60 Seventh Street
Garden City, NY 11530

516-742-8405

Organize Your Finances

Organize your finances just in time for tax season. Have more money and less stress! The Library will present an informative workshop on Wednesday, February 10, at 7:00 p.m. This workshop will include information on the information you need and how to keep records, as well as budgeting, saving money, and identity theft. Come to learn how to take charge of your financial life with the organizational skills presented in this workshop and live easier. No registration is required. All are welcome. For further information, please call Laura Flanagan at 742-8405, ext. 239.

News From the Children's Room

Winter 2010 storytimes are underway in the Children’s Room, having begun on January 25. Patrons are still welcome to register for those storytimes that currently have space available. For your convenience, registration can be done online. Registration can also be done in the Children’s Room.

The Children's Department is proud to be hosting the artwork of the students of Cathedral Nursery School. The artwork is currently on display in the Children's Room. Come and visit the Library to enjoy the wonderful art!

Shirley Ruby will present "Teddy Bear Tissue Box Holder" on Wednesday, February 17, at either 9:30 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. This fun program is for children ages 2½-5, along with a caregiver. Registration is required and begins Saturday, February 6 at 9:00 a.m. Children must bring their own boutique box of tissues to the program. This craft program is for Garden City residents only.

Join us for a "Clay Workshop" with Rona Madri on Thursday, February 18. Children presently in Grades K-2 will meet at 1:00 p.m. and children presently in Grades 3-5 will meet at 3:00 p.m. Registration is required and begins Saturday, February 6, at 9:00 a.m. This craft program is for Garden City residents only.

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) has announced the 2010 winners of the Caldecott and Newbery Medal. The 2010 Caldecott Medal was awarded to The Lion & The Mouse, illustrated and written by Jerry Pinkney. The 2010 Newbery Medal was awarded to When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead. Congratulations to both winners! Come in and check out these books as well as all the winners from previous years.

Donna Green from A Time For Kids will present “Magic and Movement Under the Big Top,” an exciting program for children, ages 2½ -5, along with a caregiver. The program will be held on Saturday, March 6 at either 9:30 a.m. or 10:45 a.m. Registration is required and begins on Saturday, February 27 at 9:00 a.m.

Also on Saturday, March 6, join us as the Children’s Department hosts "Game Day"! We will be having all sorts of games for everyone to enjoy. Games will be held for children in Grades K-2 at 1:00 p.m. and for children in Grades 3-5 at 2:30 p.m. No registration is required, but this program is limited to Garden City residents.

We’re on Facebook! Become a “fan” of the Garden City Public Library Children’s Room! Receive information about upcoming programs, reminders about registration dates as well as links to the best in books and resources for young people. Facebook is a quick and easy way to always know what’s going on in the Children’s Room.

The Children’s Room is a student’s (and parent’s) greatest asset for school assignments. The librarians can recommend a good book for a book report or help choose non-fiction and reference books for a research project. They can also show you how to use the databases. Many teachers in the Garden City school district let the Library know when a report is planned. The librarians choose the appropriate books and put them in our special “School Assignments” section. If you are looking for an Accelerated Reader, the Library has the AR lists for Stewart and Stratford schools. If you need help with a book report or project, the Library is the place to check out for what you need.

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.

Live Homework Help

The Library subscribes to Live Homework Help, a service of Tutor.com, an after-school homework help center. 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 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. 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, enter your library card number when prompted.

What's up for Young Adults

The Baking Coach will be at the Library for an "Irish Soda Bread Workshop" on Wednesday, February 17 at 7:00 p.m.. Teens will have a month to practice before St. Pat’s Day. Don’t care for raisins or caraway seeds? Who says you can’t substitute chocolate chips? The Baking Coach says you can. Registration begins February 3 at 9:30 a.m. This program is limited to 24.

There is no better way to warm up for March Madness than to join YAs at the Library for a special movie. Registration begins Saturday, February 13 at 9:00 a.m. for the "‘Tweens & Teens Movie Event" to be held on Saturday, February 27 at 2:00 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

Teens throughout New York State have the opportunity to participate in honoring their favorite books. Teen 3 Apples Book Award, a true Teen’s Choice Award, has been developed to encourage the joy of reading for pleasure. It is co-sponsored by the Youth Services and School Library Media Sections of the New York Library Association, which together represent the public and school libraries of the state. Each year teens in grades 7 - 12 nominate their favorite book, creating a statewide ballot of fifteen of the most popular titles.

