Friends of the Newark Free Library 1

Friends of the Newark Free Library

February 2016

Editor – Catriona Binder-Macleod

By Marianne Green

This year’s Delaware Library Legislative Day will take place on April 12, 2016 at Legislative Hall in Dover. An annual event, this day of education and advocacy is open to all library staff, Friends of the Library and Community members who seek an opportunity to influence Delaware’s state legislators to support Delaware’s libraries and new library initiatives. Delaware Library Legislative Day, sponsored by the Delaware Library Association, is coordinated by the Delaware Library Legislative Committee. Kevin Swed (kswed@nccde.org), director of the Appoquinimink Community Library, chairs the committee. Two to three people representing each Delaware library attend each year with a total of approximately 65 participants. “This event is very important for building working relationships with representatives for ongoing communication and networking,” says Swed. Since the first Delaware Library Legislative Day in 1992, state funding for libraries has increased more than 150%. Activities are planned from 9:00 to 3:00 for the April 12th event in Dover, including training sessions at the Dover Public Library and lunch with legislators, followed by discussions with legislators at Legislative Hall. Participants in this educational day emerge with a better idea of effective ways to involve library supporters and local legislators in productive and ongoing relationships. If dedicated Friends of the Library want to advocate for libraries on the national level, they are also welcome to attend the National Library Legislative Day on May 2 and 3 in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA). The ALA maintains a Washington office that is responsible for advocating for federal legislation that preserves and promotes library values and funding. For more information and registration use this web link (ala.org).

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

2 Letter from the President

3 Library Manager

6 New Castle County Reads

7 Music Programs

9 Library Calendar

14 Have you Seen?

15 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

Friends Advocate for Libraries

Friends of the Newark Free Library 2

Continued from p1 Friends Advocate for Libraries Even if you have never done any formal lobbying, both Delaware Library Legislative Day and National Library Legislative Day have educational components designed to give participants the information and the tools needed to effectively present library-related concerns and ideas to legislators and recruit others who want to help. Flyers and registration information for this event should be available at the end of January.

From the President

Peg Saenger

Happy New Year and Sweet

2016 to all! This year is off to

a great start following the accomplishments of

2015. Our Annual Appeal in November and

December was a huge success because of your

continued generosity. On behalf of all Friends, I

thank you very much.

The Friends Board members again mounted a

Friends’ membership drive. You may have noticed

the Friends’ table and snowman display near the

circulation desk. This signifies that this is the time

to sign up new members, as well as to share

information with library patrons about what the

Friends do and the many programs the Newark

Library offers. It is exciting to share with folks who

inquire, “Just what do the Friends do?” We do a lot!

I am writing this letter on January 15th. winter

weather should have us all hunkered down and

hibernating with some good books and films but

this morning I saw bluebirds roosting in my

dogwood trees and the dogwood buds were swollen

and ready to burst!

I hope this balmy weather will make it even more

inviting to come out to the Newark Library for the

many varied program offerings in the next few

months. In February the Friends will be sponsoring

The Diamond State Chorus on February 7th; an

evening with mother-son authors, the Todds, on

February 17th; and a yoyo demonstration and

workshop with Justin Weber on February 27th.

That is a broad range of offerings, to say the least.

And that’s just in February!

Of course the library continues to offer story hours,

films, plays, music and more. A complete calendar

of events can be found at http://de-

newcastlecounty.civicplus.com/333/Newark-Free-

Library. The Friends also maintain a Facebook

Page and a webpage

http://friendsofthenewarkfreelibrary.webs.com.

While you are looking ahead, please save the date

for the Friends’ Annual Meeting and Appreciation

Brunch that will be held at the library on Sunday

April 3rd at 11:30 am: we will recap the past year;

present the Charlesa Lowell scholarship; enjoy

time with longtime Friends; meet new Friends;

welcome new Board members; bid farewell to

some who have served a long while, and learn

about life from Lois and Mike Hoffman. I hope to

see many of you there. (An invitation will be sent.)

Also on April 20th at the Riverfront, the New Castle

County Reads 2016 program, “An Evening with

Daniel James Brown.” will take place. Brown is the

author of The Boys in the Boat. This is an event not

to be missed.

Once again the Friends are partnering with New

Castle County Services in supporting the Young

Writers’ Workshop. There are groups working at

Rose Hill Community Center, Absalom Jones

Community Center, Hockessin PAL, Garfield

PAL, Delaware City PAL, Claymont Library, Bear

Library, and of course our own Newark Library. It

is always exciting to see the creativity in writing

and illustrating that the young writers demonstrate.

Last, but certainly not least, I thank you all again

for your support of the Friends. All that we do

could not happen without you. Please be in touch if

you have suggestions, ideas, want to volunteer,

whatever. We would love to hear from you.

Friends of the Newark Free Library 3

From the Library Manager

Pat Birchenall

We hope you are having a great 2016 so far, and

that you have already visited the library at least a

couple of times! Thanks to our creative and

dedicated staff, we have many opportunities for

you to take advantage of library services in new

ways, in addition to the great collection of books

and other materials we offer for you to check out.

