Library Board Regrets Passing of Former Trustee

The Board of Trustees of the Garden City Public Library regrets the passing of former Library Trustee Edward Starr. A Garden City resident for over 40 years, Mr. Starr died on June 21, 2009. He served for many years on the Library Board and retired as vice chair. For more on Mr. Starr, see the Administration page.

News From the Children's Room

Summer is here! Are you looking for summer activities while the children are on vacation? The Library has something going on almost every day of the week. On Mondays there are storytimes for children ages 18 months through entering first grade. Every Tuesday there are crafts and workshops for toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary-age children. Wednesday night is “Family Night,” with great performances and fun films. Thursdays feature book discussion clubs for children who will be entering second through fifth grade. Stop in on any day beginning June 22 to register for the summer reading club. Then come in any day that you would like to claim your reading-club prizes, participate in the weekly guessing game, or just pick out some books and relax in the air conditioning. Visit the Library for more details and to register for the programs!

And, it’s going to be a busy one here in the Children’s Department, with activities for children ranging from ages 18 months to fifth grade. This summer’s theme is “Be Creative at Your Library,” so it’s time for the children of Garden City to unleash their inner artist, performer, or inventor. There will be storytimes, book discussions, crafts, and other workshops, performances, and, of course, the annual summer reading programs.

All children entering kindergarten through Grade 5 are cordially invited to join "Tomorrow’s Talents," this year’s summer reading club. In addition, children ages 2½ - 5 (who are not entering kindergarten in September) can sign up for their very own reading club, "Tiny Talents." Earn prizes while enjoying great books! Registration for both programs began on Monday, June 22 for Garden City residents. Non-residents can sign up beginning July 6 at 9:30 a.m.

Summer storytimes will meet on the following Mondays: June 29, July 6, July 13, July 20, July 27, and August 3. "Mother Goose," a program for children ages 18-29 mos. with a caregiver, will meet at 10:00 a.m. "You and Your Toddler," a program for toddlers ages 2½ - 3½ with a caregiver, will meet at 11:00 a.m. "Preschool," a program for children ages 3-5 (who are not entering kindergarten in September) will be meeting at 1:30 p.m. Children who will be entering kindergarten and first grade in September can come to storytime at 7:00 p.m. There is no registration necessary, but get there early, because tickets will be distributed before the program!

Ticket distribution for "Erik’s Reptile Edventures" begins on Saturday, June 27 at 9:00 a.m. "Erik’s Reptile Edventures" is returning to the stage at the Library as part of the "Family Night" programming on Wednesday, July 8 at 7:00 p.m. This event is for residents of Garden City, ages 2½ through Grade 5, and their families. Patrons must come in person to pick up tickets.

Children ages 2½ - 5 (not entering Kindergarten in September), along with a caregiver, can come make a "Frog Number Train" with Donna Green of A Time for Kids on Tuesday, June 30 at 9:30 a.m. or 10:45 a.m. Registration begins June 22 at 9:30 a.m.

Mad Science will be here for icky and educational fun presenting "It’s Slime Time" on Tuesday, June 30, at 1:00 p.m. for Grades K-2 and at 2:15 p.m. for Grades 3-5. Registration begins June 22 at 9:30 a.m.

A classic Disney film will be shown on Wednesday, July 1 at 7:00 p.m. No registration is necessary and all are welcome! Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. See flyers in the Children's Room for details.

"Art Creations with Liane" on Tuesday, July 7, includes creative fun for all ages! Children ages 2½-5 (with a caregiver) can make a "Rain Stick" at 10:00 a.m. Children entering Grades K-2 will be making "Paper Maché Smores" (along with a snack!) at 1:00 p.m. Children entering Grades 3-5 will be "Flower Pot Painting" at 2:00 p.m. Registration begins June 30 at 9:30 a.m.

Children who will be entering Grades 2-5 in September 2009 can come to the Library to meet with kids their age and talk books, eat and have fun. Registration for our summer book discussions begins on June 22. All book discussions are 45 min. long, and a beverage and dessert will be provided.

"The Lunch Bunch" is for children who will be entering the Second Grade. They will bring a brown-bag lunch and have fun with Nate the Great and the Boring Beach Bag, by Marjorie Sharmat, on Thursday, July 9 at 1:00 p.m. "New Friends in a Book" is for children who will be entering the Third Grade. They will bring a brown-bag lunch and have fun with Soupy Saturdays with the Pain and the Great One, by Judy Blume, on Thursday, July 16 at 1:00 p.m.

