Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Craft Group to Meet @ Bernardsville Library



Saturday Crafters, a monthly craft group organized by Bernardsville Public Library, will meet on Saturday, March 17 at 3:00 pm. Individuals are invited to bring their own handwork projects to the Library and work together in a comfortable, communal setting while enjoying the benefits of shared tips and conversation.

Readers’ Services Assistant Evelyn Fischel will showcase different project ideas and books at each meeting. A long-time crafter, Ms. Fischel will encourage such interests as knitting, crocheting, paper arts, hand sewing, embroidery and other needlework, as well as any other craft the group wishes to cover.

There is no charge to attend the meeting, and no sign-up is needed. For more information, call the library at 908-766-0118.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Saturday Samplers Book Group to Meet



Bernardsville Library’s book discussion group, Saturday Samplers, will meet on Saturday, March 3 at 3:30 pm to discuss Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison (2010) by Piper Kerman. [The author will not be present.]

This memoir describes how, when federal agents knocked on her door with an indictment in hand, the author barely resembled the reckless young woman she was shortly after graduating Smith College. Happily ensconced in a New York City apartment, with a promising career and an attentive boyfriend, Ms. Kerman was forced to reckon with the consequences of her very brief, very careless dalliance in the world of drug trafficking ten years before. Following a plea deal, she spent a year in the infamous women’s correctional facility in Danbury, Connecticut. In the book, she takes readers into B-Dorm, a community of colorful, eccentric, vividly drawn women. Their stories raise issues of friendship and family, mental illness, the odd cliques and codes of behavior, the role of religion, the uneasy relationship between prisoner and jailor, and the almost complete lack of guidance for life after prison.

Piper Kerman is now a vice president at a Washington, D.C.-based communications firm that works with foundations and nonprofits. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband.

Led by Assistant Readers’ Services Manager, Evelyn Fischel, Saturday Samplers is a book discussion group dedicated to sampling various kinds of literature, including short stories, nonfiction, new and old novels, and even teen fiction. Its goal is to search out interesting, noteworthy, and sometimes overlooked books. Readers can find information about the group and about the books and authors on the reading list at http://saturdaysamplers.blogspot.com/. No sign-up is needed to join the discussion. Call the library at 766-0118 for more information.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

The University of "Can-Do"

The next session of the "The University of Can-Do,” led by Inspirational speaker Andrea Mastrobattista, will meet on Wednesday, February 29 at 7:00 pm. "Do you have a goal that you think you can't make happen?" asks Ms. Mastrobattista, "Well, you can, because you have what it takes to accomplish it."

This workshop will run through the year, and each month participants will discover how to cultivate and maintain the "can-do" determination to make a dream come true. On February 29, they will practice positive self-talk, and on March 28, they will discuss how to overcome challenges they face in making their dream or vision become a reality.

There is no charge to attend the library workshop, but advance registration is requested. Register online at www.bernardsvillelibrary.org, and follow the link under Adult Programs, or call the library at 908-766-0118 to sign up.

Socially Responsible/Values Based Investing

Michael A. Kaup, a Financial Planner and Investment Advisor with New England Securities, will discuss how to invest in ways that positively impact society—“socially responsible” or “values-based” investing—based on your own beliefs and values, at Bernardsville Public Library on Tuesday, February 28 at 7:00 pm.

What does “socially responsible investing” (SRI) mean to investors? Who determines that an investment is socially responsible, and how? Mr. Kaup will help listeners define SRI on their own terms and discuss how to invest in ways that positively impact society based on personal beliefs and values. He will also talk about the risks and rewards associated with SRI, if investing in this manner is suitable for you, and if SRI can help you reach your personal goals.

Michael A. Kaup is a Financial Planner, Investment Advisor Representative and Registered Representative of New England Securities. He has assisted individuals, families and businesses with their investments, insurance, employee benefits and comprehensive financial planning needs for ten years. He grew up in Bernardsville and serves on the Board of Directors of the Bernardsville Chamber of Commerce.

There is no charge to attend the library workshop, but advance registration is requested. Register online at www.bernardsvillelibrary.org, and follow the link under Adult Programs, or call the library at 908-766-0118 to sign up.

Memoirs & Coffee Book Group to Meet


The next meeting of Bernardsville Library’s book discussion group, Memoirs and Coffee, will be held on Tuesday, February 28 at 10:30 am in the library’s Community Room. Pat Kennedy-Grant, Readers’ Services Manager for the library, will lead the discussion of “Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption” (2010) by Laura Hillenbrand. [The author will not be present.]

The Wall Street Journal described the book as a “master class in narrative storytelling …Extraordinarily moving...A powerfully drawn survival epic.” It is the story of Louie Zamperini, a juvenile delinquent who turned himself around to become an Olympic runner and then an Army hero. During a routine search mission over the Pacific, Zamperini’s plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean, and the book describes what happened to him over the next three years of his life. It’s a testament to the resilience of the human mind, body and spirit.

Laura Hillenbrand is also the author of the New York Times bestseller “Seabiscuit: An American Legend,” which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and inspired the film “Seabiscuit,” nominated for seven Academy Awards.

There is no charge and no sign-up is needed to join the discussion. Call the library at 766-0118 for more information.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Craft Group to Meet @ Bernardsville Library



Saturday Crafters, a monthly craft group organized by Bernardsville Public Library, will meet on Saturday, February 18 at 3:00 pm. Individuals are invited to bring their own handwork projects to the Library and work together in a comfortable, communal setting while enjoying the benefits of shared tips and conversation.

Readers’ Services Assistant Evelyn Fischel will showcase different project ideas and books at each meeting. A long-time crafter, Ms. Fischel will encourage such interests as knitting, crocheting, paper arts, hand sewing, embroidery and other needlework, as well as any other craft the group wishes to cover.

There is no charge to attend the meeting, and no sign-up is needed. For more information, call the library at 908-766-0118.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Moms To Talk About Summer Options for High School Students

“Moms Mentoring Moms,” the monthly discussion group for parents, will explore summer options for high school students at its next meeting on Wednesday, February 15 at 12 noon at Bernardsville Public Library.

“There are many beneficial summer programs and activities for these young members of our community,” said Lauriann Swadba, organizer of the group, “We want to share information we have on internships, local job possibilities, and volunteer work to help their parents guide them toward activities that will give them valuable experiences for their lives after graduation.”

“Moms Mentoring Moms” is a monthly program designed for parents of high school students and seeks to provide a forum in which parents can come together for an opportunity to interact with other parents to provide support and insight as they wade through the high school years with their children. Both Moms and Dads are welcome.

There is no charge to attend the program, but advance sign-up is requested. Register online at www.bernardsvillelibrary.org and follow the link under Adult Programs, or call the library at 908-766-0118 to sign up.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Balloon Art Workshop @ Bernardsville Library



Expert balloon sculptor Patti Myers will be at Bernardsville Public Library on Friday, February 17 to teach children this creative art. There will be two workshops tailored to children’s ages: Grades 1 to 3 will meet at 11:00 am and Grades 4-8 will meet at 1:00pm. Ms. Myers makes incredible balloon art and teaches children to create their own after learning the basics of balloon twisting. Each child will take home the fruits of his or her imaginative efforts.

There is no charge to attend the program, but advance sign-up is required since space is limited. Register online at http://www.bernardsvillelibrary.org/ and follow the link under Kid Stuff, or call the library at 908-766-0118 to sign up.