In July, 2006, Renee had a great idea to collect books to send to soldiers serving overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. Chris and I joined her and we sent a few boxes to soldiers via the anysoldier.com website. It is now two years later, and through our program “For Our Soldiers” we have sent over 1,200 care packages containing food, books, toiletries, dvd’s, and anything else we could fit in a box, at a cost of over $8,000 in postage.

Our friends, co-workers, families and our most generous community, Plainview-Old Bethpage, have reached deeply into their hearts and pockets. Stop by the “For Our Soldiers” table outside of Community Services and read some of the wonderful letters and emails from the recipients of our packages. We have been overwhelmed by the gratitude and humility of these brave men and women. Read their words and you will leave the Library with a smile on your face and a greater appreciation for the sacrifice of our soldiers.

It’s summer time and there’s no more hiding in sweat pants and baggie shirts. Studies show that keeping a food and activity journal is a helpful tool in the fight to get fit. I was ready for a reality check, so I got on the scale and then went looking for a website to use for journaling. I tried a couple but found them cumbersome to use until I tried www.my-calorie-counter.com. It has a huge database of nutritional information on many common foods, including lots of popular brands and restaurant items as well. It lets you set your own portion size, too.

You can also create custom food entries for foods that you eat regularly that are not included in the database. The site has a large list of activities and the calories burned when you engage in them. If you’re into blogging, you can post to a like-minded community blog and share your experience with others. There are plenty of links to articles on health and fitness. If you are honest about listing everything thing you’ve eaten, you may find the answer to that age-old question, “Why can’t I lose weight?” Then you can take steps needed to make that question unnecessary.

I love to shop and I’m always looking for the best buys at bargain prices. A friend of mine told me about this shopping website. It’s called Overstock.com. It’s an on-line wholesale and retail service featuring bedding books, clothing, electronics, furniture, jewelry, sports equipment and watches. This site has Clearance Bins, Steals Of The Week, Top Sellers, and Gift Cards that you may purchase online. Stop in today.

Have you heard of or considered investing in a GPS?
Technology allows you to navigate with a GPS via satellites. I received a GPS as a gift. It works great. You input your destination and the GPS gives you turn by turn directions and calculates an estimated time of arrival. If you miss an exit or turn while driving, the GPS recalculates your directions. Are you interested in purchasing one or would you like to read more? “Consumer Reports” has rated GPS navigators in the June 2008 issue. If you are not ready to buy one, Google maps is useful for getting directions.

This summer we encourage all of our younger patrons to "Read for the Gold," as part of our exciting Summer Reading program. There are a variety of programs designed specifically for infants thru teens. Each of the various programs promotes summertime reading, and rewards participants with weekly prizes, stickers and certificates. The programs will start on June 30th and continue thru August 17th. Come in or call Family Center to get more details.

Summertime fare, I think of barbecues and casual dining. These are the kinds of restaurants to consider when you are too tired to flick the switch, marinate the meat or clean up the mess. Grab a bite at Big Daddy’s Barbecue in Massapequa - hot, smoky and fiery food, extremely powerful. You don’t need the sun to feel the heat! Turtle Crossing is another favorite of mine. Take a ride to East Hampton for the day and stop by this restaurant for huge portions of tasty ribs, brisket and shrimp. It has an upbeat crowd so bring the family to enjoy the noisy fun atmosphere. If you would like a home away from home, with fabulous Northern Italian food and great service you must try Fianona in New Hyde Park, a family operated business of our friend/co-worker Evita. She does not want to brag, but our fellow staff members have no problem doing so. It should be added to the list of restaurants you must definitely try.

The Media Center has begun purchasing a small number of BLUE-RAY DVD titles for public borrowing! See Desk for details. If you have the player at home, here is the opportunity for POB card holders to borrow some new, popular titles. We hope you enjoy them!
Our growing Book on CD collection is perfect for car trips, and now includes a large number of Pimsleur foreign language titles.
We have just received some additional MP3 titles-Titles by Alexander McCall Smith, Jodi Picoult, Lisa Scottoline and others.

Hey, all you photographers out there! The Library is looking for someone to take photos of a typical day in the Library. We’ll upload the photos to our flickr account and give you credit for your work. We would love to see the Library through your eyes and share it with the world!

