friends of the newark free library friends of th… · each character he meets shows him a...

Friends of the Newark Free Library 1

Friends of the Newark Free Library

May 2015

Editor – Catriona Binder-Macleod

By Stephanie Rizzo

New Castle County Department of Community Services

The Newark group of the Young Writers Workshop have

completed their first book titled Lost in the Library. It’s a

fictional story about a boy named Jeff who hates books. His

sister Sarah likes books. They are on their way to the library

and Jeff doesn’t want to go. Sarah shows Jeff some of her

favorite books and suddenly, Jeff becomes a part of the books.

Each character he meets shows him a different book. It turns

out that Jeff fell asleep and when he wakes up, he wants to

check out all the books he dreamed about. The final project

was submitted to the Scholastic Kids Are Authors contest.

Our Newark group had a total of 10 participants, representing

grades 1-7. The children were eager participants and they have already started to ask

about next year! Despite the differences in age, they bonded with each other and have

exchanged emails to stay in touch. We had several children who had never

experienced the library prior to participation in this project and they were able to get

their first library card and proceeded to check out books and videos.

This project was made possible by a grant administered through The Friends of Newark Library. Because of

this grant, New Castle County was able to offer the Young Writers Workshop at five other sites as well:

Absalom Jones, Appoquinimink Library, Rose Hill Community Center, North Market Street Library, and West

End Neighborhood House. All New Castle County employees assigned to these sites have shared similar

positive experiences. We look forward to more opportunities to engage in meaningful programs with our

children.

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E

2 Letter from the President

4 The Read Project

5 What’s New in the Library?

7 Music Programs

9 Library Calendar

12 Have you Seen?

13 I’ve Been Reading

Websites: Friends of the Newark Free Library www.friendsofthenewarkfreelibrary.webs.com/

Newark Free Library main page

http://www.nccde.org/Newark

New Castle County Happenings library page

http://www.nccdecs.org and click on libraries and then

Happenings Guide

Friends of the Newark Free Library

Young Writers Workshop

Eager young writers take a break from

collaboration

http://www.friendsofthenewarkfreelibrary.webs.com/


http://www.nccdecs.org/


From the President

Peg Saenger

I find great joy in writing

“Spring 2015.” This winter

seemed to be a particularly

busy season for many of us. We now all welcome

this wonderful new season of growth.

Our Annual Meeting occurred on March 22nd, just

two days after the first day of spring. We welcomed

approximately 65 members and guests. We enjoyed

a delicious brunch catered by Café Gelato. Owner

Ryan German once again has supported our event,

and we are grateful for his generosity. Mike

Arenson presented a tribute to Oscar Hammerstein

on the 100th anniversary of his birth (Oscar’s not

Mike’s!). We recognized our retiring Friends’

Board members Noreen Campbell, Dana Dimock,

and Ezra Temko. Noreen has been our Treasurer

for six years. Her service is invaluable and we are

so fortunate that she has agreed to remain as an off

board member of FNFL.

We welcomed new FNFL Board members Mary

Ann Gladnick, Simon Lumsdon, and Amy Tetlow

Smith. We are delighted to have their energies and

talents. (Look for their photos in another part of this

newsletter.) We presented the Charlesa Lowell

scholarship to librarian Pam Stevens for her

continued study of Library Science. Our honored

guests included Sen. Dave Sokola, Rep. Paul

Baumbach, Newark Mayor Polly Sierer, the Hon.

Tom Gordon, Council member Lisa Diller,

Community Services Director Sophia Hanson, and

New Castle County Library Manager Diana Brown

were able to join us in spite of very busy schedules.

We recognize and appreciate their continued

support of library services.

The Membership campaign held in January and

February was a definite success. We signed up

dozens of new members and shared information

about the Friends and what we do.

The annual Volunteer Appreciation reception was

held on April 13th. This is an opportunity for the

Friends to thank other volunteers whose efforts

enhance the Newark library. Volunteer coordinator

Linda Llanso and special guest Susan Eggert,

Volunteer Coordinator from New Castle County,

recognized each individual volunteer with a special

certificate and a small gift.

The FNFL will have a booth at New Night Newark

on June 13th as well as a space at Community Day

in September. We will have a children’s activity

and take the opportunity to spread the word about

all the wonderful things that happen at the Newark

Library.

If you would like to be part of either of these events,

please leave a note in the Friends’ mailbox at the

library.

The library services the Friends support include

general library financial donations to supplement

budgeted funds, maintaining memorial book

program, offering arts programs through varied

music and cultural events, participating in New

Night Newark and Community Day, purchasing

supplies and snacks for Summer Reading programs

for both children and adults, collecting and

distributing children’s books, and partnering with

New Castle County to support the Young Writers

Workshop program to list just a few. A celebration

of the Young Writers authors and their teams will

be held in June. You will be able to see their

completed books. We would love to see you there.

We could not continue our involvement in these

worthy endeavors without your help and support.

Thank you very much.


Board Members!

Mary Ann Gladnick began

her career in the U.S.

Department of State and the

Department of Health and

Human Services. After

raising four children with

her husband, Mark

Gladnick, a local dentist,

she began her dedication to teaching. Her

experience includes both classroom and

homebound instruction of infirmed students.

Besides her stints as a Science Olympiad Coach,

Cub Scout and Girl Scout Leader, she is also active

in her neighborhood Civic Association and

Immaculate Conception Church. Whenever she

can, she shares her love of reading with her two

grandchildren.

