Library to Offer Family Science Program

Tompkins County Public Library and Cornell University’s Center for Materials Research will host “Families Learning Science Together”: Bridge Building from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

Families will learn about structural engineering and what engineers have to consider when designing bridges. They will see how stresses are concentrated in materials and then try to build a drinking straw bridge to certain specifications.

Families Learning Science Together is a free program designed to help children develop an early love of science through hands-on participation.  These programs are offered at the library once a month through April 2013.

Families Learning Science Together programs are free and open to the public, but space is limited. To register, contact Kaleigh at outreach@ccmr.cornell.edu or (607) 255-9547.

Library to Offer Remote Access, Enhanced Borrowing

A marriage between new technology and old fashioned customer service will ensure that Tompkins County Public Library patrons have access to their favorite books, music, DVDs and online resources this holiday season.

Library Director Susan Currie announced this week that the Library will double borrowing limits on books, cds, dvds and audio books between December 17 and December 29 and that no items will be scheduled for return between the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

"TCPL is so fortunate to have patrons who not only use and support the Library, but truly rely on it," Currie said.  "That's why we want to make sure that we are meeting their needs even when we are closed."

Currie also stressed that patrons will be able to take advantage of its many online educational and entertainment resources, including Mango Languages,language-learning system, OverDrive, free music and video download service, and TumbleBooks for children, by logging on to the Library's website at http://tcpl.org--choose the “Virtual Library” link to see a complete list of resources available.

TCPL is scheduled to be closed, December 23 through December 26.  It will re-open December 27 through December 29 before closing again December 31 and January 1.  The Library will re-open at 1 p.m. on January 2.

The Library's drop boxes will be open throughout the entire holiday season.

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

Library to Host Mother/Daughter Book Club

Girls ages 8 through 12 and the special women in their lives are invited to read and discuss books in a judgment-free group setting during the December 15 meeting of Tompkins County Public Library’s monthly Mother/Daughter Book Club.   

The Mother/Daughter Book Club is facilitated by children’s author Emily Rhoads Johnson.  Rhoads Johnson is the author of “Spring and the Shadow Man,” “A House Full of Strangers” and “Write Me If You Dare.”

The Club provides a wonderful opportunity for participants to learn about themselves and others by discussing literature. There are no right or wrong answers during Club meetings, simply open discussions where all input is valued.

The group will meet once monthly through May from 3:30 to 4:30 PM in the Library’s Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

The title to be discussed for December is “Touch Blue” by Cynthia Lord.

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

Library to Screen “Lord of the Rings Trilogy”

In celebration of the much-anticipated film debut of “The Hobbit,” teens are invited to catch-up, refresh, and renew their love of Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings Trilogy” with a free movie marathon December 15, beginning at 10 a.m., in the Tompkins County Public Library’s BorgWarner Community Room.

Experience Jackson’s film adaptations of the J.R.R. Tolkien classics, “The Fellowship of the Ring,” “The Two Towers” and “The Return of the King.”  “The Fellowship of the Ring” will begin promptly at 10 a.m. with the other films starting at approximately 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. .

Attendees are invited to stay for one or all of the films.  Refreshments will be provided.

These movies have been selected with a teen audience in mind; however, parents are encouraged to review ratings of the films prior to allowing their teen to attend. The Library does not restrict admittance based on age.

This program is made possible by the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation through generous support from the Brodhead Memorial.

Library Cookbook Still Available for Purchase

From the library table to under the tree, TCPL’s cookbook makes a perfect holiday gift.

 

A spiral-bound cookbook, “The Library Table:  Recipes from Readers, Food for the Mind,” includes nearly 180 recipes from more than 100 community members and provides a glimpse into the kitchens of library patrons, employees and trustees.

 

Food lovers will enjoy the “notes” sections, which include stories about submitted recipes, and literature lovers will devour the featured food-related quotes.

 

The book was a project of the Library and the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation and was published by Morris Press Cookbooks of Nebraska.  It includes recipes for appetizers and beverages, soups and salads, vegetables and side dishes, main dishes, breads and rolls, desserts, cookies and candies, and this and that.

 

Copies are available for $10 at the Library’s Circulation Desk with all proceeds benefitting Library outreach programs and services.

 

For more information about the cookbook, contact Debbie Collier at (607) 272-4557 extension 249 or dcollier@tcpl.org.