Garden City teens can visit the Library to check out the nominated titles, some of which are on display outside the Young Adult Department. After reading or listening to the titles, teens are invited to vote at the Library beginning April 1 until April 20. The winner of The Teen 3 Apples Book Award, a New York State Teen’s Choice Award, will be announced on May 20, 2010.

This year’s nominated titles are:

Young adult programs are for students in Grade 6-12, and priority is given to Garden City Public Library cardholders. 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. Registration for young adults may be done through the Library’s new online calendar system EventKeeper, which may be reached 24/7. 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. Funding for these programs has been provided by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library.

Young Garden City Poets Featured in Anthology

The Library’s adult poetry collection has an anthology of poetry, Young Voices: An Anthology of Poetry by Nassau County Students, which includes poems written by Garden City students. There are seven poets from Homestead School, two from Garden City Middle School, and one from Garden City High School. The collection contains poems by 195 first through third place and honorable mention award winners in the Nassau County Poet Laureate School Poetry Writing Contest. The contest for students in kindergarten through 12^th grade was conducted in 2008-2009 by then Nassau County Poet Laureate Maxwell Corydon Wheat, Jr.

Downloadable Media Collection

Love to read but constantly on the go? Beginning February 1, the Garden City Public Library offers its patrons the opportunity to download audiobooks and eBooks anytime, anywhere by visiting the Library’s website. The Library is proud to announce its participation in the Nassau Digital Doorway, which offers a collection of downloadable audiobooks and eBooks through Overdrive, Inc.

Two types of digital media are offered: audiobooks and eBooks. An audiobook is a digital version of a recorded reading of a book that can be listened to on a Windows or Mac computer and transferred to supported devices, including an iPod or other Mp3 device. Many audio titles can also be burned to CD to enjoy in the car or wherever you are. An eBook, short for electronic book, is a book in digital format. An eBook is a text-based title that can be read on your Windows or Mac computer or portable eBook reader, including Sony Reader and Barnes & Noble’s Nook.

To access the downloadable collection, patrons can click on the "Download Audiobooks and eBooks" icon on the Library’s home page. To download materials, patrons need a personal computer, access to the Internet, and the free, downloadable software for the computer and/or device on which they wish to access the material from the site. Patrons may check out up to five titles at a time with a valid Garden City Public Library card. Audiobooks have a seven day loan period, after which they expire and are automatically returned to the digital collection. eBooks expire at the end of their 14 day loan period. Please note that digital downloads can be enjoyed at home, at work, or when you travel, but are not for use on the computers in the Library.

Garden City Public Library cardholders are invited to browse the growing downloadable collection of over 2,000 audiobooks and over 400 eBooks available. Bestselling and classic titles are available to download in every genre and subject, including materials for children and young adults. Titles may also be reserved. Now the Library never closes! Visit us online beginning February 1 and check out a downloadable audiobook or eBook.

Free Income Tax Assistance

Hofstra students in collaboration with VITA will offer free tax-preparation assistance on the lower level of the Library between 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on the following Sundays: February 21 & 28; March 7, 14, 21, & 28; and April 11. This service is open to all age groups. Bring all necessary documents, including last year’s tax return. Same day, in-person registration only. For further information please call Laura Flanagan at 742-8405, ext. 239.

Tax Forms Are Available

With the tax season beginning, the Library would like to remind residents that many federal and state forms and publications are available in the Reference area of the Library. In addition, patrons can access forms at the OPAC computers in the Reference area.

Patrons can access tax forms 24/7 from their home or office by clicking on the link for Tax Forms on the Library’s homepage. For Federal tax forms, patrons will be directed through the tax form link to the IRS website, www.irs.gov, where they can print the necessary forms or instructions. For New York State forms, patrons will be directed to www.tax.state.ny.us. Both sites also have information related to electronic filing as well as the answers to frequently asked questions.

The History & Beauty of Old Westbury Gardens

Fifty years ago, the gardens of the John S. Phipps estate in Old Westbury opened to the public. Join us on Tuesday, February 23, at 2:00 p.m. as Paul Hunchak of Old Westbury Gardens comes to the Library to offer a lecture featuring these magnificent gardens. Discover the history and the beauty of these world-renowned gardens in a presentation featuring rarely seen archival photos. This program is open to all. For further information, please call Laura Flanagan at 742-8404, ext. 239.