Starting in March 2016 we will add a documentary

film series, taking place on the first Sunday

afternoon of each month at 2:00pm. Titles will be

announced soon. Our feature film series will

continue on the first Friday of each month as well.

Thanks to the Friends group, we were able to

purchase a ceiling-mounted projector recently,

which will allow for a more pleasant film

experience.

Also look for a new adult coloring program, which

will offer a relaxing time to be creative without

needing artistic talent or having to buy your own

materials. We will provide the coloring sheets and

colored pencils, along with the comradery of

others.

Children will enjoy a new Scratch (computer

coding) group, presented in partnership with

students from the University of Delaware.

We have begun learning to use our 3-D printer and

hope to have demo sessions soon, so that you will

be able to see how it works. As time goes on, we

hope to be able to print objects submitted to us by

the public. This service is currently available at the

Wilmington Library.

Our partnership with the Delaware Libraries Job

Center Service will continue on the first and third

Tuesdays from 10am – 1pm, offering the public

help with job-hunting, resumes and entrepreneurial

assistance. The program is free and open to

everyone.

These activities, in addition to our ongoing lineup

of programs for children, teens and adults make the

library a true multi-generational, multicultural

community center, available for all to enjoy. Please

let us know if you have suggestions to enhance our

offerings – your input is important to us! ________________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Have You Used the New Scanner at

the Library? Sherri McCarthy – Reference Librarian

The Newark Free Library now has a scanner for use

by library patrons. Documents of various sizes can

be scanned and then sent to an email, saved to a

flash drive, sent to a smartphone, or printed. There

is no charge for use of the scanner (unless the

material is printed at the usual charge of 10 cents

for black & white, 25 cents for color). Speaking

of color, the scanner can be used as a substitute for

a color copier -- an exciting new option for those

who might want to copy color photos from library

books or magazines.

www.lib.de.us.Flipster

Friends of the Newark Free Library 4

Bestselling mystery author Charles Todd to speak at the library

Pat Birchenall

Bestselling mystery author Charles Todd will

celebrate the publication of the newest Inspector

Rutledge mystery, No Shred of Evidence, with an

author talk at the library on Wednesday, Feb. 17 at

7pm. Sponsored by the Friends of the Newark Free

Library, the program will feature a book sale

benefitting the Friends, and refreshments.

The mother and son writing duo of Caroline and

Charles Todd continue to appear on the bestseller

list with every title they publish. No Shred of

Evidence is the 19th title in the Rutledge series. The

informal presentation and Q and A will allow you

to get to know more about the writing process and

how the Todds work together to create the

characters and plots.

The program is free and open to everyone.

Charlesa Lowell Scholarship Winner announced

Beth Stevens winner of the Charlesa Lowell Scholarship

The Friends of the Newark Free Library continue

to honor the memory of former Library Manager

Charlesa Lowell with an annual scholarship given

to a Master of Library Science student. The

scholarship is administered by the Delaware

Library Association, and is presented at their

annual conference. This year’s winner is Beth

Stevens, a Newark Free Library employee since

1983 who has advanced from a shelver position to

being the Principal Library Assistant in charge of

the circulation desk. She worked directly under

Charlesa’s supervision for several years.

Beth is currently attending Florida State

University’s online Master in Library and

Information Science program and expects to

graduate in August 2017. She hopes to work as an

Adult Services Librarian in the future.

Congratulations to Beth on winning the

scholarship!

Friends of the Newark Free Library 5

NCC Reads 2016 By Pat Birchenall

Please mark your calendars for Wednesday, April

20, as we welcome acclaimed author Daniel James

Brown to New Castle County. Mr. Brown’s book,

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their

Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics is the featured title of our 2016 NCC Reads

program. We hope you will enjoy reading or re-

reading this New York Times bestselling novel and

hearing more about it from the author.

The event will once again be held at the Chase

Center at 7:00pm. Luckily, the Blue Rocks will be

out of town, so parking and traffic should be less

congested than at last year’s event. Please note that

this year’s author event will be held on a

Wednesday night rather than on a Thursday.

The award-winning title has been on the bestseller

list for well over 80 weeks. Booklist Magazine’s

starred review read “[Brown] offers a vivid picture

of the socioeconomic landscape of 1930s America

(brutal), the relentlessly demanding effort required

of an Olympic-level rower, the exquisite

brainpower and materials that go into making a

first-rate boat, and the wiles of a coach who

somehow found a way to, first beat archrival

University of California, then conquer a national

field of qualifiers, and finally, defeat the best

rowing teams in the world. A book that informs as

it inspires.”

Book discussions will be held throughout the

library system, along with related programs at

selected libraries. The Newark Free Library’s

discussion programs will be held on Tuesday, April

12 at noon, and on Tuesday, April 19, at 7:00pm.

Please register at the Reference desk if you are

interested in one of these programs. We have a

limited number of books available for participants.

For more information about Daniel James Brown

and The Boys in the Boat, visit

www.danieljamesbrown.com. Please call the

library at 731-7550 with questions about NCC

Reads.

