January 2014 Newsletter - The Free Public Library of Monroe ...

The monthly newsletter of The Free Public Library of Monroe Township

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.” ― Edith Lovejoy Pierce

A Message from Our Director...

Monday—Thursday 11 AM—9 PM Friday 12 PM—5 PM Saturday 10 AM—3 PM The Library is Closed on Sundays

December 31st & January 1st New Year’s Holiday January 20th Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

1-856-629-1212 ~ Circulation Desk ext. 210 or 211 Reference Desk ext. 206 Children's Reference Desk ext. 204 Teen and Youth Services ext. 208 Administration ext. 203

Well, a new year is finally here. I’ve given up on resolutions that are just too hard to keep. So let’s just make a few easy one’s. Let’s make plans to do things we “like” to do. Here are some of mine. Read more books. Go the movies more often Find a new restaurant Email an old Friend or family member Learn the in’s and outs of my Kindle Learn (or try) to learn a new language Attend a Williamstown show or program Volunteer Donate food or clothing Make a new friend. Hmmm. There is a common thread running through these resolutions. Here’s a clue. These are all things that you can do through your local library. The answer? Making it a Fun-tastic year. Happy New Year!

You Can Knit a Scarf! A Program for Beginning Knitters Three sessions Monday, January 13 Monday, January 27 Monday, February 3 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Please plan to attend all 3 sessions!

Participants will learn how to knit (continental style) while making a garter stitch scarf. Techniques learned include the long tail cast on, the knit stitch, and casting off. You will need to bring 2 skeins of Lion Brand wool-ese chunky yarn (or other bulky weight yarn), size 10 knitting needles and a large yarn needle to weave in the yarn ends.

This program is free and open to adults 18 and over. Space is limited and registration is required. Call 856-629-1212 x206 to register.


Bookworms Book Club Thursday, January 2nd, 1:00 The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway The Old Man and the Sea is one of Hemingway’s most enduring works. Told in language of great simplicity and power, it is the story of an old Cuban fisherman, down on his luck, and his supreme ordeal—a relentless, agonizing battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream. The film version of The Old Man and the Sea will be screened at this meeting. The Bookworms Book Club is a reading group for adults that meets at 1:00 on the first Thursday of each month. All are welcome to read along with us and attend our discussions in the library meeting room. No registration required. Next Month: Mrs Lincoln’s Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini

Needle Arts Group

Wednesday, January 8th , 6:30-8:30 PM Do you knit or crochet? Like to do embroidery, needlepoint, beading, quilting or other needlework? Bring a current project to work on in a fun and informal atmosphere. All levels of experience are welcome. This is not a class. However, sharing of tips and experience are encouraged. The group meets on the first Wednesday of each month. No registration required.

Creative Oxygen: Writing Group “You want to write but don't!” Wednesday, January 8th 6:30-8:30PM This is a Creative Writing Group looking for fun, creative, artistic writers who find it hard to stay motivated to write. Join us as we encourage each other in maintaining a writing schedule with the goal of using writing as a tool of empowerment, healing and personal discovery. Critique sessions, writing prompts, artistic encouragement, for writers of any genre. Registration is required. Please call the group facilitator Theresa Moore at 856-629-7613 to register.

Friends of the Library Monday, January 6th, 2:00PM A Friends of the Library group is a great way to get involved in your Library & your community.


Free Film Series The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Monday, January 13th, 6:30PM (Directed by Norman Z. McLeod, Fiction, 1941, 110 minutes) An adaptation of a short story by James Thurber starring Danny Kay, Virginia Mayo & Boris Karloff. Walter Mitty likes to imagine that he is a hero who experiences fantastic adventures. His dreams become true when he meets a mysterious woman who hands him a little black book which, according to her, contains the location of the Dutch Crown Jewels hidden since World War II. Soon Mitty finds himself in the middle of a conspiracy and has to admit that being a hero in real life is not that easy. A discussion led by Patti Duskee follows the screening. Adults 18 and over are welcome. No registration is required.

