s really simple,” says the Rev. Connor, a lively 80-year-old Roman Catholic priest familiar to PPL patrons from the Readings Over Coffee discussion groups he has led. The Rev. Connor will read from his new book “Whom Not to Marry: TimeTested Advice from a Higher Authority” at the library on June 6 at 2 p.m. as part of the Caroline Llewellyn Champlin Writers Talking Series. “It’s mainly common sense, he says. “There are often red flags all over the place and they just don’t see them. It’s judgment giving way to infatuation. That’s one of my pet peeves.”

The Rev. Connor decided to write the book after a flurry of publicity surrounding a column about him by his idol, New York Times writer Maureen Dowd, appeared in 2008. “I was having dinner with friends in Princeton and I mentioned that I was in love with Maureen Dowd,” he recalls. “One of them had a son who worked with her, and arranged for me to have lunch with her. I had read her book ‘Are Men Necessary’ – to which she concludes they are not – and found it to be delightful.”

The lunch led to the

Father Pat Connor appears June 6 as part of the Caroline Llewellyn Champlin Writers Talking Series.

Some advice from Father Pat Never marry a man with no friends.

Never marry a man who isn’t responsible, or is stingy, with cash.

Never marry a man who lets you walk all over him.

Never marry a man who has no sense of humor.

Never marry a man who is a problem character; you won’t change him.

Never marry a man who is too attached to his mother.

Never marry a man who tries to control you.

Never marry a man who is more affectionate in public than in private.

Never marry a man who makes jokes at your expense.

So whom should you marry? A man who fills you with joy and is not afraid of commitment.

column about the ‘It’s mainly common sense. There are often in,” he says. “The advice the Rev. men have been Connor dispenses red flags all over the place and they just dragged in, and don’t see them. It’s judgment giving way to they show it by regularly in talks to high school looking around the infatuation. That’s one of my pet peeves.’ seniors; most of room, folding their — Father Pat Connor arms, slouching in whom are girls.

And the phone the chair. But I try began to ring off the hook. Soon, he found to reach them, too.” himself being interviewed on television’s Growing up in his native Brisbane, “Today” show and written up on The Australia, the Rev. Connor never imagined Huffington Post website. himself becoming an expert on relationships “Whom Not to Marry” is aimed at a or doling out advice to the lovelorn. “I was female audience because the Rev. Connor busy working on being the best cricketer has found that women are more receptive to Australia had ever had,” he says with a relationship advice than men. “You can see chuckle. “I wouldn’t have noticed anything it in the body language when couples come like that.”

Father Pat Connor / June 6, 2 p.m. / Part of the Caroline Llewellyn Writers Talking Series

The Rev. Connor was ordained in 1957. He worked in India for nine years and then earned a master’s degree in counseling from Fordham University before coming to Bordentown, where he has been affiliated for several decades with Divine Word Missionaries. He is currently the chaplain at Stuart Country Day School, from which he will step down in June, and was previously chaplain at The Lawrenceville School.

The Rev. Connor is often asked what qualifies him, a priest, to give advice about marriage. “I usually try to head off the question by quoting Goethe,” he says.

“He said, ‘There’s nothing more frightening than the sight of ignorance in action.’

If you read my book or come to see me, you’re seeing ignorance in action. But I’ve been at this business for 45 years and I have seen, in the battleground of my counseling room, marriages that have faltered for every reason. I hope I have learned some wisdom from these encounters.”

The Rev. Connor credits his proximity to priest and psychotherapist Martin Padovani, author of “Healing Wounded Emotions,” as an inspiration in his counseling work. “He’s the guy next to me here (at Divine Word Missionaries), and this is all that he does,” he says. “So he’s been an enormous help. And I have another inspiration: The TV show ‘Everybody Loves Raymond.’

I love those characters! It’s all there.”

6

spotlight

MUSIC

Talking with Sid In his book “It’s Sid Bernstein Calling,” the entertainment industry legend writes about his experiences with pop’s Who’s Who

By ANNE LEVIN Connections Staff Writer

Sid Bernstein discusses his book “It’s Sid Bernstein Calling” on June 16 at 7:30 p.m. The evening will also feature a sneak preview of the new documentary “Sid Bernstein Presents.”

I

t has been 46 years since promoter Sid Bernstein got a hunch about a singing group causing mounting hysteria among the youth of England. This foursome was repeatedly making the news and Bernstein, a respected presenter who had already brought such stars as Judy Garland and Tony Bennett to New York’s Carnegie Hall, just had a feeling that The Beatles might attract an audience.

Bernstein’s persistence in finding the group’s manager Brian Epstein and booking them into Carnegie Hall is the stuff of music history. “I still answer calls from Beatle fans all over the world,” he says.

“I get letters, and if they give me phone numbers I call them back. I love to talk about it.”

Library customers will have a chance to hear the 91-year-old show business veteran’s recollections on June 16 when he talks about his book “It’s Sid Bernstein Calling,” accompanied by John Anthony Lello of Banner Records. Published in 2002 and co-authored by Arthur Aaron, the book has jacket quotes from none other than Paul McCartney, Tony Bennett, Dick Clark and Lenny Kravitz, only a few of the stars who worked with Bernstein during his lengthy career.

Born in Harlem and raised mostly in the Bronx, he was the only child of Yiddishspeaking parents and shared a bedroom with his grandmother. With money he earned delivering suits for his father’s dry cleaning shop, Bernstein loved to go to the movies, check out shows at the Apollo Theatre (when he could convince an adult to take him in), and attend vaudeville and musical shows in Manhattan.

