NYPL Blogs

You Can't Do It Alone: John Cheever in the Village

John Flood, Hudson Park Branch Library — Sun, 27 May 2012 08:48:02 -0400

John Cheever lived at 61 Jane Street when The New Republic published his first short story. His birthday is May 27.

Here are some words from the writer:

Art is the triumph over chaos.

I can't write without a reader. It's precisely like a kiss — you can't do it alone.

Christian Science Monitor (October 24, 1979)

He was a tall man with an astonishing and somehow elegant curvature of the spine, formed by an enlarged lower abdomen, which he carried in a stately and contented way, as if it contained money and securities.

Description of a Yankee rector in The Wapshot Scandal

See also: Robert Armitage's "Cheever Country," John Cheever collection of papers, 1942-1982.

NYPLarcade Asks: What Are You Playing?

Thomas Knowlton, Mid-Manhattan Library, Language and Literature — Fri, 25 May 2012 13:23:41 -0400

I'm finally discovering what everyone loves about Minecraft through the recently released Xbox 360 Edition: the whimsical soundtrack, pixelated sunrises and sunsets, and surprisingly fun split-screen multiplayer keep drawing me back in. If you haven't tried it yet, the free, time-limited demo may win you over.

On my phone, Waking Mars (iOS) has been a refreshing change of pace. While the conversations between characters can be almost comically awkward at points, figuring out the mechanics of each seed and plant is actually a lot of fun.

I've also been making incremental progress in Hack, Slash, Loot (available on PC/Mac/Linux) which has charming 8-bit inspired art, but an absolutely punishing difficulty level. The latest advice I've gleaned from the forums is to pick the Amazonian and tackle the Mask of the Boy King quest first. Download the free demo here.

Lastly, we recently kicked off our very first NYPLarcade Game Club series featuring the games of Jenova Chen: bit.ly/jenovachen-nypl. I will be playing Flower to brush up for next week's discussion and perhaps pick up some of the remaining Trophies I've missed. If you'd like to join us, we'll be playing and talking about the game on Tuesday, 5/29 starting at 7 p.m. at the Mid-Manhattan Library.

How about you? What games are you playing this Memorial Day Weekend?

This Magic Moment: A Magic the Gathering Interview

Jennifer Gaeta, New Dorp Library — Fri, 25 May 2012 13:14:44 -0400

I used to think the world was a very small boring place, filled only with cookie crumbs and empty soda bottles... And then I met Dwight and Jeremy. They taught me that earth can be a magical place. They taught me that magic does exist... in the form of a card game!

Gather around YO! -ABRA CA DORKA-

Let's talk about Magic.

Saddle up your Griffin and...

LET'S TAP INTO THE DORKLANDS!

Join me for a very special interview with Young Adult patrons, Dwight and Jeremy (The Nighthawks) as we discuss Magic the Gathering. Remember the links are your best friends.

I hear you call yourselves The Nighthawks, is that because you lack originality?

Jeremy: Yes, that's exactly why!

Dwight: No it's because it's Jeremy's favorite card.

What is a nighthawk?

Jeremy: BEST CARD EVER! [Vampire Nighthawk is an amazing card... he's basically untouchable.]

Do you feel like New Dorp Library has become like your home base?

Dwight: Basically.

Jeremy: Yes this is where we reside, I prefer to call it The Forge!

Do you see it as a training ground?

Jeremy: I feel more like a teacher or a mentor, since all the younger kids started playing a lot more and come to us for advice on their decks.

Dwight: Well it is a training ground because I can play as long as I want without the fear of failure.

Since you've been exposed to the other teens in the library do you feel they have become more interested in the game?

Dwight: Definitely, they all started playing now, when we first come here everyone was playing Yu-Gi-Oh!

Comic Book Stores vs. Libraries, where would you rather play?

Dwight: Library definitely; this is a less hostile environment.

Jeremy: Here — I like helping people here. I teach them new things and strategies; I just don't do that over there...

If you play magic does that make you a magician?

Dwight: Yes!

Jeremy: It makes you a wizard!

Dwight: No really, it does...

I've noticed while you're playing you have nervous habits... What's going on there?

Jeremy: I over analyze everything, I'm constantly suffling the cards in my hand. It serves as a comfort while my brain is freaking out saying: "What's he going to do next?"