Library Offers Free Passes to Four Museums

Through the generosity of the Friends of the Garden City Public Library, the Garden City Public Library has now added the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum to the Library’s museum-pass program. The museum-pass program also includes the American Museum of Natural History, the Guggenheim Museum, and Old Westbury Gardens.

Museum passes may be reserved in advance and checked out by an adult (18 years and older) Library cardholder in good standing, who has signed a Museum Pass Agreement. Reservations will be taken up to one month in advance of the desired date, subject to availability on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations must be done in person at the Reference Desk and will not be taken over the phone.

One pass per museum per household may be borrowed within a six month period. The passes may be borrowed for three days and must be returned by one hour before the Library closes on the day the pass is due. Further information about the Library's policies governing the museum passes is included in the borrower's Museum Pass Agreement. In addition, patrons should call the individual institution directly for hours, parking and directions, and for the rules governing the use of the museum pass.

The Library's museum-pass program offers adults and children alike the opportunity to explore the wealth of art and culture located close to home. Patrons can enjoy visiting the wide variety of New York City and Long Island cultural institutions available through the museum-pass program. For more information, visit the Library or contact the Reference Desk at 742-8405.

Oil Paintings on Display in February

Oil paintings by Jack S. Grimando will be on display in the Gallery on the lower lever from Monday, February 1 to Sunday, February 28. View "old world" scenes including landscapes, seascapes, and village life, which were inspired by his travel experiences and imagination. A graduate of Pratt Institute, the artist created murals and other artwork as an illustrator for the US Postal Service for 37 years.

Jewelry Making & Design for Adults

Join the excitement of learning how to design and create your own fashionable necklace. Choose from a variety of pendants and semi-precious stones including fresh-water pearls, turquoise, granite, citrine, glass beads, crystals, and more. Ofra Levin, founder of Ofra Jewels, studied jewelry design at the Fashion Institute of Technology and worked in the Diamond District in NYC. She will instruct you on making your own necklace with semi-precious stones. This class on Wednesday, February 24, at 7:00 p.m. is for adult Garden City residents only. Registration begins Sunday, February 7, and must be done in person. For further information, please call Laura Flanagan at 742-8405, ext. 239.

Library Begins Email Service for All Notifications

Beginning in late January, all Library notices will be delivered via email to patrons whose records contain an email address. Library notices include reserve pickup notices, overdue notices, bill notices, and courtesy notices. Since notices are time-sensitive, the Library recommends that you check your email frequently. Because email is faster, more cost effective, and environmentally thoughtful, patrons are urged to provide email addresses. Patrons whose records do not include an email address will continue to be notified as they are currently.

Last August, the Library began issuing date-due slips on receipt paper only for all materials that are borrowed. Patrons will receive one slip per visit, listing all the items they check out at that visit with each of the item’s due dates listed. The purpose of these automated slips is to reduce the various costs associated with the production and use of individual date-due cards. Patrons can also check the dates that their items are due by monitoring their accounts online through the catalog at a computer in the Library or from home by visiting the Library’s website.

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.

The Library sends Email Courtesy Notices to remind patrons about checked-out materials that may be coming due. If you have an email address in your patron record and you have items currently checked out, you will receive these email notices, which will be sent three days before your items are due. The emails are meant as a reminder that library materials must be returned soon, as well as to help you avoid delinquencies and fines. The email subject line will read "LIBRARY COURTESY NOTICE."

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.” All patrons can access their accounts online through the catalog. Users can reserve and renew books as well as check the due dates of items currently checked out. For more information about accessing your library account online, please contact the reference desk at 742-8405.

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.

Discovering a New You

Start off the New Year by discovering a new you. Check out the new displays at the Garden City Public Library. There are books to “cozy up” with on a cold winter’s night and to find a recipe for a hearty winter stew. Whether you’ve decided to learn a foreign language or begin a new exercise routine, you can find audiobooks and DVDs on the "New Year," "New You," and "Listen ‘N Listen" displays to help you keep your new year’s resolutions.

Adult Winter Reading Club

The Library’s fourth annual Adult Winter Reading Club is underway. The “Cozy up With a Good Book” Winter Reading Club is being held from November 29 to Sunday, March 28. Receive a gift just for signing up! There are no meetings. You choose the books you want to read or listen to. You will fill out a review card for each book. You will then be entered into a final drawing at the “Cozy up With a Good Book” brunch (by invitation only) to be held in the spring. The more review cards you fill out, the more chances you have to win!

