Tompkins County Public Library

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Inter-Generational Creative Writing Workshop

The Tompkins County Public Library will host “Every Picture Tells A Story,” a creative writing workshop led by Irene Zahava, Sunday, February 28 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

This workshop offers an opportunity for children, teens and adults, ages 10-101, to write together and to share their work with one another. Reproductions of works of art will be provided to view for inspiration.

There is no charge for the program; however, advance registration is greatly appreciated. Please bring pen and paper, an open heart and an open mind. To register, or for more information, contact Zahava at (607)273-4675 or zee@twcny.rr.com

Irene (Zee) Zahava, local author and editor of numerous short story anthologies, has been leading writing circles since 1994. She is the director of Emma’s Writing Center in downtown Ithaca, and manages the Women’s Community Building Library in collaboration with the Durland Alternatives Library at Cornell University.

This workshop is made possible by gifts from Carrie Shearer and Suzanne Spitz to the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

READING AND DISCUSSION BY KENNETH A. MCCLANE

The Tompkins County Public Library will host Kenneth A. McClane for a reading and discussion of his latest book, Color: Essays on Race, Family and History, Saturday, February 27 at 2:00 PM in the BorgWarner Community Room.

McClane, the W.E.B. Du Bois Professor of Literature for Cornell University, is known for the enthusiasm and inspiration he shares with students in his creative writing and African American Literature classes. In addition to Color, he has authored eight poetry books and a collection of personal essays.

Color, a collection of interconnected essays, offers readers an unobstructed glimpse into what it was like to be black and middle class in Harlem during the rise of the Civil Rights Movement. The son of an artistically-gifted mother and a brilliant New York surgeon, McClane shares what it meant to be reared by parents who charged through racial barriers in search of success. From their involvement in the battle for Civil Rights, including work with Martin Luther King, Jr., to their struggles with Alzheimer’s disease, McClane’s parents are the inspiration for many of Color’s most poignant and beautiful essays.

The Library program will include a reading from and discussion of Color. The program is free and open to the public and will be hosted by Eric Acree, director of Cornell’s Africana Library. Copies of Color will be available for purchase at the event.

For more information, contact: Carrie Wheeler-Carmenatty at (607) 272-4557 extension 248.

Members of Cornell Panhellenic Association create READ Posters at TCPL

The Tompkins County Public Library Foundation is looking for patrons of all ages to become celebrities and star in their very own READ Poster from 10 AM to 4 PM on Saturday, February 27.

Hosted by the Cornell Panhellenic Association as part of Library Lovers month this event will allow children, parents, grandparents and anyone else to star in a READ poster and take it away with them in print or digital format. The suggested donation in support of the library is $5.

Send posters to family or friends and support reading and your public library.

For more information please contact Sally Grubb by phone at 607 272-4557 extension 232 or email at sgrubb@tcpl.org.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

MOTHER - DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB

The Tompkins County Public Library invites girls in grades five through eight and the special women in their lives to participate in its Mother-Daughter Book Club.

Facilitated by Author Emily Rhoads Johnson, this club provided a wonderful opportunity to share a love of reading in a supportive and nurturing environment.

The Club meets monthly from 1:30 to 2:30 PM in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room from February through May. The dates and books being discussed are:

• Sunday, February 21—Rules by Cynthia Lord

• Sunday, March 21---Lupita Manana by Patricia Beatty

• Sunday, April 18---Emma Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree by Lauren Tarshis

• Sunday, May 9---Waiting for Normal by Leslie Conner

Registration for this group is appreciated but not required. For more information or to register, contact the Library’s Youth Services Department at  (607) 272-4557 extension 275 or 276.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

MORELAND THE MAGICIAN

Children and their caregivers are invited to join the Tompkins County Public Library for a magical afternoon, Saturday, February 20 at 1:00 PM in the BorgWarner Community Room.

Popular Performer Moreland the Magician will entertain families with his fun, interactive program "Writing Magic," which helps kids discover the magic of rewriting and revising a simple story.

The entire audience is invited to help Moreland and his puppet friends create a polished story by applying three universal rules of writing. Together, the group will create multiple drafts and marvel at how the story improves with each revision.

"Writing Magic" was developed during the summer of 2009 and has been performed in 40 public libraries. It has become an extraordinary success among young participants and educators.

This free program is best suited for elementary-aged students, but everyone is welcome. For more information, contact the Library’s Youth Services Department at (607) 272-4557 extension 275.

WORKSHOP ON PROPAGATING NATIVE SEEDS

The Tompkins County Public Library and the Finger Lakes Native Plant Society will host Propagating Native Seeds, a workshop for gardeners, Saturday, February 20 from 12:00 to 3:00 PM in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

The second in a series of four workshops being held in conjunction with the Library’s Living Light art exhibit, Propagating Native Seeds will provide gardeners ages 15 and up with invaluable information about collecting, storing and planting. Expert gardeners Krissy Boys Faust and Rosemarie Parker will facilitate this informative program.

