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!

What Tells Time Without Saying A Word?

Although its chimes are now silenced for library purposes, our magnificent 19th century German wall clock keeps perfect time. It was donated in 1916 to the old Bernardsville Library on Morristown Road by Mr. Francis G. Lloyd and stood in the front reading room of that pre-Revolutionary War building. Over the years, the clock acquired a deep layer of soot from the wood-burning fireplace and needed a thorough cleaning before it could be moved to our new library building at the beginning of the 21st century. 

First, the clockworks were removed so that the walnut cabinetry could be sent out to be refinished. Then a clock maker attended to the cleaning and overhaul of the timing mechanism. This included a proper handling of the pendulum's mercury, which was weighed, safely disposed of, and replaced in the pendulum with an appropriate metal substitute. 

Standing 14'5" tall, this distinctive clock now has a place of honor in front of the library's Local History Room. As you pass it, please notice the lovely carvings on the cabinet and pause to watch the graceful swing and pull of the long pendulum. Believe it or not, time will seem to stand still for a while.

Books for Kids: A Holiday Giving Opportunity

Imagine the consequences if you were to put the gift of a new book in the hands of a child with little access to reading material. You'd be right to envision the immediate joyous scene as the child smiled, laughed, or jumped with the thrill of book ownership. But think of the benefits that could accrue to that child over time just from being exposed to new reading opportunities.

Early literacy opens a young mind to unimagined possibilities and choices. Books introduce new ideas and spark flights of fancy; they instill curiosity about the world and allow children to imagine their future roles in our world. In truth, literacy provides the access to knowledge needed to build strong character and success in life. But books also befriend and comfort children in difficult times. Sometimes they simply entertain and enthrall their readers - how wonderful is that?!

If you would like to give a world of opportunity to a child, please donate to our holiday cause, Books for Kids, being run in tandem with the New Jersey Library Association. We ask that you place one or more new books appropriate for children ages infant to teen in the donation box atop our Books for Kids display located in the library lobby. We are collecting your gifts through December 15, when they will be distributed to children in New Jersey who have limited or no access to books in their lives. Thank you.

Learn With Lynda

What a busy fall this has been for us! 

First we added Rosetta Stone, the language immersion program, to our roster of important resources that are free to Bernardsville Library members. Rosetta Stone enables you to learn up to 30 languages online in self-paced sessions that cater to your needs. Do you want to learn enough vocabulary to get by on a trip abroad? Maybe you want to improve grammar and conversation skills in a language you previously learned? You can do all that with ease and totally for free with Rosetta Stone and your library membership.

How about going to the head of the line every time you want to borrow a popular item from the library? With hoopla, the digital lending service we added in October, you no longer have to wait on a reserve list for the newest book, movie or music album to become available. Hoopla membership entitles you to borrow a number of audiobooks, ebooks, comics, music, and movies per month without the wait or hassle. Simply sign up on our website and begin downloading right away.

Now that November is here, we're topping off this fabulous fall with the exciting addition to our website of the online tutorial service, Lynda.com. Lynda provides you with over 3,000 courses taught by industry experts in the areas of technology, business, and creativity. You can tune up your skills in web design, software development, or business management. With more than 100,000 instructional videos, Lynda will teach you how to photoshop your images, how to build an app, and many, many other creative skills. 

These three resources would cost you a significant amount of money to subscribe to on your own, but through your library membership with us, it's all free. Yes, free. All you have to do is click on the Rosetta Stone, hoopla, and Lynda icons on our website, sign up with your library card number, and expand your world of knowledge and entertainment. We hope you do.

It Will Boo Spooktacular!

Halloween lurks around the corner to wrap up a spooky month during which we've celebrated several famous ghosts! A literary ghost, Sir Simon de Canterville, has haunted us this October while we've enjoyed the communal reading of Oscar Wilde's short story, "The Canterville Ghost," chosen as our One Book Bernardsville selection. In addition, there's also our very own library ghost, Phyllis, to whom we must pay homage. Said to haunt the old library building, Phyllis has her own extended history of paranormal activity! Both ghosts have been featured in a number of fascinating library programs this month. We hope you've attended a few of them.