Registration, which began on November 29, is ongoing but must be done in person. You must be an adult Garden City resident to join. So come in, register, and receive your gift at the Reference Desk. And remember to cozy up with a good book! For further information, please Laura Flanagan at 742-8405, ext. 239.

All About Forgetfulness: Maintain Your Brain

When should we be worried that memory lapses may be a sign of something more? The Library will host the Long Island Alzheimer’s Foundation program "All About Forgetfulness: Maintain Your Brain." What is normal when it comes to “forgetting” and “remembering” as we age will be addressed. Also to be discussed is reversible causes of memory loss and the importance of an early diagnosis. This enlightening program will be held on Tuesday, March 2 at 10:00 a.m. Learn how to live a brain-healthy lifestyle, and find out what you can do to be fit from the neck up. There is no registration and this program is open to all. For further information, please call Laura Flanagan at 742-8405, ext. 239.

AARP Driver Safety Course

Registration begins Saturday, February 20, at 9:00 a.m. at the Reference Desk for the AARP "55 Alive" defensive-driving course to be held at the Library. The course will be given Tuesday, March 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Registration is limited to Garden City residents, age 50 and older, and must be done in person with photo identification, proof of age (preferably a driver's license), along with your AARP membership card. In addition, a check for $12.00, made payable to AARP for members and $14.00 for nonmembers, for course materials must be presented at the time of registration. Cash will not be accepted. For further information, please call Laura Flanagan at 742-8405, ext. 239.

Library Staff Attends Professional Development Programs

The Library has expressed its commitment to keep its staff informed about changing trends in library services by encouraging employees to attend professional development programs. Not only are electronic technologies in libraries proliferating at an unprecedented rate but the library needs of the community continue to change and grow. Recently, Computer Systems Librarian Joe Agolia, Adult Reference Librarian Laura Flanagan, and Principal Account Clerk Patricia Marson attended continuing education programs to develop new skills and resources to better serve Garden City Public Library patrons. Joe Agolia attended several workshops sponsored by the Nassau Library System related to computers and technology. He attended one workshop on Flickr, a Web 2.0 site where users can upload and share photos. The other program was on the Nassau Digital Doorway, an electronic service which provides downloadable audiobooks for a user’s iPod or MP3 player as well as eBooks for the Sony eReader. The Garden City Public Library is planning to join the Nassau Digital Doorway in the coming year to offer patrons the opportunity to access these materials.

Laura Flanagan participated in a focus group with librarians from Nassau and Suffolk Counties that was sponsored by Library Journal about selection of library materials. The group discussed trends in collection development and patron services. Patricia Marson attended the intermediate course on "Accounting Principles and Procedures" run by the Office of the New York State Comptroller to become better prepared for the upcoming year’s Library budget preparation.

In a recent communication announcing a new professional development requirement for professional librarians whose state certification begins January 1, 2010, the New York State Library Association (NYLA) and the Board of Regents stated that “librarians and library staff need continual training to stay current with (the) developments in information technology.” According to NYLA, “requiring professional development for certified public librarians will benefit librarians, local libraries, library customers and local communities. Keeping current about changing trends in library services will enable public librarians to better meet the ever-changing information needs of library customers.”

Library Collects Used Eyeglasses for Lion’s Club

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

The Library is a collection site for used eyeglasses for the Recycle for Sight program, which is run by a local Lions Club. The Lions Club has expressed its appreciation to the Library for continuing to serve as an ongoing collection site. The boxes provided for the used eyeglass collection are located 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.

Advice for Reading

The Library offers a free electronic newsletter called NextReads that recommends good books on your favorite topics. 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 emailed 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. If you don’t have an email address, you can view the newsletters as web pages from any computer in the Library or at home from any computer with Internet access.

If you prefer to search for books within a genre, you can use another of the Library’s online resources, NoveList Plus. If you enter your favorite types of books (biography, history, mystery, science fiction, etc.), NoveList Plus will find similar books in its database of 200,000 fiction and nonfiction titles. You can also search by author, series, or even setting. Updated monthly, the database includes more than 30,000 full-text reviews and descriptions, with links to the Library catalog to help you locate a book of interest. For children, NoveList K-8 Plus includes fiction and nonfiction, picture books, children's "chapter" books, and young-adult titles.