________________________________________

________________________________________

PAGES party and Ezra Jack Keats

Birthday Celebration

By Pat Birchenall

Library staff members are putting the finishing

touches on the new PAGES kids literary and art

magazine, made possible by a grant from the Ezra

Jack Keats Foundation. The magazine will be

unveiled at a party on Saturday, February 27, which

will also celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ezra

Jack Keats' birthday. The party is open to everyone

and will feature stories, crafts and a birthday cake.

The magazine will be displayed and copies will be

given to everyone whose work was selected for

inclusion. All of the children will receive a

certificate for their participation. The library

received almost 100 entries, and approximately 50

will be included in the publication.

The magazine is a great way to celebrate the

birthday of Mr. Keats, a beloved children's author

and illustrator. His most well-known book, The

Snowy Day, will be one of our featured readings.

The book, published in 1962, won the 1963

Caldecott Award.

Please mark your calendars for this fun event which

will mark the publication of our own kids’ literary

magazine, inspired by this great author.

Friends of the Newark Free Library 6

Holiday Pillow Play Charms Audience

On December 5th, 2015, the Chrysalis Players, the

youth wing of the Wilmington Drama League, held

a performance of the Pillow Play "A SEUSSIFIED

Christmas Carol" at the Newark Free Library.

Pillow Plays are intended for young audiences

under ten years old, but secretly enjoyed by the

adults in attendance! The name “Pillow Play”

comes from the suggestion that kids bring a pillow

to sit on while enjoying the play.

Pillow Plays, performed at libraries, schools, and

other venues, have quickly become a local

phenomenon. In addition to touting their

entertainment value, the Wilmington Drama league

hopes that Pillow Plays will encourage young

people to learn more about drama and theatre

education. Other Pillow Plays are scheduled to take

place at the Newark Free Library in the spring and

fall.

“A SEUSSIFIED Christmas Carol” was directed

by Debbie Wishnow and the assistant director

(props and costumes) was Tammy

DeStafney. Making her debut as a student director

was eleven year old Morgan Wishnow- although

she is a veteran actor, having appeared in thirteen

previous Pillow Plays.

The play was replete with festive holiday

costumes and scenery. It was warmly received by

a rapt and appreciative audience, young and old.

Cast of Characters - Name/Character/School

EmilyCoulter/Belle/IHM

Abby Counihan/Mrs. Cratchit/IHM

Izzy DeGrasso/Cratchit/IHM

Mia Davenport/Ghost of Christmas Past &

Voice/Home Schooled

Micah Davenport/Solicitor

Alexandra Ford/Jake Marley & Voice

Evangeline Ford/Ghost of Christmas

Present/North Star Elementary

Veronica Ford/Narrator/Cab Calloway School of

the Arts

Jackson Fox/Narrator/First State Montessori

Madyson Gomolka/Young Scrooge/Talley Middle

School

Cynthia Hall/Solicitor & Voice/Maple Lane

Elementary School

Grace Kroon/Bed Headed Fred's Wife/Lombardy

Elementary School

Ronald Mendoza/Bed Headed Fred & Old

Fezziwig/Maple Lane Elementary School

Madelyn O’Farrell/Belle's Husband & Sven,

Ghost of Christmas Future/First State Montessori

Academy

Annie Todd/Wendy Woo- Loo & Maid/First State

Montessori Academy

Vanessa Torres/Voice & a Girl/Las Americas

Aspira Academy

Tyler Wishnow/Scrooge/First State Montessori

Academy

Friends of the Newark Free Library 7

Music Programs for the New Year Pamela Nelson Reference Staff

The New Year began with a performance by

Laurel Duo – music for flute and harp on Sunday,

January 10th at 2:00pm. Flutist Frances Tate and

harpist Megan Hoeflicker presented a delightful

program of music for the ensemble. Many of the

pieces were by French composers including Ibert,

Debussy and Ravel. Adding variety to the program

were compositions by Astor Piazzolla and Bernard

Andres. A power point presentation featuring

scenes of Japan accompanied “Japanese Melodies

for Flute and Harp,” making the afternoon a visual

as well as a delightful musical experience.

Diamond State Chorus, Chapter of Sweet

Adelines International, will perform at the library

on Sunday afternoon, February 7th at 2:00pm.

The Women’s chorus under the direction of Pamela

Nichols will present a selection of acapella pieces

in 4-part harmony, barbershop style. The Chapter

has been involved in many competitions over the

years and participates in the Annual Sweet

Adelines Atlantic Bay-Mountain Region

Convention and Competition. Both the January and

February programs are sponsored by the Friends

of the Newark Free Library.

Diamond State Chorus, Chapter of Sweet Adelines

International

In mid-February we are pleased to be able to

schedule the Second – Music Open Mic Night for

Teens and Adults, on Friday, February 12th from

7pm – 8:30pm. We had such a successful and

enjoyable time last October that many wondered

when the next session would be held. Musicians

sign up for a 10-minute time slot to perform. The

library’s baby grand piano is available to any

pianist or those accompanying other

instrumentalists or vocalists. In October we had a

few pianists, several guitarist and vocalists, a

ukulele player, and one performer who sang in the

style of Edith Bunker from “All in the family”

while accompanying herself on the piano. A

couple of musicians performed their own

compositions. It was wonderful variety of talent

from teens and adults.

