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.

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.

Library to Host Pearlman for Reading and Signing

The Tompkins County Public Library will host broadcast journalist and political activist Tish Pearlman for a reading and signing of her first chapbook, “The Fix Is In,” Saturday, January 28 at 3:00 PM in the BorgWarner Community Room.

Pearlman has served as the host and producer of “Out of Bounds,” an award-winning weekly public affairs/arts interview program. A 1986 graduate of the Columbia School of Broadcasting, San Francisco, California, Pearlman boasts an impressive resume of production, freelance, voiceover and hosting work. Her poetry has appeared in The Healing Muse, The Ithaca Times and The Syracuse Post-Dispatch Healthy CNY Magazine.

“The Fix Is In,” captures the raw emotion of life, death and memory and generated from Pearlman’s own harrowing experience following a 2009 open-heart surgery. While being brought out of anesthesia, Pearlman’s blood pressure dropped to 0---the moments and days that followed were a blur---leading a furious and frustrated Pearlman to reach back to a long-forgotten hobby, poetry, to process and move on from the event.

Copies of “The Fix Is In” will be available for purchase at the event. This and 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.

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, January 7th 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 January is “The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate,” by Jacqueline Kelly.

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

Library Launches Year of Art With Quilt Exhibit/Auction

The Tompkins County Public Library launches A Year of Art at the Library 2012 Saturday, January 7 with “The Art and Science of Quilting.” Curated by Marcy Rosenkrantz, this exhibit features the work of 20 local fiber artists and will include an auction of small quilts, with all proceeds benefitting Library programs and services.

An opening reception, including a tour of the exhibit and a talk on the science of dyes and fabric dyeing for quilting will be held Thursday, January 19 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM in the Library’s BorgWarner Community Room. The talk begins at 6:00 PM.

A silent auction of small quilts, specially made for this exhibit and displayed between the book stacks, will take place through Monday, February 27. A live auction for the five quilts which garner the highest bids will be held in the BorgWarner Community Room on Tuesday, February 28 at 6:00 PM.

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

Library Announces Holiday Hours, Increasing Borrowing Limits

The Tompkins County Public Library has announced plans to increase borrowing privileges for patrons during its extended holiday closing.

Library Director Susan Currie said the Library will once again double borrowing limits on books, CDs, DVDs and audiobooks between Monday, December 19 and Thursday, December 29 in order to ensure that patrons have access to a variety of entertainment and educational resources over the holidays.

“Our patrons truly rely on the resources provided by the Library, and we take our commitment to the needs of those patrons very seriously,” Currie said, adding that no items will be scheduled for return between Christmas and New Year’s.

Access to online resources, including the Alexander Street collection of recorded musical performances, OverDrive Digital Downloads, and Tumble Books for young readers will also be available during the holidays 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.

The Library will be closed from December 23 through December 27th and will re-open on Wednesday, December 28 and Thursday, December 29th, before closing again on Friday, December 30th. The Library will re-open at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, January 3.

The extended closure will allow the well-used Library to receive a thorough cleaning of floors and carpets, which is usually difficult to arrange since the Library is open six or seven days each week.

TCPL’s drop boxes will be open throughout the entire holiday season for convenient returns.

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

Library to Host Baby and Toddler Playtimes

Families of babies and toddlers are invited to enjoy free play and socialization, as the Tompkins County Public Library introduces Library Playtime.

An hour-long unstructured play and social time for children and adults, Library Playtime offers a warm, child-friendly play space with coloring supplies, books, music and a variety of age-appropriate toys.

Library Playtime for babies will be held each Friday from 11:00 AM to Noon beginning December 16th and Library Playtime for toddlers will be held on Tuesdays from 11:00 AM to Noon beginning December 13th. Both playtimes will be held in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room, which features a gorgeous fairytale-themed mural designed to encourage a love of books and imagination.

Library Playtimes are an exciting substitute for TCPL’s regular storytimes, which will be on hiatus during the months of December and January. Regular storytimes will return in February.

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

Library to Host Author Emily Rhoads Johnson for Discussion and Signing

The Tompkins County Public Library will host local author Emily Rhoads Johnson for a discussion and signing of "Wizard at Work: The Life and Art of George Rhoads," Saturday, December 10 at 1:00 PM in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

"Wizard at Work. . ." provides a detailed look at the life of Johnson's brother, George, an artist and creator of dramatic, audio-kinetic sculptures featured in airports, hospitals, shopping malls and science museums around the world.