How much time do you spend building/improving your deck?

Dwight: When am I not! 6 hours a day...

Jeremy: Well I'm in school for 6 hours and I sleep for 8... 3 hours a day.

Have you ever read the book Hawkleberry Finn?

Dwight: (Laughs)

Jeremy: No... I'm still working on my memoir.

Who was your toughest opponent to beat?

Jeremy: I played a mirror match at the PTQ [Pro-Tour Qualifier]. He had pretty much the exact same deck as me but I played it different. I almost lost.

I've heard that people that play card strategy games have poor social skills — tell me how you would respond to the following social situations...

Someone holds the door open for you... You say ____

D & J: Thank You!

Someone says good morning are you enjoying the sunshine today? You say _____

Dwight: Yes I'm enjoying the flipping sun!

Jeremy: Yeah, but it's been raining for 2 weeks... *Throws a card across the table* I wanna ride a Vorapede!!!

Someone says "oh my thats a nice shirt you are wearing"... You say _____

Jeremy: Thank you I like it too, that's why I bought it...

Dwight: Sooo... we're proving that we are not impolite jerks?

Someone drops their keys by your feet... you ______

Dwight: Hey you dropped your keys!

Jeremy: Grab them and see what kind of car it goes to — No I say Heyyyyyy your keys!

Do you have any advice for someone who wants to start playing Magic The Gathering?

Dwight: Read the manual.

Jeremy: Dont play like a "NOOB," Don't mix colors. [Noob is a term for a new player]

I've learned a few magic tricks... Check this out!

For magic players interested in coming to the New Dorp Library we have our Teen room open on most Mondays and Wednesdays. We will also be having a tournament within the year with prizes! [Ages 12-18 for tournament entry]

Check out some of our books that involve Magic!

Magic, the Gathering the Official Strategy Guide

Path of the Planeswalker

Get Moving NYC: Where’s Your Fitness Fun?

Jaqueline Woolcott, Ask NYPL — Fri, 25 May 2012 12:35:28 -0400

Every year, spring sparks my desire to get out of my stuffy apartment, stretch my legs, and enjoy what the city has to offer. I want to enjoy a little time outside or find an event that requires some movement.

Certainly getting out, exercising, and discovering a new activity has many great benefits to your general health, but finding the activity that puts a smile on your face can also give you something to look forward to after a hard day at work or add a little fun to your Mondays.

With so many positives, how can you argue?

My first spring in the city I was bit lost where to start but spotted an ad for New York City Parks and Recreation. Deciding to check it out and see what my new city's parks have to offer, I found lots of free and inexpensive fun all around the boroughs. There are some real gems out there if you're willing to go a tad off your normal trail and try something new.

Enjoyable activities in the NYC Parks and recreational centers are plentiful and waiting for you. Take a walk, join in on some African Dancing, learn to swim (or join the swim team), you can even have an adventure with a Park Ranger.

Are the programs offered not your pace? BeFitNYC invites you to create your own activity with their Facebook App.

Love the parks and want to be even more involved this season? There are lots of volunteer oppourtunities.

Parks and Rec doesn't actually plan activities for all the parks in the city. You'll want to check the offical calendars for some of the different parks throughout the city.

For instance, Bryant Park offers yoga, fencing, juggling, tai chi, and other fun activities.

Central Park has several events each month. While they don't share the same popular appeal as the events Bryant Park offers, they are a great excuse to get out and try something different or learn something new about a favorite spot. I always keep an eye on the Central Park Calendar for new and interesting walks and events.

Same goes for Prospect Park Events in Brooklyn.

New York Public Library also has health and wellness events at a few of our branches. Check out our events calendar for more information.

Need some music to get you moving? Download DRM-free music for your iPod or MP3 player with Freegal and your library card.

If these events don't fit your schedule, I've included some library materials you might find helpful.