I love to cook on the barbecue and many of my friends have asked me for my “recipe secrets.” My grilling “secrets” are really web sites that I’d like to share. Try RecipeSource. Type “barbecue” in the search box and click the “Go” button. You’ll find delicious marinades and sauces that will please everyone! Fish lovers, try
Fish 4 Fun for tips on grilling seafood. For vegetables, I use
Grilling 101-Grilled Vegetables-All Recipes. Grilling vegetables isn’t rocket science and many vegetables are great on the grill. Last, but not least, is Grilling-Recipes.com which gives you 1200 of the best all time barbecue recipes. I especially like the grilled chicken recipes

I was looking for a special place to take my visiting granddaughter last weekend and luckily a library patron asked to see a recent Newsday article about the Long Island Puppet Theatre and Museum. When I found the article, I couldn’t believe that I had never heard about the place before and it’s right next-door in Hicksville! It’s a charming, enchanted, colorful theater with puppet shows on weekends and during school vacations.
They will be showing The Little Mermaid, The Wizard of Oz and Punch and Judy during the next few months. They also hold BIRTHDAY PARTIES complete with favors and pizza. Get directions on their website www.lipuppet.com. It’s easy to find and reasonably priced!

Our country will be electing a new president in November, and John McCain will be the Republican nominee. He supports the war in Iraq, always has, and if he is elected, our troops will most likely remain there for years to come. If a Democrat is elected, whether it is Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, the timetable for their return will be different. But the fact remains, the troops will be there for the foreseeable future, and we must keep our focus on that. Let’s remember that what we do is for the men and women who are struggling to fight a war under difficult conditions with substandard supplies. They know that many people in our country are losing faith in the war and the government’s rhetoric but we must show them that we still support the individuals who are there, if not the war itself. Please donate materials, food and money to our efforts and we will continue to send our care packages overseas.

Jennifer, an old friend of mine, was interested in doing community theatre. She didn’t know where to turn and asked my advice. I went on to the Plainview-Old Bethpage Library website (www.poblib.org) and clicked on “Search by Subject.” This led me to “Long Island Information.” “Deb’s Web” looked interesting. I clicked on ”Cast Calls.” This was just what Jennifer needed. There is an extensive listing of theatres on Long Island. Specific roles are advertised. I’m looking forward to seeing her on the stage soon!

I recently returned from the Public Library Association Conference in Minneapolis and heard about an amazing organization that was started in 1998 when 28-year-old John Wood was an overworked Microsoft executive in need of a quiet vacation. Little did he know that his trip to Nepal was going to be life changing. His guide took him to see a school that literally had no books – oh, except for a Danielle Steele romance and other castoffs from travelers. He made a decision after that trip to leave Microsoft and do something about this deprivation. He wrote a book “Leaving Microsoft to change the world” - 370.9173 Woo. He then proceeded to found an organization called http://www.roomtoread.org. This became and is an organization that is providing books, education to young girls and goodwill in several Asian countries. It is expanding to South Africa. It provides the means so that the people can do the building of libraries and schools on their own. Look at their web site and you will see the impact that this one person has had.

When someone asks,” What’s for dinner?” and you respond, “Reservations,” check out Zagat Long Island Restaurants at the Reference Department. If you want additional suggestions, openings and closing of venues, or small bites, consult the Long Island Restaurant binder located on the Consumer Table. The list is updated twice weekly and is very informative. Some of my own suggestions:
·: After attending a lovely high tea at the Waldorf Astoria in NYC, I thought about another wonderful gem. The Lady Ann’s Vintage Tea Room right here in Levittown was a special experience.
.· For a slice of the South, try Smokin Al’s Famous BBQ Joint. Please dress casual, it could get messy.
· If you enjoy a touch of Greece, try the fresh fish and outstanding Greek salads, served at the 33 year old Mediterranean Snack Bar in Huntington. Tell owner Steve, Ilene sent you.
· For a fun, lively, tropical getaway, Laguna Grill comes to mind for tasty tangy dishes, including fabulous salads and potent drinks at the lively bar.

We have a new wheelchair accessible library table which meets ADA requirements. This table provides ample knee clearance space and a range of heights appropriate for wheelchair users. It can be used alone as a reading table or with a laptop computer. It’s located in the Reference corridor. Stop by the Reference desk for the crank that raises and lowers the table and we’ll be happy to assist you!

The library is pleased to announce the development of our first teen garden. The flower and vegetable garden will be planted in the late spring and tended through harvest time in the fall. A kickoff workshop, under the guidance of the Cornell Cooperative Extension, is currently being planned for May. Teens in grades 7 – 12 will have the opportunity to plant, tend, and enjoy the beautiful flowers and delicious vegetables from the garden. Additionally, a portion of the vegetables grown will be donated to the Interfaith Nutrition Network as part of the Plant a Row for the Hungry program. Teens who are interested in participating are encouraged to contact the Family Center. All participants will earn community service credit.

