A Summer of Reading and So Much More

"Summer Reading" has officially begun at Bernardsville Library with featured attractions for youngsters, teens, and adults. The summer months ahead will be filled with giveaways, reading challenges, exciting day and evening programming, story times around town and at the community pool, and even a pop-up Air and Space Museum coming in mid-July!

Register your children (they don't have to be members of the library) for the Build a Better World summer reading program that entitles them to loads of fun activities throughout the summer while challenging them to meet reading goals. Of course, there will be incentives and prizes awarded on a regular basis for those children who meet their goals.

Teens have their own online summer reading club where they can write short book reviews of books they've read. By doing so, they will be entered into a drawing for prizes, some of which will be gift cards from local stores. And we never forget our adult readers! They're invited to enter our adult summer reading contest. All they have to do is borrow at least three books or book CDs to enter their names for prizes, including the grand prize - a gift basket containing a Kindle Fire HD with Alexa. Time to get reading!

One Transformative Word - Volunteer

It only takes one word to make a significant difference in your community and your own life - "volunteer." Both a verb and a noun, volunteer means you're actively committing a portion of your time and talent to a cause. It also means you've been awarded a well-respected job title that "pays" in personal satisfaction.

Bernardsville Public Library welcomes new volunteers throughout the year, and we hope you'll consider joining our team of community-minded teens and adults who love their library. There are numerous interesting opportunities that might work with your schedule, including book processing, language assistance, local history work. Teens are invited to apply for volunteer duties over the summer in order to earn their community service hours. And, don't forget that the Friends and the Foundation can always use new members who are dedicated to enriching the resources and experiences that Bernardsville Library offers its community and guests. Transform yourself, transform your library - volunteer.

Bernardsville Reviews: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Welcome to Bernardsville Reviews! Read what the staff and patrons of Bernardsville Public Library have written about the books, movies, and music they've enjoyed. 

Anne Post, Assistant Youth Services Manager, writes:

Recently I read Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, listed as book 8 of the Harry Potter series. Beginning where the Rowling book 7 ends, it is actually a play written by Jack Thorne and is currently being produced on the London stage.

I chose this book in the first place because I was tasked with reading a play for a book review group I belong to. I decided to choose something for kids, as I can always add to my book excitement here in Youth Services!

I was very pleasantly surprised by how easily it could be followed in both story line and play action. The sideline comments were not intrusive, and the characters' dialogue followed along in a manner similar to reading a story alone. At times I had to recap to focus on who was speaking, but that's a small imposition. I would recommend this book to kids and parents who want to continue on in the Harry Potter story. It's also a great discussion starter. Enjoy!

Help Build A Strong Foundation

The mission statement of the Bernardsville Library Foundation proclaims that it was established "to be a source of private funding to enable the outstanding Bernardsville Public Library to continue to operate at a level of excellence without regard to variations in public funding."

Famous for its spectacular annual Homes of Distinction fundraiser, which will be held at Hamilton Farms in June, this volunteer group is also determined to establish an income-generating endowment to fund special projects for the library. A well-funded endowment will help to offset budgetary constraints in the future; however, the library is currently facing a reduced budget because the Bernardsville Borough Council did not increase the library's annual allocation this year. These cuts to the budget will force noticeable changes to this year's operating hours and material acquisitions.

Due to these budgetary constraints, the Board of Trustees has approved the decision to reduce library hours in 2017. Effective July 1, the library will have shortened Saturday hours, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, and will maintain these hours through the end of the year. In addition, the library will close on Thursday evenings at 5:00 pm instead of 9:00 pm. and will continue to close an hour earlier on Friday evenings, at 5:00 pm, as previously announced. Reductions have also been made in the materials budget, particularly in books and audiobooks, as well as online databases and magazines.  Planned expenditures on computers have also been sharply reduced to stay within the budget.

To avert further restrictions to library access, the Bernardsville Library Foundation is currently undertaking a donation campaign and is counting on your support. The Foundation provides an additional way to show your support by purchasing tickets to its annual house tour and reception known as Homes of Distinction. This year's event is scheduled for Sunday, June 4, at the U.S. Equestrian Team Stable and Carriage Barn at Hamilton Farms where live entertainment, a silent auction, wine pull, cocktails and appetizers, and several other exciting features will be offered.

Tax deductible donations will also be gratefully accepted by the Friends of the Bernardsville Public Library, a volunteer group providing wonderful programming throughout the year for children and adults. If you've enjoyed the many Sundays at Three free concerts or made use of the Summer Reading programs for your children, you have been benefitting from the hard work of the Friends. "Considering the constraints we are facing this year, we encourage all concerned citizens who use and love the library to make a contribution to one of these groups," states Alexandria Arnold, Executive Director of the library. By doing so, you will be building a firm foundation for your library's future.

Yes, We're Looking For YOU...

Yes, we're looking for you to write a review. Jot down your thoughts about a book, movie, or other library item and share them with us. We'd love to know what you think, and we're sure others would, too.

Maybe you were captivated by the storyline and characters in a book; maybe you hated the whole thing - it doesn't matter! Your very own takeaway is what we're looking for, and we want to share your thoughts on our Bernardsville Public Library Facebook page.  We're even utilizing a special Facebook archive system called Notes that enables people to easily find and read these reviews.

What do we want from you? Simply write a brief review, one or two paragraphs will do, and drop it off at the front desk OR email it to social@bvpl.net. Please be sure to indicate if we can use your name. We will be happy to consider your review and may edit it for clarity and length. Don't worry about how well you write, just speak from the heart. Some of our staff members are also participating, and we look forward to seeing your review there, too. Here is the first Bernardsville Review on our Facebook page.

Seriously!

Seriously, you thought your digital devices and smartphones were supposed to make you smart or at least make life easier for you. Somewhere along the way, things got complicated, and now you find yourself lost in a tangle of apps and phone features you don't even know how to use. And can you even find half of them when you want them? It's time to become smartphone savvy, and we have just the help for you at our Serious Fun classes taught jointly by Bernardsville Public Library and Bernards Township Library.

These classes are designed to bring you up to date with the latest in the digital world. Our topics will teach you to identify reliable travel apps; find cooking websites and apps featuring the newest culinary techniques; use video chat and LinkedIn to improve personal or professional networking; and apply organizational tricks to help you manage your photo albums and your smartphone itself. Best of all, these classes are free!

Beginning in March, two of these six topics will be taught at both library locations. You can choose between an evening or a daytime class. Two more topics will be offered in April, with the last two topics scheduled for May. For more information about these seriously fun classes, please refer to: http://seriousfun2017.wixsite.com/libraries.

Let Lynda Teach You

Do you want to improve your job skills in order to be eligible for advancement or a raise in 2017? Are you interested in learning new applications that will improve or add a creative touch to your life?

The specialty teaching platform, Lynda.com, can guide you through a large number of classes and videos tailored to your needs, and we offer this online service FREE to our library members. Simply find the Lynda link on our website, create an account, and begin exploring the learning possibilities! With your Lynda.com library account you can access over 4,000 courses in areas ranging from photography and web development to general business and design courses. Taking advantage of this free, self-improvement opportunity is the first step towards a smarter YOU!