The musical season continues in March with Irish

music in anticipation of St. Patrick’s Day. The Irish

Band Seven Rings will perform on Wednesday,

March 9th at 7:00pm. The band was formed in

2008, and its repertoire includes Irish music and

classic rock songs in an acoustic format. The name

“Seven Rings” is found in Tolkien as in Seven for

the Rings of the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,

but according to the band’s website, the tradition:

comes from a relatively little known method

of identifying the ethnic background of a

person drinking a pint of Guinness at a bar.

Every time you sip a Guinness it leaves a

ring of foam around the glass. By counting

the number of rings around the glass when

Laurel Duo

Frances Tate, flute & Megan Hoeflicker harp

Friends of the Newark Free Library 8

someone has finished their pint, you can tell

what nationality they are:

5 to 7 Rings: The person is Irish

8 to 10 Rings: The person is English

15 to 20 Rings: The person is American.

Seven Rings

Front row: Pete Casey, guitar & vocals. Back row: Tracey

Connolly, vocals & small percussion; Mike Connolly,guitar,

bass & mandolin: Jeff Kowalskie, drums/percussion

Three members of the ensemble will play that

evening: Peter Casey, guitar & vocals; Mike

Connolly, guitar, bass & mandolin and Tracey

Connolly, vocals & small percussion. Again, we

are grateful that the Friends of the Newark Free

Library are sponsoring this program.

Later in March the Newark Library will host a

program presented through a grant from the

University of Delaware Master Players Concert

Series Community Outreach Project made possible

by Chamber Music America. “Musical and

Cultural Traits of China” will feature

Xiang Gao, violin; Cathy Yang, erhu (an ancient

Chinese instrument) and Matthew Brower,

keyboard. This exciting program that combines

western and Chinese music and culture will be

presented on Sunday afternoon, March 20th at

2pm. Xiang Gao, Violin Professor at the

University of Delaware has organized this program

to be presented at four libraries in New Castle

County. A second program designed for children

and their parents will be presented at the Newark

Library on Saturday morning, April 9th at 11am

as a part of the Library’s series of Family

programs.

6ixwire Master Players

Xiang Gao, violin & Cathy Yang, erhu

Also in April Nota Bene Winds, music majors

from the University of Delaware, will perform

music from the Wind Quintet repertoire. The

members of the ensemble are Stefanie Proulx, flute;

Laura Yawney, oboe; Kourtney Bastianelli,

clarinet; Kathryn Marks, horn and Shari Paltrowitz,

bassoon. The Quintet performed last spring as a

part of the Library’s music series, and we are

delighted to welcome them back this year. Eileen

Grycky, Associate Professor of Music, coaches for

the group. The date for the concert will be

Wednesday evening, April 6th at 7:00pm.

Front row: Stefanie Proulx, flute; Laura Yawney, oboe.

Back row: Kathryn Marks, horn; Kourtney Bastianelli,

clarinet; Shari Paltrowitz, bassoon

Friends of the Newark Free Library 9

The last of the concerts for the spring series will be

a return performance by pianist Tongtong Shan, a

University of Delaware music major studying with

Christine Delbeau, Associate Professor of Music.

We are thrilled that Ms. Shan has agreed to present

a program of piano music including Bach, Haydn,

Chopin, Debussy and Granados. The recital is

schedule for Saturday, April 16th at 2:00pm.

Tongtong Shan

Please join us for our series of diverse music

offerings. We are grateful to the groups from the

University of Delaware who will be performing at

the Library and to the Friends of the Newark Free

Library who have generously supported so many of

our musical performances.

Thank you all.

________________________________________

________________________________________

Library Calendar

February 9 @ 7pm

AFRICAN-AMERICAN BOOK GROUP

February 10 @ 6:45pm

MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK

DISCUSSION (Ages 10–14)

February 12 @ 7:00pm

Open Mic Night at the Library

Looking for a place to showcase your Musical

talent?

Performer's register at 302-731-7550. Baby Grand

Piano will be available for performers. Performers

must be as least 12 years of age.

February 16 @ 7pm

EVENING BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

February 17 @ 7pm

Author Event - An Evening with Charles Todd

February 19 @ 7pm

TEEN COOKING & CULTURE CLUB (Soul

Food)

Registration at 302-731-7550.

February 21 @ 1:30 pm

Sunday Afternoon Film: Glory

In celebration Black History month, we are having

a screening of the Civil War movie Glory. At the

conclusion of Glory, we will have a short program

called Black Delaware in the Civil War.

February 21 @ 3:30 pm

Black Delaware in the Civil War

Speaker Ron Whittington will give a first person

portrayal of William Owen, a free black man from

Milford, Delaware. Owen tells the story of hearing

Frederick Douglass speak and deciding to become

part of the 54th Massachusetts, the renowned first

black regiment to fight in the Civil War. Ages 12+.