Bernstein discovered early that he had a knack for spotting talent. His first gig as a promoter was in high school, when he landed a spot for a classmate with a beautiful voice on the “The Major Bowes Amateur Hour” radio show. From that auspicious beginning, Bernstein would go on to a decades-long career as an agent,

Sid Bernstein with Paul McCartney.

Bernstein was the promoter for the Beatles concerts at Carnegie Hall and Shea Stadium manager and promoter, with a list of clients that reads like a Who’s Who of music – James Brown, Ray Charles, John Denver, Joan Baez, Miles Davis, the Rolling Stones, Herman’s Hermits, the Moody Blues, the Young Rascals. In the book, he recalls the many celebrities he met along the way: Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Barbra Streisand, Shirley Maclaine, the members of ABBA. There was the Newport Jazz Festival in 1961. There was the comeback of Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall that same year, along with appearances in other cities – all orchestrated by Bernstein. The singer’s problems with alcohol and drugs presented a challenge that he recalls with a mix of rapture and regret.

“How great she was, and how sad it was to be with her,” Bernstein says. “She was just so polluted. I used to book her into the same hotel all the time. It was just sad, because after the show she’d be drunk and she’d say, ‘Dance with me, Sid.’ I’m a klutz, so I’d be dancing all over her feet and she didn’t feel the pain.

But she was magnificent. When she went onstage and that pinspot hit her, she threw her shoulders back

and became the greatest singer ever.”

When he brought the Fab Four to New York a few years later, Bernstein was not prepared for the frenzy that greeted them at the Plaza Hotel. “The first time I saw them was when they came to the hotel, and I went upstairs to meet them. Brian Epstein said, ‘The boys would like to meet you, Sid.’ So we hit it off right away. They were in a suite with the shades drawn, because there were tons of kids screaming outside.

They said, ‘Hi, so nice to meet you.’ There were no attitudes. They were ordinary guys, just amazed and tickled pink by what was going on.”

Bernstein and his wife, a former Broadway singer, live in Manhattan. With six children and several grandchildren, his life is busy. When not answering mail from Beatle fans, Bernstein speaks at gatherings about his remarkable experiences – with them and other famous entertainers.

“I scratch my head and say to myself, ‘How the heck did I do it?’, he says, with a laugh. “I really don’t know, but it’s been great.”

Sid Bernstein / June 16, 7:30 p.m.

7

Midweek Music Hiltner

Steve Hiltner and the Sustainable Jazz Ensemble Back by popular demand, saxophonist Hiltner is joined by pianist Phil Orr and bassist Jerry D’Anna.

July 7, 7 p.m.

James

Gordon James Composer, flugelhorn player and trumpeter James performs a concert of traditional and smooth jazz. A seasoned performer and bandleader, James blends the worlds of jazz, Latin, R&B, pop and hip hop music. Among the familiar favorites in his repertoire are “When I Fall in Love,” “It Could Happen to You,” “Makin’ Whoopee” and “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face.”

July 14, 7 p.m.

Rave On!

Rave On! This band plays the music of Buddy Holly, along with other classic songs of early rock ’n’ roll. Come listen and dance to the music that paved the way for rock ‘n’ roll and influenced The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and countless other artists. Chris Roselle plays guitar and sings lead vocals, Pete Farley is on bass guitar and does background vocals and Don Guinta plays drums and sings background vocals.

July 28, 7 p.m.

Trio Velez

Atlas Brass

Summer Reading kickoff

A Little Water Music

Atlas Brass kicks off Summer Reading with a variety of classical pieces to fit in with this year’s theme, “Water Your Mind.” Selections from Handel’s “Water Music” are among the works on the program. The ensemble, which includes trumpeters Ed Hirshman and Mike Green, trombonists Jim Penkala and Mark Benson and Craig Levesque on French horn, is known for its ability to play a variety of musical genres. They perform frequently in the area and appeared last year at the library as part of the Global Passport to Music series.

June 28, 7 p.m.

Trio Velez With the influence of Brazilian and Latin styles, this trio does a mixture of wellknown pop and rock songs in a jazz trio style. John Paul Velez does piano and vocals, Seth Slaymaker is on bass and Jason Prince plays drums.

Aug. 4, 7 p.m.

Padovano

John Padovano Also known as “the Ironbound Crooner” or “Rainy Day Hobo,” Padovano performs solo year round at coffeehouses and cafes along the Jersey Shore. A Newark native, he has recorded and released 10 independent albums.

Aug. 11, 7 p.m.

VerPlanck

Marlene VerPlanck A former big band and busy backup singer, this respected artist is known for her love of the great standards and new songs from fine composers.

Aug. 18, 7 p.m.

The Kootz Kootz

These Jersey guys call themselves “Rock ‘n Roll with Fiber” and specialize in covers of classic rock, pop and blues-tunes from the late 1950s through the 1970s.

Aug. 25, 7 p.m.

Opera New Jersey Summer Preview The company’s annual summer preview concert presents highlights from the upcoming season at McCarter Theatre.

Artists will perform excerpts from Mozart’s “Don Giovanni,” Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale” and Gounod’s “Faust.”

June 20, 3 p.m.

8

spotlight

MUSIC

The Princeton Festival 2010 The library is proud to be a sponsor of the Princeton Festival by hosting a series of five previews and lectures that complement the festival’s 2010 theme of “Music and Art in 18th Century London.”

Musical Preview of the Princeton Festival 2010 Season Artistic Director Richard Tang Yuk, stage director Steven La Cosse and artists from “Ariodante” and “The Threepenny Opera” present “Music of the 18th century as Presented in the 21st.”

