Tompkins County Public Library

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Library to Host Quilt Auction

The Tompkins County Public Library, in partnership with the Tompkins County Quilters Guild, will hold a live auction, Tuesday, February 28 at 6:00 PM in the Library’s BorgWarner Community Room.

The items to be auctioned are five small quilts, which received the highest bids during a month-long silent auction at the Library.  The quilts were on display as part of the exhibit, “The Art and Science of Quilting,” curated by Marcy Rosenkrantz.  Kristin Thompson, quilter and member of the sales staff at Quilters Corner in Ithaca, will serve as auctioneer.

All proceeds from the auction will benefit Library programs and services.

Following the Auction, patrons are invited to stay for the monthly meeting of the Tompkins County Quilters Guild, which is also taking place in the BorgWarner Room.

The Art and Science of Quilting  is on display through Monday, March 5 and will be featured in Downtown Ithaca’s Gallery Night, Friday, March 2 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

CULTURA! Storyteller Series Returns to Library

Tompkins County Public Library has announced the Saturday, February 25 return of the popular CULTURA! Storyteller Series.

A program of the Library, the Latino Civic Association of Tompkins County, The Latin American and Latino Studies programs at Cornell University and Senoritas Latinas Unidas, Inc., CULTURA! is directed by Carolina Osorio Gill and features guest storytellers who offer historic, folkloric or personal stories about a particular Latin American country.

CULTURA! programs will be held on February 25, March 3, March 10, March 24 and March 31. There will be no CULTURA! Program on March 17.

All storytelling sessions are free and open to the public and include a corresponding craft. CULTURA! programs will be held from 1:30 to 3:00 PM in the Library’s Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

The storytelling series is only one component of the CULTURA! program, which is designed to promote Latino and Latin American culture through easily-accessible, free and low-cost, arts-based educational experiences.

For more information about CULTURA!, contact Carolina Osorio Gil at carolina.osorio@gmail.com or (607) 227-2334.

Library to Host Financial Services Fair, Offer Free Tax Preparation

The Tompkins County Public Library, Lifelong, Alternatives Federal Credit Union and the United Way of Tompkins County will host a free, Financial Services Fair Saturday, February 25 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM in the Library’s BorgWarner Community Room.

This event will feature free tax preparation for seniors and income-eligible families and provide information about public benefits, employment services, asset-building opportunities and financial education programs.

Several agencies will staff information tables at the Fair, they include: Tompkins County 2-1-1, AFCU, Catholic Charities, Child Development Council, Workforce New York, Challenge Industries, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Tompkins Community Action, Finger Lakes Independence Center, Tompkins County Office for the Aging and the United Way.

This program is free and open to the public; however, advance registration is required for tax preparation services. To learn more about eligibility requirements or to register, contact 2-1-1.

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

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Library to Host Multicultural Storytelling

Celebrate Winter Recess with multicultural storytelling at the Tompkins County Public Library Thursday, February 23 at 2:00 PM in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

Eliud and Merideth Nieves, founders of the Ithaca Area Storytellers, will delight an all-ages audience with multicultural tales, original stories and folk and fairy tales.

Former elementary school teachers, the Nieves’ always incorporated storytelling into their teaching. Now, they focus their efforts solely on presenting a good tale as “And 2 Make 3,” a professional storytelling duo.

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

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Library to Host Writing Workshop

The Tompkins County Public Library will host “Word Quilting,” a creative writing workshop for teens and adults, Sunday, February 19 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

Facilitated by Irene “Zee” Zahava, this workshop takes its inspiration from TCPL’s current art exhibit, “The Art and Science of Quilting,” and offers participants an opportunity to view the quilts featured in the exhibit, write intuitive responses to the work and create a Truth and Lies Collective Word Quilt.

This workshop is free and open to the public; however advance registration is encouraged. To register, contact Zahava at (607) 273 4675 or zee@twcny.rr.com.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Library to Celebrate Black History Month With Program on Leadership

The Tompkins County Public Library will celebrate Black History Month with “Why We Lead,” a community conversation featuring City of Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick, Aloja Airewele, Marcia Fort and Millicent Clarke-Maynard Saturday, February 18 at 2:00 PM in the Ezra Cornell Reading Room.

Facilitated by Eric Acree, director of Cornell University’s Africana Library, “Why We Lead” will explore what it means to be a community leader and offer an informal and interactive discussion on the people, events and personal circumstances that lead Myrick, Airewele, Fort and Clarke-Maynard to pursue careers in public service.

Each of the featured participants brings a unique perspective on leadership based on their upbringings and professional achievements:

City of Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick--Raised in Earlville, NY by his single mother and grandparents, Myrick, 24, became Ithaca’s youngest mayor and the City’s first mayor of African-American heritage in 2012. A graduate of Cornell University, Myrick’s foray into public service began at age 20 when he was elected to Ithaca’s Common Council.

Aloja Airewele--Born and raised in Nigeria, Airewele is a trained physician and worked in family medicine before immigrating with his family to the United States in 1997. He currently serves as a case manager for the American Red Cross and works for Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton. He also serves as vice president of the Library’s Board of Trustees.

Marcia Fort—An Ithaca native, Fort is a much-heralded advocate for local youth. As director of the Greater Ithaca Activities Center, she has touched and shaped the lives of countless young people. Fort also graciously offers her time and experience to the boards of several local organizations.