Simon Lumsdon has

worked at DuPont for 12

years and is currently

Manager of the

Formulations Group in

the Crop Protection

business. He received his

Bachelors and PhD in

Chemistry from the University of Hull in England,

moving to the U.S. in 2001 to complete a Post-Doc

in the Chemical Engineering School at the

University of Delaware. Simon has been married

for 7 years and has a 1 year old daughter. Simon

enjoys golfing in his spare time and likes traveling

– especially home to see family and friends. He

loves bringing his daughter to the Newark library

on Saturday mornings.

Amy Tetlow Smith came

to Newark as a student in

1980 and has earned a

BA in Biology and a PhD

in Climatology. She has

taught both biology and

geography for the

University of Delaware,

outdoor education for the Fair Hill Nature Center,

and has tutored math. She volunteers with the UD

Botanic Gardens and Newark Natural Foods Co-

op. In addition to her love of books, she is

interested in sustainable gardening, quilt making,

knitting, and how things work. She lives in Newark

with her husband, son, and dog, Pilot.

2015 FRIENDS OF THE NEWARK LIBRARY BOARD

President Peg Saenger

Vice President Amy Shay

Corresponding Sec. Jo Anne Deshon

Recording Sec. Susan Gays

Treasurer Susan Olson

Directors Catriona Binder-Macleod

Kathie Davis

Juliet Hsiao

Doug Tong

Shu-Chien Liang

Kenneth Jones

Dorothy Sharkey

Mary Ann Gladnick

Amy Tetlow Smith

Simon Lumsdon

Off Board Members Noreen Campbell

Sara Jane Spaulding

Judy Taggart ________________________________________________

________________________________________________

From the Library Manager

Pat Birchenall

You may have seen the Friends’ Honor and

Memorial Book donation brochure at the library or

in past Friends newsletters, but have you ever

thought about giving the gift of a book or other

library item in honor of that special person? It’s a

nice way to let that person know you care, and it is

one of the most long-lasting gifts around.


When it’s birthday time and you are struggling to

come up with a gift idea for someone who has

everything or needs nothing, consider a donation to

the Friends Honor Book rogram. With your

donation, the library will buy an appropriate book

(you can suggest a subject area), and we will put a

book plate in the front listing your name and the

honoree’s name. We can let you know what we’ve

purchased and you can bring the recipient to the

library to see the book on the shelf. Your

thoughtfulness will definitely be appreciated by the

recipient and by library patrons!

It can be a good way to teach young ones about the

lasting value of books as opposed to short-lived

plastic toys. Donate a book in honor of your child’s

birthday each year, then come to the library to find

them. Your child might even want to donate a book

for you!

Think outside the box, too, and consider donating a

book in honor of someone’s graduation or

retirement. It’s a great way to show someone you

are thinking about them.

Brochures are available at the Friends’ counter near

the library’s circulation desk and are also available

on Friends’ website. Staff members at the library

are happy to help you as well. Thanks for thinking

about the library when you start thinking about a

gift for that special someone or special occasion. ________________________________________________

________________________________________________

The Read Project

The READ poster

project is partnership

between Delaware

Department of

Libraries and

Delaware Library

Association to feature

Delaware leaders as

role models for

reading and learning,

showcasing the books that inspire them.

ALA first developed the national READ posters,

which feature celebrities.

Delaware is unique in placing the READ

thumbnails all in one poster, to show that all our

Delaware state leaders value reading -- and it shows

that reading and libraries are a bi-partisan priority!

The next poster campaign

will feature Delaware

leaders and their passions

and interests – to further

demonstrate that libraries

support lifelong learning

for individuals and

communities to achieve

their full potential and

their versions of the

Delaware Dream.

Representative Paul

Baumbach

Representative Ed Osienski


REPORT ON DELAWARE LIBRARY TOWN MEETING

Judy Taggart, former President, Friends of the Newark Free Library

Delaware librarians and members of various

Friends of Libraries recently attended a statewide

Library Town Meeting, “Sustainability: Rallying

and Planning Next Steps,” which was the focus for

the day-long gathering. One of the key

presentations and discussions centered on the need

for libraries to demonstrate their value in order to

enjoy the support of elected officials and their

constituencies.

Joan Frye Williams, librarian, consultant and

observer of libraries said, “Public libraries need to

be less like grocery stories and more like kitchens.

Libraries in Delaware have been more like

kitchens.” Our libraries are ahead of the curve in

demonstrating their value. More and more

nontraditional services are offered. Examples

include mentoring, educational technology, skill

building, early literacy, neighborhood economic

development, special needs, and special programs.

Discussed were two trends: “healthy communities

need an abundance of social gatherings” and “not

home, not work -- a third place, public places on

neutral grounds where people can gather and

interact.” This is what many of our libraries are

striving to provide.

Two handouts that are available at the Reference

Desk address the issues that libraries face as they

evolve: the Aspen Institute’s report, funded by the

Gates Foundation, “Rising to the Challenge, Re-

Envisioning the Public Libraries” and the Online

Computer Library Center’s “Learning and

Libraries.” A particularly interesting chapter in this

publication is “Libraries Tipping: Resetting the

Context, Reframing the Library,” which describes

how people think about and experience libraries.

We are fortunate that the Newark Free Library,

with the support of the Friends is offering many

nontraditional programs with a focus on skill

building, special needs, and special programs. Pat

Birchenall, Newark Free Library Manger,

welcomes suggestions on ways the library can meet

the community and your needs.

Newark Free Library Friends Peg Saenger, Sara

Jane Spaulding, Cathy Wojewodzki, Judy Taggart,

and Pat Birchenall, (Newark Free Library Manger)

attended the very informative forum.