Children's Books

The Busy Body Book: A Kid's Guide to Fitness
Rockwell, Lizzy

From Head to Toe
Carle, Eric

Get up and Go!
Nancy L. Carlson

Keeping Kids Fit: A Family Plan for Raising Active, Healthy Children
Len Saunders

Strong Kids, Healthy Kids: The Revolutionary Program for Increasing your Child's Fitness in 30 Minutes A Week
Fredrick Hahn

Teen Books

Seventeen Presents 500 Health & Fitness Tips

Breathe: Yoga for Teens
Mary Kaye Chryssicas

Toning for Teens: The 20-minute Workout That Makes You Look Good and Feel Great!
Joyce L. Vedral

Adult Books

Working Out Sucks! (and Why It Doesn't Have To) (also available as an eBook)
Chuck Runyon

LL Cool J's Platinum 360 Diet and Lifestyle: A Full-Circle Guide to Developing your Mind, Body, and Soul
LL Cool J

The Longevity Prescription: The 8 Proven Keys to A Long, Healthy Life
Robert N. Butler

Champions Body for Life: 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength

Strength for Life: The Fitness Plan for the Best of your Life
Shawn Phillips

T.O.'s Finding Fitness: Making the Mind, Body, and Spirit Connection for Total Health
Terrell Owens

NYPL has more resources and fun stuff for you to check out. One of my favorite blog posts: Start a New Hobby with the Help From NYPL's Periodical Collections!

This post on 50+ Fitness Fairs also has information on local organizations that promote fitness for all ages.

Have any hidden treasures in the city for us to discover? Share in the comments.

See you outside!

Extra! Extra! Read All About the Newsboys Strike of 1899

Rosa Caballero-Li, AskNYPL — Fri, 25 May 2012 11:15:37 -0400

This year the musical Newsies got nominated for eight Tony Awards. The popularity of the Disney Broadway show based on the Disney film has led many of our younger patrons to ask about the newsboys and the strike they led in 1899 on which the film and play are based.

If you are interested in learning more about the strike of 1899 (there were other strikes before and after) simply do a search for "Newsboys strike 1899" in the following database which can be accessed from any library location: Proquest Historical Newspapers: New York Times or Proquest Historical Newspapers: New York Tribune.

The strike occurrred during the summer of 1899 when the Evening World and Evening Journal decided to raise the wholesale price of its newspapers ("Newsboys Go On Strike," 1899). Newsboys not only had to pay more for the newspapers they sold but they were not refunded for unsold papers. At the time newsboys were earning on average 26 cents a day.

The articles paint a vivid picture of the challenges the newsboys faced and bring to life many of their colorful leaders. The 1899 New York Times article "Newsboys Act and Talk: Fight and Champion Their Cause in Mass Meeting" details how a floral horseshoe was presented to Kid Blink, one of the leaders of the strike for presenting the best speech.

"Ten cents in the dollar is as much to us as it is to Mr. Hearst the millionaire. Am I right? We can do more with ten cents than he can do with twenty five. Is it boys? I don't believe in hitting the drivers of the news wagons. I don't believe in dumping the carts same as was done last night. I'll you tell you the truth I was one of the boys that did it, but it ain't right. Just stick together and we'll win."

Long before the strike the newsboys were the subject of many articles. A search for newsboys and lodging houses bring up many articles that detail their daily lives. In 1853 a reporter describes the young urchins as "A distinct class amongst themselves... They eat and sleep and make their living and amuse themselves in their own way perfectly independent of the world so long as their world will buy their papers." The article goes on to detail how a favorite pastime is to go to the theater ("Walks Among the New-York Poor"). The newsboys surely would have gotten a kick out of the fact they are the inspiration for a major Broadway play.

Kids on Strike! by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Describes what drove workers, including children, to various strikes.

Breaker Boys: How A Photograph Helped End Child Labor by Michael Burgan
Lewis Hine's photographs exposed the hardships of child labor to the masses.

We Were There, Too! Young People in U.S. History by Phillip M. Hoose
This book details the lives of young people at center of many historical events throughout this country's history.

How the Other Half Lives: Studies among the Tenements of New York by Jacob A. Riis
The candid photographs in the books are a window into what life was like in the Lower East Side Tenements towards the end of the 19th century.

Striking Back: The Fight to End Child Labor Exploitation by J. Dennis Robinson
Details the many strikes that children participated until the passage of the Fair Labor Act.

Sources Cited:

Newsboys act and talk. (1899, Jul 25). New York Times (1857-1922), pp. 3.
"Walks among the New-York poor." (1853, Mar 12). New York Daily Times (1851-1857), pp. 3-3.
Newsboys go on strike. (1899, Jul 21). New-York Tribune (1866-1899), pp. 10.