Library to Host Discussion of “Red Badge of Courage”

In recognition of the 150^th anniversary of the Civil War, Tompkins County Public Library, the Tompkins County Civil War Sesquicentennial Commemoration Commission (TCCWSCC) and Buffalo Street Books will sponsor a Community Read of the Stephen Crane classic, “The Red Badge of Courage.”  A December 6 discussion of the book will be held at 6 p.m. in the Library’s BorgWarner Community Room.

Facilitated by TCPL Librarian Sarah Glogowski and Aaron Sachs, associate professor of History and American Studies at Cornell University, the discussion will explore why “The Red Badge of Courage” is the only classic work of fiction written about the Civil War, examine the timely and timeless elements of the book and offer an in-depth look at the struggles and triumphs of the book’s protagonist.

Told in limited third-person narrative, the book tells the story of Henry Fleming, a Union Army private, so overcome by fear that he flees from his unit during battle, only to find himself immersed in his own personal struggle with guilt, truth and loyalty.

Crane, who was not yet born when the war ended, received abundant praise for the realism of the book, with some veteran’s even claiming to remember fighting alongside him.

The book discussion is free and open to the public.  Copies of “The Red Badge of Courage” are available for borrowing at the Library, courtesy of the TCCWSCC and Buffalo Street Books.

Library to Screen Serials

Tompkins County Public Library, in partnership with Ithaca Made Movies, will host “Serial Saturday,” a screening of short films, December 1 at 1 p.m. in the BorgWarner Community Room.

Made popular in the mid-1900s, serial films—also known as chapter plays—were feature films broken into short segments or chapters.  Theaters would show one chapter, typically ending in a cliffhanger, one week and patrons would return for the next segment the following week.

Ithaca’s own Wharton Brothers studio, earned fame for its serial production of “The Exploits of Elaine,” one of the first serial films to earn more than $1 million.

This program will feature episodes of the more than 90-year-old films, “The Trail of the Octopus”, “The Masked Rider,” the locally-filmed “Beatrice Fairfax” and the newly-restored, Ithaca-made “Patria.”

“Serial Saturday” is free and open to the public.  For more information, visit http://www.ithacamademovies.com.

Library to Host Talk on Plaster Casts

Tompkins County Public Library, in conjunction with its current art exhibit, IthaCasts, will host conservator Kasia Maroney for a discussion on the importance of plaster casts and preservation November 29 at 6 p.m. in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

Maroney, owner of the Trumansburg-based, Boston Restoration, has been restoring and conserving art and antiques for 17 years. She completed her master’s degree and a five-year apprenticeship in Boston before relocating and developing her company in Tompkins County.

Maroney will provide an illustrated look at preserving plaster casts during her library presentation.  Attendees will also have an opportunity to view the IthaCasts exhibit, on-loan from Cornell University.

One of the oldest collections in the country, Cornell’s casts have been used for teaching art history and archaeology since the late 19^th century.

“IthaCasts”is curated by Annetta Alexandridis and Verity Platt, associate professors of Classical Art and Archaeology at Cornell, and features Cornell’s holdings while emphasizing three areas of image-making in the ancient world: Olympia and the Olympic games, portraiture, and religion, magic and myth on gemstones. It also includes special photography by Danielle Mericle.

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

Library to Host Author Discussion on Freezing, Canning and Drying Food

Tompkins County Public Library will host Daniel Gasteiger for a free discussion and signing of his book, “Yes You Can!  And Freeze and Dry It, Too” November 29 at 6 p.m. in the BorgWarner Community Room.

Complete with beautiful illustrations, “Yes You Can!” provides insight and instruction for preserving food for health and financial benefits, explores the most popular methods of preservation and looks at the advantages and disadvantages of each method. 

An enthusiastic speaker, Gasteiger presents his work with energy, passion and humor.  A kitchen gardener, he grows and preserves gallons of produce each year.  His experiences are chronicled on his blog, www.smallkitchengarden.net. 

Copies of “Yes You Can!” will be available for purchase at the event.  For more information, contact Carrie Wheeler-Carmenatty at (607) 272-4557 extension 248 or cwheeler@tcpl.org.

Library to Host “Connecting Creatively Through Writing”

Family members, partners, friends, and individuals are invited to explore how writing can enrich and strengthen interpersonal relationships as Tompkins County Public Library hosts “Connecting Creatively Through Writing” November 24 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the BorgWarner Community Room.

