Keyed In: 7 Keys to Transform Your Life

"Self-improvement has never been so easy when the 'keys' are revealed, the stories are shared, and an action plan is in place." So writes Bernardsville author and lifestyle coach Carla Hugo, who recently published "Keyed In: 7 Keys To Transform Your Life." Meet her and her editor and Bernardsville Middle School English teacher Kimberly Flynn at Bernardsville Public Library on Thursday, December 11 at 7:00 pm, when Ms. Hugo will address some common challenges, talk about solutions, and include a glimpse into the lives of clients who utilize these keys. Listeners will go home with their desire to achieve their personal goals re-ignited and with strategies to implement immediately. The book will be available for purchase and signing.

Hal Edward Runkel, a renowned expert on helping families face conflict and create great relationships, wrote of Ms. Hugo's book, "In 'Keyed In,' are the tools to create awareness, release stress, and ignite your imagination through visualization and affirmation. Read 'Keyed In,' and unlock the source of your own personal success."

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. 

Bernards High School Madrigal Ensemble

Join us at Bernardsville Public Library on Tuesday, December 9 at 3:30 pm when the Bernards High School Madrigal Ensemble, under the direction of Matthew LaPine, will fill the library rotunda with beautiful holiday music. Enjoy holiday cookies, compliments of the Friends of the Bernardsville Library, as well. Free. No sign-up is needed.

Going Gluten-Free for the Holidays

For those who maintain a gluten-free diet, the holidays can be a particularly challenging time. On Tuesday, December 9 at 7:00 pm, Nicole Cerillo, a Registered Dietician and Celiac Program Clinical Manager at the Kogan Celiac Center of Barnabas Health, will guide listeners on how to go gluten-free for the holidays and how to navigate the diet (and all those holiday parties) with ease.

Ms. Cerillo will share some great tips for creating simple, healthy, gluten-free dishes that the whole family will enjoy. Recipes and samples will be provided. Also on the program will be a brief overview of the signs, symptoms, current diagnostics, labeling laws, and the basics of managing Celiac disease.

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.

Sundays at Three: The History of Jazz Through Song

Join us at Bernardsville Public Library on Sunday, December 7 at 3:00 pm for a free concert, "The History of Jazz Through Song." Trumpeter, flugelhornist and vocalist Gordon James and his quartet will take listeners on a journey through the different eras of jazz with words and song.

This lecture and performance, inflected with humor, will cover the origins of jazz music, Ragtime, the Blues, Dixieland Jazz, and the Big Band Era, and include big band singers, Latin Jazz, Bebop, Cool Jazz, Jazz Fusion and Smooth Jazz. Songs from each era will be performed and some of the artists covered will be Scott Joplin, W.C. Handy, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Glen Miller, Benny Goodman, Count Baise, Frank Sinatra, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and Dave Brubeck.

This concert is funded by the Friends of the Bernardsville Public Library.  It’s free and no sign-up is needed. There will be light refreshments.  Doors open at 2:45 pm. For further information, call the library at 908-766-0118.

Tech Update: Open Source Software

What is open source software and who can benefit from using it?  To find out, come to Bernardsville Pubic Library on Thursday, December 4 at 7:00 pm.
  
Because many open source programs can be obtained at no cost or at a very low cost while purchasing software and upgrades is expensive, many people choose to use open source for their word processing, spreadsheet and web design needs.  It is reliable, free, and has a history of being secure because its developers, volunteers who collaborate online, are constantly fixing flaws.  In this program taught by Programs Plus, a software training company, listeners will learn how to take advantage of easily accessible open source software.  

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 to Discuss Garcia Marquez Novella

Bernardsville Library’s book group, Saturday Samplers, will meet Saturday, December 6 at 3:30 pm to discuss “No One Writes to the Colonel” (1961) by Gabriel García Márquez, a winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature.
  
This novella is a masterly story about life in a decaying tropical town in Colombia and the cycles of hope and despair, tragedy and comedy that grip the inhabitants with the regularity of the rains and the heat that dominate their lives. The Colonel is a Quixotic character who languishes on the faded dreams of his revolutionary past, the false hopes of his pride, and his one tangible asset, a fighting cock which has become a symbol for him and, indeed, for the whole town.

Led by Program/PR Assistant 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.

Intellectual Property: A Competitive Tool

On Wednesday, December 3 at 7:00 pm at Bernardsville Public Library, Brian R. Tomkins, Esq. will discuss intellectual property (IP) and how it is both a competitive tool and a valuable asset for businesses. He will provide attendees with useful tips on protecting their intellectual property and for developing pragmatic and cost-effective strategies consistent with their business goals.

Mr. Tomkins is an associate with Lerner David Littenberg Krumholz & Mentlik LLP, a boutique intellectual property law firm in Westfield, NJ. His practice covers all aspects of IP including worldwide procurement, due diligence and clearance, litigation, and acquisition and licensing.

This program is sponsored with SCORE Central Jersey small business mentors who help owners establish and grow their businesses. SCORE is a national all-volunteer, nonprofit resource partner of the Small Business Administration. The Central Jersey Chapter serves Middlesex, Somerset and Hunterdon Counties. 

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.

Paper Holiday Wreath Workshop

You've heard of “shop local” for the holidays, but how about “make local”? On Wednesday, December 3 at 4:00 pm, Laura Shabazz will lead a paper holiday wreath workshop at Bernardsville Public Library. During this maker activity, attendees will learn how to use discarded books to create unique paper wreaths—perfect hostess or teacher gifts!  After learning the process at the library, more can be created at home using scrapbook, magazine or wrapping paper to add a splash of color.