Boys Faust has been a professional gardener for 19 years. She was trained as a native plant gardener by F.M. Mooberry, founder of Brandywine Conservancy’s public gardens. For the past 15 years, she has served as a gardener for Cornell Plantations. She currently gardens at the Mundy Wildflower Garden and Park Meadow, two of the Plantations’ natural areas.

Parker has been an avid gardener for decades. Since retiring to the Ithaca area 12 years ago, she has focused her efforts on gardening with native seeds. She serves as a member of the Finger Lakes Native Plant Society’s Steering Committee and has volunteered at the Plantations’ Wildflower Garden for ten years.

This program is free and open to the first 30 registrants. Seeds and planting mix will be provided. To register or for more information, visit www.flnps.org/artshow, contact Parker at gardener.parker@gmail.com or Sally Grubb at sgrubb@tcpl.org, or call 272-4557 ext 232.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Terrific Third-Grade Tale-Tellers

The Tompkins County Public Library will host Beauty and the Beast Storytellers for an evening of fascinating stories presented by local third graders, Tuesday, February 16 at 6:30 PM in the BorgWarner Community Room.

Beauty and the Beast Storytellers, made up of Ithaca couple Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss, have been leading a storytelling project in conjunction with the Ithaca City School District since 1986. Each year, third grade students choose, learn and tell stories with the guidance of Hamilton and Weiss. This year, the Library is lucky enough to host these newly-developed storytellers for an evening of folk and fairytales.

This program is free and open to the public and these young tellers are sure to delight audiences of all ages.

For more information, contact the Youth Services Department at (607)272-4557 extension 275.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Program on Stories and Cultures of Latin America

CULTURA! STORYTELLER SERIES

The Tompkins County Public Library, Cornell University Department of Romance Studies and the Latino Civic Association of Tompkins County will host a twice-monthly program exploring a variety of Latin American cultures through literature, music, movement, dance and drama.

Facilitated by Carolina Osorio Gill, each session will focus on a different Latin American country.

These programs are free and open to families with children of all ages and will take place in the Library’s Thaler/Howell Programming Room on the following Saturdays from 1:00-2:30PM: February 13 and 27, March 13 and 27 and April 10 and 24

For more information, contact the Library’s Youth Services Department at (607) 272-4557 extension 275 or 276.

Friday, February 12, 2010

2010 Library Lovers Month Book Fair, February 12 through February 15, Benefits the Library

The Tompkins County Public Library Foundation invites the community to support the Library by participating in the Second Annual Library Lovers Month Bookfair.

During this four-day event, local bookstores will donate proceeds from their sales to the Library Foundation. To participate, simply make a purchase at the following local retailers: Autumn Leaves, Barnes & Noble, The Bookery, Borders, Buffalo Street Books, Colophon Books, Comics for Collectors and The Cornell Store and present a Library Lovers Month Voucher at the checkout. Vouchers can be found in flyers available at the Library, the Ticket Center, the Visitor’s Center, and many stores downtown as well as online at http://tcpl.org/foundation.

Many of the stores will also host special events in conjunction with the book fair. The programs currently planned include: performances by the Ithaca Community Orchestra’s String Quartet and Woodwind Trio, a “Blues Before Valentines” concert by Pete Panek, a classical guitar performance by Neal Wecker, special storytimes featuring local celebrities and visits by Clifford the Big Red Dog, a favorite children’s book character. A complete schedule of events will be announced at http://tcpl.org/foundation.

For more information about Library Lovers Month or the Library Lovers Month Bookfair, contact Sally Grubb at (607) 272-4557 extension 232 or sgubb@tcpl.org or visit http://tcpl.org/foundation.

The Tompkins County Public Library Foundation is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization established to provide financial support and creative resources for the Library beyond what is provided for in the county budget. The Foundation’s sole mission is the support of the Tompkins County Public Library.

STORYTIME FEATURING CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG

The Tompkins County Public Library invites children ages 3 to 7 to a special storytime featuring a visit by the beloved storybook character Clifford the Big Red Dog, Friday, February 12 at 1:30 PM in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

This program will include an opportunity for children to visit with Clifford and enjoy a storytime featuring Clifford books.

This exciting event is co-sponsored by Barnes & Noble Booksellers and the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation and is being held in conjunction with the Second Annual Library Lovers Month Book Fair.

This free event is open to the public. For more information, contact the Library’s Youth Services Department at (607) 272-4557 extension 275 or 276.

For more information about the Library Lovers Month Book Fair, visit http://tcpl.org/foundation.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

CREDIT WORKSHOP

The Tompkins County Public Library and Alternatives Federal Credit Union will host a workshop on Credit, Predatory Lenders and Credit Reports Thursday, February 11 at 6:00 PM in the Library’s BorgWarner Community Room.

Alternatives’ Financial Counselor and IDA Coordinator Brendan Wilbur will facilitate this informative program, which will explore what credit is, offer examples of predatory lending and explain credit reports and why it is important for individuals to know what information their reports contain. This informal program will offer opportunities for participants to ask questions, and Wilbur will be available following the workshop for one-on-one discussions.