Facilitated by veteran educator Ellen Schmidt, this workshop will offer writing exercises and inspirations for refreshing and deepening connections.

Schmidt has been teaching for 25 years and is known for her 10-week “Writing Through the Rough Spots” workshops, held in Ithaca and offered each semester at Cornell University.

“Connecting Creatively Through Writing” is free and open to the public; however, advance registration is required.  To register, contact Schmidt at  www.WritingRoomWorkshops.com or schmidt.ellen@gmail.com.

Library to Host Strogatz Discussion and Signing

Explore the connections between math and, well, everything else, as Cornell University professor, New York Times featured columnist and author, Steven Strogatz discusses and signs his latest book, “The Joy of x:  A Guided Tour of Math From One to Infinity” on November 17 at 3 p.m. in the Tompkins County Public Library’s BorgWarner Community Room.

From literature and philosophy to art and popular culture, math plays a role in more ways that most people could ever imagine.  “The Joy of x” offers an insightful, delightful and user-friendly look at the most revered and revolting principles of mathematics.

The Schurman Professor of applied mathematics at Cornell, Strogatz was a recipient of MIT’s highest teaching prize, is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and was awarded a lifetime achievement award for communication of math to the general public by the four major American mathematical societies.  He is a frequent guest on WNYC’s “Radiolab” and has received rave reviews and a reprisal for his New York Times series on the elements of math. 

Strogatz will discuss “The Joy of X” and bringing math to the masses during his Library talk.  Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event courtesy of Buffalo Street Books.

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

 

Library to Host Sicherman for Discussion, Signing

Celebrate the role of reading in the lives of women, as Tompkins County Public Library hosts Barbara Sicherman for a discussion and signing of her fascinating book “Well-Read Lives:  How Books Inspired a Generation of Women,” November 15 at 6 p.m. in the BorgWarner Community Room.

An author and historian, Sicherman is the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of American Institutions and Values, Emerita, at Trinity College. She is author of “Alice Hamilton: A Life in Letters”  and “The Quest for Mental Health in America, 1880-1917” and co-editor of “Notable American Women: The Modern Period.”

Her latest effort, “Well-Read Lives” chronicles the correlation between adolescent reading and future success by exploring the connections women of the Gilded Age had with books.

From Jane Addams and Alice and Edith Hamilton, who grew up in homes where books were easily accessible, to immigrants like Hilda Satt Polacheck, Rose Cohen and Mary Antin, who discovered the written word through English-language books they found in settlement homes, “Well-Read Lives” offers intimate and entertaining profiles chronicling how some of history’s most accomplished women lost and found themselves in books.

Sicherman’s program is free and open to the public.  Copies of “Well-Read Lives” will be available for purchase at the event courtesy of Buffalo Street Books.

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

Library to Offer Family Science Program

Tompkins County Public Library and Cornell University’s Center for Materials Research will host “Families Learning Science Together: Density” November 10 from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

Participants will investigate what causes things to float or sink in water and other liquids and build Cartesian divers which operate on the same principle as submarines.

Families Learning Science Together is a free program designed to help children develop an early love of science through hands-on participation.  These programs are offered at the library once a month through April 2013.

Families Learning Science Together programs are free and open to the public, but space is limited. To register, contact Kaleigh at outreach@ccmr.cornell.edu or (607) 255-9547.

Library to Screen Avengers Movies

Avengers fans are invited to dust off their masks, press their capes and spend November 10 with their favorite Marvel superheroes, as the Tompkins County Public Library hosts a free Avengers Movie Marathon.

Teens are invited to a noon screening of “Thor,” a 2:10 p.m. screening of “Captain America” and a 4:15 screening of “The Avengers.”  Start times are approximate.

Additional teen movie marathons are being planned by TCPL for this fall.  All movies at these events have been selected with a teen audience in mind; however, parents are encouraged to review ratings of the movies prior to allowing their teen to attend. The Library does not restrict admittance to films based on age.

This program is made possible by the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation through generous support from the Brodhead Memorial.

Library to Launch Harry Potter Reading Club

Tompkins County Public Library and the Ithaca College Harry Potter Alliance will partner this fall to offer “The Harry Potter Reading Club.”