March 24, 2015 Library Advocacy Day at Legislative Hall.

Rep Paul Baumbach, Judy Taggart and Sara Jane

Spaulding, (Friends of Newark Free Library, and Ed

Osienski

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

What’s New in the Library?

Sherri McCarthy – Reference Librarian

Foreign Language Section for

Juveniles Expanded

The Newark Free Library is seeing an increase of

interest in our fledgling juvenile Chinese language

section, thanks in part to a new immersion program

in Mandarin Chinese for Kindergarten and 1st

grades at Downes Elementary School, which will

grow by one grade each year. In July 2014, the

children's section at Newark added juvenile


language titles in Chinese, starting with a collection

of 25 titles. In March 2015, more titles were added

to supplement the collection. The library already

has an existing extensive collection of Chinese

language materials for adults.

In addition to the Chinese language titles, the

juvenile foreign language section also contains an

extensive collection of children's books in Spanish

and smaller collections of titles in Korean and

French. ________________________________________________

________________________________________________

Mine What?

You may have noticed signs around the library

advertising our “Minecraft @ the Library”

program for kids ages 8-13. You may also have

noticed that because of the program’s great

popularity, we have expanded from one to four

sessions per month to meet demand. You may

also be wondering … Mine What?

Minecraft is a game where you dig (mine) and build

(craft) different kinds of 3D blocks within a large

world of various terrains and habitats to explore. In

this world, the sun rises and sets as you go about

your work, gathering materials and making tools.

There is rain and the occasional lightning storm,

and animals that you can tame, farm, or use for

food. Minecraft is what’s called a “sandbox game,”

where the players create the game themselves by

manipulating the world within it (like kids playing

in the sand). There are no specific steps or rules.

In “Minecraft @ the Library” programs, we use

MinecraftEdu, which is a version of Minecraft

designed by teachers for classroom use. It contains

many additions to the original game that make it

more useful and appropriate in a school or library

setting. Furthermore, in our Minecraft programs,

the game is played only in creative mode. In

creative mode, players have access to all of the

resources of the game. Players are able to fly

freely around the game world, but they do not have

to fight for survival, as in other modes. The

creative mode helps players to focus on building

and creating large projects.

The library supplies laptops that allow multiple

players to interact and communicate with each

other in a single world using multiplayer mode. For

that reason, the number of participants is limited to

8. “Minecraft @ the Library” programs are the 1st

and 3rd Saturdays of each month, at 10 a.m. and 1

p.m. [Note date change in July only to 7/10 and

7/25.] Programs are facilitated by a library staff

member – either Robert Garland, Library Assistant,

or Spencer Saints, Computer Aide. Parents must

remain in the library while their children participate

in this program. ________________________________________________

________________________________________________

Readers’ Advisory – What Do I

Read Next?

Sue Menz Library Specialist

Trying to find that next great read? Here’s another

place to look for ideas: the Readers’ Advisory

webpage. From the library’s home page

(www.nccde.org/Newark) click on What Do I Read

Next? from the column on the left side of the page.

It will bring you to the page designed and updated

monthly by the Readers’ Advisory committee,

which is made up of library staff from eight New

Castle County libraries.

Our staff picks are produced monthly and are

available online as well as in hardcopy form in the

library. Read through the reviews and when you

find one that interests you, click on the book cover

and you’ll be directed to the library catalog to place

a hold on that title.

Also found on the page are links to the New York

Times and USA Today bestseller lists, Book Page,



Goodreads, and various genre blog lists. NoveList,

a fantastic book database, offers such things as title

read-alikes, author read-alikes, and series lists.

There are so many wonderful books from which to

choose, you’ll create your own “What do I Read

Next” list! ________________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Delaware Library Legislative Day

2015 Sara Jane Spaulding and Judy Taggart, Friends of

the Newark Free Library, participated in Delaware

Library Legislative Day. Visits with Newark area

legislators to reinforce the importance of libraries

in our lives highlighted the day. They discussed

Newark Free Library activities and how our

library makes a huge difference in our community.

Almost everyone uses the library for something

during the year. Libraries are not just for books

anymore!

Libraries serve many critical purposes in our

community and are essential to the everyday

lives of people. Newark area residents use the

library to

Seek job information

Learn about health initiatives

View electronic and printed materials

Complete research for education

Participate in early learning opportunities

Access the internet

Utilize entrepreneurship information and

support

Attend informative, educational, and

cultural programming.

HOW CAN YOU HELP? When you meet an

elected official or candidate at any government

level, let them know how important the Newark

Free Library is to YOU. They hear about

potholes, schools etc., but they also need to hear

about libraries.

With the tight New Castle County and State of

Delaware budgets, we must urge our elected

officials to not make cuts to our libraries.

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

Music Programs for Summer

Pam Nelson

Reference Librarian

Thanks to the support of the Friends of the Newark

Free Library, three concerts are being offered for

the 2015 summer season. A variety of programs are

planned, from a flute-violin-guitar trio to a brass

quintet and then ending the series with a jazz

ensemble, there is a little something for everyone.

We kick off the season on Friday, June 12th at

7pm, with Pegasus Trio performing music for

flute, violin, and guitar. Flutist Mindy Bowman and

guitarist Chris Braddock have performed together

as a duo for over ten years. Now with the addition

of violinist Jeanmarie Braddock, they have

expanded their ensemble and repertoire.