Blood Drive On the third Thursday of every month the American Red Cross will be conducting a blood drive in the Library Meeting Room. The date this month is Thursday, January 16th, from 2:00-7:30 PM. For an appointment please call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

The Bookmarks Tuesday, January 28th, 7:00PM The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey by Candice Millard The River of Doubt chronicles the 1914 expedition of Theodore Roosevelt into the unexplored heart of the Amazon Basin to explore and map the region surrounding a tributary called the River of Doubt detailing the perilous conditions they faced - white-water rapids, starvation, illness, jungle menace and Indian attacks. The Bookmarks meet on the last Tuesday of each month at 7:00PM except for December. All adults are welcome to attend and we invite you to read along with us and join our monthly discussions held in the Library’s meeting room. For additional information please call 856-629-1212. Next Month: Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline


SAT Prep Saturday, January 4th, 10:30AM - 2:00PM Join other teens in our Technology Lab and take a FREE practice exam that will give you an assessment of what areas to work on for the SAT test. The database we use also includes lessons and practice problems tailored to the student’s needs. You must have a valid Monroe Township Library Card. Bring your Library card and a calculator. Sign up required, stop by the Reference Desk or email [email protected]. Teen Writer’s Group Monday, January 6th, 6:00PM-8:00PM Calling all teen writers! Write. Share. Review. Chat. Ages 13-18. Non-residents welcome. New member registration required: [email protected] or stop by the Reference Desk. Teen Craft Night: Arm Knitting: Infinity Scarves Tuesday, January 7th, 6:00PM - 8:00PM Arm Knitting is fast and easy. No needles needed! Join us and learn this fun and popular technique. All materials are included. Space is limited. Registration is required: [email protected] or stop by the Reference Desk. How to Draw a Super Hero January, 18th, 1:00PM-2:00PM Attention Teens and Tweens! Do you like to draw? Do you like Super Heroes? Super artist Paul Merklein shows students “How to draw Super Heroes” Ages 12 and up; Registration required. Register at the Reference Desk or by emailing [email protected] Yu-Gi-Oh Card Game Meeting Monday, January 27th, 6:00PM-8:00PM Our Yu-Gi-Oh card game nights are a place to play, trade and learn more about Yu-Gi-Oh. No sign up necessary, noobs welcome! Ages 13-19 Pen Point Pen Point is our new teen literary Blog-Zine Stop by the Reference Desk or email [email protected] for details. We are on TUMBLR http://monroetplteens.tumblr.com


The eight-week winter storytime is starting up again this January. Storytime will run from January 21st to March 11th. No pre-registration or signups needed...just show up at your age group’s time slot. The schedule will be: 18-36 months: Tuesdays, 11:30 AM 3-4 years: Wednesdays, 11:30 AM 4-6 years: Thursdays, 11:30 AM Just show up at your age group’s session. Parents and siblings are welcome, too. (Children in the 18-36 month age group must have an adult with them in the Story Room. For the older two groups, adult attendance is optional.) So stop by starting January 21st and we hope we’ll see you there for stories, crafts, games and movies! Lego Night Thursday, January 9th, 7 PM Ages 4 and up are invited to build with the Lego we provide! Signups required. Pooh and Paddington Tea Party Saturday, January 11th, 11 AM To celebrate the birthdays of A. A. Milne (author of the Pooh stories) and Michael Bond (author of the Paddington stories), we're having a tea party for ages 3 and up to celebrate both English literary bears! We'll enjoy iced tea, treats, read-alouds and cartoons for both Pooh and Paddington. Please sign up by Thursday, January 9th. Marshmallow Madness Wednesday, January 15th, 7 PM As the song goes, "in winter it's a marshmallow world." Ages 3 and up are invited to make anything they can dream of out of marshmallows, toothpicks, and icing. We'll take pictures of your creations for our Facebook page. Signups required. Plastic Bottle Penguins Wednesday, January 22nd, 7 PM Ages 4 and up can make an adorable penguin out of a plastic water bottle and other materials! After we're done our craft, we'll hear some read-alouds and see a penguin cartoon or two. Signups required. Snow Day Saturday, January 25th, 11:30 AM Ages 3 and up are invited to enjoy some snow- and winter-themed crafts and activities! Signups required. Please sign up by Thursday, January 23rd. Movie Night: Alice in Wonderland Wednesday, January 29th, 6:30 PM Celebrate Lewis Carroll's birthday (or is it "unbirthday"?) this week by enjoying Disney's animated classic based on his famous "Alice" books. No signups required.

Call 856-629-1212 x204 for more information or to sign up for programs. Also be sure to call in the event of snowy/icy weather to make sure the Library is open.