Designed for readers ages 7 and up, “The Harry Potter Reading Club” will meet each Wednesday from November 7 through December 5 (with the exception of November 21) from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Library’s Thaler/Howell Programming Room and feature read-alouds, crafts and an assortment of wizard-themed fun. 

The Harry Potter Alliance at Ithaca College is part of an international not-for-profit organization which uses parallels from the Harry Potter books to educate and mobilize young people across the world toward issues of literacy, equality and human rights.

Participation in the Library group is free and open to the public.  For more information, contact the Youth Services Department at (607) 272-4557 extension 275.

Library Seeks Teens for Advisory Group

Area teens interested in creating a more teen-focused Library are invited to join T.A.G., Tompkins County Public Library’s Teen Advisory Group.

T.A.G. is a highly-acclaimed group, which allows area youth in grades 6 through 12 to share their feedback, experiences and ideas about improving the Library’s teen collection, programming and special events.

Teens interested in joining T.A.G. are invited to attend this month’s meeting, November 6 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room.  Refreshments will be provided.

Interested teens and new members are always welcome, but registration is appreciated. For more information or to register, contact the Youth Services Department at (607) 272-4557 extension 275. 

This program is made possible by the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation through generous support from the Brodhead Memorial.

Library to Feature Plaster Cast Exhibit During Gallery Night

Explore the intricacy and history of plaster work as Tompkins County Public Library and Cornell University present “IthaCasts,” an exhibit featuring items from Cornell’s cast collection, during Downtown Ithaca’s Gallery Night November 2 from 5 to 8 p.m..

One of the oldest collections in the country, Cornell’s casts have been used for teaching art history and archaeology since the late 19^th century.

“IthaCasts” is curated by Annetta Alexandridis and Verity Platt, associate professors of Classical Art and Archaeology at Cornell, and features Cornell’s holdings while emphasizing three areas of image-making in the ancient world:  Olympia and the Olympic games, portraiture, and religion, magic and myth on gemstones. It also includes special photography by Danielle Mericle.

Alexandridis will talk about the exhibit and Cornell’s collection from 6:30 to 7 p.m. during Gallery Night.

“IthaCasts” is on display at TCPL through December 7.

Access to the Library during this event will be through the BorgWarner Community Room entrance, behind the TCAT bus shelter and adjacent to Gimme! Coffee on Green Street.

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

Library to Host Reception for Book Clubs

Tompkins County Public Library will host a fun-filled reception and open house for members of local book clubs October 30 at 6 p.m. in the BorgWarner Community Room.

Facilitated by Reader’s Services Librarian Sarah Glogowski, this event will feature information on Library resources for book clubs, advice on selecting titles, tips for facilitating engaging discussions, details about borrowing book club kits and a presentation of Glogowski’s popular talk “You Can Judge a Book by Its Cover.”

A favorite of local clubs and not-for-profits, “You Can Judge a Book by Its Cover,” explores how—with just a quick glance—readers can use the location of an author’s name, the color of the cover and font size to determine how racy a romance novel will be, how to differentiate science fiction from fantasy, and even how popular an author is.

Glogowski is a sought after speaker.  The coordinator of TCPL’s annual Community Read, she has facilitated book clubs at TCPL, Cornell University, Lifelong, the City of Ithaca, and for many local fraternal organizations.

This reception is free and open to the public.  Light refreshments will be provided.

For more information, contact Glogowski at (607) 272-4557 extension 248 or sglogowski@tcpl.org.

Library to Host Locally-Produced Movie Screenings

In celebration of Silent Movie Month in Ithaca, Tompkins County Public Library, Ithaca-Made Movies and Ithaca Motion Picture Project will present an afternoon of locally-made movies October 28 beginning at 2 p.m. in the Library’s BorgWarner Community Room.

Ithaca-Made Movies Founder Terry Harbin, will host this family-friendly event featuring screenings of “Patria,” “The Mysteries of Myra” and “The Romance of Elaine.”

These serials were filmed in Ithaca by the famed Wharton Brothers and featured many local landmarks that are still recognizable nearly a century later.

“Patria” features local legend George “Bogue” Bowlsby in a scene including actress Irene Castle and actor Warner Oland—later known as Charlie Chan.  A theatrical fire is responded to by The Ithaca Fire Department who leave from the old City Hall building on Seneca Street.  Cayuga Lake, Morse Chain and Brooktondale’s wooden railroad trestle are also seen in the film.