The Pegasus Trio with guitarist Chris Braddock, flutist

Mindy Bowman, and violinist Chris Baddock

Mr. Braddock and Ms. Bowman are both faculty

members at the Music School of Delaware with

demanding teaching schedules, while Ms.

Braddock, with an equally rigorous schedule, is a


music instructor with the Brandywine School

District.

The program for the June concert includes

“Chanson Boheme” by Georges Bizet, “Ipso

Facto” by the group’s guitarist Christopher

Braddock, “London Trio, no. 3 in G Major” by

Franz Joseph Haydn and then the program

concludes with “Ragtime Classics” by Scott Joplin.

On Wednesday evening, July 8th at 7pm, the

library welcomes Johannes Brass as we celebrate

music for the Independence Day holiday. The

ensemble has been performing together since 1974,

and in addition to worship services, the schedule

includes many other appearances in the Tri-State

area including graduations, weddings, receptions

and concerts at retirement communities. Over the

years the Quintet has performed at such venues as

Longwood Gardens, the Auditorium at Ocean

Grove, NJ, the Philadelphia Museum of Art,

Reading’s Bindenwood Music Festival and the

Christmas Pageant of Peace on the White House

grounds.

In addition to some patriotic marches, the program

will highlight a variety of music for the brass

quintet spanning Baroque, Classical, Romantic eras

and some popular selections from the Beatles,

Disney and Sousa.

The summer concert series concludes on Sunday,

August 30th at 2:00pm with a program of jazz

presented by the University of Delaware Faculty

Jazz Ensemble, the official jazz ensemble in

residence at the University. As the academic year

commences, the audience will enjoy a return

engagement from the group with an afternoon of

standards from the American Song Book as well as

compositions from the Band.

Delaware Faculty Jazz Ensemble with Harvey Price,

vibraphone; Craig Thomas, bass; Tom Palmer, drum; and

Todd Graves, saxophone;

As faculty members at the University, the

performers all promote jazz education in and out of

the classroom and are all veteran performers in the

local area. The ensemble performs on campus as a

part of the Music Department’s concert series. The

members of the ensemble are Todd Graves,

saxophone; Craig Thomas, bass; Tom Palmer,

drums and Harvey price, vibraphone.

Please join us for these three summer musical

offerings. All ages are welcome, and we

particularly welcome families and their children as

this is a perfect opportunity for a concert

experience in an informal atmosphere. Hope you

can include these concerts in your summer plans,

and thank you to the Friends of the Library for

making these programs possible.

The members of the groups are Susan Peo, trumpet;

Kate Soukup, trumpet; Bonnie McDonald, horn; Phil

Hessler, baritone and Dean Buckwalter, tuba.


Library Calendar

APRIL

FRIDAY, APRIL 10 @ 2pm & 6:30pm

Friday Film: Foxcatcher

SUNDAY, APRIL 12 @ 2pm

Nota Bene Winds: UD Woodwind Quintet

University of Delaware student quintet presents a

recital of “Libertango” by Astor Piazzolla.

SUNDAY, APRIL 26 @ 2pm

Barrel of Makers: Wobble-Bots

Teens will build a Wiggling, Squiggling Robot.

Build your first robot that will be run on a very

simple circuit. Registration required. Ages 12+.

MAY

FRIDAY, May 1 @ 2pm & 6:30pm

Friday Film: Imitation Game

SATURDAY, MAY 2 @ 2:30pm

Mother’s Day Card making

Teens not sure what to get Mom for Mother’s

Day? Come learn the art of card making.

Registration required. Ages 12+.

JUNE

FRIDAY, June 5 @ 2pm & 6:30pm

Friday Film: Birdman

FRIDAY, JUNE 12 @ 7pm

Pegasus Trio

A concert of flute, violin & guitar music!

SATURDAY, JUNE 13 @ 2:30pm

Father’s Day Card making

Teens not sure what to get Dad for Father’s Day?

Come learn the art of card making. Registration

Required. Ages 12+.

FRIDAY, June 26 @ 2pm & 6:30pm

Friday Film: Whiplash

SATURDAY, JUNE 27 @ 2pm

Teen Art Workshop: Duct Tape

Is Duct Tape the most useful substance on the

planet? Learn many fun projects that can be done

with a simple roll of tape. Registration Required.

Ages 12+.

JULY

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8 @ 7pm

Johanness Brass

Brass Quintet music celebrating Independence

Day. The musicians are all members of the

Newark Symphony.

FRIDAY, July 10 @ 2pm & 6:30pm

Friday Film: American Sniper

SUNDAY, JULY 12

Teen Art Workshop: Unmasked @ 2pm

Are your superheroes strong in costume but mild-

mannered in civvies? Learn to design secret

identities, generate alter-egos, build well-rounded

teams, and forge unstoppable villains. Registration

Required. Ages 12+.

FRIDAY, July 24 @ 2pm & 6:30pm

Friday Film: Theory of Everything

SATURDAY, JULY 25 @ 2:30pm

Superhero Trivia Game Day

Come enjoy an afternoon of Superhero Trivia with

Captain Blue Hen Comics. Program is designed

for a teen audience. Registration Required. Ages

12+

AUGUST

SUNDAY, AUGUST 2 @ 2 pm

Teen Art Workshop: Every Hero has a Story

What makes your Superheroes tick? Come

develop secret hideouts, uncover hidden strengths,

and create unforgettable origins that will bring

your heroes to life!

Registration Required. Ages 12+.