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.

Career Databases Available 24/7

Whether you are looking for a first job or changing jobs, the Library offers a wealth of career resources at your fingertips 24 hours, seven days a week. Job seekers can take a skills-assessment test, explore different careers, develop a resume, or locate schools and financial-aid sources to continue education by utilizing the career databases that are available through the Library 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 resume. 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 employment tests through Learning Express Library. There are computer-skills courses, GED preparation, and other adult skill-building programs available through this database. In addition, students can prepare for the SAT and ACT as well as graduate-school entrance exams.

Job candidates can research prospective employers to prepare for an interview by using the Community Resource Database as well as the business-resource databases. Before the interview, applicants can also create, print, or email their résumés in the Library’s Computer Lab. The Library has a wealth of free resources to assist job seekers in finding whatever materials are needed for their employment search.

Book Club in a Bag

Due to the overwhelming popularity of the Book Club in a Bag program, the Library has decided to add an additional nine titles to the already established 17 titles. The new titles are:

The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
Home Safe, by Elizabeth Berg
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter & Sweet, by Jamie Ford
Lace Reader, by Brunonia Barry
Leisure Seeker, by Michael Zadoorian
Moloka’i, by Alan Brennert
One Thousand White Women, by Jim Fergus
Sarah’s Key, by Tatiana De Rosnay
Secret Scripture, by Sabastian Barry

For a complete list of titles, see the Book Club in a Bag page.

Each canvas tote bag contains 10 copies of the title, usually a large-type edition, audio material, and an information package with a summary, book reviews, biographical information, discussion questions, an author interview, and suggestions for further reading. The bags also contain a sign-up sheet for the leader to keep track of who has which book. Everything you need to help you run your own book-discussion group is included. Please contact Laura Flanagan for further information at 742-8405, ext 239.

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.

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.

Standard & Poors NetAdvantage, formerly available only in the Library, is now accessible to remote users - good news as the winter weather sets in. This incredible investment tool includes the full text of S & P's Bond Guide, Corporation Records, Dividend Record, Earnings Guide, Outlook, Register, Stock Guide, and Stock Reports. Be sure to follow the login instructions on the Databases page of our website.

We are also adding another investment service to our electronic reference shelf: Morningstar Investment Research Center. Turn to Morningstar for data and recommendations on 10,000 stocks and 24,000 mutual funds. There are 4,000 analyst reports, and the online tutorials will help you perform an effective search.

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..

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 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.

An Intro to Memoir Writing

You don’t have to be famous or even an experienced writer to chronicle the times of your life. Join us on Thursday, March 11, at 2:00 p.m. and be guided by an expert during this overview presentation with helpful hand-outs for audience members.

Professor Eileen Obser has been conducting creative writing workshops in fiction & non-fiction for over 16 years, mainly to adults & seniors, at Southampton College & Suffolk County Community College and, more recently, at the Ross School in East Hampton. Her fiction, personal essays and light verse have been published in numerous national & local publications, and in literary magazines.

Funding for this program has been provided by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library.

Irish High Tea

Join us Tuesday, March 16 at 1:00 p.m. for a delightful afternoon. Take a break, sit back, and relax as chef Barbara Sheridan demonstrates how to prepare an "Irish High Tea." The menu includes scones, clotted cream and strawberries, cucumber sandwiches, lemon tea bread, and Earl Grey tea. All you need to bring is your own special teacup and saucer. No need to be Irish, but you must be a Garden City resident to experience this Celtic tradition. In-person registration only and it begins on Sunday, February 28, at the Reference Desk. For further information please call Laura Flanagan at 742-8405, ext. 239.

Songs & Stories Celebrating Mary Martin

Come to the Library on Thursday, March 25, at 2:00 p.m. and enjoy the songs and stories of this legendary star of American musical theater, performed by Lisa Berman, vocalist; Stephen Goldstein, pianist; and Ruthe McKeown, narrator. You will be delighted by those wonderful songs Mary sang so well from the shows she originated on Broadway: South Pacific; The Sound of Music; Peter Pan; A Touch of Venus; I Do, I Do; and more!

Funding for this program has been provided by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library.