“The Romance of Elaine”—the only footage remaining from the Wharton Brothers 1915 serial—features a young Lionel Barrymore and Pearl White and “The Mysteries of Myra,” features the famed mental vampire “The Thought Monster.”

The episodes being shown during this free event have been edited to include music, color tinting and sound effects.  Restoration was completed by Eric Stedman of Serial Squadron.

For more information, contact Harbin at (607) 272-4557 extension 238 or tharbin@tcpl.org.  To learn more about Ithaca-Made Movies, visit www.ithacamademovies.com.

Following the Library’s presentation, Ithaca Motion Picture Project will present a 4 p.m. screening of Buster Keaton in “The General” at Cinemapolis.

Library to Host Priceline Founder

Tompkins County Public Library, in partnership with Cornell University’s Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, will host Priceline.com founder Jay Walker for “Discovering Imagination in American History,” October 27 at 1 p.m. in the BorgWarner Community Room.

A 1977 Cornell graduate, Walker will offer his personal insight into how the conception of America as a representative democracy was one of history’s greatest leaps of imagination and discuss the anastatic copy of the Declaration of Independence currently on display at the Library.

On-loan from Walker’s private collection, “The Walker Library of the History of Human Imagination,” the Declaration of Independence is one of only two-known copies created through the anastatic process.

Housed in Walker’s Ridgefield, CT home, the 3,600 square feet “Walker Library. . .” exhibits dozens of museum-quality artifacts and rare manuscripts including,  an original 1957 Russian Sputnik and a 1699 atlas containing the first maps to show the sun, not the earth, as the center of the known universe.

During his TCPL talk, Walker will also discuss and showcase other items from his collection, illustrating the imaginative high points of U.S. history.

This program is free and open to the public.  For more information, contact Sally Grubb at (607) 272-4557 extension 232 or sgrubb@tcpl.org.

Library to Host ESL Snack and Chat

Beginning October 24, non-native English speakers are invited to the Tompkins County Public Library for “ESL Snack and Chat Conversation Groups.”

These informal, drop-in sessions will be held each Wednesday from 3:15 to 4:45 p.m. in the BorgWarner Community Room West and offer a relaxed setting for practicing conversation and listening skills.  The meetings will help participants discover and access language-learning resources at the Library and in the community and provide a forum for information sharing.

Snack and Chat sessions are free and open to individuals with the desire to improve their English or willing to serve as conversation partners for others.  Light refreshments will be provided.

For more information, contact Joyce Wheatley at jwheatley@tcpl.org or Debbie Collier at dcollier@tcpl.org. Community members interested in volunteering to help facilitate the program are encouraged to contact Tonya Curran at tcurran@tcpl.org or 607-272-4557 extension 226.

Library to Host Inter-Generational Writing Workshops

What’s juicier than “Fifty Shades of Grey” and more interesting than eavesdropping?  “One Hundred Shades of Orange,” and “Overheard Conversations,” two writing workshops being offered by Tompkins County Public Library this month.

Free and open to writers of all experience levels, these inter-generational writing workshops will be facilitated by local publisher, poet and anthologist Irene “Zee” Zahava.

“One Hundred Shades of Orange,” being held from 2 to 4 p.m. on October 21, offers a chance to explore—through paint color swatches—the multiple shades, dimensions and stories of orange.  From Cool Melon, Canyon Haze and Golden Tulip, the poems, stories and autobiographical pieces created during this workshop will be as varied as the colors themselves.

“Overheard Conversations” will be held on October 28 from 2 to 4 p.m. and play off of the interest and intrigue generated by witnessing people in the midst of a private conversation.  Writings will be inspired by photographs of people talking.

Both programs will be held in the Library’s Thaler/Howell Programming Room and are open to participants age 9 and up.  The programs are free, but registration is required.  To register, contact Zahava at (607) 273-4675 or zee@twcny.rr.com.

These programs are made possible by the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation through generous gifts from Carrie Shearer and Suzanne Spitz.

Freeloading Librarians to Offer Training at the History Center

The Tompkins County Public Library and The History Center in Tompkins County will partner Tuesday, October 16th for a demonstration by the “Freeloading Librarians,” a group of library staff members offering instruction, advice and support for downloading free eBooks and audiobooks to mobile devices.

The demonstration, which will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in The History Center’s Map Room, will include personal assistance for downloading books to iPads, iPods, Kindles, Nooks and smartphones through the Finger Lakes Library System’s free Overdrive Media Console application. 

