The Great Falls at Paterson

On Monday, August 4 at 7:00 pm, Kevin Woyce will present an illustrated program on the Great Falls at Paterson. Recognized as a natural wonder in Colonial days and recently designated a National Park, the Great Falls of the Passaic River powered the factories of America's first great industrial city throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Mr. Woyce, who specializes in programs on our region’s past, will explain the history of the falls, discuss the industries that grew up around them from locomotive building to silk weaving. He will also introduce the colorful personalities who shaped that history, including founding father Alexander Hamilton, who first suggested harnessing the falls in 1791; the industrious Colt family; and silk merchant Catholina Lambert, who once watched over his factories from a mountainside castle.

There is no charge to attend the library program, 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.

The" Can-Do Connection"

The next meeting of "The Can-Do Connection" will convene at Bernardsville Public Library on Wednesday, July 30 at 7:00 pm. “Finnegan, Begin Again” is this meeting’s theme. Professional Inspirer Andrea Mastrobattista will discuss how to re-start when you get frustrated with the progress you are making toward 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.

The Legacy of Gustav Stickley & Craftsman Farms

Craftsman Farms is located nearby in Morris County, but many neighbors have yet to visit. To find out what you can see at this 30-acre National Historic Landmark, the centerpiece of Gustav Stickley’s early 20th century country estate, come to Bernardsville Public Library on Wednesday, July 23 at 7:00 pm. Acting Executive Director Vonda Givens will explore the past, present and future of Craftsman Farms, Gustav Stickley’s home and “Garden of Eden,” through the tale of one table set within its elegantly rustic interiors. Join Ms. Givens “at the table” and trace the journey over the years as a manifestation of Arts and Crafts ideals, a symbol of early 20th century America, and a representation of Stickley’s vision. A noted turn-of-the-century designer, Stickley was a major proponent of the Arts and Crafts movement in decorative arts, home building, and furnishing styles.

Ms. Givens is a regular speaker on Gustav Stickley and Craftsman Farms and became the Director of Education at the Stickley Museum in 2008; she is currently its Acting Executive Director. She has directed museum educational programs for adults and children for the past 11 years, and she has been a museum docent for 14 years. She has a Master’s Degree from Texas A & M University and resides in Denville.

There is no charge to attend the library program, 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 and Coffee Book Group to Discuss "A House in the Sky"

The next meeting of Bernardsville Public Library’s book discussion group, Memoirs and Coffee, will be held on Tuesday, July 22 at 10:30 am in the library’s Community Room. Pat Kennedy-Grant, Readers’ Services Manager for the library, will lead the discussion of “A House in the Sky” (2013) by Amanda Lindhout with Sara Corbett. [The author will not be present.]

The book became a New York Times bestseller, won the 2014 CBC Bookie Award for Best Canadian Nonfiction and was nominated for the 2014 Libris Award for best non-fiction book of 2013. It has been optioned to be made into a movie. 

A dramatic memoir, the book describes a woman whose curiosity led her to the world’s most beautiful and remote places, its most imperiled and perilous countries, and then into fifteen months of harrowing captivity in Somalia.

As a child, the author escaped a difficult home life by paging through issues of National Geographic and imagining herself in its exotic locales. In her teens, she worked as a cocktail waitress in Calgary, Alberta and saved her tips so she could travel the globe. She backpacked through Latin America, Laos, Bangladesh, and India, and then went on to Sudan, Syria, and Pakistan. In war-ridden Afghanistan and Iraq, she worked as a television reporter, and in August 2008, she traveled to Somalia—“the most dangerous place on earth.” On her fourth day, she was abducted by a group of masked, armed teenagers. She was held hostage for 460 days, and this book tells her story of what happened and how she survived.

Eliza Griswold The New York Times Book Review wrote of the book, “Exquisitely told…[A House in the Sky] is much more than a gonzo adventure tale gone awry—it’s a young woman’s harrowing coming-of-age story and an extraordinary narrative of forgiveness and spiritual triumph….There’s no self-pity or grandiosity in these pages. In the cleanest prose, she and Corbett allow events both horrific and absurd…to unfold on their own. Lindhout’s resilience transforms the story from a litany of horrors into a humbling encounter with the human spirit.” 

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

Black-Out Poetry

Do you enjoy the hunt of a word find game? Relish crossing things off a list? Then “black-out” poetry was invented for you! Come find out more on Friday, July 18 at 10:00 am at Bernardsville Public Library when staff member Laura Shabazz will demonstrate how to combine a love of word finds and lists to reveal your inner poet. This program is one of a series of creative workshops offered in anticipation of the Library’s first “Maker Day” to be held on Saturday, September 20 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.
  
All supplies needed for black-out poetry will be provided. There is no charge to attend, 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. 

Fifty Book Challenge Group to Meet

Community members are invited to come to the next meeting of the 50 Book Challenge on Saturday, July 19 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.   

Saturday Crafters to Meet

Saturday Crafters, a monthly craft group organized by Bernardsville Public Library, will meet on Saturday, July 19 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.