FRIDAY, August 7 @ 2pm & 6:30pm

Friday Film: Wild


SATURDAY, AUGUST 29 @ 2 pm

Teen Art Workshop: Introduction to Programming

using Scratch

Learn to use Scratch imaging software to help you

create stories, games, and animation. Registration

Required. Ages 12+.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 30 @ 2 pm

University of Delaware Faculty Jazz Quartet

An afternoon of classic jazz music.

Come get in the Irish mood by decorating some St.

Patrick’s-themed cupcakes. Registration required.

Ages 12+

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

Up Close and Personal

Interviews with Library Staff Doug Tong

I recently met with Newark Free Library

employees Crystal Henderson, Susan Lipscy, and

Molly Gilmore. All three enjoy interacting with

library patrons and the camaraderie found among

co- workers.

Up Close & Personal with Crystal Henderson

Q: Crystal, you are touted as

the computer guru- what is

your role?

A: First let me say, I am

from Blacksburg, VA – GO

HOKIES!!! I am a computer

aid. I primarily assist

patrons who are searching

for jobs. I work with

patrons to review and fill

out job applications, review job descriptions,

interview role play and write resumes.

Q: Are there some other programs that you bring to

the table to assist patrons?

A: I assist with the library’s “OverDrive” app.

OverDrive is a digital collection of various formats

like eAudio and eBooks. We can also put streaming

videos (digital copy) on OverDrive. If patrons want

to learn more, I suggest they go online to

delaware.lib.overdrive.com

Q: Is there anything new online that patrons should

check out?

A: Pinterest. This is an app where someone can post

something on a virtual bulletin board. For example,

someone who loves arts and crafts, recipes, or cars

can amass a collection on a virtual bulletin board.

Q: What other observations would you make about

your job?

A: I see a lot of support from my co- workers and

support from the FNFL.

Up Close & Personal with Susan Lipscy

Q: I often see you at the Reference desk helping

others. What are some of your duties?

A: I take care of the interlibrary loans. Patrons who

want to access a book which the Delaware state

libraries don’t own, can fill out a small yellow card

which I will send out for a search and track a copy

for them. The book would normally be a new book

less than one year old. If the document or book is a

reference material, the requester can review the

material in the library but can’t take it home. We

also review all of the books that are donated to the

library. We are generally looking for gently used

books and over the years we’ve gotten some good

contributions. The books are either catalogued into

the system or they go into the books for sale

collection.

Q: Are there other programs with which you’ve

helped?

A: Toddler Time- (18 months to 3 years old)-

Years ago, we started a program to address this


age range as it is the entry phase for teaching

children to get familiar with books and the library.

Q: Are there any programs you coordinate or

assist with that you’d want to mention?

A: The Adult Noon Book Group is held at the

library on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. We

spend between 60 -90 minutes talking about books

that have been read, suggestions for reading, and

voting on books that the group wants to read in the

future. The part I enjoy the most is the “around the

circle” sharing, as the readers often become

animated and exhilarated in their retellings.

Up Close & Personal with Mollie Gilmore

Q: Mollie, when I asked some of the librarians for

a recommendation on whom to interview, your

name surfaced a few times. Why do you think that

is?

A: I trained under Sue Menz. I enjoy helping

patrons find what they are looking for. I am doing

the duties of a page: shelving the books properly

so they are in an order as set up by the Dewey

Decimal System, something that we were not

exposed to in my generation. There are probably

10-11 pages (full time and part time). We retrieve

books requested by patrons and they are shelved at

the circulation desk awaiting their pick up.

Q: One of the reasons you were selected to

interview was because you are eager to provide

assistance and always have a smile. Why do you

enjoy it here?

A: The co workers are great - - they are truly sweet

and kind and I truly enjoy reading. Sometimes in

the children’s section, I am asked if I could

recommend a series or an author for a son or

daughter. I reflect back on what I enjoyed, and it is

easy to suggest something that I loved reading. The

library gives you a great sense of community, and I

love being in the middle of it all.

Q: I learned that you are enrolled at University of

Delaware. What are your studies focused on?

A: I’m majoring in anthropology and a minor in

biology, perhaps microbiology. I forgot to mention

that I was hired as a page 9 months ago, and one of

my greatest joys is assisting young parents seeking

a book suggestion for their child. I will often

recommend Eric Carle or Roald Dahl.

Charlesa Lowell Scholarship

Winner Pat Stevens

Pam Stevens has worked in

New Castle County Libraries

since 1999, beginning as an

aide at the Newark Free

Library, under the direction

of Charlesa Lowell. She was

soon promoted to Library

Assistant at the Brandywine

Library, then to the Principal

Library Assistant position at both the Woodlawn

and Brandywine Libraries, where she currently

works. In this role, she is in charge of the library's

circulation desk and its services, and she provides

direct supervision of the part time staff who work

at the circulation desk.

Pam's years of experience and her love of libraries

motivated her to complete her bachelor's degree in

2014 and to pursue a Master's degree in Library

Science from Florida State University. She

anticipates graduating in Spring of 2016.

In her spare time, Pam has been a crew member of

the Kalmar Nyckel since 2002 and is also active in

her church. She is a skilled photographer as well.

oming from New Castle County libraries.

________________________________________________

________________________________________________


Have you Seen? By Dorothy Sharkey

We have had so many wonderful exhibits in the

library over the past several months. We hope that

you have enjoyed seeing each and every of

them. We would like to thank our exhibitors who

have shared their artwork, interests, and collections

with us. If you have an exhibit proposal, please see

a reference desk librarian for an application form.