Participants should bring their library card or sign up for a free card at the event.  A photo ID with a current, local address is required to receive a library card.

This program is designed to increase digital confidence and awareness among readers.

For more information, contact Jennifer Schlossberg at (607) 272-4557 extension 254 or jschlossberg@tcpl.org.

Library to Host Monster Movie Marathon

Too mature to blend in amongst the doorbell-ringing, candy-collecting ghosts and goblins this Halloween, but still too young to let the holiday pass without a little celebration?  Visit the Tompkins County Public Library’s Teen Monster Movie Matinee for a full-day of age-appropriate fun!

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. October 20, teens are invited to stop by the BorgWarner Community Room for “It Came From the Library,” a free, day-long movie marathon featuring: “Beetlejuice,” “The Woman in Black “I Am Legend” and “Ghostbusters.” Free popcorn and refreshments will be provided.

Teens are also encouraged to stop by the Youth Services Department’s Art Cart to sculpt their own monster sculpture and check out books on monsters, aliens and other spooky creatures!

Additional teen movie marathons are being planned by TCPL for this fall.  All movies at these events have been selected with a teen audience in mind; however, parents are encouraged to review ratings of the movies prior to allowing their teen to attend. The Library does not restrict admittance to films based on age.

For more information about this program or other teen events at the Library, contact Regina DeMauro-Axel at (607) 272-4557 extension 274.

Library to Host Mother/Daughter Book Club

Girls in grades five through eight and the special women in their lives are invited to read and discuss books in a judgment-free group setting during the Saturday, October 20 meeting of Tompkins County Public Library’s monthly Mother/Daughter Book Club.   

The Mother/Daughter Book Club is facilitated by children’s author Emily Rhoads Johnson.  Rhoads Johnson is the author of “Spring and the Shadow Man,” “A House Full of Strangers” and “Write Me If You Dare”.

The Club provides a wonderful opportunity for participants to learn about themselves and others by discussing literature. There are no right or wrong answers during Club meetings, simply open discussions where all input is valued.

The group will meet once monthly through May from 3:30 to 4:30 PM in the Library’s Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

The title to be discussed for October is, “Out of My Mind” by Sharon M. Draper. 

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

Library to Host Family Science Program

The Tompkins County Public Library and Cornell's Center for Materials Research will host “Families Learning Science Together: Drop Tubes” October 6 from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

Families will investigate how far a ball launches when sent down ramps of different shapes and sizes and use the information learned to try to hit targets.

Families Learning Science Together is a free program designed to help children develop an early love of science through hands-on participation.  FLST programs are offered monthly through April 2013.

These programs are free and open to the public, but space is limited. To register, contact Kaleigh at outreach@ccmr.cornell.edu or (607) 255-9547.

Library to Screen Serials

Tompkins County Public Library, in partnership with Ithaca Made Movies, will host “Serial Saturdays,” screenings of family-friendly short films, monthly beginning October 6 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Library’s BorgWarner Community Room.

Made popular in the mid-1900s, serial films—also known as chapter plays—were feature films broken into short segments or chapters.  Theaters would show one chapter, typically ending in a cliffhanger, one week and patrons would return for the next segment the following week.

Ithaca’s Wharton Brothers studio, earned fame for its serial production of “The Exploits of Elaine,” one of the first serial films to earn more than $1 million.

The first “Serial Saturday” at TCPL will feature the first public screening of “The Trail of the Octopus” (chapter one) since its 1920 debut, chapter one of “The Masked Rider,” which hasn’t been shown since 1919, an episode of the locally-filmed “Beatrice Fairfax” series and an episode of the newly-restored, Ithaca-made “Patria.”

“Serial Saturdays” are free and open to the public.  The next “Serial Saturday” presentation will be held November 3 from 1 to 3:30 in the BorgWarner Community Room.  For more information, visit http://www.ithacamademovies.com.

Library to Feature New Exhibit During October Gallery Night

In celebration of the recently-proclaimed Ithaca Silent Movie Month and the history of local filmmaking, the Tompkins County Public Library will partner with the Ithaca Motion Picture Project to present “Lights, Camera, Silents!,” during Downtown Ithaca’s October 5 Gallery Night.

