Tompkins County Public Library

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

LIBRARY TO HOST SCIENCE FICTION WRITING WORKSHOPS

**This workshop is now full but you may sign up to be put on a waiting list. You will be contacted if there is room to attend.**  

In conjunction with the 2010 Community Read of Philip K. Dick’s “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?,” the Tompkins County Public Library will sponsor a five-part Science Fiction Writing Series.

Facilitated by theoretical physicist Carl Frederick, the workshops will be held each Wednesday in October from 6:00 to 8:00 PM in the BorgWarner Community Room.

Participants of all ages and skill levels are invited to learn valuable tools for developing story elements, storytelling technique, critiquing skills and the business of short story writing. On Wednesday, November 3, writers will have an opportunity to share their work during a closing reception in the Library’s BorgWarner Community Room.

Frederick is a graduate of the Odyssey Writing Workshop and has been writing fiction since 2000. His 2009 story, “The Universe Beneath Our Feet” won Analog Magazine’s Best Short Story of the Year Award. Frederick’s biography can be found on his website, darkzoo.net.

For more information, or to register, contact Carrie Wheeler-Carmenatty at (607) 272-4557 extension 248 or cwheeler@tcpl.org.

The 2010 Community Read has been made possible by the Brooks Family Foundation and Cornell University

Thursday, August 26, 2010

WHAT MAKES ITHACA HUMAN? PANEL DISCUSSION TO BE HELD AT LIBRARY

The Tompkins County Public Library will host “What Makes Ithaca Human?,” a panel and public discussion on empathy and the impact of science and technology, Thursday, August 26, at 6:00 PM in the Library’s BorgWarner Community Room.

Held in conjunction with the 2010 Community Read of Philip K. Dick’s “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?,” the panel will be moderated by Gary Stewart, director of community relations for Cornell University. Panelists are:

• Bruce Lewenstein-- professor of Science Communication at Cornell and the 2010 chair of the “Societal Implications of Science and Engineering” section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science

• Anke Wessels – executive director of the Center for Transformative Action, (formerly Center for Religion, Ethics, and Social Policy,) which calls for a need to stay free from "us vs. them" strategies that often exacerbate social problems.

• Peter Bardaglio-- author, senior fellow at Second Nature, coordinator of the Tompkins County Climate Protection Initiative and former provost and vice president of academic affairs at Ithaca College (2002-07).

Intended to inspire a community conversation about what sets humans apart, the program will feature lively discussion and audience participation. The evening will end with a question to the audience: "On the topic of empathy, what in 'Androids' really hit home for you? And, should Ithaca and Tompkins County be more empathetic?”

This program is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Carrie Wheeler-Carmenatty at (607) 272-4557 extension 248 or cwheeler@tcpl.org.

The 2010 Community Read is made possible by the Brooks Family Foundation and Cornell University.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

LIBRARY TO HOST MOBILE WORKSHOP/EXHIBIT

The Tompkins County Public Library will host Werner Sun for a lecture and workshop on mobile making, Wednesday, August 25 at 6:00 PM in the BorgWarner Community Room.

Sun, a research associate in physics at Cornell University, is the third scientist to be featured in the Library’s Art Behind the Scientist series. His exhibit, “Kinetic Sculpture” will be on display in the Library’s Avenue of the Friends through September 30.

During his lecture and workshop, participants will learn the simple concepts behind balancing mobiles and stabiles and have the opportunity to create their own mobiles. The lecture is free and open to the public; however, children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult.

Sun studies elementary particles at Cornell’s synchrotron and at the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland by day, but by night, he often burns the midnight oil designing and building mobiles and stabiles inspired by Sculptor Alexander Calder. His Library exhibit features mobiles ranging from miniature pieces to room-filling installations.

For more information about this program or exhibit, contact Sally Grubb at (607) 272-4557 extension 232 or sgrubb@tcpl.org.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

ARTISTS ASKED TO VISUALIZE LIBRARY OF THE FUTURE

Artists, architects, designers and otherwise creative Library lovers are invited to participate this fall in the Tompkins County Public Library’s Ten Years at Green Street Celebration by submitting their concept of the library of the future.

The Library moved from its crowded and crumbling home on Cayuga Street to its beautiful and spacious current home at 101 East Green Street in November of 2000. In celebration of that move, TCPL will host a weekend of events and activities from November 5th through the 7th, beginning with an opening reception for a three-part art exhibit featuring images of its past, present and future.

Community members interested in contributing to the exhibit are asked to imagine the Library of the future, circa 2060, and express their visualizations with originality, whimsy and humor. Will the library be a physical place or entirely virtual? Will books – as we know them – still be available? How will children relate to the Library of the future? Will storytime be a thing of the past?

A formal Call for Artists and a case statement about the Library of the future is available at tcpl.org/events-exhibits/2010/anniversary-call-for-artists.php.