If you’re reading this blog post, you’re on our website. Did you notice the small photo with the URL www.flickr.com above it? If you click on that photo, you’ll enter the world of Flickr, much more than just a photo album. It’s a place where the Library is posting all their photos, so you can view them at any time. But it is also a community of photo sharing folks. You can post your photos on flickr and make them public for anyone to view or private, and share them with your chosen friends by invitation only. You can write descriptions of your photos and invite people to post their comments, just like you can comment on this blog.

Even the Library of Congress is posting pictures on Flickr! They have a page on Flickr called the Commons where you can look at photos from a collection called 1930’s and 1940’s in color and another collection called News in the 1910’s. There are thousands of photos in each collection and they would love to get your comments.

PIMSLEUR FOREIGN LANUAGE CDs

The Media Center has just expanded our foreign language collection
We now have, on CD format, Arabic, French, Italian, and Spanish that POB residents may borrow
These popular Pimsleur series are all without manuals, so you just listen and learn

PLAYAWAYS

We now have 39 titles in our growing collection
We even provide the batteries
You just provide the headphones
Truly “Plug & Play”

I’ve picked out some old pictures from our Local History Collection to decorate our new lobby. It will take a bit of time for them to be framed and hung, but I hope they bring back some good memories. I had a lot of fun going though our pictures and deciding what to use. Our community sure has changed. We went from farm country to a hustling, bustling suburban town in a very short time. Enjoy the pictures!

The Friends of the Library invite you to celebrate National Library Week with them. They have planned an interesting evening on Monday evening, April 14 at 7:30 with local author, Alyson Richman. Ms. Richman has penned three highly acclaimed novels – The Last Van Gogh, which is her most recent work of historical fiction, The Swedish Tango and The Mask Carver’s Son. Richman will discuss her craft and read from her books. There will also be time for questions and answers from the audience. After Ms. Richman’s program, please join us for refreshments and a book sale and signing.
You may also wish to read The Last Van Gogh prior to attending the lecture, so be sure to reserve it as a single copy or read it with your book group and reserve it as one of our “Book Club in a Bag” titles. We are looking forward to seeing you at this exciting event.

If you want Nassau County Assessment Review Commission to review your property’s assessment you can file electronically until March 3, 2008. Access the forms through the website http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/ARC/forms.html. You can also print up the forms either at home or the Library and mail them by March 3, the last day to appeal the 2009-2010 tentative assessment.

Last time we advertised for a part-time Librarian on the Long Island Library Conference website, I received a number of responses by email. One cover letter was from a librarian with 7 years of library experience who listed attributes I thought would make her a strong candidate for the job. She said in her letter that a position at the POB Library was very appealing to her. Great, I thought, she must know the library! You can imagine my surprise when I opened up her resume and saw that she was writing from London, England. Wow, that would be quite a commute!

On Feb 17, 2009 all television broadcasting will become 100% digital. That means that if you have an analog TV you will have to get a converter box. Did you know the government is going to give you a subsidy for the purchase of a box? This website https://www.dtv2009.gov/ will tell you all about it. If you are a cable or satellite subscriber then you will be provided with an analog signal until 2012.

One person comes to the Library for the latest bestseller. Another comes with her toddler for Storytime. Perhaps you’re retired and like to read your favorite newspapers or magazines in our lounge. Or maybe you come to use our Internet computers. You are all different, but you have one thing in common. You come to the Library for something that you need.

But what about when you need something and don’t know where to find it? The Library can help you there, too. The Community Service Department provides personal, confidential Information & Referral Services. If we don’t have the information to help you solve your problem, we will try to connect you with the person or agency that can. We work with parents who need services for their children and adult children who need assistance for their parents. We proctor exams for people, we help with applications – we want to connect you with the answers you need.

Your direct line to the CS office is (516) 938-0077 X1254. Stop in or call. We’re here to help.

The Dark Knight is scheduled for release on July 18, 2008 in U.S. theaters. The film is based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman. Heath Ledger, who recently, tragically passed away played the role of the Joker. The role may, in fact, have led to his physical exhaustion. To prepare for the role, he was given Batman: The Killing Joke and Arkham Asylum to read. Our library currently has Batman: The Killing Joke in DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore, call number 741.5973 Moore. Bethpage and Wantagh Public Libraries have Arkham Aslyum. The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller is also a suggested read for Batman fans. It can be found at other Nassau libraries and is on order for Plainview.

For all business aficionados, check these out! We have two great resources for looking up your mutual funds and stock profiles. Morningstar and Value Line Online are available on all of our Internet computers. So, come on in and try them out! Stop at the Reference desk and we will log you on.