This program is for adults and teens. All workshop supplies will be provided. There is no charge to attend, but space is limited and advance sign-up is required. Register online at www.bernardsvillelibrary.org and follow the link from Adult Programs, or call the library at 908-766-0118 to sign up. 

Gardens of the Garden State

Meet Nancy Berner and Susan Lowry, authors of the beautiful new book, “Gardens of the Garden State,” at Bernardsville Public Library on Sunday, November 16 at 2:00 pm. Their book takes readers on a glorious photographic tour of 28 public and private gardens of New Jersey–from historic formal gardens of estates, to suburban gardens, horticulturists’ havens, and fresh takes on front yards. Representing gardens in Ringwood in the north to Cape May in the south, the book gives an intimate, inside look at gardens that range from understated to elegant, to bold and brassy— illustrating the ways in which New Jersey’s long garden traditions are upheld to this day. The authors will give an illustrated talk followed by a question and answer session.

New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the nation, one of the original thirteen, home to the largest public iris garden in the country, and the glacier-swept endpoint of the last Ice Age.  For the authors, who look to gardens as an entry to the history and culture of a region, our state presents an array of surprising diversity. Its temperate climate makes it possible to grow a wide range of plants, while its complex topography—ranging from mountains to rolling hills and flat basins, the scrubby Pine Barrens and the rich Coastal Plain—demands innovative approaches to design.

Nancy Berner and Susan Lowry are an accomplished writing team whose previous book collaborations include the "Garden Guide to New York City" and "Gardens of the Hudson Valley." Susan Lowry is a member of the board of directors of the Garden Conservancy as well as of Greenwood Gardens.

Books will be available for purchase and signing at the event which is sponsored with The Bookworm of Bernardsville. 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.

High Tea with Friends

The Friends of the Bernardsville Public Library will host a tea party fundraiser on Saturday, November 22 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. This multigenerational event will be held at the library and delicious savories, scones, sweets and, of course, tea, will be served. It's a perfect opportunity to share an afternoon with friends and family, and learn about tea etiquette at the same time.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for children 12 and under. All proceeds will benefit the programs and services that the Friends of the Bernardsville Library provide, such as children's programs, the bi-monthly newsletter, Sundays at Three, and much more. Tickets may be purchased until Monday, November 17, either at the library or by mailing a check, payable to the Friends of Bernardsville Library, to 1 Anderson Hill Road, Bernardsville, NJ 07924.

The Friends of the Bernardsville Public Library was established in 1902 and consists of a group of volunteers who are committed to providing special programs and services that benefit all users of the library and all members of the community. If you have questions about this fundraiser, please contact Madelyn English at the library at (908) 766-0118.

The Can-Do Connection

The next meeting of The “Can-Do” Connection will be held at Bernardsville Public Library on Wednesday, November 19 at 7:00 pm. Join us at this workshop led by Professional Inspirer Andrea Mastrobattista to hear a preview of the series she will be teaching in 2015 to help you live your most fulfilling and inspiring life!

Ms. Mastrobattista has been leading her inspirational workshops on Wednesday evenings at the library since 2006. She heads a company called Operation INSPIRATION and also facilitates workshops in the Somerset Hills such as "Facing Your Fears" and "Transforming Negatives Into Positives" in which she helps people to fully form their goals and develop a strong can-do attitude for achieving them. Her core belief is that, no matter what circumstances people face, they have the strength and ability to create and live fulfilling and inspiring lives. She also owns Golden Slipper Productions, a company which creates websites and promotional materials for small and mid-sized businesses.

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.

Understanding the Common Core

Jeanne Clements

If you need more information on the new Common Core Standards and the PARCC tests being implemented in New Jersey public schools this year, come to Bernardsville Public Library on Wednesday, November 19 at 7:00 pm to hear Jeanne Clements dispel the myths. Ms. Clements will explain how the standards will impact your children’s education and how they differ from the old standards. She will also discuss what new skills will be required and assessed, what to expect from your children’s teachers, how to help with homework, and how to guide your children over the new obstacles that will challenge them toward their academic goals.

Attendees will be encouraged to ask questions and seek clarification on matters such as taking the test on-line as opposed to the past pencil and paper tests, having test scores in middle school become part of a student’s permanent record and transcript, how the PARCC scores will affect college acceptance, how a new emphasis on non-fiction will change the English classroom, and how the new standards will change our existing curriculum.

Teacher, parent, author, inventor, educational leader, and innovator are some of the titles that Jeanne Clements has comfortably wielded in her professional career. Recognized as an expert on the Common Core and PARCC tests, she has published articles in and been interviewed by many media outlets throughout the United States. Most recently she has conducted workshops on the Common Core and PARCC tests for educators in over 40 districts throughout New Jersey and at the New Jersey Educational Association (NJEA).

After serving in the public school system for over 25 years as an English, drama, and theater arts teacher; public relations liaison; and curriculum developer; she accepted the post of lead teacher of the English Department at Morris Knolls High School where she oversaw and mentored a department of 25 teachers. Currently, she is serving as president of the Association of Language Arts Teachers of New Jersey, a non-profit organization which she founded and is dedicated to preserving the strength, beauty, and power of the English language and Language Arts education. 

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. 

Memoirs & Coffee Book Group to Discuss "Men We Reaped"

The next meeting of Bernardsville Public Library’s book discussion group, Memoirs and Coffee, will be held on Tuesday, November 18 at 10:30 am in the library’s Community Room. Pat Kennedy-Grant, Readers’ Services Manager for the library, will lead the discussion of “Men We Reaped: A Memoir” (2013) by Jesmyn Ward. [The author will not be present.]