Barbara Redden exhibits art and literary works created by

Redden family members

Carol Boncelet for the Girl Scouts

Art work from Karen Yarnell’s Newark High School

Students

Nancy Lonie and Judy Taggart display of tea

Margie Mayer Masino for the Newark Historical Society

First State Ballet


I’ve Been Reading

All the Light We Cannot

See

by Anthony Doerr

Reviewed by Katharine Carter Kerrane

All the Light We Cannot See is a novel about two

children growing up on the eve of World War II:

Marie Laure, a blind French girl, who lives in Paris

with her devoted father, and Werner, a German

orphan living in a grim German coal mining town.

Marie Laure’s father, a locksmith for the Museum

of Natural History, makes elaborate puzzle boxes

for Marie Laure. When she loses her sight as a

child, her father builds an exact miniature replica

of their neighborhood’s streets and buildings,

helping her learn her way around through touch,

hearing, and spatial recognition. Werner, growing

up in an orphanage with his younger sister, longs to

escape his destiny, which will be to go down into

the mines when he turns 15, the same mines which

killed his father.

When Germany invades France, Marie Laure and

her father flee Paris to Saint-Malo on the Brittany

coast of France. Marie Laure’s father carries a

dangerous secret with him, and as a result, is hunted

by a ruthless Nazi. Werner, a genius with electrical

gadgets, sees his escape from coal mining by

competing for a spot in an elite Hitler Youth school.

At age 16, he is posted to a unit trained to ferret out

and kill Resistance radio operators, first in Russia

and then in France.

Werner’s and Marie Laure’s lives intersect in

Saint-Malo in 1944 during the intense shelling and

bombing of the city by the American and British

forces. Based on the real event, when the Germans

finally surrendered, just 180 of the 865 buildings in

the historic walled city remained. It is in this

inferno with the Nazi hunter closing in, that Marie

Laure must use all her skills to stay alive and

Werner must decide who he truly is and what he

stands for.

The title All the Light We Cannot See refers to the

paradox that our brains exist in total darkness and

yet create the light by which we see. The title is

also a metaphor for different kinds of light—Marie

Laure living in a world of darkness yet freed by her

imagination and actions to live in the light, and

Werner who has sight but feels darkness closing in

all around him.

All the Light We Cannot See, published in 2014, is

written by American author Anthony Doerr and

was a finalist for the National Book Award for

Fiction. As the suspense builds, Doerr makes you

care deeply for the two protagonists. The prose is

luminous, and the story is filled with hope and love,

despite the grim setting of World War II.

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

The Sense of an Ending

By Julian Barnes

Reviewed by Marianne Green

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes is a

compact novel, a mere 163 pages, but it is a rich,

compressed puzzle of a book that has the reader

pondering, musing, and ruminating about it for

weeks (maybe years) after the last word has been

read. Winner of the Man Booker Prize in 2011, The

Sense of an Ending is filled with lots of questions

and few definitive answers.


The story is told from the perspective of Tony

Webster. In the first part of the book, he is an

adolescent moving toward adulthood, immersed in

school, intellectual pursuits, thoughts about future

adventures, friendships, and romantic aspirations.

In the second part, 40 years later, Tony is retired,

divorced and in his middle sixties, resigned to a

mundane “peaceable” life with few highs or lows.

One day he learns that he has inherited 500 pounds

and the diary of his deceased friend from a woman

he met 40 years earlier. These unexpected bequests

open up a window into events from the past and call

into question the accuracy of his recollections.

Some of the questions Tony must grapple with are:

Is there a chain of individual responsibility? Is there

an objective interpretation of history? Are

memories accurate? Do human beings foolishly

strive to make sense of their lives even when there

is no meaning? Can a suicide be “exemplary,

“rather than tragic? Is uncertainty life’s ruling

principle?

This isn’t a novel that ties up loose ends, answers

most of Tony’s questions, or solves the mystery

once and for all. Instead, the reader is left with the

“Sense of an Ending “as Tony Webster struggles to

face the truth (whatever that may be) and attempts

to put an end to the illusions and self-delusions he

has lived with for 40 years.

Barnes’s The Sense of an Ending is a challenging

read. The book is rife with loose ends, red herrings,

and limited information. This may leave some

readers mystified, unsettled, or even disturbed, but

I guarantee that the novel will continue to

reverberate in their thoughts and imagination.

American Nation: A

History of the Eleven

Rival Regional Cultures

of North America

By Colin Woodward

Reviewed by Robert Taggart

Colin Woodward attempts to answer the question

“Why do Americans have such a difficult time

agreeing on basic issues such as the role of religion

or government in public life?” The author

identifies eleven distinct regions that now and have

always disagreed in their cultural beliefs, thanks to

demographic and geographic differences.

According to the author, New Netherland (NY) has

always been the most diverse area in North

America, which leads its citizens to tolerate

differences in opinion. The Deep South has never

had a tolerance for diversity of ideas. Yankeedom

has always been sure of its role as change-agent for

individuals or other regions’ peoples, earning the

suspicion of all other regions for their efforts.

Citizens of the Midlands value a moderate

government if it serves their needs. The Far West

is a region full of suspicious, individualistic people

wanting to be left alone. The Left Coast is a very

tolerant and relaxed culture, proud of its innovative

culture.

The real message is that these areas have always

been at odds with one another, even to the extent of

war 150 years ago, the effect of which still divides

this nation in politics, culture, and religion. The

author skillfully shows how these regions

developed, conflicted, and sometimes cooperated

at various times. One can tire, however, of his

constant reference of every leader to specific

regions, as if it is always foretold in perfect manner.