My friend, Diane was looking for a new internist. She had a few names but wanted more information: education, practice information, and legal actions. I told her about a good site, www.nydoctorprofile.com. This was just what she needed to make an informed choice. You can just type in this address or go to our new homepage, www.poblib.org. Click on the following:
Search by Subject
Health, Medicine, and Nutrition
Doctors, Dentists, Healthcare Professionals, Hospitals
New York State Physician Profile
Here’s a tip: Just put in the doctor’s last name. All the doctors with that last name will come up. Click on the appropriate doctor.

Renee, Chris and I were talking about our “For Our Soldiers” program, which has been ongoing since July, 2006. Since our money collection jar was stolen back in December, donations of money and materials have dropped to next to nothing. We cannot put out another collection jar, or box, because of the possibility of theft and damage to the library. Therefore, our collection area will most likely be eliminated. One of us asked the others if we were ready for our efforts to send the care packages to the soldiers to end. I was at a loss for words. Even though we all knew when we began that we could not possibly sustain this for the long haul, the thought of abandoning our soldiers, which is what I feel in my heart we would be doing, felt like a dagger to my heart. All because one person felt the need, during the holiday season, to take the few dollars that our community donated, dollar by dollar, to those who are far away from home, friends and family.

We don’t know how else to continue to receive donations from the kids who threw coins from their allowance into the jar, or the shopper who was in Shop Rite and bought an extra box of granola bars and dropped them into the basket the next time she was in the library. Or the vet who brought in a bunch of decks of playing cards. If you have any thoughts on this, we welcome your suggestions.

The Hempstead Public Library is home to the World Language Collection, which contains over 12,000 books in over 20 languages. This special collection serves anyone who resides in Nassau County. If you wish, you may request these titles from our Reference Department. FYI, our library owns a small foreign language book collection, which is on shelves next to the Adult Lounge. If you can’t find what you need please ask, we’d be happy to help you.

Have you used our new PlayAways yet? We now have 27 titles, with more on the way. Just add you own headphones, push a button, and you are good to go!

Don’t forget our collection of classic DVDs. We have over 60 vintage titles for your enjoyment, many enhanced with additional features. Speaking of classics, we now have a colorized “Our Gang” DVD set.

Thanks to our patrons for borrowing a record high number of Music CDs in December. Come and browse our growing collection of classical, popular, folk, rock, country, jazz, and international titles.

The Books on CD collection has grown and have been shifted for easier browsing. We’ll be glad to show you where.

Have you ever wondered about a friend that you went to school with? The Local History Collection at the library has a large collection of yearbooks from all the schools in the district. Many people have used them to reconnect with old acquaintances. Do you have a school project? We have an extensive book collection that deals with the history of our area. There is also a newspaper-clipping file that keeps track of pertinent articles and information about, businesses, schools, local organizations and people in our community. We keep environmental studies and other material about things that affect Plainview and Old-Bethpage, as well as the rest of Long Island. If there is something controversial going on in our area, come to the library and get up-to-date information from the Local History Collection. The collection also houses over 1,000 photographs and shows how our community has grown and changed. Come to the Reference Desk and ask to see any of the material or ask for our Local History Librarian who can do more extensive research for you.

Do you remember watching old horror movies hosted by Zacherley, the Cool Ghoul? Or going to a drive-in restaurant where car hops brought the food to your car on metal trays that hooked over a partially raised car window? What about trips to the corner candy store on a summer afternoon to buy Mallo Cups, Double Bubble bubblegum with Bazooka Joe comics inside every pack, frozen Popsicles on double wooden sticks that could be shared with a friend or Fizzies tablets that bubbled into a sparkling beverage when dropped into a glass of cold water?
Articles about all of these plus many more can be found in Reminisce: The Magazine That Brings Back The Good Times and Good Old Days: The Magazine That Remembers The Best both available in the Adult Lounge.

“Once considered quiet havens for study and research, modern public libraries are creating a new niche for themselves in community life. From bridging the digital divide to offering solutions to societal challenges, the public library has evolved into the essential “go to” facility for young and old alike – both physically and in cyberspace.” ICMA Management Perspective, October 2007

Libraries are dynamic resources that play multiple roles in their communities. No longer is the local public library just a place to study and borrow books, it is evolving along with the needs of its community. One of the core responsibilities of the staff of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library is to connect people within the community with each other, and with cultural, social and educational events. We look forward to partnering with other local organizations to make this happen.

Just watch us grow!

