Monday, August 26, 2013

Learn Microsoft Word Fundamentals at Bernardsville Library

Learn some "not so obvious" basic features of Microsoft Word at Bernardsville Public Library on Thursday, September 19 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Those new to Word, will get into great habits right away! Those with experience using Word, will find out how to effectively handle Word when it behaves like it has a mind of its own. The instructor will teach students many ways to work smarter and faster along with covering tips, tricks and troubleshooting techniques. The class will be taught by Programs Plus, a computer software training company.  

There is no charge to attend the program, but advance sign-up is required. Participants may bring their own personal computers.  Register online at www.bernardsvillelibrary.org and follow the link from Adult Programs, or call the library at 908-766-0118 to sign up. 

9/11 Memorial At Bernardsville Library

Members of the public are invited to the remembrance of the two Bernardsville residents who were lost on September 11, 2001. A short ceremony honoring Allison Horstmann Jones and Thomas Barnes Reinig will take place at the flagpole outside Bernardsville Public Library at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, September 11. Community members, children who participated in raising funds for the Memorial, and local officials will participate in the ceremony. For more information, call the library at 908-766-0118.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Poetry Reading @ Bernardsville Library

Join us as Marcia Ivans and Deborah Gerrish read their work at Bernardsville Public Library on Wednesday, September 18 at 7:00 pm. A book signing will follow as well as an "open mic" for members of the audience to read their own poems.

Marcia Ivans, a resident of Chatham, will read poems in her book, "Over Easy," which reflects her journal of life.  She will also read excerpts from her forthcoming chapbook, "Darkness on Sunny Days."  Ms. Ivans has been published in Goldfinch, M magazine and several anthologies.  She has facilitated "Poetry and Pastries," an open poetry reading in Chatham, now entering its tenth year.

Deborah Gerrish will read from her latest collection of poems, "The Language of Paisley," which reflects her passion for family and life through her keen observation of people, nature, and happenings.  She is also the author of the chapbook, "The Language of Rain."  Her poems have appeared in Adanna, Ararat, Exit 13, The Paterson Literary Review, Lips, among others, and in various anthologies.  She taught English for over thirty years in New Jersey public schools.  She and her husband reside in Murray Hill in northern New Jersey where she teaches poetry writing. 

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

Halloween Costume Sale at Bernardsville Library

Bernardsville Library's Teen Group will host a Halloween costume sale on Wednesday, September 18 from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm and Saturday, September 21 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Inspired by the “Green” movement which is sweeping Bernardsville, the teens are collecting gently used costumes and accessories in a box in the library's foyer.  "What better way to reuse and recycle than to give old costumes new life?" said Librarian Intern Felicia Ballard.  

Teens are excited about organizing the sale and plan on dressing up in costumes for the event.   They have created the flyers as well as the signage for the collection boxes, and they will be making the pricing decisions and creating the sales displays.  All proceeds from the sale will go toward teen events at the library. 

Teens will hold their own Halloween party at the library on October 18 at 6:00 pm. It's all free and no sign-up is needed.  For further information, call the library at 908-766-0118.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Free English Classes Offered @ Bernardsville Library

Bernardsville Public Library’s next session of English-As-A-Second-Language (ESL) classes will begin on Monday, September 16.  Classes will be offered on Mondays and Thursdays at both 3:00 pm and 7:15 pm and will run for ten sessions (through November 21).  There is no charge to attend and students may sign up for more than one timeslot if they wish.  Limited childcare for children aged three and up is available during the evening sessions.

At the first session, students will be divided into small groups based on their native language and their facility with English.  Lessons will include practicing conversation and role playing daily tasks that have to be executed in English.  Trained volunteers teach the classes.  Community members who would like to volunteer as teachers are encouraged to call the library at 908-766-0118.

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.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Book Signing: "Betty Goes Vegan"

Annie and Dan Shannon, the authors of "Betty Goes Vegan," a comprehensive guide to creating delicious vegan meals for today's family, will be at Bernardsville Public Library on Tuesday, September 10 at 7:00 pm for a book signing and discussion of their book.  

"Betty Goes Vegan" is a cookbook which features recipes inspired by The Betty Crocker Cookbook, as well as hundreds of original, never-before-seen recipes sure to please even meat-eaters.  It also offers insight into why Betty Crocker has been an icon in American cooking for so long--and why she still represents a certain style of the modern super-woman nearly 100 years after we first met her.  With new classics for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, including omelets, stews, casseroles, and brownies, "Betty Goes Vegan" is an essential handbook for every family trying to maintain a healthy, as well as an interesting and appealing diet.  There will be food samples!