The book recounts how, in five years, Jesmyn Ward lost five young men in her life—to drugs, accidents, suicide, and the bad luck that can follow people who live in poverty, particularly black men. Dealing with these losses, one after another, made her ask the question: Why? And as she began to write about the experience of living through all the dying, she realized the truth: Her brother and her friends all died because of who they were and where they were from, because they lived with a history of racism and economic struggle that fostered drug addiction and the dissolution of family and relationships. Ms. Ward says the answer was so obvious she felt stupid for not seeing it. But it nagged at her until she knew she had to write about her community, to write their stories and her own.

Tayari Jones in The New York Times Book Review wrote of the book, "[Ward] chronicles our American story in language that is raw, beautiful and dangerous… [Her] singular voice and her full embrace of her anger and sorrow set this work apart from those that have trodden similar ground… With loving and vivid recollection, she returns flesh to the bones of statistics and slows her ghosts to live again… [It’s a] complicated and courageous testimony."

Jesmyn Ward grew up in DeLisle, Mississippi. She received her MFA from the University of Michigan and has been a Stegner Fellow at Stanford and a Grisham Visiting Writer in Residence at the University of Mississippi. She is currently an assistant professor of creative writing at the University of South Alabama. She is the author of the novels "Where the Line Bleeds" and "Salvage the Bones," for which she won the 2011 National Book Award, and was a finalist for the NYPL Young Lions Literary Award and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, as well as a nominee for the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.

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

Craft Group to Meet at Bernardsville Library

Saturday Crafters, a monthly craft group organized by Bernardsville Public Library, will meet on Saturday, November 15 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. They can also take advantage of the many books available at the library on different types of crafts. 

Public Relations Assistant Evelyn Fischel will showcase 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.

High Tea with Friends

The Friends of the Bernardsville Public Library will host a tea party fundraiser on Saturday, November 22 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. This multigenerational event will be held at the library, and delicious tea sandwiches, scones, pastries and, of course, tea, will be served. It's the perfect opportunity to share an afternoon with friends and family, and learn about tea etiquette at the same time. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for children aged 12 and under. All proceeds will benefit the programs and services that the Friends of the Bernardsville Public Library provide, such as children's programs, the bi-monthly newsletter, the Sundays at Three concert series, and much more. 

Advance sign-up at the library is required. Tickets are available at the Circulation Desk or by mailing a check, payable to the Friends of the Bernardsville Library, to 1 Anderson Hill Road, Bernardsville, NJ 07924.  If you have questions about this fundraiser, please contact Madelyn English at the library at (908) 766-0118.

The Friends of the Bernardsville Public Library was established in 1902.  The Friends are a group of volunteers who are committed to providing special programs and services that benefit all users of the library and all members of the community. 

Tech Update: YouTube

YouTube says that 100 hours of new videos are uploaded to the site every minute! So, millions of people are using YouTube, but uploading videos is not always straightforward. Join us at Bernardsville Public Library on Wednesday, November 12 at 7:00 pm for a program on YouTube’s many features. Learn how to upload your movies, whether from a cell phone, tablet or video file, make them public or private, share the URL with your friends, and customize them with tags, thumbnails and titles. This program is taught by Programs Plus, a software training company.

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.

Page Turners Book Group To Discuss "The Aviator's Wife"

Bernardsville Public Library’s evening book group, Page Turners, will meet on Tuesday, November 11 at 6:30 pm, when Library Director April Judge will lead the discussion of “The Aviator's Wife" (2013) by Melanie Benjamin. [The author will not be present.]

This historical novel—New York Times, USA Today, and Indiebound bestsellers—centers on Anne Morrow Lindbergh, wife of world-famous aviator Charles Lindbergh and her evolution from submissive helpmate into the author of the feminist classic “Gift from the Sea.” Drawing on the rich history of the twentieth century—from the late twenties to the mid-sixties—and featuring cameos from such notable characters as Joseph Kennedy and Amelia Earhart, "The Aviator’s Wife" is a vividly imagined novel of a complicated marriage—revealing both its dizzying highs and its devastating lows.

Library Journal wrote that the book, “well-researched and paced…will certainly spark readers' interest in learning more about this famous couple.”

Ms. Benjamin attended Indiana University and performed in many community theater productions before meeting her husband, moving to the Chicago area, and raising two sons. She had a continuing interest in writing and soon began writing for local magazines and newspapers before venturing into her first love, fiction. Later, incorporating her passion for history and biography, Ms. Benjamin, found her niche writing historical fiction, concentrating on the "stories behind the stories." "Alice I Have Been" was her first historical novel; "The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb" her second, and "The Aviator's Wife," is her third.

There is no charge to attend Page Turners and no registration is needed to join the discussion. Call the library at 766-0118 for more information.

Yoga Basics Classes at Bernardsville Library

In a partnership of Bernardsville Library and Bernardsville Recreation, a six-session course on yoga basics will be offered in the library's Community Room on Tuesdays, November 11 to December 16 at 1:00 pm. Taught by Julie Shaw of Lotus Mind and Body, the total cost for the 6-week session is $30.  Registration is required through Bernardsville Recreation’s Community Pass portal, https://register.communitypass.net/bernardsville. Students should bring a yoga mat to class; a yoga blanket is helpful, but not required.

Suitable for all students, the classes will offer an integrated sequence of poses designed to warm up the body and then work toward a specific intention within the natural movements of the spine. Students are encouraged throughout the entire practice to link their awareness of breath to the movements of the body. This awareness is the single most important key to a Hatha yoga practice because it serves to keep the practitioner in the present movement, observing and accepting what is.  Pranayama (breath work) and a final deep relaxation are integral to every class.