When I have the opportunity to sit down and read it’s often at night. By that time my eyes feel a bit strained and I reach for my magnifying glasses. Oh it is a pleasure to be able to find the title I want in Large Print because I can read it so easily and I don’t have to go searching for my glasses. A little secret is that we often get the best sellers in large type at the same time as we get the regular type books and there are fewer holds on the large type. By the way, there is a list of adult large type books in the left column of our web page under “what to read next”. It makes it easy to find out what’s new.

Our library provides Notary service to the public. To take advantage of this special service, come in Monday, Tuesday and Friday l0:00am-Noon 2:00pm-4:00pm Wednesday and Thursday l0:00am-Noon, 2:00-4:00pm and 6:00pm-8:30pm, Sunday is by appointment only so call after l pm. I’ve been amazed by some of the documents that are required to be notarized. They could be for GRE, MCAT, LSAT and CPA exams. Over the years, pension forms, unclaimed fund forms, senior discount MTA forms, pistol licenses, lawsuits and divorce case documents have passed through my hands. Sometimes patrons share as I notarize their documents. Many lawsuits and divorce cases go on for years and I sympathize with the patrons. I listen and sometimes get advice without asking. It is my pleasure to assist.

I was going to take the LIRR to Penn Station and discovered that the printed schedule I had was expired. I found the current new schedule very quickly on this link http://lirr42.mta.info/index.asp and was able to get the return schedule as well. Also handy are the Long Island Bus schedule, and E-Z Pass applications, and Service Advisories on http://mta.info.

Several months ago, a patron approached us about her son who was preparing for his Bar Mitzvah. He was thinking about what “mitzvah” or charitable deed he could do for this special occasion in his life when he came across the “For Our Soldiers” display in the lobby of the library. Renee, Chris and I have been collecting food, materials, books and money for postage, and have been sending care packages to soldiers overseas for over a year. It has been a busy year for us, both personally and professionally, and honestly I lost track of the young bar mitzvah boy. But he didn’t forget about the soldiers. One day last week, he came into the library with his mother and brother and presented us with the money he had collected from his friends and neighbors. He had his picture taken with us, and Maria Pontillo wrote an article about him for the Plainview Herald. This “mitzvah” performed by this wonderful young man offered us a glimpse into the future, and I for one liked what I saw.

Did you know that our reference department has an “Aladdin Rainbow Pro Electronic Magnifier” for low vision patrons? This magnifier can increase the size of text from small to extra-large. I put my People magazine on the platform and low and behold, the print was on the screen before me. Reading matter can be viewed on the screen in black on white or reversed for white on black and other colors are available. This assistive magnifying device is user-friendly, but feel free to ask our reference staff for any help that you may need!

What a busy time of the year - holidays, cooking, shopping. Before I go shopping for that Old Navy boy's jacket it would be good to know that Old Navy recalled boys' jackets because the drawstring at the waist poses an entrapment hazard. How would I know that except by going to notinmycart.org or recalls.gov? Notinmycart.org is the website for the Consumers Union and it is chock full of consumer tips for safe shopping.

As you may know, County Executive Tom Suozzi is currently studying the feasibility of consolidating public libraries in Nassau County in an attempt to save tax dollars. However, many think consolidation is a mistake, and feel Mr. Suozzi’s plan will not work, and ultimately will not save money. Assemblyman Harvey Weinstein (D-Long Beach) wrote recently in Newsday, “Of course we would all like to see our property taxes reduced, but library budgets account for such a small fraction of local property tax burdens – from 1% to about 4 % - that any savings realized from consolidation would be a drop in the bucket.” He goes on to praise the public library as a center “of local activities, a place for personal growth and social experiences, a place to take pride in, a place to feel connected, a place to feel at home.” The Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library is open seven days a week to serve its residents. It is available online 24/7, and provides materials and services for people of all ages, from arts and crafts and literacy guidance for the young, to concerts and reference materials for senior citizens. It is a service unmatched in the community, and a library the community can be proud to support.

I recently visited a friend in Connecticut. It was dark by the time I started my drive back to Long Island. Too late, I realized I had made a wrong turn. I found myself on a street with beautiful homes, but not a person in sight. Although I manage the map collection for the Library's Vertical File, I had neglected to take a map out for my trip. We have numerous maps of Connecticut and New England. I also realized that I would have needed a flashlight to read it.
Luckily, I reached a friend by cell phone. She went on the Internet and told me just where I was located. I was then able to get on the highway and drive safely home. I know that some of you have GPS systems or could have texted Google for directions. But for the rest of us, there's a moral to this story: When you take a trip, bring your cell phone, a flashlight and A MAP FROM THE POB LIBRARY COLLECTION!