"Go Fourth!" is for children who will be entering the Fourth Grade. They should bring a brown-bag dinner to discuss Toys Go Out, by Emily Jenkins, on Thursday, July 9 at 5:30 p.m. "Page Turners" is for children who will be entering the Fifth Grade. They should bring a brown-bag dinner to discuss Rules, by Cynthia Lord, on Thursday, July 16 at 5:30 p.m.

Susan Bazzicalupo will be coming to the Library for a day of delicious programs on Tuesday, July 14. "Cookie Decorating," a program for children ages 2½-5 (and an adult) will meet at 10:00 a.m. Children who will be entering Grades K-2 in the fall can "Make and Eat Ice Cream" at 1:00 p.m., while those entering Grades 3-5 will have their own ice-cream program at 2:00 p.m. Registration begins in the Children’s Department on Tuesday, July 7 at 9:30 a.m.

Garden City’s got talent! Children who would like to show off their musical, theatrical, magical, or strange and unusual skills are invited to sign up for one of the annual Children’s Department "Talent Shows." Due to popular demand there are two dates, Wednesday, July 15 at 7:00 p.m., and Wednesday, July 22 at 7:00 p.m. Performers must be entering Grades K-5 in September and should register in the Children’s Room beginning June 22. Everyone is welcome to come and be an audience member. Come and cheer for your friends, family members, and neighbors!

The Kindergartens and First Grades at Homestead School had an added treat for their Flag Day celebration with a visit from Children’s Librarian Donna Furey on Monday, June 15. Ms. Furey came to announce the Library’s summer reading clubs and special programs for children.

The colorful artwork celebrating the Week of the Young Child that has been gracing the bulletin boards and walls of the Children’s Room was previously misidentified. This artwork was created by students of the Garden City Nursery School. The staff apologizes for the error.

The Library subscribes to Live Homework Help, an after-school homework help center from Tutor.com. Children in grades K - 12 (or their parents) can connect with a “live” tutor for expert help in Math, Science, Social Studies, and English daily from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. In the Library, simply click the link on the Library website, enter grade level and subject area, and you are connected to an expert! To access the site from home, click on the link and enter your library-card number when prompted, then follow the easy directions.

You may be surprised at the number of magazines the Children’s Department has. Children can check out a magazine for 28 days. Magazines include Dig, which features topics like crime-scene investigation, mummies, and pirates, and Ranger Rick, for the animal fans. Readers will enjoy Cricket, which features wonderful stories, poems, and artwork. Our two newest subscriptions are Odyssey, which features science topics of all kinds (April 2009 explains what a carbon footprint is), and Ask, which examines a variety of subjects for younger readers. Encourage your child’s curiosity and imagination, check out our magazines!

The Children’s Department has an entire section devoted to a wide spectrum of special needs, from autism to deafness to cancer. Whether you are looking for information about a disorder, need a picture book that explains a particular issue to children, or are seeking helpful strategies, we have resources for you. The collection of fiction and non-fiction books, DVDs, VHS tapes, and games is continually being updated and developed. Come check the collection out!

Please check the Calendar of Events and the Children's Room page for upcoming events and registration dates. Funding for these programs has been provided by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library. Priority for registration and participation is given to children who are Garden City Public Library cardholders.

What's up for Young Adults

All ‘tweens and teens - from those entering Middle School for the first time in September 2009 to those entering 12^th grade - are invited to be a part of the Young Adult summer-reading club. Creativity is the key word for this summer. Since the theme is “Express Yourself @ Your Library,” many of the programs planned for the young adults were chosen to encourage young adults to be creative. To be a member of the club, just register at the YA desk or online. All registrants receive a bonus prize bag. Membership has no meeting requirements. Registration began on Monday, June 8, and is ongoing.

'Tweens and teens can read or listen to any book and submit a mini review in person or online to be invited to the end-of-the-summer "Back-to-School-Bash." Win prizes all summer long by submitting mini-reviews into the raffle box. In addition, if you submit a review online, a raffle is put in the box for you. What is more fun than winning a jar full of goodies when you have guessed the number in the jar? A different treat is available for guessing and winning each week. Since the Young Adult Department is accessible online or by snail mail, you can be part of the club and come to the bash even if you are at camp or away all summer.