The Art & Life of William Sidney Mount

Join us on Thursday, April 8, at 2:00 p.m for this visual lecture with William Ayres, chief curator, The Long Island Museum. Born on Long Island in 1807, William Sidney Mount came of age during one of the most exciting periods of American art. Learn how Mount was influenced by New York’s “Hudson River School” painters, who specialized in depicting nature as sublime and awe inspiring. Enjoy seeing beautiful, detailed paintings by this early nineteenth century artist, who depicted Long Island’s characteristic landscape, with its verdant flora and engaging light. "Under the Canopy of Heaven: Works by William Sidney Mount" is on view through June 2010 at The Long Island Museum of American Art in Stony Brook.

Funding for this program has been provided by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library.

The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey

In a dramatic reading, actor David Houston, as former President Theodore Roosevelt, reports on his harrowing 1914 expedition to the unexplored Brazilian river now known as Rio Roosevelt. This is an hour-long, radio-style drama featuring sounds and music from South America. The script is derived from author Candice Millard's book with added material from Roosevelt's own Through the Brazilian Wilderness and his Autobiography. River of Doubt was selected for "Long Island Reads: One Island - One Book" for 2010.

This event takes place on Thursday, April 15, at 2:00 p.m. Funding for this program has been provided by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library.

The Japanese Garden Style

For more than a century, American artists, gardeners, and landscape designers have been inspired by the beauty, simplicity and underlying philosophy of Japanese gardens. On Thursday, April 29, at 2:00 p.m., Stephen Morrell, director of the John P. Humes Japanese Stroll Garden, will present a visual lecture to explore the aesthetic characteristics, design dynamics, and spiritual orientation of the Zen influenced temple and tea-garden styles.

Learn about the relationship between landscape painting, gardens, and the landscape that inspired them. The function of stone and plants, and the criteria for their selection and use, will be reviewed. Emphasis will be placed on the adaptation of these concepts in ways that are appropriate for our culture and environment.

Funding for this program has been provided 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.

Hiking Long Island

On Thursday, May 13 at 2:00 p.m., meet author Lee McAllister, who will present a visual lecture, “Hiking Long Island.” Discover the features that make Long Island a beautiful place to hike during any season. Audience members will learn about trail groups to join; where to start; how to go; finding the most scenic, peaceful routes; and more. Hear interesting facts about Long Island’s natural and human history, flora, fauna, and geological and topographical features.

Lee McAllister, a naturalist with intimate knowledge of L.I. and Catskill hiking areas, is the author of two hiking books: Hiking Long Island: A Comprehensive Guide to Parks and Trails and Hiking the Catskills: A Guide for Exploring the Natural Beauty of America's Romantic and Magical Mountains on the Trail and off the Beaten Path. Lee has updated Hiking Long Island with descriptions of six new trails and important revisions to five existing hikes. He has also written new material about six small preserves on the North Shore and added a section on small parks on the Twin Forks. All of the new text is accompanied by maps and pictures taken along the trails.

The Red Hot Mamas

“The Red Hot Mamas” will kick up their heels and dance in a free performance on Thursday, May 20 at 2:00 p.m. Be entertained with energetic dancing to Broadway showtunes, old-time favorites, and modern, popular music - all in dazzling costumes! The performance will be directed and choreographed by Toni Wortman and Louise Rastu with guest choreographer Sandi Bloomberg.

The Red Hot Mamas have been dancing in the New York area for the past 20 years. Their popularity has steadily increased with audiences of all ages. This group of tap dancers are all Long Islanders and range in age from 50 to almost 80. The Mamas are affiliated with the North Shore Studio of Dance in Huntington Station, NY.

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. For directions phone: (516) 742-8405.

A Tale of Two Presidents

Professor Kathryn Stanley Podwall will present a free visual lecture “A Tale of Two Presidents: The Homes & Lives of Jefferson & Eisenhower” on Thursday, May 27, at 2:00 p.m. “Tour” Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello home in Virginia and Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Gettysburg home in Pennsylvania. Learn why our presenter has linked these two places and presidents. Both are historic sites worthy of exploration.

Kathryn Stanley Podwall is a Professor of Biology at Nassau Community College and lives in Garden City. She is a member of: the Preservation Society of Newport County and The New York Academy of Sciences, and is a life member in the National Science Teachers Association. Her honors include the Soroptimist International of Nassau County President’s Award and inclusion in Who’s Who in America. She was recognized with a Service Award by Long Island Alzheimer’s Foundation.

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.