A monthly guide to your community library, its programs and services Issue No. 254, June 2010 Library Schedule The library will be closed on Father’s SAVE THE Day, Sunday, June 20. June 13 will be the final Sunday opening until Sep- DATE! tember 12. Summer Saturdays: September 25 open all day The library Board of Trustees voted to keep the library open from 9 to 5 Library on Saturdays during July and August, beginning July 10. This summer will be viewed as a pilot. The board will look Foundation at usage and evaluate the results at its October meeting. Gala Jason and Sean are ready to explore the Cradle of Aviation Museum PWPL joins forces with museums to Have a question? Text Honoring share the wealth of their collections us! Use your Port Washington library card to borrow a pass for free admission to any one The library offers free text message Hal Spielman of 15 participating museums. The library’s Museum Pass program has been a popular services. Text us at 66746 and start service since its inception in 2007. In the first four months of this year alone, almost 300 and individuals/families visited museums in Nassau County and Manhattan. Go to www.pwpl. your question with ASKPWPL. We will org to use our online calendar-based system to reserve a pass. Each pass has different respond as soon as possible. This ser- Zelik Ziegelbaum guidelines, so be sure to click on the appropriate links. The Museum Pass Program is vice is available during regular library funded by the Friends of the Port Washington Public Library. hours. Note: messages should be less than 160 characters. Schreiber Talent Summer Saturdays: On June 2 at 7:30 p.m., the library and the Music Advisory Council will fea- Open 9 to 5 beginning July 10 ture top music students of Schreiber High School in a special concert that will include both solo and ensemble performances. Rosetta Stone The interactive language learning library is available for use in our Com- puter Center. Learn Chinese, French, Italian and Spanish. This immersion- based software includes listening, speaking, reading and writing mod- ules. Headphones and microphones are available for the listening and speech recognition lessons. Living Library “Living books” will be “read” on Tues- day, June 8 at 7:30 p.m. Refreshments courtesy of Friends of the Port Wash- ington Public Library. Homework Help The end of the school year is fast ap- proaching. Use your library card to connect with a tutor for help with final projects and papers. Log on to www. pwpl.org between 2 & 10 p.m. Service is available in English and Spanish. Sponsored by the Friends of the Li- LIVE AT PWPL ON FRIDAY, JUNE 18 AT 7:30 P.M.: “Their chemistry is really kind of magical,” says John Platt of WFUV 90.7 FM. And if John brary and the Bernard L. Fendrich Platt says so, you can believe it. Join Diane Garisto, Marci Geller and Cathy Kreger for an evening of alternative rock. Memorial Fund. Sharing a concept: Books for Dessert “Literacy from the library slowly dawned on us that not only perspective is more than just the was his learning not increasing, but ability to read and write,” explained he was losing his academic skills a Library Director Nancy Curtin be- lot more quickly than he’d acquired fore an audience at the YAI National them.” Institute for People with Disabilities Mrs. Comer’s son had learned conference in April. “It is the ability a lot during his high school career, to understand and share ideas.” but because residence and day “The library’s mission is to pro- programs focus mainly on social vide opportunities for lifelong learn- and life skills, such as managing ing,” she continued. “Every person schedules, chores and money, the deserves an intellectual life, a place joys of ideas and intellectual stimu- to learn with others and share ideas. lation take a back seat. The library is the perfect place for a With the intention of making book club for adults with intellectual changes for her son and others disabilities.” like him, who age out of the educa- Ms. Curtin was joined by tional system at age 21, Mrs. Comer Books for Dessert co-founder Nancy formed a nine-member advisory Comer, who has a 31-year-old son board comprised of parents, library with Down syndrome. The pair staff, advocates, fundraisers and Asian Festival follow up teamed up with book club leader session leaders. Books for Dessert More than a thousand vistors to our recent Asian Festival enjoyed the cuture, colors and Evelyn Schonbrun to bring the was the outcome. traditions of Bangladesh, Burma, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea and Pakistan. Thank you to our many wonderful ESOL students and tutors who gave so much of themselves for Books for Dessert concept beyond The library now hosts three this festival. Look for more complete coverage next month. Port Washington, with the hopes separate club meetings for adults that other institutions around the with intellectual disabilities each country will model the program week, each one with a leader and and serve a population that is often in some cases an assistant. underserved. Books for Dessert is sup- “What does any parent wish for ported by the Port Washington Goodbye, New York! her child?” asked Nancy Comer. “A Library Foundation. For further happy, relatively independent life in information, contact Lee Fertitta As ESOL Coordinator Peggy to someone else. the community. A home, a job. All at 883-4400, Ext. 135. O’Hanlon is fond of saying, “Our “I even sneered when my of this was happening, but then it ESOL program is so much more grandma first told me about the than learning English.” Improving free English classes in the library. speaking and reading is, of course, I doubted what I could learn from the primary goal of our students these classes, but I gave it a try for whom English is a second and realized I could learn much at language. What’s become evident, the library. though, is that the bonds between “I’m now convinced that the teacher and student go way beyond course of life is unpredictable; no language — friendships are formed, one can write his autobiography in culture and traditions are shared. advance. Sometimes, things might The informal becomes almost as be contrary to our expectations and important as the formal for our new we might begin to doubt ourselves, residents as they assimilate to life lose our confidence, and eventually away from home. lose our faith. However, we’ve got The following is excerpted to believe what we’re doing will from an essay from a Taiwanese somehow be helpful in the future. I student who looks forward to mov- believe these experiences are both The Monday night group with leader Carol Trimarchi ing from the comfort of the library rare and precious. and beginning the next chapter “I’ve learned a lot and am of his life as a graduate student at ready to go for the next phase in Carnegie Mellon University. my life. Studying English here is “It is snowing outside and I the best decision I’ve ever made. If Art lecture by Mina Weiner am sitting in the library with a cup I could go back in time one year, I of coffee in my hand. A library is al- would make the same decision.” Edwin Howland Blashfield Museum, and the New-York His- ways the place where I can concen- (1848–1936) was a celebrated torical Society. trate on my study, be relaxed, and painter and the preeminent practi- Books will be available for enjoy my free time. I can have some tioner and theorist of mural paint- purchase and signing after the privacy even in a public place. ing at the time when murals were talk. Sponsored by the Friends of “The Port Washington Public a major element of important civic the Library Library has unwittingly become buildings. part of my life. At this cozy place, I’d Edwin Howland Blashfield: prepared for my TOEFL and GRE Master American Muralist, edited exams, read many useful books, by Mina Rieur Weiner, is the first met many nice friends, and most book in decades to focus on the important, met a great teacher who renowned muralist, and covers the also had become one of my best artist as defender of the classical friends. All of these were not what tradition. I’d expected. Because of my poor Ms. Weiner visits on Friday, speaking of English, I thought no June 11 at 12:10 p.m. She is a mu- one would bother to talk or help seum consultant who has organized me. However, the librarians and Thanks, Ted Goldsmith, and all of our ESOL exhibitions for numerous New volunteers here are so amiable that volunteer tutors for inspiring our students to York City museums, including the I can speak to them at ease, which succeed. Museum of the City of New York is difficult for me when I try to talk (MCNY), the South Street Seaport Men’s Book Group A new book discussion group for men will meet for its first ses- sion on Wednesday, June 23 at noon. Men of all ages are invited to discuss books that are geared to their interests, covering topics of current events, history, science and sports. The first book isKiller Angels by Michael Shaara. Documenting the three days at Gettysburg dur- ing the American Civil War, Shaara creates an astounding piece of historical fiction by documenting the generals who lead both the Union and Confederate soldiers into battle.