Instructor Julie Shaw is a certified Yoga teacher and therapist in the Viniyoga Tradition. She has more than 25 years' experience practicing, studying and teaching yoga. Her classes are for every body and every experience level, integrating breath, movement and awareness in the service of greater self-knowledge. Her intention is to offer others what she has found herself in the practice of yoga – a system for pulling together the myriad aspects of life (body, mind, work, family, spirit, etc.) and living in a way that fulfills one’s deepest intentions and convictions. 

For further information, call Bernardsville Library at 908-766-0118 or Bernardsville Recreation at 908-766-2546.

Sandy’s Wake-Up Call: Juried Photography Show at Bernardsville Library

“Sandy’s Wake-Up Call,” a juried exhibition of photographs organized by the Bernardsville Green Team, Shade Tree Committee, and Environmental Commission will be on view at Bernardsville Public Library throughout the month of November. There will be an opening reception on Saturday, November 8 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.

The devastation that Superstorm Sandy wreaked on our region was a wake-up call to everyone. As heroic and committed as the response to this storm was, the problems will be with us for a long time. Keeping the memory of Sandy alive will, the organizers believe, preserve what makes our lives meaningful and productive. To this end, the judges selected a variety of photographic interpretations of Superstorm Sandy’s impact on our lives and environment now and into the future.

There is real hope when the public is engaged. This exhibition gives the Green Team, Shade Tree Committee, and Environmental Commission a forum to encourage thoughtful study of the issue in order to get people thinking about the urgency of conserving their own environment and minimizing or preventing the destruction of the next superstorm. Two years ago, former Governor, Christine Todd Whitman spoke at a library fundraiser on "Superstorm Sandy: One Year Later." “Conservation” was her key word then and remains key today, two years later.

Judges for the show were Dwight Hiscano, a widely published and highly collected photographer; Dave DesRochers, a member of the North American Nature Photography Association; and Philip Witt and Rebecca Witt, long-time volunteers at the Scherman-Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary where they co-lead the photography workshop series.

There will be two awards in the show: "Best of Show" will be announced at the opening reception, and a "Community Favorite" will be voted on by viewers throughout the month.

The exhibition will be on view at Bernardsville Library from November 2 to November 30 (during regular library hours unless a meeting is in progress) before traveling to the New Jersey Audubon facility in Plainsboro for exhibition in December, and then to the Scherman-Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary in Bernardsville where it will be on view in January and February 2015.

For further information, call Bernardsville Public Library at 908-766-0118.

Saturday Samplers to Discuss "Purple Hibiscus"

Bernardsville Library’s book group, Saturday Samplers, will meet Saturday, November 1 at 3:30 pm to discuss “Purple Hibiscus” (2003) by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. [The author will not be present.]

The book, a novel, tells the story of Kambili and her brother who are sent to live with an aunt when Nigeria begins to fall apart under a military coup. There, the siblings discover a life and love beyond the confines of their father’s authority. The visit lifts the silence from their world and, in time, gives rise to devotion and defiance that reveal themselves in profound and unexpected ways. The promise of freedom; the blurred lines between childhood and adulthood; between love and hatred, between the old gods and the new, are all themes of the book.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian-American author. Her best known novels are “Purple Hibiscus” (2003), “Half of a Yellow Sun” (2006), and “Americanah” (2013). Born in Enugu, Nigeria to Igbo parents, she is the fifth of six children. She studied medicine and pharmacy at the University of Nigeria for a year and a half, but then, at nineteen, she left for the U.S. to study communication at Drexel University in Philadelphia and then went on to pursue a degree in communication and political science at Eastern Connecticut State University. Chimamanda graduated summa cum laude from Eastern in 2001, and then completed a master's degree in creative writing at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. It was during her senior year at Eastern that she started working on her first novel, “Purple Hibiscus” which was published in October 2003. She was a Hodder fellow at Princeton University during the 2005-2006 academic year and earned an MA in African Studies from Yale University in 2008.

Led by Program/PR Assistant 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.

A Walk in the Woods at Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary: Day of the Raptor

There is one more "walk in the woods" scheduled for Bernardsville Public Library's "One Book Bernardsville" program this month.  In homage to Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail, this walk will take place on Saturday, October 25 at 1:00 pm at the NJ Audubon Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary.
  
One of the most spectacular fall sights is the migration of the raptor, and after a presentation in the Nature Center on our local birds of prey, participants will enjoy a walk on the sanctuary grounds exploring the wildlife, the beautiful fall scenery and learning about the animals and plants that inhabit it.  The sanctuary protects 276 acres of woodland, field and floodplain habitat where over 200 species of birds have been sighted, and it is home to over 60 species of nesting birds.

This walk is for adults and children aged ten and up.  It's free; advance registration is required and is limited to 25.

One Book Bernardsville is shared community reading experience which includes a month of book discussions as well as other activities for both adults and children.  Detailed information on all the events during the month is available at http://www.bernardsvillelibrary.org/one-book-bernardsville.  All the programs are free.  To sign up for the events, go to www.bernardsville.library.org or call 908-766-0118.

The next meeting of The “Can-Do” Connection will be held at Bernardsville Public Library on Wednesday, October 29 at 7:00 pm. Join us at this workshop series led by Professional Inspirer Andrea Mastrobattista as we celebrate each other’s accomplishments over the past ten months.