Musical of the Month: Naughty Marietta

Doug Reside, Digital Curator of Performing Arts, Library for the Performing Arts — Fri, 25 May 2012 04:06:40 -0400

A Guest Blog By Ellen Peck

To music historian Richard Traubner, operetta evokes “gaiety and lightheartedness, sentiment and Schmalz” (Traubner, Operetta: A Theatrical History, revised edition, 2003). If any song in the history of American musical theatre has earned a reputation for schmaltz, it would have to be “Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life” from the 1910 Victor Herbert and Rida Johnson Young operetta Naughty Marietta.

Its purple expressions of finding the greatest gift known to humanity, the love to end all sorrows, have subjected the song to perennial ridicule. (Mel Brooks infamously used it as a post-coital anthem for his 1974 film Young Frankenstein.) But as we must not judge a book by its cover, nor should we judge Naughty Marietta solely on its most famous song over a hundred years later. When its first audiences left the New York Theatre on November 7, 1910 humming the tune, Herbert and Young (and producer Oscar Hammerstein I) had a major hit on their hands. Naughty Marietta would be each writer’s most enduring work and lead to a film in 1935, a television special in 1955, and enter the repertories of light opera companies all over the United States.

In 1910, the up-and-coming playwright Rida Johnson Young had garnered attention not just for her successful plays Brown of Harvard and The Boys of Company ‘B,’ but also for the incidental songs she had written for them. When Hammerstein hired Young to write the lyrics and libretto for the new Victor Herbert operetta, she had little knowledge of the challenges inherent in the form. Although no stranger to songwriting – she had spent two years as a staff lyricist at Tams-Witmark – operetta required a different dramaturgical approach than her non-musical plays. For Naughty Marietta, Young had to tie the songs to the action and emotion of the scene and characters, yet still make them able to stand on their own, outside the context of the show, in order to sell sheet music (still a booming business in 1910). Other matters of practicality intervened as well, such as following the conventions of operetta. The form that had taken Vienna by storm in the 19th century spawned a wave of American imitators eager to cash in on its increasing popularity in the United States. When Herbert and Young began working on Naughty Marietta, New York was still buzzing about the American premiere of Franz Lehar’s The Merry Widow only three years before. The Viennese style of operetta featured lush, romantic music, dashing characters, popular dance forms (including the ultimate expression of romantic love, the waltz), and a palpable sense of nostalgia for a fairy-tale past. Fortunately, Herbert and Young were experts at their respective crafts.

The setting for Naughty Marietta fulfilled one basic requirement, that the operetta take place in a remote time and locale that never really existed. (The term “Ruritania” had often been applied to European operetta settings: an Eastern European mountain village or kingdom, populated by beautiful ladies and handsome men, and bathed in the golden glow of nostalgia.) But this being an American operetta, the locale – New Orleans around 1780 – had a decidedly raw feel to it. And this New Orleans was populated entirely by French settlers, not the Spanish ruling class who actually occupied it in the 1780s. Thus, although Herbert and Young did not invent New Orleans, they fictionalized it to create a world that could only belong to Marietta D’Altena (runaway Italian countess) and her dashing hero, Captain Dick Warrington (American commander of a band of rough-and-ready rangers).

Marietta, played by the fiery Italian soprano Emma Trentini, has escaped from a life of familial servitude on a French ship headed for New Orleans, full of casquette girls bearing gold and land deeds from the French king to present to potential husbands in the growing colony. Marietta yearns for the man who will finish the tune spinning in her head (the “Dream Melody,” which is the basis for “Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life”), and greets every man she meets by singing it. Meanwhile, Captain Dick has two missions to fulfill: return Marietta to France and capture the pirate Bras Pique, who has been terrorizing the high seas. Marietta convinces him to harbor her in New Orleans. The two bicker and protest any romantic feelings toward each other, but there is no doubt from the beginning that Dick will be the man to finish Marietta’s song. Etienne Grandet, the son of the Lieutenant Governor, has his eyes on Marietta and a secret: he is Bras Pique. Etienne plans to take over New Orleans, but his attraction to the feisty Marietta and trouble with his quadroon slave, Adah, interrupt his schemes. Another subplot features the comic character Silas Slick, a servant with lofty ambitions, and Lizette, a casquette girl who cannot get a husband and latches onto Silas. (This character originated as Simon O’Hara, a broad ethnic stereotype; Hammerstein toned down the character and renamed him in the second year of the run.) When Etienne threatens to kidnap Marietta, Dick allows him to escape with his secret as long as he leaves Marietta behind. The show ends with Dick professing his love for Marietta in the song she has been singing throughout the show, proving that he is the only love for her. Several other songs from the show became hits, including “I’m Falling In Love With Someone” and “Italian Street Song.”