“Wii Night for YAs" will be held on Monday evening, June 29 at 7:00 p.m. The Young Adult Department was able to secure a Wii system to use for this fun program. Attendees are invited to bring a favorite game to play on the Wii system and share. There will also be other games available for everyone’s use. Refreshments will be served. Sign up started June 11, so come in and register so that we might be prepared for everyone.

This summer Young Adults are invited to bring their lunches to the Library on Thursdays at 12:30 p.m. The Friends of the Library will be providing beverages and desserts and the Young Adult Department will have board games, crafts, and talk. Beat the heat and hang with friends for "Lunch at the Library."

The Young Adult Department, in cooperation with the Garden City Department of Recreation, will again be offering "Teens & Tots Storytime" in the picnic area of the pool on Tuesdays and Wednesdays beginning June 30 and ending August 5. If you are in 5^th grade, this is the first time you will be eligible to be a reader! To be a part of this program, you need to be trained. The Library offered formal training sessions in March and April, one for reading and book selection and a second for crafts and activities. If your schedule did not allow for attending the formal sessions, you may still participate by arranging for and coming to private training sessions. Please contact librarians Mrs. Kelly or Mrs. Alford at 742-8405 to arrange for a convenient date and time. Once trained - forever trained! Those YAs in older grades who did not take advantage of training in previous years are invited to come for private trainings and take part in this valued community service.

"Eat A Good Book" on Wednesday, July 1 at 7:30 p.m. The Young Adult Department will be hosting a workshop on cookie decorating. Mary Ann Impostato of Kids' Edible Creations will show participants how to sketch and paint a picture on a large bakery size cookie. Our theme that evening will be book covers. So choose your favorite book and make it a cookie. is limited to 20, so early beginning June 13.

Learn how to create an eight page scrapbook out of an ordinary paper bag. The "Brown Bag Scrapbook" workshop will be held on Monday, July 6 at 7:00 p.m. It is limited to 20 participants, so early beginning Saturday, June 20.

At "The Art of Malibu Tile: California Retro-Surf Jewelry" workshop to be held on July 8 at 7:00 p.m., YAs will learn about the art of Malibu tiles and create jewelry made with this art form. It is “very California surf” and popular with both gals and guys. for up to 20 will begin June 24.

On July 13 at 7:00 p.m., Garden City’s own DJ, a Garden City resident and member of the class of 2006 GCHS, is coming to the Library to lead YAs in a "Dance Dance Revolution" party, where participants can express themselves through creative dance and contests. Refreshments will be served. Registration begins on June 29.

The first "Yak & Snack" for the summer will be held on Wednesday, July 22 at 7:00 p.m. The book to be discussed is Loser, by Jerry Spinelli, which is the story of Donald Zinkoff, who has been considered strange by outsiders but has never felt that way about himself. Embrace differences and participate in a lively discussion at the Library. Registration is ongoing beginning June 15.

Keep watching for all the summer activities. There is something happening everyday at the Library.

School is drawing to a close and finals are close by. Who couldn’t use a little help? Have you tried Live Homework Help yet? Those who have used it report that it is a life saver. The tutors are helpful and instructive. Frustration over a homework problem or understanding some classroom lesson is cured in less than a half an hour. Click on the link, log in with your Garden City Public Library card number, and you are on your way to solving those homework dilemmas. While there, try the links to practice tests - you too can ace the Regents, SATs, and ACTs.

For more information on these and future programs check the Young Adult page, the Calendar of Events, the Library newsletter, the newspapers, and our flyers. Funding for these programs has been provided by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library. Any Young Adult program requiring registration is for Garden City Public Library cardholders in Grades 6-12 only. Registered participants must be present at the time the program is scheduled to begin. We regret that, after that time, their places may be given to people on the waiting list.

Closings

The Library is closed Sundays for the summer. Sunday openings will recommence in the fall.

The Library will be closed Saturday, July 4, for Independence Day.

For a more complete listing of the Library's hours, please see the Calendar of Events.

