March 1, 2007

OFF THE BOOKSHELF

Vineland Branch library celebrates Dr. Suess’ birthday, St. Patrick’s Day and Persian New Year

By Shirley Brewer
Young Adult Librarian
Vineland Branch Library

From Dr. Seuss to St. Patrick’s Day to Japanese story telling to Norouz, the Persian New Year, and Teen Tech Week -- we have it all at Vineland this month. Join us for stories, songs and bingo to celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday! It’s an event even Dr. Seuss would enjoy on Saturday, March 3 at 2 pm. Light refreshments will be served.

Hazuki Kataoka and David Battino will be telling stories using Japanese picture-card dramas called kamishibai on March 24.

The luck o’ the Irish is coming your way with crafts for the holiday. Students in grades one to six can make and take home a couple of St. Patrick’s Day crafts with you Friday, March 16 at 4 p.m. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Vineland Branch Library.

Hazuki Kataoka and David Battino will be telling stories using picture-card dramas called kamishibai. Kamishibai was a popular form of street story telling used in Japan from the early 1920s until the 1950s. The kamishibai man told stories using brightly illustrated cards. It is a wonderful and unique way of telling stories. Children and adults will be enchanted on Saturday, March 24 at 11 a.m.

Celebrate Norouz, the Persian New Year, with songs, poetry, dance and crafts. Students from Alborz Farsi School will start the year in song and poetry. The Beshkan Dance group will perform along with special guests Master Nejad and the Nejad Youth Orchestra. Stay to finish a craft to take home on Saturday, March 17 at 2 p.m.

Guitar Hero. Donkey Konga. Karaoke revolution. Do these games sound familiar to you? Enjoy playing these games and others on Friday, March 9 at 4 p.m. in celebration of Teen Tech Week. This is the inaugural year for Teen Tech Week, an American Library Association sponsored program. YALSA, the young adult component of ALA, has enthusiastically launched this first Teen Tech Week to raise student awareness of the variety of ways technology is used in libraries.

The First Saturday of the Month book sale comes on March 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in our lobby. You can buy five for a dollar at the sale. This month’s selections include paperback romances and mysteries, National Geographic magazines and children’s pamphlets.The Friends of the Vineland Branch Library are accepting gently used books in preparation for their Saturday, May 5 big Spring book sale. Now is the time to spring clean your home book collection.

Interested in becoming a Friend of the Library? The Friends will meet Tuesday, March 13 at 7 p.m. to discuss the May book sale and other events. We look forward to meeting new members.

Events:

- The First Saturday of the Month mini-book sale is sponsored by the Friends of the Vineland Library. Each month we will have a special selection of books on a particular topic. The March sale will be held on March 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

- Yoga will be held Monday nights at 6 p.m. Come relax with a yoga instructor. No charge. Bring a mat.

- Learn to knit or teach someone else at our Knitting Circle. Open to all ages. No charge. Bring your materials. Every Saturday at 4 p.m.

- Science Fiction buffs. At age 75 John Perry joins the army, the Colonial Defense Force. Given a younger body using his own DNA, he joins the fight for livable planets in interstellar space. John wonders, though, is it worth it? “Old Man’s War,” by John Scalzi is the book for discussion with the Saturday SciFi Book Discussion group, which meets March 10 at 2 p.m. The group meets the second Saturday of each month. Visitors are always welcome.

- Adult Mystery Book Club will meet on Wednesday, March 14 at 6:45 p.m. “The Body in the Snowdrift,” by Katherine Hall Page is the book selected for March. All mystery fans are invited to attend the second Wednesday of each month. Visitors are always welcome.

- The Evening Book Discussion Group will meet Tuesday, March 20 at 7 p.m. “The Collected Stories” by John McGahern cover a wide range of memorable characters in 34 stories. The group meets the third Tuesday of each month. Visitors are always welcome.

- Senior Book Discussion Group (50+) meets Thursday, March 22 at 10:15 a.m. “Sister of My Heart” by Chitra Banerjee Divakerun takes place in Calcutta. Sisters Anjur and Sudha share a strong bond, which is tested when Sudha learns a family secret. The group meets the fourth Thursday of each month. Visitors are always welcome.

- This month’s teensReach meeting combines the Teens Tech Week activity and the meeting on Friday, March 9 at 4 p.m. Teens ages 13-18 are invited to participate in our monthly teensReach meeting. Community service time is earned. Light refreshments are served.

- The ESL Conversation Club is held every Tuesday at 1 p.m. This one-hour session is a great way to practice your English and to make friends at the library. No pre-registration required.

- On Fridays Toddler Story time (ages 24-35 months) is 10:15 a.m. and Preschool Storytime (ages 3-5 years) is 11:15 a.m.

- Wednesday Preschool Story time (ages 3 – 5 years) is 11:15 a.m.

- Story time Express, a 15-minute story time for preschoolers, is held in the Children’s area every Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. and Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

- Family Story time is held on Saturdays at 11 a.m.

- Chinese/English Story times are March 7 and 21 at 7 p.m. These generally are held the first and third Wednesdays of each month.

- Persian/English Story time special program is Saturday, March 17 at 2 p.m. Celebrate Norouz with songs, poetry, dance, and crafts. It generally is held the third Saturday of the month.

- Like to play games? Beat a drum? Watch movies? Make a craft? Our After School programs for students in grades six through twelve are for you. Each afternoon Tuesday to Friday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. when school is in session, we have a different activity. Stop by a drop-in session and try something new.

Vineland Branch Library is located at 1450 Blossom Hill Road. We will be open 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, March 23 and closed Saturday, March 31 for the holiday. Our regular hours are: Mondays from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Thursdays through Saturdays from. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. For questions please call (408) 808-3000 during business hours. E-mail may be sent at any time: vl.sjpl@sjlibrary.org.