Ms. Mastrobattista has been leading her inspirational workshops on Wednesday evenings at the library since 2006. She heads a company called Operation INSPIRATION and also facilitates workshops in the Somerset Hills such as "Facing Your Fears" and "Transforming Negatives Into Positives" in which she helps people to fully form their goals and develop a strong can-do attitude for achieving them. Her core belief is that, no matter what circumstances people face, they have the strength and ability to create and live fulfilling and inspiring lives. She also owns Golden Slipper Productions, a company which creates websites and promotional materials for small and mid-sized businesses.

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.

"One Book Bernardsville" - Stories Around the Campfire

Spooky stories around a “campfire” will round out Bernardsville Library’s first "One Book Bernardsville," featuring Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods." On Tuesday, October 28, there will be two programs—one for children in Grades 1 to 4 at 4:15 pm and another for adults and high school students at 7:00 pm at which specially selected stories and poems will be read by members of the community. In the campfire tradition, smores will be served. Advance sign-up is requested for the evening campfire stories; no sign-up is needed for the children’s program. To sign up, go to www.bernardsville.library.org or call 908-766-0118.

“A Walk in the Woods" was selected for “One Book Bernardsville” for its broad appeal and humor as well as its information on hiking, geology, plant life and animal life. Throughout the month of October, the library has hosted programs relating to the theme including a talk by a staff member of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, a number of book group discussions, and walks in the area to learn about our own wildlife and how to prepare for time outdoors.
  
"I was thrilled by the number of people who read the book and brought insights from the memoir to many of the theme-related programs," said Library Director April Judge, "Based on the success of this year's program, we will certainly continue One Book Bernardsville next October." Anyone with book suggestions or who wishes to join the planning committee for 2015, please contact Mrs. Judge at ajudge@bernardsvillelibrary.org.

"One Book Bernardsville" - Camping Equipment

"One Book Bernardsville," featuring Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods," continues into October with a program all about camping equipment. On Wednesday, October 22 at 7:00 pm, Katherine Harris and Ryan Farrell will give an overview of essential backpacking gear, including different types of backpacks, sleeping bags, cooking equipment and trail food.
  
Both Ms. Harris and Mr. Farrell are experienced backpackers. They will bring different types of backpacking and camping equipment with them and discuss the pros and cons of each.  They will also provide a list of gear to take on hikes, both short and long. There will samples of some tasty gorp (also known as trail mix) for visitors to taste. 

This is the first annual "One Book Bernardsville," and “A Walk in the Woods" was selected for its broad appeal and its humor as well as its information on hiking, geology, plant life and animal life. There are still a couple of events scheduled in this book celebration. Detailed information on all the events is available at http://www.bernardsvillelibrary.org/one-book-bernardsville. All the programs are free. To sign up for a program, go to www.bernardsville.library.org or call 908-766-0118.

Tea and Conversation with Author Jill Smolowe

Join us for tea and conversation as Julie Maloney, Director of Women Reading Aloud, conducts an up-close and personal interview with Jill Smolowe, author of "Four Funerals and a Wedding: Resilience in a Time of Grief," at Bernardsville Public Library on Sunday, October 26 at 2:00 pm. Audience members will have a rare opportunity to ask the author questions about her work and her writing process. A book signing will follow the interview. Books will be available for purchase.

The book deals with the author's loss of her mother-in- law, her husband, her sister and her mother in the space of less than two years. The wedding refers to her own re-marriage. 

Christina Baker Kline, author of the New York Times bestseller "Orphan Train" who has also appeared in this series at Bernardsville Library, wrote of "Four Funerals and a Wedding, "Forget everything you've heard about the grieving process. Jill Smolowe's memoir about the death of her husband and other close family members -- and her eventual true-life happy ending -- upends conventional wisdom, providing a new narrative for grief. By turns humorous, matter-of-fact, and wise, Smolowe does not shy away from uncomfortable moments. But she also emphasizes moments of grace with an eloquence that will take your breath away. As she probes deeper into her own feelings and motivations, she's never maudlin or histrionic. You'll feel like you're in the company of a wise, funny, rigorously honest and yet compassionate friend… Her insights about grieving, and moving beyond grief, should be required reading for all humans." 

Ms. Smolowe, a resident of Montclair, is an award-winning journalist and, in addition to "Four Funerals and a Wedding," she has written another memoir, "An Empty Lap: One Couple’s Journey to Parenthood," and is co-editor of the anthology "A Love Like No Other: Stories from Adoptive Parents." She has been a foreign affairs writer for Time and Newsweek, and a senior writer for People, where she specialized in crime, TV and music stories. Her articles and essays have appeared in numerous publications and anthologies, including the New York Times, the Boston Globe, The Washington Post Magazine, More, Red [UK], Bark, Adoptive Families and the Reader’s Digest “Today’s Best Non-Fiction” series.

After completing "Four Funerals and a Wedding," Ms. Smolowe found new expression for her interest in the intersection between grief and resilience by becoming a certified grief and transition coach. Today, she partners with clients to help them identify and then take, the steps that will restore joy and momentum to their lives.

Interviewer Julie Maloney has worked in the arts as a performer and educator her entire life.  She is a poet and writer and founder/director of Women Reading Aloud (WRA), a not-for-profit organization that promotes women writers in New Jersey and beyond. WRA holds workshops, special events, writing retreats, conferences and an on-going writing workshop series each spring and fall during which women writers of all genres hone their work in a salon type setting. The annual Writer’s Weekend Retreat is held each April in Sea Girt, NJ. In June, WRA returned for its fourth Greece Writer’s Retreat on the island of Alonnisos in the North Sporades. Ms. Maloney is a frequent speaker on “Writing as a Life Tool.”