June 2, 7:30 p.m.

Music by Campers The American Boychoir Experience Members of the internationally acclaimed American Boychoir will team with other young vocalists for a special performance to culminate the American Boychoir Experience, a week-long camp for boys ages 9 to 12. Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, Litton-Lodal Music Director of the American Boychoir, will lead Boychoir choristers and other campers in a program of patriotic music from the choir’s repertoire to celebrate upcoming July Fourth weekend.

July 2, 12 p.m.

From Beggars to Kings: Opera for Everyone in 18th Century London Timothy Urban, assistant professor of music at Rider College and a previous lecturer in the series, talks about music and life in 18th century England. He will draw connections between Handel’s “Ariodante,” John Gay’s “The Beggar’s Opera” and Kurt Weill’s “The Threepenny Opera.”

June 8, 7:30 p.m.

Fernando Malvar-Ruiz

Met with General Applause

Audiences for 18th Century Performances in London Through Paintings and Drawings Who attended Handel’s operas in 18th century London? Marianne Grey, docent with the Princeton University Art Museum, leads this discussion on the artistic atmosphere of the period, using cartoons of Robertson and Hogarth as well as the more traditional art of the period.

June 15, 7:30 p.m.

The Composition of “Ariodante” and its Place in Handel’s Career Donald Burrows, a leading Handel scholar and a professor of music at The Open University in London, discusses this opera composed at a critical time in Handel’s career. Burrows, author of several books on Handel and director of the Handel Documents project, will review the contemporary sources that indicate the changes made by the composer during the writing of the opera. The lecture will be followed by a reception.

June 18, 7:30 p.m.

“Tom Jones”

The 1963 Oscar-winning film based on the novel by Henry Fielding gives a view of life in 18th England, from earthy life on country estates to the aristocratic elegance and Hogarthian squalor of London. Albert Finney and Susannah York star.

June 22, 7 p.m.

So Percussion: Summer Institute Showcase Students from this annual percussion chamber music festival will perform and demonstrate different percussion instruments. Members of the well-known group So Percussion will also appear at this concert, geared toward audiences of all ages. The annual So Percussion Summer Institute is an intensive two-week chamber music seminar for college-age percussionists. The four members of the ensemble serve as faculty in rehearsal, performance and discussion of contemporary music for percussion.

Depending on the weather, the concert will be on Hinds Plaza or in the Community Room.

July 26, 7 p.m.

CENTENNIAL

Terry Centennial The host of public radio’s popular “Fresh Air” will be the featured speaker at the Oct. 9 Gala

T

o the more than 4 million listeners who tune in to National Public Radio’s “Fresh Air” on weekday afternoons, the voice of Terry Gross is a reassuring reminder that there is intelligence in the world and on the air. The host of the popular program since 1975, Gross will be the guest speaker at the library’s Centennial Gala on Oct. 9 at Nassau Presbyterian Church, part of the weekend-long celebration of the Princeton Public Library’s centennial.

The presenting sponsor of the weekend’s festivities is Church & Dwight Co., Inc. “Fresh Air” was a local program when Gross began hosting it from the studios of WHYY in Philadelphia. Today, nearly 500 public radio stations carry the weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. A thought-provoking interviewer, Gross has spoken with some of the most celebrated writers, actors, artists, and musicians of our time. Chatting with such personalities as Philip Roth, Sonny Rollins, Lynne Cheney or Paul McCartney, she is known for her ability to get guests to relax and reflect on their lives and work.

NPR considers “Fresh Air” its most listened-to program, after “Morning Edition” and “All Things Considered.” Gross has received numerous citations for her work, from the Edward R. Murrow Award from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for advancing “the growth, quality and positive image of radio” to the National Book Foundation’s 2007 Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community.

Terry Gross / Centennial Gala / Oct. 9, 6 p.m.

Church & Dwight Co. is the presenting sponsor of Centennial Weekend

spotlight

9

10

events CHILDREN

Family Storytimes Families with children ages 2 and older are invited to attend these special daily programs tailored by librarians to those in the audience. Sessions begin with something for the toddlers, and end with a story for children ages 8 and older. When children have heard enough, feel free to leave the Story Room and explore other activities available on the third floor.

June 14-Aug. 29 Mondays-Saturdays, 10:30 a.m.; Sundays, 3:30 p.m.

Lapsits

A special summer edition of this popular story time is for children up to 4 months, who must be accompanied by an adult.

June 15-Aug. 25 Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11:15 a.m.

Make A Splash Weekly activities for children ages 5-10

Making Quilt Squares

Master quilter Meg Cox shows how to design and make your own quilt squares.

July 14, 3 p.m.

Creating Cards

Librarian Janie Hermann leads this session for kids on making personalized greeting cards for every occasion.

July 21, 3 p.m.

Beach Chalk Day

Come make a chalk picture of your favorite beach activity on the shady sidewalk behind the library building.

July 27, 4-5 p.m. (rain date July 28)

Wonders of Water

On the terrace, explore the science of water while having some good old wet fun.

Aug. 10, 4 p.m.

“Sand” Castle Making

Create a “sand castle” on the terrace, using our secret ingredient. Teamwork is encouraged.

Aug. 17, 4 p.m.

Fish Trivia and “Goldfish” Magnet

Join us on the terrace to find the answers to fishy questions — some serious, some silly — then make a personalized goldfish magnet of your own.

Aug. 24, 4 p.m.

Summer Souvenir Show and Tell

Bring your favorite summer read and a souvenir of your summer activities to this gathering on the terrace. Everyone will have a few minutes to show and tell about the best part of this summer.