Wilbur, who holds a bachelor of science degree in Environmental Science and Economics from the University of North Carolina, has worked for Alternatives for six years. He experienced many financial challenges before joining the Alternatives team and uses his own experiences to help others avoid the same traps and to help people achieve financial empowerment.

This free program is part of a financial series being offered by TCPL and Alternatives. For more information, contact Carrie Wheeler-Carmenatty at (607) 272-4557 extension 248.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

LIBRARY TO HOST MONTHLY PROGRAM ON OPERA

The Tompkins County Public Library invites opera enthusiasts to join monthly meetings of the Bel Canto Society of Ithaca for informal presentations of recorded, historical operatic performances and lively discussions.

This group, led by veteran vocal instructor Tom MacDonald, will meet on Tuesday, February 9 at 6:00 PM in the BorgWarner Community Room East.
The topic of this meeting will be “Voices and Voices In Between: Female Voice Types” and will highlight the various voice types of female opera singers.

MacDonald has studied and taught voice in the United States and abroad and was a member of the Bloomsbury Recorded Vocal Arts Society of London.

Bel Canto programs are free and open to the public. They are held at the Library on the second Tuesday of each month. For more information, contact Carrie Wheeler-Carmenatty at (607) 272-4557 extension 248.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

SCIENCE PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES

The Tompkins County Public Library and Cornell’s Center for Materials Research will host Families Learning Science Together: Microworld, Saturday, February 6 from 1:00 to 2:00 PM in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room.


Families are invited to explore the world through microscopes and magnifiers. Participants will investigate sands from around the world and how text and pictures are printed. Children will also delight in discovering what makes their fingerprints unique.

Families Learning Science Together is a free program designed to help children develop an early love of science through hands-on participation.

Families Learning Science Together programs are free and open to the public, but space is limited. Reserve a spot today by contacting Kevin at outreach@ccmr.cornell.edu or (607) 254-8256.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

LIBRARY TO HOST ART BEHIND THE SCIENTIST PRESENTATION

The Tompkins County Public Library will host Professor Frank Moon for a discussion about his work as a sculptor Wednesday, February 3 at 6:00 PM in the Ezra Cornell Reading Room.

Moon's sculptures, which are currently on display at the Library, are the first works to be exhibited as part of the Library's Art Behind the Scientist series.

A professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Cornell University, Moon has traveled extensively and uses his knowledge of different cultures and science as inspiration in his sculptures. His works portray a range of scientific theories including the Theory of Chaos, exhibited in his piece Chaotic Woman, and Catastrophe Theory, shown in the piece Butterfly Catastrophe. Mrs. Boo and African Caryatid demonstrate his empathy for native cultures, while Wounded Gull shows poignantly how sensitively he is able to capture nature. Moon's talk will elaborate on these influences.

This talk is free and open to the public and is appropriate for all ages including children aged ten and up. For more information, contact Sally Grubb at sgrubb@tcpl.org, or call 272-4557 ext 232.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Library Foundation Celebrates Library Lovers Month

A four-day Book Fair, several special events, and proclamations by local governments will mark February as Library Lovers Month, sponsored by the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation to benefit the Library.

  • Library Lovers Month’s largest event is the second annual Library Lovers Book Fair which will take place President’s Day Weekend (February 12 to 15) at eight bookstores around Ithaca. Participating booksellers include Autumn Leaves, Barnes & Noble, The Bookery, Borders, Buffalo Street Books, Colophon Books, Comics for Collectors, and The Cornell Store, where every purchase made using a special Book Fair Voucher will generate financial support for the library.
  • Special events taking place at these bookstores during the Book Fair will include visits to Barnes & Noble on Saturday February 13 by Clifford the Big Red Dog, a favorite children’s book character, and Pete Panek playing “Blues before Valentines,” and on Sunday February 14 by Neal Wecker playing classical guitar. The Woodwind Quintet and the String Trio of the Ithaca Community Orchestra will visit stores on Sunday, February 14, while special story times will take place on Monday, February 15, on the President’s Day holiday. Details of all these events and more can be found at http://tcpl.org/foundation.
  • On Friday, February 12 visit with Clifford the Big Red Dog at a special story time at the Library at 1:30 PM.
  • Later in the month members of the Cornell Panhellenic Association will welcome visitors to the Library on Saturday, February 27. From 10:00 to 1:00 PM members of the association will create READ posters. In return for a small donation patrons may star on their very own READ poster which they can take away in print and digital format.
  • In addition many local government entities around Tompkins County will also issue proclamations declaring that FEBRUARY IS LIBRARY LOVERS MONTH.
Details of all these events and Book Fair vouchers can be found at http://tcpl.org/foundation or by contacting Sally Grubb at (607) 272-4557 extension 232, or sgrubb@tcpl.org.

The Tompkins County Public Library Foundation is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization established to provide financial support and creative resources for the Library beyond what is provided for in the county budget. The Foundation’s sole mission is the support of the Tompkins County Public Library.