There is no charge to attend the program at the library, 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 Crafters to Meet

Saturday Crafters, a monthly craft group organized by Bernardsville Public Library, will meet on Saturday, October 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. They can also take advantage of the many books available at the library on different types of crafts. 

Public Relations Assistant Evelyn Fischel will showcase 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.

50 Book Challenge Group to Meet

Community members are invited to come to the next meeting of the 50 Book Challenge on Saturday, October 18 at 3:00 pm in the library’s Community Room. Reading fifty books in fifty-two weeks may seem daunting, but share the goal with a supportive group and it can be a lot of fun.  

At this meeting, which will include animated discussion, reading suggestions and snacks, ambitious readers will trade notes on their progress as well as books they like and books they don't. New members are welcome at any time during the year. The group meets quarterly. 

The fifty books in fifty weeks are suggested, not required, for participation in the program. Each reader will choose which reading “counts” as part of the total. There are no limitations as to which formats can be read: downloaded books, audio books, e-books and graphic novels are all acceptable.  

For more resources and for email updates for the 50 Book Challenge, go to the library's webpage, www.bernardsvillelibrary.org /50_book/.  For further information, call the library at 908-766-0118.

Sundays at Three: A Touch of Sinatra

Donnie Farraro as Frank Sinatra

Join us at Bernardsville Public Library on Sunday, October 12 at 3:00 pm for a free musical show about the life and music of Frank Sinatra, narrated by Joe Gilligan and performed by Donnie Farraro. Listeners will be entertained with the story of Sinatra’s life, the songs that made him one of the most renowned singers of the 20th century, as well as funny stories and jokes.

Writer Joe Gilligan is a former singer and founder of the oldies group Reminisce, a group that sang nostalgic songs of the past. He is the creative writer for “A Touch of Sinatra” and did extensive research to uncover some unknown facts about Sinatra which are incorporated into this entertaining show.

In 2004, Donnie Farraro was diagnosed with Stage 4 throat cancer and was not expected to live, let alone sing. Today, he is an inspiration to many, singing at about 100 performances a year. He may be one of the most authentic sounding Frank Sinatra singers that the audience has ever heard.

This concert is funded by the Friends of the Bernardsville Public Library. It’s free and no sign-up is needed. There will be light refreshments. Doors open at 2:45 pm. For further information, call the library at 908-766-0118.

"One Book Bernardsville" Offers Walks in the Woods

Bernardsville Public Library's "One Book Bernardsville" is more than a series of book discussions of Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail." Just as Mr. Bryson celebrates the outdoors, so will three guided programs in the area allow participants to enjoy our environment and learn about the animals and plants that inhabit it.

The first walk will be held in Lord Stirling Park in Basking Ridge on Saturday, October 11. Get tips on how to prepare for a “walk in the woods” and how to behave when you are there. Led by park naturalist Christa Wood, this is an improvisational hike on level trails highlighting what’s occurring in nature at this time of year. Meet at Lord Stirling Park, 190 Lord Stirling Road in Basking Ridge at 8:45 am in the lobby of the Environmental Education Center. Advance sign-up is requested, but there's no charge to come along. 

On Saturday, October 18, experienced Appalachian Trail hiker and library volunteer Bob Baker will lead a day hike on a portion of the Appalachian Trail that runs through New Jersey near the Delaware Water Gap. The group will meet at 9:00 am and hike toward Sun Fish Pond. Hikers should bring lunch and water. Details and the meet-up location will be emailed to participants a week ahead. There is no charge to attend, but advance sign-up is required. [This hike is suitable for older teens and adults.]

One of the most spectacular fall sights is the migration of the raptor. On Saturday, October 25 at 1:00 pm, the library will sponsor a program at the NJ Audubon Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary. A PowerPoint presentation on our local birds of prey will be followed by a walk on the sanctuary grounds enjoying the wildlife and the beautiful fall scenery. The sanctuary protects 276 acres of woodland, field and floodplain habitat where over 200 species of birds have been sighted, and is home to over 60 species of nesting birds. This walk is for adults and children aged ten and up. It's free; advance registration is required and is limited to 25.

Advance registration for these walks will enable the library to contact participants in case of inclement weather.

One Book Bernardsville is shared community reading experience which includes a month of book discussions as well as other activities for both adults and children. Detailed information on all the events during the month is available at http://www.bernardsvillelibrary.org/one-book-bernardsville. All the programs are free. To sign up for the events, go to www.bernardsville.library.org or call 908-766-0118.

Many Chances to Discuss "A Walk in the Woods"

"One Book Bernardsville," organized by Bernardsville Public Library and featuring Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail, will bring multiple chances to discuss the book with library staff book group leaders during the month of October. One Book Bernardsville is shared community reading experience which includes a month of book discussions as well as other activities for both adults and children.

The first chance to join a discussion will be Saturday, October 11 at 3:30 pm when Program/PR Assistant Evelyn Fischel will lead her monthly book group, Saturday Samplers, in talking about the book. Director April Judge is next with her evening book group, Page Turners, on Tuesday, October 14 at 6:30 pm. Pat Kennedy-Grant has the morning offering during her long-running Memoirs and Coffee book group on Tuesday, October 28 at 10:30 am. No sign-up is needed for any of these groups.

Community members are encouraged to join one of these discussions. The library has books for individual readers and members of local book clubs to borrow. Books are also available for purchase at The Bookworm.

Detailed information on all the events is available at http://www.bernardsvillelibrary.org/one-book-bernardsville, or call the library at 908-766-0118. All the programs are free. To sign up for the kick-off event on October 8 or the other programs, go to www.bernardsville.library.org or call 908-766-0118.