Dan and Annie Shannon live in Brooklyn, NY.  Mrs. Shannon has worked at the animal advocacy organization In Defense of Animals and as the Fashion Industry Liaison for the Humane Society of the United States.  She does most of the cooking.  Mr. Shannon was previously the Director of Youth Outreach & Campaigns for PETA and is now a Senior Strategist for the social movement strategy consulting company Purpose.  He does the dishes. 

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

Saturday Samplers Book Group to Meet

Bernardsville Public Library’s book discussion group, Saturday Samplers, will meet on Saturday, September 7 at 3:30 pm to discuss “Confederates in the Attic” (1998) by Tony Horwitz.  [The author will not be present.]

In the book, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author takes readers on a ten-state adventure from Gettysburg to Vicksburg, from Charleston graveyards to Tennessee taverns, probing both the history of the Civil War and its potent echo in the present.  Propelled by his boyhood passion for the Civil War, Mr. Horwitz embarks on a search for places and people still held in thrall by America's greatest conflict.  The result is an adventure into the soul of the unvanquished South, where the ghosts of the Lost Cause are resurrected through ritual and remembrance.  The reviewer Kurt Jensen of USA Today wrote of the book: "In this sparkling book, Tony Horwitz freshens our culture of remembrance with humor and a sharpshooter's eye, exploding myths with the irreverence of a small boy hurling snowballs at a beaver hat.... An important contribution to understanding how echoes of the Civil War have never stopped."

Tony Horwitz worked for many years as a newspaper reporter, first in Indiana and then during a decade overseas in Australia, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, mainly covering wars and conflicts as a foreign correspondent for The Wall Street Journal.  After returning to the U.S., he won the Pulitzer Prize for national reporting and wrote for The New Yorker before becoming a full-time author.  His books include the national and New York Times bestsellers, "Confederates in the Attic," "Blue Latitudes," "Baghdad Without a Map," and "A Voyage Long and Strange." His latest book, "Midnight Rising," was named a New York Times Notable Book of 2011; one of the year’s ten best books by Library Journal; and won the 2012 William Henry Seward Award for Excellence in Civil War Biography. 

Led by 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.

"Dual Visions" – September Art Exhibition @ Bernardsville Library

Painter and photographer Michal Barkai and photographer Charles Miller will exhibit their artwork together at Bernardsville Public Library from September 3 to September 30, 2013.  The exhibit, titled “Dual Visions,” includes some 40 artworks.  It is free and open to the public during regular library hours. 

Michal Barkai was born and raised in Israel and resides in Livingston.  She is an award-winning realist painter and photographer.  An IT professional by training, she now devotes her time to art.  Waterscapes, reflections and the changing seasons are favorite subjects in both her paintings and photographs, which are often exhibited together.  A sense of place and harmony are a common thread.  Love of color and detail are another.  Ms. Barkai uses oils and dry pastels for her paintings and favors small format.  Her artwork was recently featured in several national art publications, including the Artist Focus editorial in American Art Collector Magazine; several themed specials in Southwest Art Magazine; and portfolios of paintings and photographs on Still Point Arts Quarterly and Stone Voices art magazines.  Ms. Barkai's photographs were included numerous times in national juried exhibitions at the Salmagundi Club in NYC.  She is active in local art organizations, currently serving on the board of the Pastel Society of New Jersey and coordinating the Visions Artists group. 


Charles Miller of Ringoes is a photographer, digital artist, and abstractionist.  Trained as a theatre set and lighting designer, Mr. Miller brings the theories of light and perspective used on stage to his work.  His passion for gardening and flowers and his sense of humor find their way into his artwork.  A recipient of many awards, Mr. Miller is currently the manager of the Art Upstairs and Starlight galleries at the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown and is the founder and manager of the Bistro Gallery in Buckingham, PA.  He is also a founding member of the Hunterdon County Photo Club.  He recently became a member artist at Gallery 14 in Hopewell, NJ.  Three of his photographs were selected for inclusion in the 2011 calendar published by the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ.

For further information, call the library at 908-766-0118. 