Aug. 31, 4 p.m.

SkateScience by Wondergy Have you ever wondered just how skateboarders manage all those amazing, high-flying tricks? We have the answers. Explore the science behind skating — mass, inertia, gravity, and distribution of force — with a little help from a pro skater and Wondergy. See how to stay on the board, turn, jump (ollie), and perform tricks like a kickflip or a manual. This program is for ages 6 and up.

Aug. 3, 1:30 p.m. Community Park Basketball Courts Co-sponsored by the library, the Princeton Recreation Department and the YWCA of Princeton

Monopoly Tournament Children and teens can take part in a tournament of this classic real estate board game. Compete in the first, 90-minute round; top finishers move on to the next level. There will be a prize for the winner of the final.

July 10, 11 a.m.

Rainy Day Movies If the weather is rainy at 10 a.m., the Youth Services Department will screen a G-rated children’s movie at 2 p.m. in the Story Room unless there is another special program scheduled that day. Films will be chosen from the library’s collection.

11

Reading Floats My Boat

Dino Dig with Molly the Mosasaur Do you think dinosaurs were only on land? Field paleontologists Mike and Roberta Straka will introduce their latest discovery, the 15-foot undersea reptile Molly the Mosasaur.

This program will provide insight into life in the seas of 70 million years ago, with original music, songs, puppets, real fossils, a special guest and the Prehistoric Game Show.

July 14, 4 p.m.

Aloha Hawaii Gail Small, a native Hawaiian, introduces this beautiful place surrounded by water to children ages 5-10. Small will teach her audience 10 hand movements to the hula, along with 18 Hawaiian words.

She will also dance with the children, demonstrate how to make candy leis and read from two Hawaiian storybooks.

Aug. 7, 2 p.m.

Magician Mark Zacharia returns to the library with his zany antics to underscore the summer reading theme, “Make a Splash – Read.” The audience is invited to participate in this 45-minute program, which includes “magic” library cards and the kazoo “symPhony” finale.

Aug. 18, 4 p.m.

Preschool Splash Dance Party

Join friends in the Community Room to dance and play to the watery music the librarians have selected from the children’s music CD collection. Scarves, instruments, and a parachute will be involved in this festive afternoon.

July 12, 1 p.m.

Teddy Bear Picnic

Children ages 4-6 can bring a favorite stuffed animal to this annual gathering. Make a teddy bear craft, have a special snack, and win prizes for the oldest, the silliest, the fanciest, and other award categories. No child and animal will go home without a prize.

July 10, 2:30, 4:30 p.m.

Story Room, third floor. Registration is required. Call (609) 924-9529 ext. 240.

Stuffed Animal Sleepover Bring your favorite stuffed animal or doll for a sleepover at the library. After a lively evening of stories, music and poems at Family Story Time, tuck the animals in and say goodnight. Come back the next day between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to pick them up and find out what mischief they got into during the night. This 45-minute program is geared to children ages 2-6 years.

Aug. 5, 7 p.m.

Space is limited and registration required. Call (609) 924-9529 ext. 240.

12

events TEENS

Princeton Student Film & Video Festival

Story Slam How does a Story Slam work? Everyone in the audience is invited to share a personal story related to the basic theme “Family Ties.”

(It’s OK to stretch the boundaries of the theme to have fun.) If you have a story you want to share, compose your story, practice it and come prepared to recite it from memory.

Each contestant is given five minutes on the mic to tell a story and win the crowd. “Judges” are audience members, who score the performers on a 10-point scale.

The highest-scoring participant wins a prize. Anyone — teen or adult ­— with a story to tell and a little sense of competition is encouraged to join in Story Slam.

The seventh annual festival will spotlight original films created by high school and college-age students (or up to age 24).

Filmmakers are invited to attend and discuss their films.

July 21-22, 7 p.m.

PLEASE NOTE: The festival is intended for teen and adult audiences.

July 29, 7 p.m.

Teen Volunteer Party

Sara Wegman, left, and Helene van Rossum

Teen Writing Workshop

A

re you an aspiring teenage writer? Do

plotting, and improving prose. One-on-one writing

you want to improve your skills to write

critiques will be possible. Sara is a junior at Princeton

a story, or even a novel? In this six-part

High School who received a certificate of merit in the

workshop for students going into grades

2008 PUSH novel contest. Helene van Rossum, her

six through eight, Sara Wegman and

mother, is a published picture book writer. They are

Helene van Rossum will focus on various aspects of

both working on a novel for young adults.

the writing process, including character development,

Wednesdays, 5 p.m.: July 7-Aug. 11

Registration is required; maximum 20 participants. Register online by visiting www.princetonlibrary.org and click EVENTS

This is the library’s chance to thank the many teen volunteers helping out this summer. Enjoy an after-hours evening in the library with games, dinner and a a surprise pick movie.

Aug. 6, 6 p.m.

Supersize Your Memory How many times have you mislaid your cell phone, forgotten all the points you wanted to make in a presentation or blanked out on tests at school? In this fun one-hour program for middleand high-school students, Mark Zacharia, who has a master’s degree in education from Kean University, returns to the library to show you how to improve your memory with techniques that will last a lifetime.

Aug. 18, 6 p.m.

For updated information on all teen events, visit www.princetonlibrary.org/teens

FILM

events

Films For Foodies

Eco Home Viewing Parties

“The End of the Line”

In partnership with the Whole Earth Center, the library initiates this outreach effort of the Princeton Environmental Film Festival. Library cardholders are encouraged to borrow films that were shown at previous editions of the Princeton Environmental Film Festival and invite their friends to a potluck dinner and film screening.

