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.

Library to Host Drop-In Digital Download Tutorials

The Tompkins County Public Library will offer free, drop-in tutorials on using the OverDrive Digital Download service for downloading eBooks and audiobooks to Kindles, Nooks, iPads, smartphones or other app-based devices on Wednesdays from 11:00 AM to Noon and Thursdays from 5:00 to 6:00 PM beginning Wednesday, November 30.

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 their laptops to the session.

Drop-in sessions will be held at the Adult Services Reference Desk.

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

Library to Offer Inter-Generational Writing Workshop

Lovers of art and the written word are invited to participate in “Art/REACTion,” an inter-generational writing workshop at the Tompkins County Public Library Sunday, November 13 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

Facilitated by Irene “Zee” Zahava, this workshop will provide art enthusiasts and writers of all ages an opportunity to view the Library exhibit “Seriously Series” and create poems, fiction or memoirs based on personal reactions to the artwork.

“Seriously Series” is curated by Rebecca Godin and features the work of six local artists. The featured works explore specific themes, including: frogs, corners, dance, mandalas, pilgrimage and encounters. Artists whose work will serve as inspiration for writing are Mary Ann Bowman, Rebecca Godin, Kurt Lichtmann, Daniel McPheeters, John Lyon Paul and Terry Plater.

The workshop is free, but pre-registration is required. To register, contact Zahava at zee@twcny.rr.com or (607) 273-4675.

Zahava is a local author, editor and anthologizer and serves as director of Emma’s Writing Center in downtown Ithaca.

This program is made possible by support from Suzanne Spitz and Carrie Shearer.

Library to Host Cancer Resource Center's Riter for Reading and Signing

The Tompkins County Public Library will host Bob Riter, executive director of the Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes, for a reading and signing of his newly-released book, “The Elephant in the Room: Practical Advice When the Diagnosis is Cancer,” Wednesday, November 9 at 6:00 PM in the BorgWarner Community Room.

Compiled from Riter’s weekly columns in The Ithaca Journal, “The Elephant in the Room. . .” is a resource for the newly diagnosed, those undergoing treatment, survivors, and their friends and families. The book features short vignettes about common themes and steps toward an emotionally and physically successful recovery.

Riter is a graduate of Oberlin College and the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan. He previously taught health administration and gerontology at Ithaca College.

This event is free and open to the public. Copies of “The Elephant in the Room. . .” will be available to purchase at the event. All proceeds from the sale of “The Elephant in the Room” are being donated to the Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes.

Library to Host Workshop for Young Writers

Children and teens ages 9 through 18 are invited to participate in “Talking Hands,” a creative writing workshop facilitated by Irene “Zee” Zahava, Sunday, November 6 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM in the Tompkins County Public Library’s Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

Offered by the Library, in conjunction with the Family Reading Partnership’s Kid’s Book Fest 2011—“Reading Magic”, this free workshop will offer young writers an opportunity to create and share poems, fiction and true stories in a supportive, judgment-free environment.

Zahava is a local author, publisher and writing group facilitator. She is the director of Emma’s Writing Circle in Ithaca, and has led dozens of writing workshops at the Library.

This workshop is limited to 20 people; advanced registration is required. For more information or to register, contact Zahava  at zee@twcny.rr.com or (607) 273-4675.

This workshop is made possible through generous support from Suzanne Spitz and Carrie Shearer.

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, November 5 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 November is, ”Zora and Me” by Victoria Bond. 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.