Splendid Life Meditation

Basking Ridge resident Fauzia Burke will lead the next monthly guided meditation session at Bernardsville Public Library on Friday, September 6 at 10:00 am.  Ms. Burke’s style of meditation incorporates many cultural traditions and uses the power of word and imagery to facilitate a meditative experience. Each experience is honored as unique and can help reduce stress, generate creativity, and create positive energy. Free. No sign-up is needed.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

"Tooth Doctor" to Visit Bernardsville Library

Dr. Andrea Mann, a dentist who practices in Basking Ridge, will visit Bernardsville Public Library twice on Tuesday, August 27, once to speak to children ages two to five years at 10:30 am and then at 7:00 pm in the evening to meet with parents.

The youngsters will enjoy a story and watch a dinosaur cartoon about going to the dentist.  They will meet a dragon whose teeth they can brush and slip into a big six-kid teeth costume to have 'goo' brushed off with a giant toothbrush with a spot between them that gets flossed. 

In the evening, parents will learn what to expect at the first dental visit, about caring for infant and toddler teeth, how to handle emergencies, and thumb sucking.  This will be followed by a Q&A.

Dr. Mann is a library user and her twins come to story time.  She is passionate about educating her community about the importance of maintaining good oral health.  She has volunteered in outreach programs for the Special Olympics and counseled at-risk pregnant mothers about infant oral health.  She also serves as an Attending Doctor at Morristown Memorial Hospital where she enjoys supervising and teaching general dentistry residents.

Dr. Mann is a member of many professional organizations including the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, American Dental Association, New Jersey Dental Association and the New Jersey Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

There is no charge to attend either program.  The children's program does not require advance sign-up; advance registration is required for the adult session.  Register online at www.bernardsvillelibrary.org and follow the link from Adult Programs, or call the library at 908-766-0118 to sign up. 

The University of "Can-Do" Master's Program

The next session of the "University of Can-Do Master's Program" will meet on Wednesday, August 28 at 7:00 pm at Bernardsville Public Library. "Do you have a goal that you think you can't make happen?" asks Andrea Mastrobattista who leads the group, "Well, you can, because you have what it takes to accomplish it."

This workshop runs throughout the year, and each month participants discover more skills for cultivating and maintaining the "can-do" determination to make a dream come true.  This month’s session will focus on the art of gratitude.  Discover how to be grateful for all of your life experiences — the good and, yes, even the bad and the ugly.

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

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Conditioning and Diet for the Upcoming Sports Season

Learn how to avoid injuries in the up-coming sports season and what constitutes a nutritious diet for an athlete in an upcoming program at Bernardsville Public Library.  Presented by three local business people, Angelo Scarpati, owner of Optimal Physical Therapy and Performance Institute; Michelle Berckes, nutritionist and natural food chef; and Brenda Curnin, owner of Breezy Organic Snackery, the program will take place on Monday, August 26 at 7:00 pm.

It is important to eat properly both during training and after a strenuous athletic event, but it is often hard to eat the correct amount of protein and the right kind, as well as get enough nutrients.  The program will guide listeners through these options.  Mr. Scarpatti will also talk about some take home exercises for stretching and increasing strength and flexibility to reduce injuries and soreness, especially in growing bodies. 

Angelo Scarpati, MSPT, Cert. MDT, CSCS is a Physical Therapist, Golf Fitness Instructor and Strength Conditioning Specialist.  He treats athletes of all ages with physical therapy and rehabilitation for injuries as well as conditioning programs for peak performance.  

Michelle Berckes, B.S. Nutrition, is a Nutritionist and Natural Food Chef.  She is currently the nutritionist consultant and culinary director at Breezy Organic Snackery in Bernardsville.  Her passion is for helping others heal with food and prevent dietary illness.  For over 10 years, she has worked with doctors, dieticians, trainers, chefs, authors and TV personalities gaining knowledge on the power of healthy food.  

Brenda Curnin, owner of Breezy Organic Snackery in Bernardsville, a vegetarian grab- and-go dedicated to serving only organic food and drinks, is a healthy food fanatic and health coach to those who will listen.    

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

Keep Up Healthy Nutrition Habits When School Starts

Come learn how you can earn an “A” in your child’s "Back to School Nutrition"! Presented at Bernardsville Public Library on Monday, August 19 at 7:00 pm by Kaitlyn McGowan, RD, Bernardsville ShopRite's Dietitian. Ms. McGowan will discuss how to feed your child for optimal health as the new school year begins! Free. Advance sign-up is requested.