Monday Morning Games for Seniors

Come to the Library, where you can play your favorite games on July 6, July 20, August 3, and August 17. Come by yourself or come with friends. We supply the games . . . you supply the fun! Why not play games from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, eat your lunch in our Step Down Café, and then stay for the afternoon movie? This program is a joint venture of the Friends of the Garden City Public Library and the Library itself. For further information please call Laura Flanagan at 742-8405.

Library Offers Colorful New Service

The Library has added a color copier to the photocopying services that are available to the public. Patrons will be able to make color photocopies for special projects and school reports. Copies cost $1.00 per copy. The new color copier is located near the side of the Reference Office. The Library continues to offer the public the availability of two black-and-white copiers, which are located behind the Reference desk. Black-and-white copies continue to cost 15¢ per page.

Food Donation Barrel

A blue donation barrel for Long Island Cares, the Harry Chapin Food Bank, will be located across from the Circulation Desk until the end of August. Donations of canned and dry, boxed foods will be used to help stock Long Island food pantries, senior and children’s day-care centers, soup kitchens, and shelters. Forty thousand Long Island children go to bed hungry each day. Bring a nonperishable food item on your next visit to the Library and help reduce hunger on Long Island.

Check Out the Year’s Best Audiobooks

Broadway has the Tonys and Hollywood has the Oscars. On May 29, publishers, producers, and narrators in the audio-publishing world gathered at a formal gala at the New York Historical Society for the 14^th annual Audies, honoring the year’s best spoken-word entertainment. Audies were awarded to the most engaging and innovative audiobooks of the 2008 publishing year. Garden City residents are invited to come to the Library to check out the winning audiobook titles of the year.

Newberry Medal winner The Graveyard Book, written and read by Neil Gaiman, won the coveted Audie for the Best Audiobook of the Year. Already an acclaimed young-adult novel, the audiobook has been praised for its “original musical composition” as well as the author’s “haunting performance.” The Fiction category had a tie with Audies awarded to both The Duma Key, by Stephen King and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, by Mary Ann Schaffer and Annie Barrows. Mudbound, by Hillary Jordan, also a fiction title, won the Audie for Best Multi-Voiced Performance.

Other Audie winners included Child 44, by Tom Robb Smith, Thriller & Suspense; The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch, Biography & Memoir; and Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, as read by Simon Vance, Classic. Hot, Flat, and Crowded, by Thomas L. Friedman, won the Non-Fiction Audie, Politics-Judges’ Award. When You Are Engulfed in Flames, by David Sedaris, won the Audie for the Best Narration by an Author.

The Library owns all of these titles for listeners to experience the best in spoken-word entertainment. Visit the Library’s Audio-Visual Center located on the lower level during June, which is Audiobook Month, to select your summer listening from bestselling and award-winning titles in every genre. There are award-winning and bestselling audiobooks on CD, cassette, and Playaway, which is the newest, iPod-like format. This month, the Library added the Fodor’s Language for Travelers series to its audiobook collection. Travelers can prepare for upcoming trips with Fodor’s as well as with the new Starting Out In series. Starting Out is an audio-only beginner’s series in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, and Spanish, which is also MP3 compatible.

Job Seekers Explore the Library’s Databasess

Whether you are a recent graduate or changing jobs, the Library offers a wealth of career resources at your fingertips 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Job seekers can take a skills-assessment test, explore different careers, develop a résumé, or locate schools and financial-aid sources to continue education by utilizing the career databases that are available through the Library’s website. Career Cruising and Coin Career Library are two databases that help job seekers match their interests and skills to explore future careers. New grads and career changers can utilize an online portfolio to save results from searches, create a career path, and also build a résumé.

Career Cruising offers weekly features that include an interview, a photo essay, and a detailed list of possible career choices. For example, recently there was an interview with a construction laborer, a photo essay about a college professor, and a career-focus feature on jobs in the rehabilitation field. A unique feature in Coin Career Library is a state data page which includes links to the New York State Department of Labor and Department of Education as well as other New York State job-related sites.

The Library also offers patrons the opportunity to prepare for upcoming tests through the Learning Express Library. Students can prepare for the SAT and ACT as well as graduate-school entrance exams. In addition, there are computer-skills courses, GED preparation, and other adult skill-building programs. Finally, there is the Community Resource Database, as well as several business-resource databases for patrons to research prospective employers to prepare for an interview.