The 1935 MGM version of Naughty Marietta put Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy together for the first time and their onscreen chemistry led to seven more pairings in films of operettas. Unfortunately for Herbert and Young – and for musical theatre purists – much of the original script and score were excised for the sake of film conventions. Only five of Herbert’s songs remained and two of Young’s three plots were axed to put all the focus on MacDonald and Eddy. But the movie’s success also produced a trend of beloved operettas on film, including Maytime (Young and Sigmund Romberg) and The Student Prince (Romberg and Dorothy Donnelly). The 1955 television version starred Patrice Munsel and Alfred Drake. In 1959, a revision penned by Phil Park and Ronald Hanmer replaced the previously licensed version. The Ohio Light Opera Company’s complete recording of their 2000 production is available from Albany Records.

Ellen Peck is Assistant Professor of Drama at Jacksonville State University. Additionally, she has worked as a freelance Stage Manager for several theatres and opera companies around the country, including Michigan Opera Theatre, Goodspeed Musicals, Spoleto USA, and Utah Opera. She has been a member of Actors Equity Association (AEA) since 2000 and the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) since 2001. As a historian, Ellen specializes in Musical Theatre History, with an emphasis on the early twentieth century. She has presented at several national theatre conferences, published an article in Contemporary Theatre Review, and has two forthcoming articles for Studies in Musical Theatre. She is also contributing entries to the 2nd edition of the Grove Dictionary of American Music, as well as an essay in a forthcoming book on female artists of the early twentieth century.

Download the Libretto

Transcribed by Ann Fraistat from a typescript in the Morton Da Costa papers at NYPL

Encoded for web and eBooks by Doug Reside

File type What it's for ePub eBook readers (except Kindle) Mobi Kindle PDF Adobe Acrobat HTML Web browsers Plain Text Just about anything TEI Digital Humanities Geeks

Dyslexic Librarian: Library Resources for the Learning Disabled

Debra Behr, Todt Hill-Westerleigh Library — Fri, 25 May 2012 03:58:51 -0400

I have been a librarian for about twelve years and have worked in many libraries for much longer. I am also dyslexic which I have been since I have known the meaning of that word's existence. Weird you say but it's the truth.

Dyslexia is a learning disability, which, for me effects my writing and reading abilities. I don't write letters backwards but I spell words with the letters switched around. I would refer to it as abstract spelling or surrealist writing. Actually it effects my writing skills much more than my reading skills. If it wasn't for Microsoft Word and spell-check, I'd be lost, extremely frustrated. You know the old advice that if you can't figure out how to spell a word that you should look it up in the dictionary. In my case, I couldn't even figure out how the word even looked in order to locate it in the dictionary.

As a teenager and before the age of computers, I have thrown many dictionaries across my bedroom and sometimes cracking windows and denting walls. The typewriter was and is still my sworn enemy. If it wasn't for my Mom who was more than happy to type up my homework assignments, I might not have graduated high school on time. As for college, I did not start college until I was 21 years old because I was so afraid of how my learning disability would affect my academic performance. Actually, I was too afraid and thoughts I was too stupid too remotely get through college. If it wasn't for my older sister emotionally blackmailing me to apply to the College of Staten Island, I might have never gone. I remember crying the night before my first day of college because I was that terrified.

The first week was terrifying, but after that first week, I began to feel more and more confident. The college had an office called Special Students Office where they provided tutoring and just support. In fact, I meet so many other college students with so many physical and learning disabilities who were these academic soldiers. I still admire them. I also learned how to use the computer, which completely turned everything around for me. I was getting awesome grades in almost every class. I graduated with honors and oh my God; I could believe the journey I went through from fear to achievement.