Whole Earth provides recipes and menu ideas and will give a $1 discount to those who present the DVD checkout receipt.

In this series co-sponsored by Mediterra Restaurant, come for the film at 6 p.m., then dine at Mediterra, where special menu items based on the theme of the movie will be available at discount prices.

The first major feature documentary examining the impact of over-fishing on our oceans, this film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival last January. We see firsthand the effects of our global love affair with fish as food. The film examines the imminent extinction of bluefin tuna, brought on by increasing western demand for sushi; the impact on marine life resulting in huge overpopulation of jellyfish; and the profound implications of a future world with no fish that would bring certain mass starvation.

July 27, 6 p.m.

13

“Wo Ai Ni (I Love You) Mommy”

W

hat is it like to be torn from your Chinese foster family, put on a plane with strangers and wake up in a new country, family and culture? In this film by Stephanie Wang-Breal, who will attend our screening, 8-year-old orphan Fang Sui Yong is adopted by the Sadowskys, a Long Island family that travels to China to adopt her. We witness, through her eyes, the struggle with a new identity as she transforms from a timid child into someone that no one could have imagined. The screening, which is in advance of its PBS airing on Aug. 31, is in partnership with American Documentary/POV. Aug. 10, 7 p.m.

Become a library fan www.facebook.com/PPLNJ

Save The Date and Call For Entries

Follow us http://twitter.com/princetonPL

Entry deadline: Sept. 1

Princeton Envionmental Film Festival 2011: Jan. 13-23 Details: www.princetonlibrary.org/peff

Screening and discussion “Homegrown” This film, a hit at the last Princeton Environmental Film Festival, profiles members of a family who run a small organic farm in the heart of urban Pasadena, Calif., living “off the grid” while harvesting over 6,000 pounds of produce on less than a quarter of an acre. They also make their own bio diesel, power their computers with the help of solar panels and maintain a Web site that gets 4,000 hits a day. The film was recently screened at the D.C. Environmental Film Festival.

Aug. 5, 7 p.m.

14

events

FILM

Adult Summer Reading Club Film Series Films related to the club’s theme Water Your Mind

“A Fish Called Wanda” Four criminals try to retrieve $20 million they have stolen from a safety deposit box and each other in this classic comedy starring John Cleese, Kevin Kline and Jamie Lee Curtis.

July 12, 7 p.m.

“Chinatown”

Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway star in this tale of a private eye, living off the murky moral climate of sunbaked, pre-war Southern California, and the socialite who hires him to investigate her husband’s extra-marital affair. The story was inspired by the historical disputes over land and water rights that had raged in Southern California during the early 20th century.

Aug. 16, 7 p.m.

“Jaws” This 1975 classic starring Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss was director Steven Spielberg’s first blockbuster. A man-eating shark causes havoc off the Long Island coast and three men join together to hunt and destroy it.

Aug. 9, 7 p.m.

“Pirate Radio” A rogue band of DJs captivate Britain in the 1960s by broadcasting off the coast of England. The music they play defines a generation and the DJs stand up to a government that, incomprehensibly, preferred jazz. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Kenneth Branagh star.

Aug. 2, 7 p.m.

“Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken” This film is a variation on the old boy-runs-away-to-jointhe-circus story, except this time the boy is a girl. After she joins a traveling show in the 1930s, spunky teen Sonora Webster learns the ropes and eventually lands a plum role in the program: riding a horse off a 40-foothigh diving board into a tank of water.

Aug. 23, 7 p.m.

15

Screening and discussion

“Bass Ackwards”

Tom Woodrow

A man drives a ’76 Volkswagen van across America in this film, which is anything but a typical “road movie.” An utterly original, lyrical and visually exciting adventure, “Bass Ackwards” has such a light touch that it quietly sneaks up and tugs you into an overpowering appreciation of being human. At a post-screening event, producer Tom Woodrow will discuss the film, which has screened at many festivals, including Sundance and South by Southwest, and describe the filmmaking process.

July 20, 7 p.m.

Screen Shots

Join area film enthusiasts in this panel discussion of favorite films, genres, time periods, directors, “screen gems,” and the local movie theatre and film-watching scene. Librarian Susan Conlon moderates this panel presentation, which will include Dan Buskirk, a DJ at WPRB-FM (103.3) radio and the film blogger “Phawker”; Marilyn Campbell, co-host of the cable show “Fistful of Popcorn”; film student Dan Buskirk and filmmaker Brendan Dean; and Maria De DiBattista, professor of English and Comparative Literature and chairperson of the Committee for Film Studies at Princeton University. Giveaways and a Q&A session complete this program.

July 19, 7 p.m.

Marilyn Campbell

Screening and discussion “A Walk to Beautiful”

This award winning feature-length documentary tells the stories of five Ethiopian women who suffer from devastating childbirth injuries and embark on a journey to reclaim their lost dignity. Rejected by their husbands and ostracized by their communities, the women are left to spend the rest of their lives in loneliness and shame.

The women make the choice to take the long and arduous journey to the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in search of a cure and a new life. Director Mary Olive Smith and Susan Lee, marketing outreach producer, will speak following the screening.

June 14, 6 p.m.