A photomontage of local sets and locations used for filming movies by the famed Wharton Brothers, this exhibit is the second to be displayed by IMPP at the Library.  Last fall, an 80-foot-long structural timeline of Ithaca’s movie-making history was exhibited as part of “Romance, Exploits and Peril:  When Movies Were Made in Ithaca.”

“Banned Books,” an exhibit held in conjunction with Banned Books and Freedom to Read Week, which takes place from September 30 through October 6, and “Drawing on Democracy” will also be featured at TCPL during Gallery Night.

“Banned Books” will include a display of books that have been challenged or banned from schools, libraries and communities and is intended to remind readers of the importance of access to all literature.

“Drawing on Democracy,” curated by artist and Community School of Music and Art faculty member Terry Plater, offers a glimpse into the definition of “democracy” as interpreted by nine local artists.  The exhibit also encourages viewers to share their comments in the ever-evolving “Citizens are Encouraged to Use the Pencils Provided,” a piece by artist Ben Altman.

“Drawing on Democracy” has been supported by a grant from the Community Arts Partnership and will be on display at TCPL through October 11.

Library to Host Writing Workshops for Readers

Literature lovers are invited to join the Tompkins County Public Library for “Reader’s Delight,” a four-part creative writing workshop series, each Friday in October from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

Open to adults of all ages and experience levels, this workshop will be facilitated by Irene “Zee” Zahava and draw its inspiration from literary quotes, book covers, passages and illustrations.

Zahava has been leading writing circles since 1994.  She is a former bookstore owner, the editor of numerous short story anthologies and haiku journals, the co-publisher of 2 Turtles Press and the founder of Zee’s Writing Studio. 

This program is free and has been made possible by the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation through generous gifts from Carrie Shearer and Suzanne Spitz. 

Advance Registration is required.  To register, contact Zahava at zee@twcny.rr.com.

 

Library and NAMI to Host Panel on Planning

Tompkins County Public Library and the National Association of Mental Illness, Finger Lakes (NAMI) will recognize Mental Illness Awareness Week with a panel discussion on will and trust planning for individuals with family members who have special needs October 4 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Library’s BorgWarner Community Room.

Panelists:  Matt Albright, pooled trust supervisor for Rochester’s Center for Disability Rights; local attorney Joy Blumpkin; Certified Specal Needs Advisor with Merrill Lynch Steve Headrick and Tom Witmer, a special needs planner with MetLife Elmira, will answer questions about all facets of planning for the long-term care of those with special needs.

Topics addressed will include how to leave assets for loved ones who are limited in what they can own or how much money they can have in order to remain benefit eligible and for those who may need to receive supplemental funding for the duration of their lives.

Mental Illness Awareness Week is held each October and was established to recognize NAMI’s work to educate and increase awareness about mental illness. 

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

Library to Host Creative Writing Workshops for Teens

The Tompkins County Public Library will host “Teens Write!,” a creative writing workshop for teens led by Irene Zahava, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on the first four Wednesdays of October in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

Irene (Zee) Zahava has been leading writing circles since 1994.  She is a former bookstore owner, the editor of numerous short story anthologies and haiku journals, the co-publisher of 2 Turtles Press and the founder of Zee’s Writing Studio. 

“Teens Write!” is best suited for tweens and teens ages 10 through 17.  The program will provide a safe and supportive environment for creative writing and group sharing.  There is no charge for the program; however, advance registration is required.  To register, or for more information, contact Zahava at zee@twcny.rr.com.

The “Teens Write!” program is made possible by the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation through generous gifts from Carrie Shearer and Suzanne Spitz.

Library Storytimes Return

Tompkins County Public Library announces the October return of two popular storytimes.

Beginning October 2, toddlers and their caregivers will enjoy stories, songs and fingerplays each Tuesday at 11 a.m. during Toddler Storytime, and families with children of all ages will be able to join in the fun each Saturday, beginning October 13 at 11 a.m., when Family Storytime returns.

These fall storytimes will be held weekly through December 8.

Storytimes are free and open to the public and will be held in the Library’s Thaler/Howell Programming Room.  All children must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver. For more information call the Youth Services Department at 607-272-457 extension 275.

Library to Recognize Silent Movie Month

October is Silent Movie Month in Ithaca and in celebration of the City’s storied moviemaking past, the Tompkins County Public Library and Ithaca Motion Picture Project will partner for a month of programming and exhibits.