At home or in the Library, patrons can click on the Job and Career Resources link on the home page of the catalog and access titles regarding employment that are available either in the Library or which may be interloaned to assist with job searches and career exploration. Job seekers can also browse the Job Corner located near the Periodical Room for current books on resume writing, interview skills, civil service, and test preparation. The Library keeps a current list of upcoming Nassau County and New York State civil service openings and tests. Finally, there are employment related periodicals, such as The Chief Civil Service Leader and Federal Jobs Digest. The Rreference staff is ready and willing to assist recent grads and other job seekers with locating whatever resources and materials are needed for a job search.

The Hidden Web

As a Library member you have access to valuable and authoritative information services that are available free of charge to every cardholder 24/7 from home or office. We call these databases the Hidden Web.

Would you like to get a free newsletter recommending good books on your favorite topics? An electronic service called NextReads does just that. If you have an eMail address, you can subscribe to any of 25 annotated subject lists. Fiction and nonfiction newsletter topics include Biography and Memoir, Fantasy, Mystery, Nature and Science, NY Times Bestsellers, and Audiobooks, as well as two children's newsletters and one for teens. Newsletters are sent on a monthly or bimonthly basis. Each one describes up to 12 books, with links to the Library catalog, so that subscribers can place a hold on a title. Patrons who don’t have an eMail address can view the newsletters from any computer with Internet access.

Genealogists take note: Heritage Quest, a subset of the popular Ancestry Library database, is available to remote users, whereas Ancestry Library is available only in the Library. Heritage Quest includes Census records, family and local histories, Revolutionary War records, and more. Ancestry Library has additional resources, including immigration ship lists, military records, the Social Security Death Index, and records from the UK and Canada.

Given the state of the economy, we can’t miss this opportunity to remind our patrons of the business-research tools available in the Library databases. Hoover's Company Records contains profiles of more than 40,000 companies, 600 industries, and 225,000 key executives. This is the place to find company overviews and histories, officers and board members, competitors, products and operations, auditors, rankings, related industries, and historical financial data. Search Investext Plus to find investment, company, and industry reports from over 500 brokers all over the world. Use PROMT (Predicast Overview of Markets and Technology) to research companies, their products, and the markets in which they compete. PROMT includes summaries and full text from nearly 1,000 business-and-trade journals, industry newsletters, newspapers, market-research studies, news releases, and investment-and-brokerage firm reports. ReferenceUSA is a database of 15 million businesses in the US and Canada and includes information such as corporate family, credit rating, expenditures, management, and sales. To track the performance of stocks, bonds, funds, and industries, make a trip to the Library to use Standard & Poors NetAdvantage, the only one of these databases that is not available from home.

For a full listing of electronic services by subject area, see the Online Databases page. Most are accessible both in the Library and at home. Enter the barcode number from your Garden City Public Library card when prompted.

Library Wishes Tom Witt Good Luck on New Appointment

Thomas B. Witt, assistant director of the Garden City Public Library, has been appointed Director of the North Merrick Public Library, effective June 8, 2009. A luncheon was held in the Library’s staff room to thank Mr. Witt for his service to the Garden City Library. Carolyn Voegler, library director, members of the staff, the Library Board of Trustees, and members of the Friends of the Garden City Public Library congratulated Mr. Witt on his new appointment and wished him continued success.

New Features Available Online for Library Accounts

Need more control? You’ve got it! If you haven’t already discovered it, check out the My Account link on the catalog home page. Not only can you reserve and renew items, you can change your contact information and set your notification preferences. Did you forget your PIN? If you have given us your eMail address, you can reset it online. Click on My Account, then click on the "Forgot Your PIN?" link. Type in your name and barcode, and the system will send you an eMail containing a link that allows you to change your PIN.

Going on vacation? You can postpone your requests so that they won’t arrive while you’re away. Go to the Library catalog, log into My Account, and click the link to “requests (holds).” If a request can be frozen, it will have a check box on the right side of the display in the “Freeze” column. Click the box, then click on “Update List.” Once you freeze a hold, the system will skip over it until you log in again and uncheck the "Freeze" box. Please note that not all requests are freezable.

In January, the Library began to send eMail courtesy notices. If you have an eMail address in your patron record and you have items checked out, you will receive these notices, which will be sent three days before your items are due. These emails, which have the subject "LIBRARY COURTESY NOTICE," will help you avoid delinquencies and fines. If you want to add your eMail address to your patron record, tell the Circulation staff or log into My Account and click on “Modify Personal Information.”