16

events

ENRICHMENT

Christopher Albrecht of Eno Terra

Princeton Eats: Cooking with Local Ingredients

L

Denis Granarolo of Witherspoon Bread Company

earn from the experts how to best use the fresh ingredients available in local markets during the summer. Every Thursday, chefs from the Terra Momo Restaurant Group, including Christopher Albrecht of Eno Terra and Denis Granarolo of Witherspoon Bread Company, will check out what is in the local markets, including the Princeton Farmers’ Market, which is moving to Hinds Plaza outside the library. On Tuesdays, they’ll teach us how to cook (Albrecht) and bake (Granarolo) with those ingredients in two-hour programs in the Community Room. Please register in advance through our online calendar by visiting www.princetonlibrary.org and clicking on EVENTS June 8, 22; July 13, 27; Aug. 24, 10 a.m.: Christopher Albrecht June 15, 29; July 20; Aug 10, 10 a.m.: Denis Granarolo

Princeton Farmers’ Market moving to Hinds Plaza outside the library ... Page 20

17

World Sports

Worldwide Knit In Public Day

This summer, when the Community Room isn’t otherwise in use, you’re invited to view broadcasts of the world’s two top sporting events: soccer’s World Cup and the Tour de France. The World Cup, which runs June 11-July 11, will take precedence and we’ll have a special program for the final match on July 11 at 1:30 p.m. Anyone who remembers the atmosphere in the library during the 2006 World Cup final will tell you that the Community Room is the best place to watch the action. For the first time this year, when the soccer matches aren’t being played and after the World Cup concludes, we’ll air stages of Tour de France, which runs July 3-25.

June 11-July 25

Here is an opportunity for knitting enthusiasts to network at the same time they do what they love best. Bring your enthusiasm and your knitting, crocheting, and yarnwork projects. Learn to knit. Swap yarn, projects, and ideas. If the weather cooperates, the gathering will be held outdoors on Hinds Plaza. Otherwise, meet in the Community Room.

June 12, 11 a.m.

Engaged Retirement Co-sponsored by the library and the Princeton Senior Resource Center, these seminars are designed to help make the transition to retirement or another major life change easier to navigate. Conference Room, second floor.

Downsize Your Possessions With Ease Ellen Tozzi of Natural Order Design helps those who are overwhelmed by the things they own figure out where to begin the often-emotional process of streamlining. A professional organizer, Tozzi will share strategies on deciding what to keep and provide resources for the items to be released.

June 8, 7 p.m.

Achieving Optimal Health and Wellness in Retirement Fay Reiter, professional wellness coach, shows how retirement can be an ideal time to focus on improving your health and increasing your quality of life. This workshop will cover strategies to improve brain health, maintain a healthy weight, engage in a multidisciplinary exercise program and learn stress reduction techniques. Through prioritization and goal setting, participants will create their own personalized wellness plans to start them on a path to enhanced health and wellbeing.

June 10, 7 p.m.

Job Search Strategies for Older Workers Carol King shares strategies for competing for jobs in the new work place, updating your skills, networking and dealing with ageism. Older workers have been particularly hard hit in the recent economic turndown. Many have lost jobs and are having to compete with younger workers in a very different job market than the one they experienced years ago.

Some retirees are finding that they need to return to work, full or part time, to supplement reduced income from investments or to replenish a reduced investment portfolio.

Both retirees and unemployed boomers bring a very different set of expectations to their job search; and these expectations work against them in competing with younger workers. This program will examine these expectations and suggest some strategies for dealing with them.

June 17, 7 p.m.

Maximizing a Volunteer Experience Adrienne Rubin, executive director of VolunteerConnect, discusses how volunteering at a nonprofit lets you make a difference in the community, expand your horizons, give you new skills and help you create new relationships. Learn how to connect to the many opportunities available and find the one that will best meet your personal and professional goals.

June 23, 3 p.m.

Faces of South Africa

T

his summer, Melanie Tucker of Tough Love Travel will lead tour groups to South Africa for the World Cup. Before she does, Tucker will visit the library to deliver an informational slide show about the country. Tucker has traveled all over the United States and beyond in the continuing effort to distinguish her travel service from others. Her passion is for unconventional travel among the people and places of the world.

“I have traveled to every corner of the United States, trekking through dozens of the national parks, entering caves and museums, via snowmobiles and shrimping boats, through coral reefs, ice fields, battlefields, and lava fields,” she says. “I have also worked outside the United States, with adventures in China’s Tiananmen Square, Dublin’s libraries, Tunisia’s souks, The Great Saharan desert, Costa Rica’s rain forests, coffee plantations, and monkey preserves, and more. “ June 7, 7:30 p.m.

Witherspoon-Jackson Genealogy Group

Ask A Lawyer

The group meets monthly to share ideas, listen to speakers and get beginners started with researching the history of families who lived in Princeton’s historic Witherspoon-Jackson community. On the steering committee are Carl E. Brown, Jr., Frances Craig, Minnie Craig, Penney Edwards-Carter, Robert Harmon, Wallace Holland, Henry F. Pannell, Shirley Satterfield and Joseph Tadlock. All interested in the history of this community or in African American genealogy are invited to attend.

June 3, July 1, Aug. 5, 7 p.m.

Lawyers will be at the library for free private consultations and general legal issues. No appointments necessary; service on a first-come, firstserved basis. Spanish translators will be available.

June 23, 7 p.m.

Co-sponsored by the library, the Latin American Task Force, Lutheran Social Ministries, the Princeton Borough Housing Authority and the Mercer County Bar Association. For more information, call Lucia Acosta at 609.924-9529, ext. 245.

events

18

ENRICHMENT

Art Talk

Learn about the distinctive styles and creative processes of artists John LeMasney and Charles Viera, whose work will be on view at the library throughout the summer.