Somewhere along the recent line, I decided to become a librarian. I loved to read, help people and I always had a thing for putting things in order. I remember as a baby that I use to classify my stuffed animals in my crib. Does my learning disability affect my job as a librarian? Yes it does. It's hard to look up certain words in a database if you can't spell them. However, that fact as never stopped me at all. There are many databases that the New York Library offers that check spelling that I know how to cut and paste from and into other not so helpful databases. In other words, being a dyslexic librarian does not mean I cannot do my job. I just adapted different ways to get it done. I love being a librarian and I am not going to allow dyslexia stop me from doing it. Plus, I've also taken advantage of the library's books on CD where I can keep up with the collection along with my colleagues.

NYPL Resources for persons with disabilities.

dys·lex·ia – NOUN: A learning disorder marked by impairment of the ability to recognize and comprehend written words.

li·brar·i·an – NOUN: 1. A person who is a specialist in library work. 2. A person who is responsible for a collection of specialized or technical information or materials, such as musical scores or computer documentation.

con·tra·dic·tion –

1 : act or an instance of contradicting

2 a : a proposition, statement, or phrase that asserts or implies both the truth and falsity of something b : a statement or phrase whose parts contradict each other <a round square is a contradiction in terms>

3 a : logical incongruity b : a situation in which inherent factors, actions, or propositions are inconsistent or contrary to one another

Browse books and materials about dyslexia in the catalog. Some of my favorite titles:

Everything You Need To Know About Dyslexia by Meish Goldish
Adam Zigzag by Barbara Barrie
The Worst Speller In Jr. High by Caroline Janover; edited by Rosemary Wallner
Freak The Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
Matthew Pinkowski's Special Summer written and illustrated by Patrick Quinn

Badge of Honor: Make Your Own Library Buttons!

Lindsy Serrano, Mulberry Street Branch Library — Fri, 25 May 2012 03:40:18 -0400

The library has started a "Protect Your Roots" campaign, where you can find your local branch's badge and download/pin/post it with pride. The teens at Mulberry Street took it a step further and made their own personalized buttons to support our library.

To make your own button, you need a print out of your library's “Protect your Roots” icon, paper or fabric for your background, any add-on decorations (we used cut out hearts and stars) and a button making machine.

Assembly is easy, you can assemble your pin right on the button making tray, the tricky part is putting the plastic cover over your design without moving it around, there were a lot of re-dos during our crafternoon.

Here are some finished products! We had a really great time getting creative and making our own designs. So grab a button machine and make your own library badges today!

Lower East Side Heritage Film Series, Season 2, Part 8: Young Filmmakers and the Seward Park Neighborhood

Sean Ferguson, Seward Park Library — Thu, 24 May 2012 04:07:32 -0400

Don't Shhhh me!.... NOT this time.

We are about to conclude the second season of our Lower East Side Heritage Film Series and for the closer we are ALL TALK.

Along with our now traditional send off (we can call it traditional after the second repetition, right?), the film that started this whole LESHFS, The Seward Park Branch and the Neighborhood It Serves will be projected in all its 16mm glory. I will be orating the original 1959 script, written by former NYPL employee Donald Fowle, fresh off the heels of a recent performance for the Urban Memory Project — this reading will be the best yet. And if you have not seen this film, it is a MUST for anyone who has lived in or around the Seward Park area. Or for anybody who simply loves seeing the old LES... in moving picture form!

The Seward Park film will be followed by a selection of shorts from our vast Young Filmmakers Foundation Collection. Three titles were chosen that not only represent what this collection has to offer, but also which include some choice location footage of downtown Manhattan. To make this evening even more exciting, YFF organizer Rodger Larson and one of our featured filmmakers Michael Jacobsohn have agreed to come to the event and share with us some of their experiences with the famed Film Club. Also joining us will be Alexandra Kelly who has helped build an amazing Youth Media Map based around this YFF collection. The interactive map layers history, media and film details to specific urban locations upon a topographic screenscape that helps flesh out this incredible story.

We are pleased to offer the following films on Tuesday evening, June 5, 2012, at 6:30 p.m.

Eighth and final part in the series:

The Seward Park Branch and the Neighborhood It Serves
(1934-35, 1941, 1959; 25 min., 16mm)
The Seward Park Branch and the Neighborhood It Serves highlights the central role of the New York Public Library within a diverse, vibrant, and ever-changing community. View and experience Seward Park as the portrait of the neighborhood changes from crisp black and white to vivid color, as streets once filled with pushcarts become lined with sharp-finned cars, and as children sled on snowy sidewalks before sitting down for "story time" in a green park.