Register at 302-731-7550

February 27 @ 11:00 am

Yoyo demonstration and workshop by Justin Weber

For students ages 8-14

Friends of the Newark Free Library 10

Registration is required and you can register by

calling or stopping by the reference desk at the

Newark Free Library. Each participant will

receive a free yoyo.

February 28 @ 2:30 pm

Teen Team Challenge Workshop

This "hands on" workshop features two fun

projects that encourage teens to work within

diverse teams, discover their own leadership

style, and assess their strengths and challenges

when it comes to teamwork. Purpose: To stimulate

conversation, ideas, and laughter. I could tell you

more but it would ruin the surprise. Register at 302-

731-7550.

March 4 @ 2:00pm & 6:30pm

FRIDAY FILM NIGHT (A Walk in the Woods)

MARCH 5 @ 1pm

From Bustles to Bras

Come celebrate Women’s History month with this

hour-long visual media presentation of

vintage/historic clothing from 1780-1980. This

lively show explains how women went from

bustles to bell bottoms in 100 years. Ages 12+.

Register at 302-731-7550

March 8 @ 12pm

NOON BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP/

Longwood Community Reads

Join us as we discuss Ben Montgomery’s

book Grandma Gatewood’s Walk – this year’s

Longwood Community Reads selection.

The book traces the story of an unlikely heroine –

a woman who, to escape personal struggles, in 1955

embarks alone on a journey of several thousand

miles of rugged terrain and often ill-marked trails,

without any equipment - at the age of 67.

March 8 @ 7pm

AFRICAN-AMERICAN BOOK GROUP

March 9 @ 6:45pm

MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK

DISCUSSION (Ages 10–14)

MARCH 9 @ 7pm

Seven Rings: Music Trio

Come celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with an evening

of traditional Irish music as well as acoustic rock

songs.

MARCH 12 @ 12pm

Leading Women: Heroines in Teen Fiction

We will evaluate the leading heroines of popular

YA books, including but not limited to: Katniss

(The Hunger Games), Amy (Dorothy Must Die),

Hazel (The Fault in our Stars). This workshop will

focus on how to portray complex, well-developed

female characters through writing exercises. Teens

must have read at least one of the listed

books. Ages 12+. Register at 302-731-7550.

March 15 @ 7pm

EVENING BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

March 18 @ 7pm

TEEN COOKING & CULTURE CLUB (Ireland)

Registration at 302-731-7550.

MARCH 20 @ 2pm

Musical and Cultural Traits of China

A program of traditional Chinese music presented

by Xiang Gao (violin) & Cathy Yang (erhu). A UD

Master Players Concert Series community outreach

project made possible by Chamber Music

America.

MARCH 30 @ 7pm

Women’s History Book Discussion

Celebrate Women’s History Month by joining a

discussion of The Confidence Code by Katty Kay

and Chaire Shipman. This program is sponsored by

the Newark Chapter of the AAUW (American

Association of University Women). A limited

number of books will be available for checkout at

the library’s Reference desk.

April 1 @ 2:00pm & 6:30pm

FRIDAY FILM NIGHT (Steve Jobs)

APRIL 9 @ 11am

Family Music Event: Music from China

A program of traditional Chinese music designed

to teach children about Chinese culture. Music

Friends of the Newark Free Library 11

performed on violin and erhu (an ancient Chinese

instrument). A UD Master Players Concert Series

community outreach project made possible by

Chamber Music America. All Ages.

April 12 @ 12pm

NOON BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

April 12 @ 7pm

AFRICAN-AMERICAN BOOK GROUP

April 13 @ 6:45pm

MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK

DISCUSSION (Ages 10–14)

APRIL 16 @ 2pm

Piano Recital with Tongtong Shan

Tongtong Shan performing the works of Bach,

Haydn, Chopin, Debussy, and Granados. Tongtong

Shan is a music student at University of Delaware.

APRIL 30 @ 11am

Electronic Soldering Project

Learn or practice soldering skills by making a fun

LED project that acts like an electronic magic eight

ball for "yes or no questions." Learn about different

components and how they make a circuit. Ages

13+. Register at 302-731-7550

April 19 @ 7pm

EVENING BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

April 22 @ 7pm

TEEN COOKING & CULTURE CLUB (China)

Registration at 302-731-7550.

APRIL 30 @ 11am

Electronic Soldering Project

Learn or practice soldering skills by making a fun

LED project that acts like an electronic magic eight

ball for "yes or no questions." Learn about different

components and how they make a circuit. Ages

13+. Register at 302-731-7550

MAY 3 @ 6:30pm

Mother/Father’s Day Card making Workshop

Teens: not sure what to get Mom for Mother’s Day

or Dad for Father’s Day? Come learn the art of card

making. Ages 12+. Register at 302-731-7550

May 6 @ 2:00pm & 6:30pm

FRIDAY FILM NIGHT (Spotlight)

MAY 7 @ 11am

3D Printed Case

Learn basics of 123D Design drafting software and

some of the design considerations when designing

for 3D printing. Ages 13+. Register at 302-731-

7550

May 6 @ 2:00pm & 6:30pm

FRIDAY FILM NIGHT (Spotlight)

May 10 @ 12pm

NOON BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

May 10 @ 7pm

AFRICAN-AMERICAN BOOK GROUP

May 11 @ 6:45pm

MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK

DISCUSSION (Ages 10–14)

May 17 @ 7pm

EVENING BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

May 20 @ 7pm

TEEN COOKING & CULTURE CLUB (Mexico)

Registration at 302-731-7550.