He also ends on a curiously pessimistic note,

insisting that the future nation is doomed to pull

apart into several countries. There have been many

times when past conflicts within the United States


would have seemed to be “the one” that would have

doomed this nation. But the truth is that our current

conflicts are the manifestations of a huge, diverse

and complicated young country that are likely to go

on for centuries. At least Mr. Woodward has given

us a road map to understand where those conflicts

come from, and to wonder whether there really is

an “American Nation.”

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

“The Self-Overcoming of the

Hereditary Meritocracy”: A

Review of William

Deresiewicz’s Excellent Sheep

Reviewed by Amy Shay

“Real education must ultimately be limited to men

who INSIST on knowing, the rest is mere sheep-

herding”: Ezra Pound, ABC of Reading, 1934.

What should a person know? What thinking skills

help a citizen live meaningfully and contribute to

our society? Why read? Why question? In a world

that changes rapidly, how do we know what to

teach young people? Should your son specialize in

violin by the time that he is nine years old and thus

position himself for a strong college application?

Ought your granddaughter major in engineering, so

that she will secure a job and thus be able to pay off

her exorbitantly high tuition?

In Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the

American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life,

William Deresiewicz explores the large and

important question of what the function of a college

education is widely considered to be and what it

ought to be. Not merely a question for current and

prospective students and their loved ones to

examine, the issue of education’s relevance, scope,

and applicability has come into particularly sharp

focus recently, as college has become

extraordinarily expensive. Students, parents, and

employers vacillate about what skills a person

should have and what the work force needs. Many

people lament the loss in our culture of community

and thoughtful conversation, segmented as we are

by our technology, long work hours, and structured

activities. Anybody who has had lunch with

someone who is addicted to his smartphone

wonders if her lunch companion has the ability to

think independently, speak coherently, or listen

attentively. What kind of people are we? What role

should our educational institutions play in shaping

us?

William Deresiewicz, a graduate of Columbia

University and a former Yale professor and

application reader, feels very strongly that we

should be rigorously-reading, open-minded,

curious, analytical people, and that college

provides a unique opportunity to explore who we

are, what we want to do, what we do best, and ways

that we may achieve our goals: not only our career

goals, but our personal, social, intellectual, and

spiritual, as well. As long as a person, from a young

age, feels compelled to present a particular self to

admissions application readers and, later,

employers--as long as people fail to look inward

and only develop their employable selves--our

society will continue to lose its creativity and

ability to innovate, let alone experience pleasure.

"Teaching," Deresiewicz cites Socrates, "is the

reeducation of desire." In Deresiewicz's ideal

college, a small one with an emphasis on the liberal

arts, educators guide students to strip themselves of

the ideas with which they were raised--to resist

speaking to their parents every day while in

college!--and to explore their powerful potential.

Some readers have argued that such a proposal

lacks practical application. I agree thoroughly with

Deresiewicz, however, that before we thrust

ourselves into careers, we ought to learn how we

can spend a large part of our lives engaging in

endeavors, both paid and unpaid, that we enjoy and

at which we excel. When approached with an open,

questioning spirit, college serves as an ideal space


and time for this type of exploration. True, we

cannot ignore such practical considerations as the

ability to pay our bills, and yet we ought to pause

before making fear-based decisions that will lead

us to pens, bleating hollowly.

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

The Monopolists

By Mary Pilon

Reviewed by Laura Classen

Mary Pilon, the author of The Monopolists:

Obsession, Fury, and the Scandal Behind the

World's Favorite Board Game, is a former

journalist at The New York Times and the Wall

Street Journal. Her journalistic training is evident

as she clearly and directly tells the unknown story

of Elizabeth Magie who invented and in 1904

patented an original form of the board game

Monopoly, which she called The Landlord’s Game.

Magie intended the game to be used as a teaching

tool. She passionately believed that the economic

theories of Henry George were the best way to

resolve the vast inequities of society that she saw

around her and designed The Landlord’s Game to

illustrate and elucidate those ideas. Indeed, some of

the people who first played the game were the

residents of Village of Arden, Delaware, which had

been founded on the single tax principle. Arden

residents played the game often and added their

own touches such as including spaces like Lord

Blueblood’s Estate, Gee Whiz R. R., Lonely Lane

and Goat Alley. No written instructions existed

however, so residents taught it to their friends and

visitors, who then carried the game to other parts of

the country.

The game, for example, spread to Atlantic City

where a group of Quakers made their own boards

and named the properties after the streets that they

lived on and knew. The Quakers, too, modified the

game: the auction element in Magie’s original

game was dropped and hotels could now be added

to properties.

The game continued to be played and modified by

different groups of players. Charles Darrow, the

man Parker Brothers knowingly and falsely touted

as having invented the game, made his own board

and marketed it under the name Monopoly. In

1934, he offered it to both Milton Bradley and the

Parker Brothers, both of whom declined it. Parker

Brothers reconsidered its decision, however, when

the company fell on hard times. The game became

wildly popular and it is little exaggeration to say

that its sales kept the company going at the time.

In the 1970s in California, Ralph Anspach devised

and sold a counter culture inspired similar game

called AntiMonopoly. Parker Brothers objected

and a legal case between Anspach and Parker

Brothers began a 10 year journey through the court

system as Anspach worked to convince a series of

judges that he could sell his game because Parker

Brothers did not have the right to monopolize

Monopoly.