LeMasney, a designer, artist, writer, poet, technologist, consultant and open source evangelist, is known for his 365sketches project, where he posts a sketch a day created using the open source software Inkscape. He recently earned a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Rider University, where he is the manager of technology training. Viera, whose paintings and drawings have been included in exhibitions at the Brooklyn Museum, the National Academy, and the Nassau County Museum, has been on the faculties of the Parsons School of Design and Pratt Institute and is currently an instructor at Marymount Manhattan College, the Hunterdon County Museum, Bucks County Community College and Artworks in Trenton.

June 21, 7 p.m.

Co-sponsored by the library and the Arts Council of Princeton.

“Gull and Reflection” by Charles Viera

A work from the “365sketches" project by John LeMasney

“Skater, Chairs, Llama” by Charles Viera

Tuesday Technology Talks

Hands off!

The Theremin Composer and musician Kip Rosser

Readings Over Coffee Wonderful Women and Their Men Cecelia Hodges reads stories and poems that speak of the foibles and fun of certain relationships.

June 9, 10:30 a.m.

demonstrates and discusses the technology behind a musical instrument overlooked with frequency: the theremin. This early musical instrument, invented in 1919 by Russian physicist Leon Theremin, is played without being touched. Rosser will demonstrate his offbeat brand of history of both the instrument and the inventor, technical details, and plenty

Cecelia Hodges

of music, including excerpts from his newest performance pieces, “Sines” and “Ohmens.”

June 1, 7 p.m.

Kip Rosser

Socrates Café

Noodle Talk

Conference room, second floor

Quiet Room first floor

In the spirit of Socrates’ belief that “the unexamined life is not worth living,” participants ask questions of each other and listen to responses, raise challenges and consider alternative answers. Everyone is invited.

June 22, July 27, Aug. 24, 7 p.m.

Alan Goldsmith’s conversation game is designed to enrich interpersonal relationships through stimulating discussion of life experiences. It all begins when participants select a paper strip (“noodle”) from a container. Each noodle holds one or two questions. There are no right or wrong answers in these resulting discussions; just the truth of experience.

June 14, July 12, Aug. 9, 7 p.m.

Scrapbooking Circle

Assembling a scrapbook takes time and space to spread out.

Both are offered at the monthly meetings of the Scrapbooking Circle. The library supplies the cropping station; scrapbookers bring their own books, photos and other supplies. Some sessions will have a consultant on hand. By request, this summer’s sessions have been lengthened to five hours.

June 20, July 18, Aug. 15, 1 p.m.

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY

spotlight

19

Award-winners

Friends honored for transforming a struggling gift shop into a profitable used book store working on the store increased as word spread about how much fun it was to sort through the donations and choose items for sale.

By ANNE LEVIN Connections Staff

W

hen the annual conference of the American Library Association convenes in Washington June 24, Princeton Public Library will once again be in the spotlight. The Friends of the Library will be presented with the Gale Cengage Learning Development Award. This $2,500 honor is for the Friends’ transformation of what was formerly the Library Store space into an ongoing sale of gently used books. The sale has generated an unexpected and welcome profit for the library, now averaging $5,500 a month.

For several years the Friends of the Library had run a modest, used book sale in the library occupying a small amount of shelf space reserved for this purpose. Savvy shoppers had to be “in the know” to find the space, which was somewhat hidden from public view. Donated items made their way to the shelves, where they appeared in random order. Monthly revenue from the sale ranged from $1,800 to $2,000.

Once the used book sale was moved to the former Library Store space, everything changed.

The move quadrupled the amount of space for inventory, provided high visibility, allowed for shelving of materials by genre, and provided a pleasant browsing experience for the shopper. The Library Store closed one week and the Gently Used Book Store opened the next in its

The Friends received the American Library Association’s Gale Cengage Library Development Award. new space. Signage was changed, colorful displays were added, and some seating was installed.

What happened next was a pleasant surprise. In the first month, sales went from $2,000 to $4,500.

In the ensuing months, sales continued to climb, averaging $5,500 per month, an amount almost equivalent to the annual profit of the Library Store.

Sales remained strong throughout 2009 with the used book sale reporting a 50 percent increase from the previous year. Donations of used books to the library increased. The number of volunteers

A plethora of programs How the library presents 1,600 free programs each year at no expense to the taxpayer

By ELLEN PITTS Friends of the library

I

n March, the library celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with a concert by Na’Bodach, a high-octane Celtic band featuring electric bagpipes, fiddles and other instruments. A week later Fifty Wonders of Korea, a multimedia presentation of Korea’s rich and unique cultural heritage followed by a delicious traditional Korean meal, was presented to 100 lucky attendees. A week after that, Glenn Swann dazzled a packed Community Room with Shakuhachi Zen, an evening of traditional bamboo flute music.

For a library to offer three such programs in three weeks is impressive enough. But during March, Princeton Public Library hosted readings by poets and authors, discussion series, film series, technology classes, events for children, a spring break TRYathlon for teens and of course, Pi Day. Throughout the year, the Princeton Public Library presents nearly 1,600 extraordinary programs that enrich our lives, educate us and bring the Princeton community together. And most of them are provided free.

In difficult economic times, with state government cutting funding left and right, people may wonder how the library manages to continue to maintain such high standards in programming. How do they do it? It’s not your tax dollars at work. The Library’s programs are funded through a carefully managed combination of private donations, grants and awards, creative partnerships and the strength of the library’s success.

The Friends of the Princeton Public Library raise funds to support the library through various activities such as our annual appeal, the fall benefit and the ongoing and annual book sales. Money raised through the Friends is used to help the library stock its shelves, provide essential staff development initiatives and produce the programs the community so enjoys.