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________________________________________________

www.delaware.lib.overdrive.com

Friends of the Newark Free Library 12

Up Close & Personal

by Doug Tong

In a series of three interviews with employees of

the Newark Free Library, Doug Tong recently met

with: Susan Lipscy, Lauren Gouge and Zia Betts.

A common denominator found with all three – they

enjoy interacting with library patrons and like the

camaraderie with co- workers.

Up Close & Personal with Susan Lipscy

Q: I associate you and the summer book reading

contest for adults. Do I have that correct?

A: Yes, I have been the coordinator for the summer

book contest for a few years.

Q: Would you say that the Newark Library summer

book reading contest is a success?

A: Yes, the large number of positive reviews

regarding the Newark Library program shows that

it is second only to the Bear Library program. We

offer the summer contest from June 1st to August

15th. This year we had 237 book reviews submitted

by participants. A total of 31 adults entered the

contest and 14 completed the program. In order to

complete the program, a minimum of five book

reviews had to be submitted by each contestant.

Q: Do you find that people are not fond of writing

book reviews because of the time and effort it

takes?

A: We heard from some patrons that this was an

issue and we have supplied a book reading form

which is a way to write the report with minimum

effort. This guide has been well received.

Up Close & Personal with Zia Betts

Q: Zia, I sense you must be a good natured person

since you check-out books at the circulation desk.

Is this because you enjoy people, or do the patrons

make you smile?

A: My favorite two things I really enjoy about my

role are working with the library patrons and my

Friends of the Newark Free Library 13

co-workers. I’ve been here for 2 years and I really

enjoy my job.

Q: I always see you and other library aids gathering

books, CD’s and DVDs for patrons off the “hold”

shelves. Would you guess that the majority of

patrons check out books they find during their visit

to the library vs. checking out books that they’ve

reserved ahead of time?

A: By my estimate, a majority of the patrons have

holds that they pick up along with items they have

discovered on our shelves. It might be close to

60:40 as far as patrons who pick up items that

they’ve put on hold vs. patrons who don’t have any

items on hold when they check out. About 5+ times

per week, some patrons pick up a substantial

number of books and items that have taken up a

great deal shelf space on the “hold” shelves.

Q: Did you move to Delaware from another area?

What do you like to do in your spare time, if you

have any?

A: My family moved here from Clinton, MD in

1998 and one reason we selected DE was that we

had learned that home schooling in DE was “user

friendly”… our son and our daughter were home

schooled. In my spare time I love to listen to

“Books on CD” and mingle with my co- workers.

My library co- workers are great- they are truly

good people and we help each other.

Up Close & Personal with Lauren Gouge

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

a suggestion for a teen novel recommendation, they

suggested I contact you. Why do you think that is?

A: I coordinate the teen program, purchase teen

books, and coordinate the Teen Book of the Month.

Certain authors’ names surface under the “AY”

designation. “AY” is also known as “Automatically

Yours.” This plan is offered by our book

distributor to all of the New Castle County

libraries. With this plan, we automatically receive

any book written by the fiction authors who are

included in our AY plan. This way, we don’t have

to spend time placing orders for titles we know we

will want. For example, we know that we will want

to receive any book written by Suzanne Collins or

any book by John Grisham. “AY” authors write

either for their teen audience or may appear under

all three audiences: teens, children’s and adults. We

offer a write-up about each new book to entice our

teen audience.

Q: Do you have any favorite teen novel authors?

A: Some of my favorites are Orson Scott Card

(Ender’s Game), Neal Shusterman (Unwind is first

in the Unwind Dystology series), Suzanne Collins

(Hunger Games), John Green (Looking for Alaska,

The Fault in Our Stars) and Scott Westerfeld

(Uglies, Specials ).

Q: What does the acronym TC & CC stand for?

A: Teen Cooking & Culture Club. Usually on the

third Friday of every month, we hold a group

meeting for teens… parents can attend if they

accompany their teens. We prepare and make

various food items in the meeting room. A couple

of examples were:

Making a “rub” for salmon and a taco

mixture- each of the attendees prepared his

or her spice blends and got a jar of the

mixed blends to take home.

When we focused on Brazil, we made a

brigadeiro (a dessert that looks like a

cupcake).

Q: When is your next meeting and what is the

topic?

A: On Jan. 22nd, from 7 to 8 pm., we will explore

“Spices.” For our Feb 19th meeting from 7 to 8 pm,

we will delve into “Soul Food.”

Friends of the Newark Free Library 14

Have you Seen By Dorothy Sharkey

One of the things that I like best about the Newark

Free Library is its connection to the community it

serves. The display cases in the library showcase

local groups and publicize upcoming community

events. Individual hobbies and collections that are

of general interest are also displayed. Do you have

a collection that you would like to exhibit? Do you

belong to a group whose activities you would like

to promote? If so, please consider exhibiting at the

Newark Free Library. You may pick up an

application at the Library.