Johnson offers a look at her sibling's formative years, his early passion for drawing and inventing and his determination to pursue a career as an artist despite protest from his parents. Told from her unique and witty perspective, Johnson reveals her brother's charming quirks and unconventional approach to life and offers detailed descriptions of many of George's playful sculptures.

Johnson is a writer, editor, teacher and the facilitator of TCPL's Mother/Daughter Book Club. She is the author of three young adult novels: "Spring and the Shadow Man,” “ A House Full of Strangers" and "Write Me If You Dare."

Copies of “Wizard at Work,” will be available for purchase at the event.

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 Puppet Show

The Tompkins County Public Library will celebrate winter with a family-friendly puppet show Friday, December 9 from 11:00 to Noon in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

Children of all ages are invited to join Library staff for a morning of winter stories, songs, puppet fun and a craft.

For more information about this or other children’s programming at the Library, contact the Youth Services Department at (607) 272-4557 extension 275.

Library to Host Technology, eReader Petting Zoos

The Tompkins County Public Library will offer two, free eReader petting zoos, Wednesday, December 7 from 11:00 AM to Noon and Thursday, December 8 from 5:00 to 6:00 PM in the Library's Avenue of the Friends.

Petting zoos offer patrons an opportunity to try out several models of the Barnes and Noble Nook and Amazon Kindle, as well as the Apple iPad, iPod Touch and "100 Classic Books" for the Nintendo DSI game system. Librarians will also be available to expertly demonstrate the devices, answer questions and provide information about the Library's free, digital download service, OverDrive.

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

Library to Host Storytellers

The Tompkins County Public Library will host “Winter Tales” a storytelling performance by the Ithaca Area Storytellers, Tuesday, December 6 at 7:00 PM in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

Appropriate for story enthusiasts ages five and older, this program is free and will feature folktales, traditional stories and modern yarns about winter.

The Ithaca Area Storytellers perform at the Library on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM. Anyone interested in finding out more about this informal group dedicated to furthering the timeless art of storytelling is encouraged to attend one of their monthly organizational meetings which are held in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room 30 minutes prior to each Library performance.

For more information, contact Carrie Wheeler-Carmenatty at (607) 272-4557 extension 248 or visit www.ithacaareastorytellers.com.

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, December 3 meeting of Tompkins County Public Library’s monthly Mother/Daughter Book Club.

The Mother/Daughter Book Club is facilitated by acclaimed 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 “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane” by Kate DiCamillo. A complete list of Club dates and titles will be provided at the meeting.

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

Library to Host Art Reception, Curator Talk

The Tompkins County Public Library will celebrate its current exhibit, “Elfriede Abbe: Illustrator, Printer, Sculptor," with a curator's talk and a guided exhibit tour, Thursday, December 1 from 6:00 to 7:30 PM beginning in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

Curator Nancy E. Green will discuss the exhibit and Abbe’s life and work. An expert on wood block prints and printing, Green is the Gale and Ira Drukier Curator of Prints, Drawings and Photographs at Cornell University’s Johnson Museum of Art.

Following Green’s talk, local artist, printmaker and member of The Ink Shop, Jenny Pope will present a brief workshop on wood block printing and describe how she creates wood reduction prints. Participants will then be treated to a tour of the exhibit by longtime friend and colleague of Abbe, James Tyler, PhD. Tyler will discuss the work featured in the Avenue of the Friends and a frieze by Abbe, which is on permanent display in the Library’s BorgWarner Community Room.

This event is free and open to the public and will begin in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room, located within the Library’s Youth Services Department. Refreshments will be served. Handwork has been invited to make Abbe's prints available for purchase following the reception.

This exhibit is possible through the generosity of the Johnson Museum of Art, The Bookery, Auraca Herbarists, and James Tyler. For more information about this event or other Library exhibits, contact Sally Grubb at (607) 272-4557 extension 232 or sgrubb@tcpl.org.

Library Looking for Teen Advisory Group Members

Local teens with an interest in books, community involvement and meeting new people are invited to join a newly-formed Teen Advisory Group for the Tompkins County Public Library.

Students in grades six through 12 are eligible to join the group, which is designed to give teens an opportunity to share their opinions and suggestions about the collection and services offered for the Library’s teen patrons.

The Advisory Group will meet on the first Thursday of each month from 4:30 to 5:30 PM in TCPL’s Thaler/Howell Programming Room. December’s meeting will be held on December 1st. Group members will work with Youth Services Librarian Shana Lynott to identify items to purchase, develop teen programs, fundraise and promote the Library’s Teen Services offerings.

Interested teens and new members are always welcome, but registration is appreciated. For more information or to sign-up, visit or call the Youth Services Department at 607-272-4557 ext 274 or 275.