The earliest footage, from 1934–5 and 1941, was captured and edited by Grace Hardie, a former Seward Park Branch staff member. In 1959, Bill Sloan, head of the Donnell Library Center’s Film Library, and his wife Gwen shot the color section using a 16mm Bolex. At this time, Donald W. Fowle, a clerk at the Seward Park Branch, created the script as part of the branch’s 50th anniversary celebration. His narration has been read aloud at screenings of the film ever since. Mr. Fowle and the Sloans were assisted by Jean E. McIntosh, assistant branch librarian at Seward Park. A detailed account of the action — a shot list — was prepared by Tara D. Kelley of the Reserve Film and Video Collection in 2012.

Young Filmmakers Foundation films:

Established in 1968, the Young Filmmakers Foundation was created to encourage filmmaking as an artistic, educational, and vocational experience for young people and to make the tools and skills of the media arts available to those who might otherwise not have access to them. The organization was founded by educators Rodger Larson and Lynne Hofer in collaboration with filmmaker Jaime Barrios.

Young Braves - (1968, 9 min., 16mm) by Michael Jacobsohn
Life in New York - (1969, 6 min., 16mm) by Alfonso Pagan, Luis Vale
Don't Mess with Us - (c.1968, 5 min.,16mm) by Alejandro Lopez

The Seward Park Branch and the Neighborhood It Serves and Young Filmmakers Foundation films courtesy of the Reserve Film and Video Collection of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

The Seward Park Branch and the Neighborhood It Serves has been preserved by the Reserve Film and Video Collection of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, with funding from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

This is a FREE monthly series held at Seward Park Library. Documentary and feature films (both 16mm and DVD) shot on location in lower Manhattan are presented the first Tuesday of every month.

Previously: Lower East Side Heritage Film Series, Season 2, Part 7.
Follow us on Facebook: Lower East Side Heritage Collection

Children's Literary Salon in Retrospect: International Books on May 5, 2012

Miranda J. McDermott, Grand Concourse — Thu, 24 May 2012 03:49:16 -0400

Introduction of Speakers

Elizabeth Bird started the Children's Literary Salon, as usual, with an introduction of the speakers: Constance Vidor, Sharon Elswit, Pnina Moed Kass, and Rebecca Linde. Linde is the director of sponsorship and marketing for the New York International Children's Film Festival. She explained that the program would be started by a presentation on the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) from Constance Vidor, who is the director of library services at the Friends Seminary.

Then, Bird would have a panel discussion with Kass, author of Real Time, which has been translated into German and French, and Elswit, author of The Jewish Story Finder and The East Asian Story Finder. Then, Rebecca Linde would do a presentation on the New York International Children's Film Festival. Bird included information on upcoming Children's Literary Salons, which will occur on June 2, September 15, October 20, October 27, November 3, and December 1, 2012.

International Board on Books for Young People

Vidor then gave a presentation. She stated that one of her earliest recollections was of attempting to read Babar in French at age 5. She could not read, and French confounded her, but she very much wanted to decode the strange symbols and understand the story. On the projected screen was the home page of the IBBY, which she talked about. She stated that the book Ferdinand was banned in Germany in 1946, as were all books that were not Nazi propaganda. Consequently, kids in Germany did not have many books. So, a lady associated with the IBBY ran thousands of copies of Ferdinand for kids in Berlin. The mission of IBBY is to "share literature across borders." IBBY encourages the translation of children's literature into different languages, and also wants to make books available to kids about other cultures. It has been expanding foreign books beyond folktales and fairy tales. There are 76 national sections of IBBY, including Azerbajan and, of course, the United States of America.

The US, like other developed nations, likes to bring authors and illustrators from other countries to us. There is an element of social consciousness in the children's literature that IBBY makes available. For example, there was a book about children who were made to work in coal mines. IBBY also brings books to children in crisis (eg, Haiti). Vidor mentioned that the IBBY has an international conference every year, and the United States Board on Books for Young People also holds a conference every other year.