Laura Rogers displayed program information for the

Newark Symphony Orchestra

Barbara Seningen created a Constitution Week

display for the Daughters of the American

Revolution, Cooch’s Bridge Chapter

William Colmery displayed Valentino

Casalena’s historic photographs of the

Nuremberg Trials

Linda Llanso

displayed

examples of

holiday

greeting cards

that can be

made with her

at library

workshops

Tatiana Jones displayed a collection of stuffed

animals that are featured in her favorite

children’s books

Friends of the Newark Free Library 15

THIS JUST IN: LIBRARY PATRONS LOVE BOOKS!

Sherri McCarthy, Adult Services Librarian

The annual circulation statistics for FY15 in New

Castle County show that over 3.6 million items

circulated in a single year. Of that total, almost 2.2

million circulations were from print books!

Although eMedia offerings accounted for about 6%

of overall circulation (see below), print books

accounted for 64% of all circulation.

DVDs account for 27% of circulation – and other

formats such as CD Books, Music CDs, and

periodicals make up the rest.

Looking just at Newark Free Library, we see that

our patrons are even more enthusiastic about books

– print books account for 68% of our circulation.

Of those, 35% are juvenile and teen books; 33% are

adult. We circulate DVDs at a slightly lower rate

than the average: 22%.

Library staff members hear the message – and we

will keep selecting great books for kids, teens, and

adults to read!

The annual total for FY15 circulation of our

eBooks, eAudio, and eVideo resources provided by

the Delaware Division of Libraries: 352,651

checkouts. Add to that the 45,174 uses of Flipster

eMagazines for a whopping total of 397,825!

Clearly, library patrons have embraced the use of

eMedia offerings, now accounting for about 6% of

total circulation in New Castle County. Usage of

eMedia was up 42% this year over last year.

At the Newark Free Library, eCirculation of all

types of resources totaled 41,503 checkouts.

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I’ve Been Reading Patience and Fortitude: Power, Real Estate and

the Fight to Save a Public Library

By Scott Sherman

Reviewed by Marianne Green

Growing up, I visited The New York Public

Library (NYPL) just about every time my family

made the trip to New York City from our home on

Long Island. I would look forward to patting the

two stone lions on my way up the stairs to visit the

wondrous room behind the heavy doors. I would

gawk at the soaring ceiling covered with ornate

carvings. I loved the click of my footsteps on the

greyish marble floor. Sometimes I joined the adults

and kids reading quietly at the wooden desks,

surrounded by piles of books of every size and

color. To a book loving family, this iconic library

seemed like a holy place.

When Scott Sherman’s published his book

Patience and Fortitude in 2015, detailing the fight

to save this beloved building from the forces who

wanted to gut it in the name of progress, I

immediately purchased a copy. Sherman, an award

winning journalist who wrote cover stories on this

controversy for The Nation magazine, provides

fascinating information about the origins of the

NYPL from its conception 1899 to the present day,

along with commentary about what the recent

conflict was all about.

To summarize, the board of trustees of the NYPL

were worried about the decreasing public use of the

book collections, as well as the declining

percentage of the book collection that was being

utilized. They came to the conclusion that the

Friends of the Newark Free Library 16

stacks, holding three million books that were stored

in seven layers beneath the reading room, were

taking up valuable space. Instead of a research

library, the trustees (none of whom were librarians)

wanted to move all the books to New Jersey,

disassemble the stacks, and renovate the space for

use as a circulating library. The reading room

would then be replaced by a room that was more of

a lounge area for tourists with facilities to get

coffee and check email. This Central Library plan

was kept secret as long as possible.

In 2013, a group of scholars, famous writers,

architects, professors, and citizens’ groups formed

the “Committee to Save the New York Public

Library.” Though the books had already been

moved to New Jersey by this time, they fought to

defend the original concept of the NYPL, save the

integrity of the building, and bring the books back.

The late architect Ada Huxtable argued that the

NYPL was a “timeless repository of treasures, not

a popularity contest measured by head counters…”

Anyone who loves libraries will want to read

Patience and Fortitude to learn more about this

engrossing conflict between two well-meaning

factions with very different visions of what a

library should and should not be.

________________________________________________

_______________________________________________

EDWARD BANCROFT: SCIENTIST,

AUTHOR, SPY

By Thomas J. Schaeper

Yale University Press,

2011; 339 pp.

Reviewed by Roy H. Lopata

While perusing the shelves of the Newark Free

Library, a non-fiction book addict occasionally

comes across a remarkable find; in this case, a book

by a relatively unknown professional historian

from a small college in upstate NY-St. Bonaventure

University- who offers a deeply interesting and

philosophically thoughtful biography of a

relatively obscure member of America’s

revolutionary generation – Edward Bancroft.

Schaeper’s excellent account tells the story of a

young man born of humble origins in Colonial

Massachusetts in 1745 who rose quickly to fame as

a scientist and author, served during the American

Revolution as Benjamin Franklin’s principle

assistant in Paris working to secure French support

for the rebellious colonies, and it was only later

revealed from official British government records

in the late 1880’s (long after Bancroft’s death) that

he was actually a paid spy for the English

throughout the revolutionary period.