Whenever possible, the library applies for grants and awards from private foundations as well as organizations such as the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Many of the programs the library produces

The Friends provided an additional $30,000 gift to the library in September 2009 to assist with the purchase of library materials based on strong sales. This was an unexpected gift that allowed the library to increase its book supply in the wake of budget cuts earlier in the year.

“The Friends are thrilled to have won this award, and we are proud of the tremendous success of our ongoing book sale,” says Ellen Pitts, president of Friends of the Princeton Public Library. “While the closing of the Library Store was disappointing, the hard work of Eve Niedergang, Sherri Garber and their committee have turned the book sale into a win-win situation for everyone, from the people who donate their books to those who purchase them at bargain prices.

Most important, the sale has been of great benefit to the library, which uses the proceeds to buy new materials to fill its shelves.” would not happen without the many creative partnerships that have been established with other community organizations. These include McCarter Theater (McCarter Live at the Library), Princeton Symphony Orchestra (BRAVO), Princeton University Press (Thinking Allowed) and the Arts Council of Princeton (exhibits and art talks).

As they say, “success breeds success.” Authors, artists and musicians are often open to working with the library, because they know they are teaming up with an organization that has a national reputation for innovation and outstanding programming.

And every time the library launches a successful program it becomes easier to attract other talent.

“When authors hear that we’ve hosted the likes of Philippa Gregory and Greg Mortenson and they see the promotional efforts that support our programs, they’re eager to be a part of what we’re doing here,” says Janie Hermann, the library’s programming coordinator. “It’s the same with musicians and filmmakers: the word has spread that the library is beautiful facility that attracts great crowds to our events. We used to have to do the asking all the time. Now, we get many more requests from people who want to present programs here. It’s been a very rewarding turnaround.”

SAV E T H E DAT ES

10.9.10 Centennial Gala with public radio’s Terry Gross 10.10.10 Birthday Party featuring 5K fun Run and festivities

Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage

Executive Director: Leslie Burger

PA I D

Programming Coordinator: Janie Hermann

Princeton Public Library Sands Library Building 65 Witherspoon St. Princeton, NJ 08542 609.924.9529 princetonlibrary.org

Youth Services Manager: Jan Johnson

Princeton, NJ

Public Information Director: Tim Quinn

Permit No. 4

Program Committee: Lucía Acosta, Leslie Burger, Susan Conlon, Kristin Friberg, Pamela Groves, Romina Gutierrez, Janie Hermann, Jan Johnson, Terri Nelson, Tim Quinn, Allison Santos, Barbara Silberstein Staff Writer: Anne Levin Illustrations: David Pugliese Editing and design: Tim Quinn

20

events

ENRICHMENT

Going Live with a Website for Your Business Panelists Rick Simmons of Dinkum Interactive, Pamela Abbazia of Digital Brand Expressions, and attorney Carole E. DeNatale will discuss how to put together a successful business website.

Learn tips for building your site and developing content, inbound vs outbound marketing, getting started with search engine marketing and social media marketing as well as IP Issues.

Companies of all sizes can benefit.

June 10, 7 p.m.

Carole E. DeNatale

SCORE Events Counseling Service

The 27 mostly retired executives and small business owners of the Princeton Chapter are available three hours each weekday for byappointment counseling sessions for individuals who are considering starting a new business or are in business and are seeking advice.

All counseling is free and confidential. Call 609.393.0505 to schedule a session.

Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, 6 p.m.; Wednesdays, Fridays, 10 a.m.

Tower Room, second floor.

Seminars The Business Plan

Bill Litchman and Ben Koenig discuss how business plans are prepared and used and their relevance in today’s environment.

June 7, 6:45 p.m.

Managing Technology

This presentation by SCORE Counselor Jerry Masin will give specific pointers on how to profitably manage technology assets, including personnel, hardware, software, data, telephony, the web, and networking.

June 29, 6:45 p.m.

Advertising for Small Businesses

SCORE counselor Alan Yarnoff will focus on marketing and advertising basics, using firsthand experience and case histories in this seminar aimed at existing businesses.

July 15, 6:45 p.m.

QuickSTART Series Workshops Is starting a business right for you?

These five workshops can help you decide. Learn how to define and evaluate your idea, develop a marketing strategy, identify the best ways to fund your startup, turn your ideas into action with tools and templates, get useful and helpful mentoring sessions, and connect with other entrepreneurs. Successful and experienced executives lead the sessions. The first is free; each subsequent workshop is $40.

Register for all five and receive a 20 percent discount. Proceeds from these sessions benefit the library. All sessions are 5:45-9 p.m. To register, visit www.scoreprinceton.org and click on “Free Seminars.”

July 8 Start-up Basics July 19 Business Concepts July 29 Marketing Plan Aug. 9 Financial Projections Aug. 18 Funding Sources and Next Steps

Go marketing at the library

C

ooks and shoppers who value fresh ingredients know that the annual Princeton Farmers’ Market is the place to find local, homegrown fruits and vegetables during the summer and fall months. This year, the market moves to Hinds Plaza, outside the library. Thirteen vendors will be on hand to sell their freshest produce. The Friends of the Library will have a table with cookbooks and health-related volumes available by the pound. Inside the library, special marketday programs will include family-friendly activities at 11:15 in the Community Room, immediately following the regular Family Storytime that is offered daily at 10:30 a.m. in the third floor Story Room. In the afternoons, adults can attend a variety of programs centered around the theme of healthy cooking and eating. Stay tuned for details.

Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., June 17-Oct. 28

Co-sponsored by the library, Terra Momo Restaurant Group, JM Group Princeton and the Borough of Princeton