You can also get an RSS feed of information from your patron record, such as an indication that materials are ready for pickup, with a feature called My Record Feeds. RSS (translated variously as “RDF Site Summary,” “Rich Site Summary,” or “Really Simple Syndication”) adds a “Live Bookmark” to your browser (such as Internet Explorer®). To use this feature, log into My Account and then click the “My Record Feeds” link.

For more information on managing your library account, click on the “News and Information for Our Users” link on the catalog home page or contact the Reference Desk at 742-8405.

Free Passes to Five New York Museums

Garden City residents are invited to discover the world of New York’s cultural institutions by borrowing one of the five free museum passes available to Library cardholders. Through the generosity of the Friends of the Garden City Public Library, the Library offers free passes to five museums - the American Museum of Natural History, the Guggenheim Museum, the Metropolitan Museum, the New York Botanical Garden, and Old Westbury Gardens.

With many people trying to spend less, Garden City residents can come to the Library to sign up and make a reservation to spend an entertaining day with the family exploring the riches of New York’s museums. For more information about borrowing the museum passes, contact the Reference Desk at 742-8405.

Library Partners with Community Agencies

Collection boxes for used eyeglasses and discarded American flags are provided near the interior doors.

The Library partners with several community agencies to assist with services that benefit the public in Garden City as well as throughout Long Island. The Library is a collection site for used eyeglasses, which are collected through the Recycle for Sight program run by a local Lions Club. Library patrons have been very generous donating their used eyeglasses. The Lions Club has expressed its appreciation to the Library for continuing to serve as an ongoing collection site. A box is provided for the used-eyeglass collection near the interior doors of the Library.

The Library also accepts donated cell phones on behalf of the Garden City Police Department. The phones are reworked to assist victims of domestic violence, persons with disabilities, and senior citizens as 911 calling devices. In addition, donated cell phones may be given by the Police Department to the Cell Phones for Soldiers program. Cell phones may be left at the Circulation Desk in the Library.

In addition, the Library collects American flags to be discarded for American Legion. The flags are taken to Pinelawn National Cemetery, where they are burned and the ashes are buried in sacred ground. A box is provided for this collection near the interior doors of the Library.

Twice a year, the Library hosts a blood drive with Long Island Blood Services. The Library publicizes times and dates of the blood drive in the local media and on the Library website.

The Art of Illumination

Professor Thomas Germano of Farmingdale State College will present a free visual lecture, “The Art of Illumination,” on Thursday, September 10, at 2:00 p.m. View slides of exquisite hand-painted manuscripts by the Limbourg brothers. Learn about the artists, patron, and style of the late gothic era in relation to fine works of literary and pictorial art.

lluminated manuscripts were painted by the Flemish brothers Paul, Herman, and Jean Limbourg. The patron of the work was Jean de Berry, the brother of King Charles VI. He was the medieval world's greatest connoisseur of the visual arts, with a particular fondness for books. His was the largest personal library, numbering 50 illuminated manuscripts.

"The Art of Illumination: The Limbourg Brothers & the Belles Heures of Jean de France, Duc de Berry" will be on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art from Sept. 22, 2009 - Jan. 3, 2010. Free museum passes may be borrowed by GCPL cardholders and are sponsored by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library.

This public program is funded by the Friends of the Garden city Public Library. Seating and parking are limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required.

Faces of Central Asia

Travel photographer Doug Going will present a multimedia program, “Faces of Central Asia,” on Thursday, September 17, at 2:00 p.m. Enjoy artistic photography combined with authentic music and insightful narration, which captures the essence of everyday life in the countries of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, both former Soviet republics and now independent nations, served as major thoroughfares of the ancient Silk Road. These lands offer a glimpse into a past that changed the world. Today those times live on in a confluence of cultures matched by few other places. Brimming with color and life, Central Asia is a melting pot of history, tradition, and ways of life. View bustling markets, skylines of historic minarets, and mountaintop yurts of present-day nomads. A unique experience awaits at almost every turn. This public program is funded by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library. Seating and parking are limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required.