Schaeper begins his story with the sketchy

available information on Bancroft’s early life in

Massachusetts and Connecticut, including his

apprenticeship to a local physician that served at

the outset as his introduction to the medical and

scientific education of the day. In 1763, Bancroft

decided to leave his nascent medical practice and

for reasons that are not clear, sails off to the

Caribbean and South America. Eventually, he

finds himself in Dutch Guiana where he begins a

series of remarkable adventures, fed by his

insatiable curiosity and, as Schaeper notes, “ . . . his

ability to absorb vast quantities of information in a

short time.” His three years exploring Dutch

Guiana resulted in the publication in London in

1769 of his Essay on the Natural History of

Guiana. The book is part travelogue, part

anthropologic study of the native Indians, and part

scientific treatise on the flora and fauna of the

region. The book was well received in Britain and

the colonies and, to this day, is cited by historians,

scientists, and anthropologists. The Natural

History would bring Bancroft lasting fame both at

home and in Europe.

In any case, by the mid-1770’s Bancroft found

himself in London where he befriended Benjamin

Friends of the Newark Free Library 17

Franklin and members of the English scientific and

political elite who knew of Bancroft’s writings on

South America. In the meantime, relations

between the colonies and the mother country had

deteriorated significantly eventually leading to war

and the 1776 Declaration of Independence.

Schaeper demonstrates that during this period

Bancroft strongly supported the colonists’

grievances but, like many Americans of the day,

did not want to see the colonies separated from

Great Britain. As a result, when approached by

British officials to spy on Franklin and his

delegation that had moved on to Paris seeking

support for the Americans in their struggle for

independence, he agreed and willingly accepted an

annual salary for his efforts. Eventually, because

of the trust that Franklin the other Americans in

Paris had in Bancroft, he essentially became the

secretary to their delegation, privy to all their

conversations and negotiations with the French and

other European powers. His spying, including the

use of invisible ink, secret document drops, and

copying of correspondence continued throughout

the war until its conclusion in 1783. While the

British, as Schaeper notes, did not effectively

exploit Bancroft’s information, he was an

extremely successful and undetected spy.

So what does Schaeper make of this tale? Unlike

historians of the early and mid-20th Century, who

characterized Bancroft as in many ways, “worse

than Benedict Arnold,” Schaeper takes a much

more nuanced approach. He answered the question

of whether Bancroft was a traitor to his country, by

noting that many Americans of the time, including

Bancroft, thought that their “country,” both the

colony in which they were born and Great Britain.

Schaeper notes, as well, that some of the

information that he supplied regarding American

privateering during the war from French ports

helped keep much of the British Navy in European

waters rather than off the coast of the United States,

thereby actually helping the independence effort –

although that clearly was not Bancroft’s intent.

While I would categorize Bancroft as a “traitor” to

the America’s war for independence, and would

note that if he had been found out and had been

taken back to America, George Washington would

have had him hung, the point Schaeper makes

regarding Bancroft’s divided loyalties certainly

raises interesting questions about human

motivation and the meaning of loyalty in wartime

situations. So, whether you agree with Schaeper’s

ultimate premise, his Edward Bancroft is a well

written and thought provoking read.

________________________________________

_______________________________________

Readers’ Advisory Committee

Staff Picks

Pick up a print copy in your library or find on the

web at www.nccde.org/libraries (click on “What

Do I Read Next”). Each month’s issue contains

18 recommendations for your next great read –

including fiction, nonfiction, and biography.

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

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.

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

NEEDED: Current Email Addresses! We desperately need to update our email address records and reduce our mailing costs! Please HELP by sending your current address to Noreen Campbell at noreenccampbell@verizon.net. We will NOT share it, and you will receive the newsletter in living color 3 times per year!!

Friends of the Newark Free Library 18

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.

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.

Friends of the Newark Free Library 19

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:

friendsofnewarkfreelibrary@gmail.com

www.friendsofthenewarkfreelibrary.webs.com/

The Confidence Code By Pat Birchenall

In celebration of Women’s

History Month, the Newark

Free Library and the Newark

branch of the AAUW

(American Association of

University Women) are

partnering to present a book discussion program on

Wednesday evening, March 30 at 7:00pm. The

Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-

Assurance – What Women Should Know, by

Katty Kay and Claire Shipman, is the featured title,

and explores the roots of confidence, looking at

genetics and psychology, to learn more about this

powerful and empowering trait.

The book, published in 2014, is written by the

authors of the bestselling Womenomics. Katty Kay

is the anchor on BBC World News America, and

Claire Shipman is an ABC News broadcaster who

has years of experience interviewing world leaders.

For more information about the book, please visit

the website, www.theconfidencecode.com.

Library staffer Sue Lipscy will lead a lively

discussion of the book on March 30. A limited

number of copies will be available by early

February at the Reference desk for checkout. The

book is also available in e-book format from the

library system.

Friends of the Newark Free Library 20