"One Book Bernardsville" Gets Underway in October

With the beginning of October comes the first "One Book Bernardsville" organized by Bernardsville Public Library and featuring the book by Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail. This shared community reading experience includes activities for both adults and children: a month of book discussions and thematically related programs on the Appalachian Trail, hiking, wildlife, camping equipment, and campfire stories.
  
The official kick-off will be on Wednesday, October 8 at 7:00 pm with guest speaker will be Bob Sickley who through-hiked the Appalachian Trail in two long sections in 1997 and 1998. A 1978 graduate of Bernards High School, he has been an avid hiker and backpacker for more than thirty years. He currently works at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), focusing on treadway programs and projects in ATC's Mid-Atlantic region, i.e. from the New York/Connecticut border to the southern end of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.

Among the other programs scheduled are a program on camping equipment, a walk led by naturalist Christa Wood in Lord Stirling Park, one at the Sherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary focusing on our local birds of prey, and another on the portion of the Appalachian Trail that actually runs through New Jersey. All three of the library’s book groups will be discussing "A Walk in the Woods" as well, and it's not too late for local book groups to call the library and sign up to have a library staff member lead their discussions.

“This book has broad appeal for its humor as well as its information on hiking, geology, plant life and animal life, making it the perfect choice for our first 'One Book' selection,” said April L. Judge, Library Director. The library has books for individual participants or members of local book clubs to borrow.  Books are also available for purchase at The Bookworm.

Detailed information on all the events is available at http://www.bernardsvillelibrary.org/one-book-bernardsville, or call the library at 908-766-0118. All the programs are free. To sign up for the kick-off event on October 8 or the other programs, go to www.bernardsville.library.org or call 908-766-0118.

Essex Water Color Club: Exhibition in October

Ethiopian 2 by John Wolff

Paintings by members of the Essex Water Color Club will be on display at Bernardsville Public Library during the month of October. The exhibit represents the club's final exhibit this year of members’ watercolors whose topics range from landscapes and portraits to abstract paintings. There will be an opening reception, to which the public is invited, on Sunday, October 5, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.

The Essex Water Color Club is New Jersey’s oldest watercolor organization. It was founded by twenty-seven Essex County artists in 1932 to stimulate interest in and advance the art of water media painting. Since then, this non-profit organization has continuously provided a forum for artists to meet, share ideas, discuss techniques and exhibit their work. 

This exhibition will be on view in the library’s Community Room from October 2 through October 30 during regular library hours unless a meeting is in progress. For further information, please call the library at 908-766-0118.

The Can-Do Connection

The next meeting of The “Can-Do” Connection will convene at Bernardsville Public Library on Wednesday, September 24 at 7:00 pm. Some people fear failure; some fear success. Whatever your fears, come to this workshop led by Professional Inspirer Andrea Mastrobattista to discover how to turn fear into the fuel that helps you achieve your goals.

Ms. Mastrobattista has been leading her inspirational workshops on Wednesday evenings at the library since 2006. She heads a company called Operation INSPIRATION and also facilitates workshops in the Somerset Hills such as "Facing Your Fears" and "Transforming Negatives Into Positives" in which she helps people to fully form their goals and develop a strong can-do attitude for achieving them. Her core belief is that, no matter what circumstances people face, they have the strength and ability to create and live fulfilling and inspiring lives. She also owns Golden Slipper Productions, a company which creates websites and promotional materials for small and mid-sized businesses.

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.

Page Turners: Evening Book Group

Bernardsville Public Library’s evening book discussion group, Page Turners, will meet on Wednesday, September 24 at 6:30 pm in the library’s Community Room when Library Director April Judge will lead the discussion of “Providence" (2014) by Lisa Colozza Cocca. [The author will not be present.] The book is the "One Community, One Book" selection for the Morristown Festival of Books this month.

The novel follows the story of a Becky, a young girl who runs away from a violent home and, a few hours later, finds an abandoned newborn girl whom she rescues from a train and with whom she settles in another town far away. As she forges bonds with the people in this town and the infant she has rescued, Becky becomes tangled in the web of lies she has woven and is forced to make difficult decisions. She manages to survive, even thrive, in difficult circumstances.

The author grew up in upstate New York and now lives in New Jersey. She worked as a teacher and has run a school library. "Providence" is her first published novel, but, she says, "I’ve written other novels, chapter books, and picture books... If you’ve been to school in the past decade, there is a good chance you have used something I had a part in making."

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

Memoirs and Coffee Book Group to Discuss "I Am Malala"

The next meeting of Bernardsville Public Library’s book discussion group, Memoirs and Coffee, will be held on Tuesday, September 23 at 10:30 am in the library’s Community Room. Pat Kennedy-Grant, Readers’ Services Manager for the library, will lead the discussion of “I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban” (2013) by Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb. [The authors will not be present.] The group will also celebrate ten years of great books and discussions.

Malala Yousafzai was born in Pakistan in 1997. She is known for her activism for rights to education for women, especially in the Swat Valley, where the Taliban at times banned girls from attending school. In early 2009, at the age of 11, Yousafzai wrote a blog under a pseudonym for the BBC detailing her life under Taliban rule, its attempts to take control of the valley, and her views on promoting education for girls in the Swat Valley. In 2011, she was nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize by South African activist Desmond Tutu.

In October 2012, Malala was shot by the Taliban as she rode home from school on her school bus. Miraculously, she survived and continued to speak out. She is now living and studying in the United Kingdom, where she attends school.