Opening October 1, “Lights, Camera, Silents!,” a photographic exhibit featuring a montage of pictures of local sets and locations used for filming movies by the famed Wharton Brothers.  This exhibit is the second to be displayed by IMPP at the Library.  Last fall, an 80-foot-long structural timeline of Ithaca’s movie-making history was exhibited as part of “Romance, Exploits and Peril:  When Movies Were Made in Ithaca,” a county-wide exhibition on the history of silent moviemaking and Ithaca's role in that history.

On October 21 at 2 p.m., TCPL will feature an encore presentation of the Martin Scorsese film “Hugo.”  Based on the book, “The Invention of Hugo Cabret” by Brian Selznick, the Oscar-winning “Hugo” introduces pioneering French filmmaker and illusionist Georges Méliés.

The celebration will continue October 28 at 2 p.m. when Ithaca Made Movies Founder Terry Harbin hosts an afternoon of silent films.  Harbin, an expert on locally-made films will screen “Patria,” “The Mysteries of Myra” and “The Romance of Elaine" during this free, family-friendly event.

Displays of young reader and adult books about the silent film industry will also be on display at TCPL during October.

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

To learn more about the Ithaca Motion Picture Project or Silent Movie Month, visit http://www.ithacamotionpictureproject.org/.  To learn more about Ithaca Made Movies visit, www.ithacamademovies.com.

Library, Ithaca City of Asylum to Celebrate Freedom to Read

The Tompkins County Public Library and Ithaca City of Asylum will present, “Voices of Freedom,” featuring human rights activist and award-winning journalist Sonali Samarasinghe September 30 at 2 p.m. in the Library’s BorgWarner Community Room.

"Voices of Freedom” is an annual event designed to celebrate Freedom to Read Week. This year, Samarasinghe, the fifth writer to be supported by ICOA, will read from her work about the events that led her to seek exile from her native Sri Lanka and discuss the role of journalism in effecting world change.

A lawyer, editor and journalist specializing in government corruption and human rights, Samarasinghe—amidst threats for the safety of her family--fled Sri Lanka following the 2009 assassination of her husband, well-known attorney, publisher and activist Lasantha Wickrematunge.  Her residency is being supported through an appointment as Visiting Scholar in Residence within Ithaca College’s Honors Program in the School of Humanities and Sciences.

Since arriving in the United States, Samarasinghe has established The Lanka Standard, http://www.lankastandard.com, a website devoted to the unbiased reporting of Sri Lankan events and freedom for the country’s media.  During her stay, she will teach at Ithaca College and has plans to work on a book about the recent history of Sri Lanka’s media and government.

The ICOA works with Ithaca College, Wells College and Cornell University to provide sanctuary to writers whose works are suppressed, whose lives are threatened, whose cultures are vanishing and whose languages are endangered.  Formed as part of an international network of cities of refuge, the group welcomed its first resident writer, poet and essayist Yi Ping (China) in 2001; its second, playwright and novelist Reza Daneshvar (Iran) in 2004; its third, poet and memoirist Sarah Mkhonza (Swaziland) in 2006; and its fourth, poet and playwright Irakli Kakabadze (Georgia) in 2008. 

The Library event is free and open to the public; refreshments will be served.

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

Library to Host Mother/Daughter Book Club

Girls ages 8 to 12 and the special women in their lives are invited to attend the Tompkins County Public Library’s monthly Mother/Daughter Book Club.

Beginning September 29, the Mother/Daughter Book Club will meet once a month from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Library’s Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

Facilitated by author and educator Emily Rhoads Johnson, the Club provides a wonderful opportunity for participants to learn about themselves and others by discussing literature in a welcoming, judgment-free environment. 

Meeting dates and titles to be discussed are:

•   September 29—“Ruby Holler” by Sharon Creech
•  October 20—“Out of My Mind” by Sharon M. Draper
•  November 17—“The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had” by Kristin  Levine
•  December 15—“Touch Blue” by Cynthia Lord
• January 12—“Island of the Blue Dolphins” by Scott O’Dell
• February 16—“Way Down Deep” by Ruth White
• March 16—“Sahara Special” by Esmé Raji Codell
• April 13—“The Bridge to Terabithia” by Katharine Paterson
• May 4—“Seaglass Summer” by Anjali Banerjee

Participants may attend one or all of the meetings.  Registration is not required, and refreshments will be served.

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