Home-Based Business Help: AAUW Presents Gift to Bernardsville Library

For many years, the Somerset Hills Association of University Women (AAUW) has made generous gifts to Bernardsville Public Library to enhance its collection of books and other materials. This year is no exception, as the group recently presented Library Director Karen Brodsky with a check for $1,000. Educational Foundation Chair Anne Hartman made the gift at the group’s annual meeting in May.

By mutual agreement, a portion of the 2010-2011 donation has been spent on resources to start or enhance home-based business. “Many people in our community are looking for new jobs or additional income sources,” said Ms. Brodsky. “Books are available to borrow covering the basics of creating various kinds of businesses, including online retail business, home-based day-care and pet-care business. We also have a women’s small business start-up kit, information on law and taxes for independent contractors, and books on how to use the Internet, blogs and eBay for business start-ups for people to check out. It is thanks to support of the AAUW that we are able to provide such a wide variety of resources at this crucial time in people’s working lives.”

The AAUW has a long and distinguished history of advancing educational and professional opportunities for women in the United States and around the globe. Jacqueline D’Alessio and Arlene Inglis, co-presidents of the Somerset Hills Branch, stated, “Pay equity is a priority for AAUW, and it will be until women everywhere earn a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. The Somerset Hills Branch of AAUW congratulates the Bernardsville Library on the use of the donated funds to advance AAUW’s goal of financial independence for all women.”

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Photo: Educational Foundation Chair Anne Hartman (left) and Library Director Karen Brodsky (right) at the AAUW annual dinner.

"From Bing to the King and a Whole Lotta Swing!'' Celebrating Seniors @ Bernardsville Library

On Friday, June 10 at 10:00 am, Bernardsville Public Library will hold its ninth annual Seniors’ Day with a free continental breakfast, a chance to socialize, and a program tailored specially for the senior generation. “From Bing to the King and a whole lotta swing!'' with Charlie Z will highlight vintage music from the World War II era through the 1950s, including Big Band and popular hits of the day.

Recordings featuring musicians such as the Andrews Sisters, Mills Brothers, Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Glenn Miller, Louis Armstrong and other surprises, will be the highlight of the event. Audience participation will be encouraged, including related games and sing-alongs. The emphasis will be on having fun while keeping the musical memories from those great times alive!

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

Pastel Society of New Jersey to Exhibit at Bernardsville Library

Bernardsville Public Library is pleased to present the “Board and Award” exhibition of the Pastel Society of New Jersey (PSNJ) during the month of June. The exhibition will be on display from June 5 to June 30, and the public is invited to meet the artists at a reception on Thursday, June 9 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. [No sign-up is necessary.]

The show will feature work by members who won an award at the 2010 Members Show and/or the 2010 Juried Show. The exhibit also includes paintings by PSNJ Board members. PSNJ was founded in 2005 to promote public interest in the traditional medium of dry pastels.

The show will be on view in the library’s Community Room during regular library hours unless a meeting is in progress. For further information, please call the library at 908-766-0118.

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Painting: "The Iris Garden” by Board member Michal Barkai

Saturday Samplers Book Group to Meet

Bernardsville Library’s book discussion group, Saturday Samplers, will meet on Saturday, June 4 at 3:30 pm to discuss Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague (2002) by Geraldine Brooks. [The author will not be present.]

A fine piece of historical fiction, this novel tells of story of the spread of the plague, in an infected bolt of cloth, from London to a small, isolated village named Eyam in 1666. A housemaid named Anna Frith emerges as an unlikely heroine and healer, and it is through her eyes that the reader follows how she and her fellow villagers confront the spread of disease and superstition. As death reaches into every household and villagers turn from prayers to witch-hunting, Anna finds the strength to confront the disintegration of her community. As she struggles to survive, a year of catastrophe becomes instead annus mirabilis, a "year of wonders." A reviewer for The New Yorker wrote: "The novel glitters . .[It is a] deep imaginative engagement with how people are changed by catastrophe."

Geraldine Brooks is the author of two acclaimed works of nonfiction, the bestselling Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women and Foreign Correspondence: A Penpal's Journey from Down Under to All Over. She is also a former war correspondent whose writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Washington Post.Led by Readers’ Services 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.

There is no charge to attend the discussion, and no sign-up is needed. The group will meet in the Library’s Community Room.

Overcoming Age Barriers in Your Job Search

During these difficult economic times, age related issues can be a factor during a job search and the interview process. For information on how best to handle such issues, come to Bernardsville Public Library on Thursday, June 2 at 10:30 am for tips and pointers from Mona Witman, a Career Counselor with The Women’s Center at the County College of Morris.

Ms. Witman will teach participants how to deal with actual and perceived age-related issues such as outdated technical skills, health concerns, and being "over-qualified." She will also tell how to answer tough interview questions in this vein. Being prepared and having a positive attitude will help bridge the generation gap and lead to success!

Ms. Witman has been giving career and job search advice for over 30 years, working with college students, displaced homemakers and the general community. She received her master’s degree from Columbia Teachers College, New York and was formerly the director of the Roxbury Career Counseling Center in Succasunna. She has lectured extensively throughout New Jersey on career issues.

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.

The Power of RE-

Inspirational speaker Andrea Mastrobattista will host her next workshop, “The Power of RE: Rejuvenate Your Spirit,” at Bernardsville Public Library on Wednesday, May 25 at 7:00 pm.

“These monthly workshops will help you REplenish your energy, REdiscover your dreams and even REclaim power over your life,” says Ms. Mastrobattista, “Come to learn about the Power of RE and choose your own RE- word to focus on this year!”

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

Introduction to e-Readers

With the popularity of e-Books rising, many people would like to know more about the different e-Readers available on the market. On Thursday, May 26 at 7:00 pm, Pat Kennedy-Grant, Readers’ Services Coordinator at Bernardsville Library, will offer an introduction to the Kindle, the Nook and the Sony e-Reader in the library’s Community Room. "There is a huge variety of electronic books available now,” said Ms. Kennedy-Grant, “and while this won’t be a hands-on class, participants will get a good idea of the strong points and differences among these three devices.”

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.