Millicent Clarke-Maynard—A veteran educator with the Ithaca City School District, Clarke-Maynard currently teaches at Beverly J. Martin Elementary School. Clarke-Maynard is a New York African Studies Association Distinguished Teacher Award winner. She dedicates much of her time to organizations supporting the academic and cultural development of young people and has served on the board of the Southside Community Center and the Tompkins County Human Rights Commission.

This program is free and open to the public and is being sponsored by TCPL, the MLK Community Build and Cornell University’s Africana Library. Refreshments will be available.

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

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Library to Offer Digital Download Training Sessions

The Tompkins County Public Library will offer free training sessions on downloading eBooks and audiobooks to Kindles, Nooks, iPads, smartphones and other app-based devices through the OverDrive Digital Download service Wednesdays at 11:00 AM and 11:30 AM and Thursdays at 5:00 PM and 5:30 PM through March 29.

These 30-minute sessions are free and open to the public; however space is limited and registration required. To register, call the Reference Desk at (607) 272-4556.

Participants will need a valid Library card and password to download items to their devices. Nook users who own laptops are also asked to bring them to the session.

Sessions will be held at the Adult Services Reference Desk.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

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, February 4th meeting of Tompkins County Public Library’s monthly Mother/Daughter Book Club.

The Mother/Daughter Book Club is facilitated by local children’s author Emily Rhoads Johnson. 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 February is “Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution” by Ji-Li Jiang.

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

Library to Host Storytimes

Tompkins County Public Library has announced the February return of its weekly storytimes for toddlers and families.

The following storytimes are free and open to the public and will be held in the Library’s Thaler/Howell Programming Room:

Toddler Storytime:

Caregivers and toddlers are invited every Tuesday at 11:00 AM beginning February 7, 2012 through April 24, 2012 for stories, songs, and fingerplays.

Family Storytime:

Children of all ages and their caregivers are invited to Family Storytime every Saturday at 11:00 AM beginning February 4, 2012 through April 28, 2012 for great books and fantastic family fun!

All children must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver. For more information call the Youth Services Department at 607-272-457 extension 275.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Library Releases Community Cookbook

The Tompkins County Public Library has announced the release of its first community cookbook, “The Library Table: Recipes from Readers, Food for the Mind.”

Spearheaded by Librarian Debbie Collier, the spiral-bound cookbook includes nearly 180 recipes from more than 100 community members and provides a glimpse into the kitchens of library patrons, employees and trustees.

“Recipes were sent to us on scraps of paper, recipe forms, through our website, by email and even through Twitter,” Collier marveled, noting that the book contains an eclectic mix of handed-down family recipes and modern “modified” dishes.

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.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Library Foundation and Friends of the Library Celebrate Library Lovers Month 2012

Love is in the air at the Tompkins County Public Library this February, as the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation and the Friends of the Library celebrate Library Lovers Month.

Patrons are encouraged to express their love for TCPL throughout February by participating in one of the many special events planned to commemorate Library Lovers Month. From giving a library valentine to a loved one, enjoying a recipe from the newly-released TCPL cookbook or becoming the star of a READ poster, February offers an abundance of opportunities to celebrate the library.

All month, patrons can check out the library kiosk at the Shops at Ithaca Mall for great ideas on celebrating Library Lovers Month. Patrons are invited to visit the mall on Saturday, February 11 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM and buy a heart for their valentine. For only $1, a personalized heart will be put on display at the library indicating a loved one has been honored. This is a unique way to show a sweetheart is honored and to support the Library.

This Valentine’s Day, February 14, library lovers may recognize a friend or family member by adopting a book in their honor or by giving a membership of the Friends of the Library at http://www.booksale.org/join/memberform.php.

On Saturday, February 18, visitors to the Library can become stars of their very own READ posters. Photos will be taken of individuals, families or friends-with their favorite books-- at the library between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM by members of the Cornell Panhellenic Association. Full color posters will be created from the photos for a charge of $10 per print.

Beginning February 20, library lovers will have the chance to support the library and find a new favorite recipe by purchasing a copy of the newly-published TCPL Cookbook,, The Library Table: Recipes from Readers and Food for the Mind, on sale at TCPL for $10.

On Tuesday, February 28, at 6:00 PM in the BorgWarner Community Room, patrons will have the opportunity to bid on one of the small quilts featured in TCPL’s current art exhibit, “The Art and Science of Quilting,” with all proceeds benefitting library programs and services.

Library lovers can also show their love all year by volunteering for jobs ranging from shelving DVDs to “The Reader Is In” read-aloud program, helping the library staff and spreading the word about the importance of public libraries.

For more information, contact Liz Hudson at (607) 272-4557 ext. 219 or lhudson@tcpl.org. For a complete event schedule, visit www.tcpl.org/Foundation.

Library Lovers Month is brought to you through the partnership of the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation and the Friends of the Tompkins County Public Library. Learn more about these organizations by contacting Suzanne Smith Jablonski, Executive Director of the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation, at 607 272-4557 ext. 231 or by email at ssmithjablonski@tcpl.org or Sharon Woloszyn, Vice President of Membership, at (607) 272-2223 or by email at sharonw2@twcny.rr.com.