Monopoly continues, of course, to be a bestselling

game. Whether its standardization by Parker

Brothers has been a boon to games players

worldwide or whether the world would have been

better with lots of competing similar games and

rules is, at this point, moot. The questions

Monopoly’s history raises, however, continue to be

fresh and pertinent: who should receive credit for

an invention; how should the credit be given; and

for how long should it be given. Mary Pilon has

given us an easy to read and thought provoking

book.


New Castle County Reads

By Pat Birchenall

Over 1000 people,

including some Newark

Friends members,

attended the New Castle

County Reads program

featuring acclaimed

author Walter Mosley on

April 16 at the Chase

Center on the

Riverfront. Mr. Mosley’s

talk included a heartfelt essay describing how his

parents’ experiences with cancer and dementia

informed his decision to write The Last Days of

Ptolemy Grey, the NCC Reads 2015 featured book.

For those Friends members who didn’t read the

book or attend the program, there are copies

available in hard copy, audio and e-book formats in

the library’s collection.

Do you have suggestions for future NCC Reads

authors? If so, please pass on your ideas to Library

Manager Pat Birchenall. Plans for next year are

already underway.

Author Walter Mosley Mr. Mosley was introduced by Community

Service General Manager Sophia Hanson

and New Castle County Executive Tom

Gordon


Please join us in helping our neighbors.

Delaware Does More is a collaboration among

local nonprofits, businnesses, schools, faith-based

organizations, and others in the community to help

Delawareans with three basic needs: food, shelter,

and utilities.

The Friends of the Newark Library has collected

over 6000 pounds of food for the Delaware Food

Bank. There is a barrel for donations at the library

checkout desk.

We thank you in advance for your contributions.

Items that are acceptable:

Canned meats: tuna, chicken, ham, etc.

Peanut butter

Pork and beans

Canned soups and stews

Fruit juice

Beverages: coffee, tea, hot cocoa mix,

Instant breakfasts, soft drinks

Canned vegetables: green beans, corn,

carrots, peas, mixed vegetables

Canned beans: pinto, kidney, lima, etc.

Canned fruits: peaches, pears, mixed fruit

(cocktail), pineapple, apricots, applesauce

Rice and rice mixes

Pasta and pasta mixes

Powdered milk, evaporated milk,

Powdered creamer

Pancake/waffle mix

Baking mixes: biscuits, muffins, cakes

Cooking oil

Condiments: jams, jellies, spreads, ketchup,

mustard, relish, bbq sauce, pickles, syrup

Powdered or liquid baby formula

Non-Food items are also important to the people

we serve: · Diapers

· Toothpaste, mouthwash, dental floss

· Shampoo, conditioner

· Deodorant

· Bar soap, liquid hand soap

· Paper products: tissue, towels, toilet

paper, paper plates, napkins, utensils

Sorry but we cannot accept:

Baby food - the immune systems of infants are too

delicate to take a chance on baby food.

Homemade foods - since we cannot guarantee they

are safe foods, we cannot distribute homemade

foods.

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

Please Donate your Gently Used Children’s Books

Please donate your gently used children’s books to

be given to children’s programs in the area. There

is a crate for donations on the FNFL table to the left

of the checkout area.

http://elissafield.wordpress.com/2013/01/15/living-with-books-07-reading-nooks-for-children/


THE HONOR AND MEMORIAL BOOK

PROGRAM

Consider a book or books to honor a loved one on

a special occasion---birthday, holiday or a special

thank you.

A book can also be a lasting tribute to the memory

of a loved one. A bookplate on the inside cover of

the book will note your name and the name of a

person in whose memory it was given. An

acknowledgement will be sent to the family.

Look for details in the Honor and Memorial Book

Program brochure on the Friends display near the

library checkout desk or on the Friends’ website or

go to

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xm40xtjb8knqn7n/Fri

ends%20Wish%20List%20Books%20%281%29.d

oc for suggested titles.

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

Become a Friend of the Newark Free Library

Who we are: We are book lovers, information

seekers, music and movie buffs. We are young and

old, with varying interests and backgrounds. We

treasure ideas and value the public library as a vital

community resource. We believe libraries are an

important community resource.

What do the Friends do?

The Friends support the growth of library services

at the Newark Free Library and encourage their

use. To accomplish these goals, the Friends

Support library programs with funding,

refreshments, prizes, and our time.

Raise funds for library improvement projects.

Promote community awareness of libraries.

Advocate for better state and local funding for

libraries.

Provide and maintain artwork for the library,

the copiers, and a piano for musical programs

in the library.

Fund a scholarship in memory of former

library manager Charlesa A. Lowell for area

students working towards a master’s degree in

library science.

Collect and donate books for children and

local agencies.

Arrange exhibits of local artists’ work in the

library’s display cases.

Improve the library’s collections with

donations to purchase special collections of

interest to local use

Membership Categories

Student $5

Individual $15

Family $20

Business/Civic Organization $50

Life Member $500

Membership, except for life membership, is

renewed once a year and good through Dec 31st

of the calendar year.

I want to be a FRIEND OF THE NEWARK

FREE LIBRARY.

Mail or drop off your tax deductible donation to:

The Newark Free Library, 750 Library Avenue

Newark, DE 19711

Name:

Address:

Email:

Thank you!

Questions? Email the Friends at:

[email protected]

www.friendsofthenewarkfreelibrary.webs.com/

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xm40xtjb8knqn7n/Friends%20Wish%20List%20Books%20%281%29.doc



mailto:[email protected]

http://www.friendsofthenewarkfreelibrary.webs.com/

friends of the newark free library friends of th… · each character he meets shows him a...

Documents