A Naturalist Views the Galapagos Islands

Join us on Thursday, October 8, at 2:00 p.m. for a slide/lecture tour of Darwin’s islands to see incredible birds, marine iguanas, giant land tortoises, and cacti that grow tall as trees. The Galapagos Islands possess an untamed beauty and enchantment, giving the feeling of being on another planet. Although mere specks in the Pacific Ocean, these volcanic islands have emerged as one of the most significant biological wonders on earth. Mickey Maxwell Cohen has ventured 19 times as a tour leader to the Galapagos Islands. He has given natural history-related courses for 18 years at the New School for Social Research in NYC. Mr. Cohen is retired from his role as Chairman of the Department of Science & Oceanography at Beach Channel High School in Rockaway Park. Sponsored by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library.

From Italy With Love

Celebrate National Italian American Heritage Month with Italian/Neapolitan melodies! Tenor Salvatore Chiarelli will perform a concert, “From Italy With Love,” on Thursday, October 15 at 2:00 p.m. Hear favorites such as "Parlami D’amore," "O Sole Mio," "Mamma" plus many more.

Salvatore Chiarelli, a native New Yorker, was vocally trained in both Italy and NYC for the opera stage. Having only begun his performing career 4 years ago, Mr. Chiarelli he has already been heard on television and radio as well as on the opera stages of both North America and Europe. In addition, he has performed as a soloist on satellite television, reaching 75 countries around the world. In 2006, Mr. Chiarelli recorded his first CD, entitled Due Terre, Un Cuore, which includes 15 tracks of opera, Neapolitan songs, and musical theater.

This public program is funded by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library. Seating and parking are limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required.

Driving Miss Daisy

A free performance of “Driving Miss Daisy” will be presented by the talented cast of Plaza Theatrical Productions on Thursday, October 22, at 2:00 p.m. This moving comedy tells the story of an elderly Jewish matron, Daisy Wethan, and her chauffeur, Hoke Coleburn. At first not happy about relying on a black man, Daisy is won over by Hoke, and the two develop a friendship that spans 25 years. This public program is funded by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library. Seating and parking are limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required.

Long Island’s Most Haunted Mansions

Author and historian Monica Randall will present a free slide/lecture, “Long Island’s Most Haunted Mansions,” on Thursday, October 29, at 2:00 p.m. Learn about some of Long Island’s most intriguing manor houses with their labyrinths of secret passageways, hidden chambers, deserted tunnels, and the mysterious events that surround them. This program is filled with plenty of hard scientific facts, suspense, and practical lore. You will come away believing that truth can sometimes be stranger than fiction. Monica Randall is the author of The Mansions of Long Island's Gold Coast, Winfield, and Phantoms of the Hudson Valley. This public program is funded by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library. Seating and parking are limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required.

Tribute to America

Vocalist Naomi Zeitlin will perform a concert, “A Tribute to America” on Thursday, November 12, at 2:00 p.m. Enjoy patriotic songs and popular melodies from the Big Band Era. Hear a variety of musical styles such as folk, country, blues, jazz, Broadway, and movie themes. The concert will include songs like “Stormy Weather,” “The Last Time I Saw Paris,” and “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.”

Ms. Zeitlin has performed as the lead in musical theater as well as a vocalist in cabaret acts at locations throughout the New York Metropolitan area. She was a member of Music on Tour, a five-person group which had been performing in the tri-state area since 1992. They had been entertaining with their original revue “We’re Into Love” to rave reviews at dinner theaters, cabaret clubs, parks, libraries, and more. Naomi has also sung in regional and community-theater productions. She has performed in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for 3 years at Chez Elena’s restaurant. Her four CD releases are: Colored Lights, Special Requests, Never Too Late, and The Color of Your Dreams, which reflect a variety of musical styles.

This public program is funded by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library. Seating and parking are limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required.

Gifts From Your Home

Instructor Lee Perrotta will present a free lecture/demonstration “Gifts From Your Home” on Thursday, November 19, at 2:00 p.m. Learn how easy it is to make expensive-looking gifts for next to nothing! See how to create and uniquely package beautiful soaps, chocolates, and stationery. Participants will be given a “recipe for success sheet” with helpful tips. Lee Perrotta is owner of The Chocolate Lady, located in downtown historic Oyster Bay. It is a one of Long Island's most recognized chocolate boutiques. She is chef and founder of RR Chocolate, Inc. This public program is funded by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library. Seating and parking is limited and on a first-come first-served basis. No tickets are required.