Monthly Free Programs for Kids, Teens, and Adults

For Adults:

The Shady Rest Country Club: A Black Cultural Oasis

The West Orange Public Library presents, The Shady Rest Country Club: A Black Cultural Oasis on Thursday February 7, 2008 at 7 pm. The public is invited to this free event.

Professor Lawrence Hogan, a professor of History at Union County College , focuses his lecture on a black-owned country club that operated in Scotch Plains, NJ from the 1920s through the 1950s. Hogan examines the rich social, recreational, professional, athletic, business, educational and entertainment world behind the veil of segregation that separated white from black through much of 19th- and 20th- century America.

Professor Hogan has written for major newspapers and magazine, including the New York Times, the San Francisco Examiner, and the New Oxford Review.He is also the authorA Black National News Service: The Associated Negro Press and Claude Barnett. Dr. Hogan has served as a consultant for numerous book, video documentary and exhibit projects. Among these are the permanent exhibit on the history of African American baseball at the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He is the recipient of the Award of Recognition from the New Jersey Historical Commission.

This program is offered through the Horizons Speakers Bureau of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The Changing Role of Women in Suburban Motion Pictures:

What do the Stepford Wives have in common with soccer moms? Find out when Dr. Philip Dolce of Bergen County Community College presents “The Changing Role of Women in Suburban Motion Pictures.” This interesting program illustrates how the lives of suburban women have changed over time. This free program takes place at the Library on Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 7 pm.The program is offered through the Horizons Speakers Bureau of the NJ Council for the Humanities.

English Conversation Group:

Have fun speaking in English and learning about American culture. Monday evenings @ 7:00. Call 973-736-0198 to sign up.

ESL Family Book Discussion Group

Now parents can read English with their children at the Library! Read together. Learn together. Talk about a book in English together. The ESL Family Book Discussion Group is for parents and their children (age 5 and up) whose first language is not English. It's fun to practice reading in English at this free monthly program. Meetings are Mondays @ 6pm. Refreshments will be served. Each family will get a free book to keep. Sign up at the Library (46 Mt. Pleasant Ave.) or call 973-736-0198.

Book Discussion Group

Meets the first Monday of each month @ 1:30pm. Check out a copy of the book at the Library, then share your insights and hear what others think about the book. See the Schedule for titles and dates.

Film & Dessert

Stop by for a film screening and light refreshments the third Friday of each month
@ 2. Program is free; sign ups are not required.

For Teens ( Ages 12& up):

Book Discussion Groups:

Get a free copy of the book of the month, read it, then talk about it with other teens at your own book discussion group!

Read N' Chat for grades 6-8. Meets the second Wednesday of each month @ 7:30pm. Click here to find out what we'll be reading this year.

Talk It Up! for grades 9-12. Meets the fourth Wednesday of each month @ 7:30pm. Click here to see what we'll read this year.

For Kids:

Wintertales

When you’ve had enough of the icy winter wind, warm up with Wintertales at the Library. Wintertales is a series of storytelling events for the whole family.

Well-known storyteller/musician Robin Bady kicks off the series with her own “Wintertales” in January. Bady brings stories to life with her interactive style and madcap characterizations. Her program includes performances of “The Mitten”, “How the Bear Lost his Tail,” and more. Bady has performed at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum and the Children’s Museum of the Arts. Bady’s music and stories melt away the winter chill! See Robin Bady on Monday, January 7 at 7pm.

In February, storyteller/percussionist TAHIRA delivers an interactive program of multicultural stories. TAHIRA is passionate about preserving the oral tradition. She’ll share African fables that educate and inspire. Catch TAHIRA’s performance on Monday, February 18 at 4pm.

The Storycrafters (Barry Marshall and Jeri Burns) are a nationally renowned storytelling duo and award-winning radio show hosts. Winners of the prestigious Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award and Parents' Choice Awards, Publishers Weekly describes them as "top-notch family entertainment." See them at the Library on Wednesday, March 26 at 7pm. They'll perform "Catch the World by the Tail" and "Folktales from Around the World."

Come on in from the cold! Stop by the Library or call 973-736-0198 to sign up for these free programs. The Estelle Citrin Family Fund sponsors Wintertales.

Drop-In Family Storytimes

Bring the whole family to the Library and enjoy a monthly evening storytime on Wednesdays. The storytimes take place on December 19, January 16, and February 20 at 7pm. Appropriate for all ages. Sign-ups are not required – just drop in!

Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King’s Birthday at the Library. Drop-in for a storytime on Monday, January 21 at 3 pm. Hear stories that celebrate the values of peace & friendship.

The Library celebrates Dr. Seuss’ birthday on Monday, March 3 at 4pm with a drop-in storytime. For the past ten years, Dr. Seuss’ birthday has been observed with “Read Across America” day. Children across the nation are encouraged to celebrate the joys of reading on Dr. Seuss’ 104 th birthday. West Orange readers of all ages can join in the fun when our Grandpals (senior citizen volunteers) read their favorite Dr. Seuss stories aloud. Sign up is not required, just drop in! Participants will receive a free bookmark.

Grandpals are back! Drop in storytimes for kids of all ages with our senior citizen volunteer readers. Thursdays @ 4pm.

Children's Book Discussion Groups:

Kids love to read and kids love to talk. Second and third graders can do both at the Library’s Yakety-Yak book discussion group. Each week, the group discusses a different book and participates in activities related to the story. Does your 2nd or 3rd grader have a lot to say? Sign your child up! The group meets the third Tuesday of the month at 4:30. Pick up a copy of the book of the week in the Children’s Room. Yakety-Yak for grades 2 and 3 meets the third Tuesday of each month at 4:30. Click here to find out the books we'll be reading.

SOS: Speaking of Stories for grades 4 and 5 meets the second Tuesday of each month at 4:30. Parents are welcome too! Click here to see what we'll be reading.

Spring Storytimes for Children

Research shows that reading to children stimulates early brain development. Stories help children learn about the world around them, experiment with language and acquire the story sense that will help them develop reading skills. Success in reading is related to early exposure to books and language. The Library presents the best in children’s literature. Storytimes introduce children to the world of books and literacy.

Spring is the perfect time to have your child join the Library’s storytimes.Click here for the schedule. Space is limited. Registration is required. Sign up begins on Tuesday, February 19, 2008.