Marie Arana of the Washington Post called the book "riveting" and continued, "Co-written with Christina Lamb, a veteran British journalist who has an evident passion for Pakistan and can render its complicated history with pristine clarity, this is a book that should be read not only for its vivid drama but for its urgent message about the untapped power of girls.... It is difficult to imagine a chronicle of a war more moving, apart from perhaps the diary of Anne Frank, with the essential difference that we lost that girl, and by some miracle, we still have this one."

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

Reading by Donna Baier Stein at Bernardsville Library

Meet Bernardsville author, poet and editor Donna Baier Stein at Bernardsville Public Library on Tuesday, September 23 at 7:00 pm. Ms. Stein will read from her collection of short stories, Sympathetic People, which was published last year.  Bestselling author Caroline Leavitt wrote of the book, "Donna Baier Stein uncovers the sometimes heady glint of danger in relationships in a brilliantly edgy collection of stories that gets under your skin even as it illuminates love, lust - and everything in between."  Copies of Ms. Stein's books will be available for purchase and signing at the library event.

Donna Baier Stein's poetry and prose have appeared in Virginia Quarterly Review, New York Quarterly, Prairie Schooner, Washingtonian, and many other journals and anthologies. She was a founding poetry editor at Bellevue Literary Review and now publishes Tiferet Journal.  Her story collection was a Finalist in the Iowa Fiction Awards; her unpublished novel Fortune received the PEN/New England Discovery Award. Other awards include a scholarship from Bread Loaf, fellowships from Johns Hopkins University and the New Jersey Council for the Arts, prizes from the Poetry Societies of Virginia and New Hampshire, an Honorable Mention from the Allen E. Ginsberg Poetry Prizes, a Summer Literary Seminars Scholarship, three Pushcart nominations and prizes from Kansas Quarterly, Florida Review, and elsewhere. Her poetry chapbook Sometimes You Sense the Difference was published by Finishing Line Press in 2012.

A freelance direct marketing copywriter since 1980, Donna Baier Stein has also written for clients that include Smithsonian, Time, The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, and many others.  She created and presents seminars on copywriting for the Direct Marketing Association and has taught copywriting and writing at universities, corporations, and clubs.  Her two nonfiction books on copywriting are published by McGraw Hill and Thomson Shore.  She was also named Direct Marketer of the Year by the New England Direct Marketing Association in 2004 and Copywriter of the Year by the American Writers and Artists Institute.

There is no charge to attend the library reading, 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.

Maker Day at Bernardsville Library

The "Make" movement is sweeping across the country and encompasses everything from Do-It-Yourselfers, artists and crafters to computer programmers and app developers. To experience the movement yourself, drop in at Bernardsville Public Library on Saturday, September 20 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm when all kinds of makers will be on hand, and there will be interactive activities for adults and children alike.

Among the exhibits and exhibitors scheduled at the Library are a 3D printer demonstration, Arduino kits and Raspberry Pi, a jeweler, an artist who uses pressed flowers to make her art, a seamstress who uses up-cycled materials, a painter who paints mandala art and one who paints gourds. There will be special children’s activities in the Story Time Room including beading, origami and edible chocolate modeling clay. It’s all free.

Doug Baldwin, Emerging Technologies Librarian at Piscataway Public Library, will provide a hands-on demonstration of a Makerbot 3D printer, as well as free software you can use to start working with 3D models. He will also give visitors a look at the Raspberry Pi, a credit-card sized computer, and give attendees an opportunity to use Arduino kits to build all types of electrical circuits.

Local artists will also be demonstrating their crafts, and many will have hands-on projects for visitors to complete and take home. Rebecca Baranowski will use her sewing machine to up-cycle clothing and fabric scraps. She’ll display clothing, doll hats, fascinators and pins that she has made. Brigid Glynn-Young will have a display showing the origin and history of Mandalas. She will demonstrate her process of creating Mandala, the stages of a piece, and the tools and supplies she uses. There will be Mandala templates for visitors to practice making their own Mandala art. Michelle Marigliano and Lorenzo DiAndrea will display samples of Lorenzo’s Saori weaving. Participants will be given time to weave on a pre-warped Saori loom. Beth Murphy will demonstrate and describe the process of pressing botanicals to best preserve their color and beauty. She will have a variety of different presses and a supply of already pressed flowers for people to work with to make their own cards or bookmarks to take home. Andrea Skerratt, who makes jewelry and metal objects using silver, copper, brass, gold and semi-precious gems, will demonstrate how she uses hand tools to create silver jewelry. Mark Thompson will demonstrate how to dry gourds and then cut, carve, burn, sand, paint, dye and apply various dried flowers to make decorative and useful bowls, vases and birdhouses. Tiny bottle gourds will be available for visitors to decorate and take home. The library's on-going Saturday Crafters will meet in the Small Meeting Room at 3:00 pm and answer questions about their group.

There will be other activities as well.  Angela Ferraro-Fanning will conduct a demonstration of Photoshop on the library’s iMac from 12:00 to 1:00 pm. From 1:00 to 2:00 pm, she will be available to answer questions. Library staffers Sarah Gillis will direct visitors in a hands-on craft creating a paper circuit using copper tape and LED lights, and Laura Shabazz will demonstrate how, with black-out poetry, one can combine a love of word finds and lists to reveal one’s inner artistic poet.

Maker activities for children will start at 10:30 am with a special Saturday Story Time for families. This drop-in program will run until 12:30 pm and include stories and Maker crafts. Older children (Grades 4 to 12) will enjoy Maker activities from 1:00 to 4:00 pm such as beading, origami, edible chocolate modeling clay and creating a refrigerator magnet.

There is no charge to attend Maker Day, and no sign-up is needed. For further information, call the Library at 908-766-0118.