To cap off October, we invite you to attend the Friends of the Bernardsville Public Library fundraiser, Dinner with Author L'Aura Hladik. Spirits will be raised for sure with so many exciting evening events planned for you! Paranormal investigator L’Aura Hladik Hoffman, author of “Ghosthunting New Jersey,” will discuss - what else? - ghosts and will sign her book for you. Following a delicious fall dinner, enjoy dancing to music from local celebrity DJ Charlie Zavalic, participate in a 50/50 and silent auction, and experience some shivery goosebumps as ghost stories are told! The kids can have their trick or treat; we've got this spooktacular event! Please link here for information about ticket options, the purchase of which enables the Friends to continue their ongoing support of our library.  

Hoopla, A Lending Service Worthy Of Its Name

This month we're making a big hoopla about offering Bernardsville Library members free access to an exciting digital lending service called hoopla. Hoopla enables you to instantly borrow digital media which you can stream or download to a computer, tablet, or smartphone using the hoopla app. This product is also compatible with Chromecast and viewable on Apple TV.

One of the most exciting features of hoopla is that it allows you to borrow music, movies, audiobooks, ebooks, comics, and TV episodes without a waiting period. There are no holds lists with long waiting times. YOU are always first in line! Listen to more than 270,000 albums, watch thousands of TV episodes and movies, and take your pick from over 100,000 audiobooks, comics, and ebooks. And it's so convenient for you because your items will be automatically returned at the end of your loan period.

To begin your new adventure with hoopla, simply visit our website http://bernardsvillelibrary.org, click on the hoopla link, and sign up using your library card number. While you're on our website, please take advantage of our many other resources that will add value to your life. Among them are the Cloud Library for ebooks and audiobooks, Rosetta Stone for language learning, digital magazine lending through Zinio and Flipster, and our many research and collection resources.

Broaden Your Horizons With Rosetta Stone

Here's a unique opportunity for you to broaden your world by learning another language. You'll feel more confident when you travel internationally if you can be understood by people in their native language. Shopping, sightseeing, dining, conducting business, and seeking assistance will all become easier if you're multi-lingual, so we invite you to take this opportunity to learn one of thirty languages available to Bernardsville Library members through Rosetta Stone Library Solution's online-learning program. Learn at home, on the go with the app, or in the library.

Of course, you can't become conversant in just one lesson, so advance yourself incrementally with Rosetta Stone's well-paced lessons. Follow their tips below to help you achieve your goals. To sign up for Rosetta Stone, visit our website, click on the Rosetta Stone image, enter your library card number, and start the adventure!

Say It In 30 Languages With Rosetta Stone!

Ajabu! Incroyable! Fantastiskt! 

Whether you say it in Swahili, French or Swedish, you'll think it's amazing, too, once you try Rosetta Stone, the leading language-learning software which is now free to Bernardsville Library members. 

Would you like to try your tongue at Pashto, Portuguese, Irish, Arabic or Mandarin? Rosetta Stone will lead you through an interactive series of online lessons in these languages with attention to pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and basic travel phrases. In fact, you can select from 30 languages on the Rosetta Stone platform.

All you need to do is visit our website at http://bernardsvillelibrary.org and click on the Rosetta Stone image. Enter your Bernardsville Library card number, then set up an account. By the way, Rosetta Stone works well on mobile devices, too. Try it, and you'll soon be on your way to fluency in another language!

We're Outspoken for You

We're outspoken because we want you to know that Outspoken Library offers free services through the New Jersey State Library Talking Book & Braille Center to state residents of all ages with a physical or vision impairment or a reading disability that makes it difficult to read. Services include audiobooks and downloadable audio magazines as well as audiobook players with large, easy to use buttons. The wide selection of book titles will appeal to children, teens, and adults, and users can specify their reading preferences. 

The Talking Book & Braille Center (TBBC) also provides several news reading services for those who enjoy newspapers or who want to know what ads are in the circulars. In addition, items in Braille may be requested. All these materials are provided free of charge and mailed directly to your home postage-free. All you need do to qualify is complete and have certified the TBBC application found here: http://www.njstatelib.org/talking-book-braille-center/apply_for_service/. To learn more, please explore http://outspokenlibrary.org/about. If someone in your family or circle of friends could benefit from these outstanding services, please be outspoken for them by sharing this information.