Bird mentioned that Anne Carroll Moore, the New York Public Library's first head of children's services, created a wonderful world languages children's literature section that we still have today at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.

Panel Discussion with Elswit and Kass

Bird began the panel discussion with Elswit and Kass by mentioning that the two come from completely different perspectives, and that she planned to leap between the two by alternately addressing questions to them. She wanted to demonstrate the wide range of discussions that are possible about children's literature that is written in different countries, and how translations and editing choices can affect how the messages in literature are communicated to the audience.

Merging of Cultures

Bird directed the first question to Elswit. She mentioned that there had been a merging of cultures of different groups. For example, folktales from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s comprised African myths from tribes that were mushed together. Stories were created from tribal myths, and people were at a loss as to which tribe the stories came from. She asked Elswit if this crossover and cross-polination still occurs today.

Elswit responded that yes, there is an author who took a Jewish story and presented it as an Arab one. However, the mashing of tribes together into one amorphous entity occurs less today. If it says that a story is from Africa on the cover, one will discover which country (eg, Ghana) the story is from upon examining the inner pages of the book. In fact, she works on multicultural Little Red Riding Hood story with her classes. She is with the Manhattan Preparatory School.

Cultural Differences in Editors

Bird directed the next question to Kass. She stated that Kass had some books that were published simultaneously in Israel and the United States. Bird asked her if she had had different editing experiences in the two countries.

Kass said that she had some books that had been published in Israel but not in the US. She stated that she had a young adult novel in which a suicide bomb exploded in Jerusalem, and people wanted to know who had been injured. An editor suggested alphabetizing the list, but Israel is a small country and citizens would not bother alphabetizing such a list; they just wanted names. This is a cultural element to the story that the editor did not understand. Kass has also had books translated into French and German.

Elswit stated that she had a story that contained fairies, but there were none in Japan. The work was geared to speak to English and American audiences. Now, she lets other people decide about translation and editing options for her work.

Bird stated that NYPL has some old Native American stories with fairies. She mentioned that Hans Christian Anderson stories have had many translators and/or editors, many of whom provide completely different interpretations of his stories.

Decline of Folktale Publication?

Bird mentioned that there is a perception that folktales are not published as much nowadays. She asked Elswit if there seemed to be less interest in that type of literature today, or not.

Elswit responded that there has been a resurgence in oral storytelling. However, she heard that in 1998, there were 44 titles of folktales, and only 12 in 2011.

Kass added that the economic recession could be affecting the book industry, and that the budgets of libraries have been slashed. She also mentioned that ebooks exist now, and that could also be contributing to the decline of print folktales.

Elswit mentioned that we still have gems in our library collections. It is the job of librarians to give people access to the stories. It seems that librarians go to the same stories from certain cultures over and over. One interesting thing that she would love to do would be to go to the hills of Tennessee and listen to storytellers in October at the National Storytelling Festival. It is the responsibility of librarians and teachers to provide access to the materials that authors wrote so that people could enjoy and learn from them. At her school, there is composting, and some students persisted in dropping liquid into waste bins. So a staff member asked her for a book about cheating to teach the students proper behavior. Elswit also added that you can now find many books with Google and on the Internet.

Ebooks in multicultural children's literature

Bird inquired as to whether Kass was becoming involved with ebooks.

Kass stated that she just signed a contract with her Israeli publisher. The book involves a male character who is slow, shy, and involved with special education. Pnina encourages reading stories in any form. If a child reads a story on the back of a cereal box, that suits her. She has worked on two audiobooks for kids who are at the age of listening to stories. She is for stories in "any shape and form that ignites the imagination of a child."

Bird asked if the panelists believe that the future of children's literature is in ebooks.

Kass mentioned that Israel is a very isolated nation, partially because of its politics. They have many ebooks in other languages in Israel, as well as children's books in other languages. She is beginning work on an app with a snail character. Sometimes, it's time to "put your pen aside, put a mouse near your hand, and go with it." Don't fight it, she says.

Myths versus folktales

Elswit mentioned that many books are coming in as 398.2 (folktale Dewey Decimal call number) rather that 292 (mythology Dewey Decimal call number). She has always wondered about the folktale/mythology distinction. She asked librarians if they were recataloging materials when they arrived, and she learned that librarians like to keep the books distinctly in the two categories.

Bird stated that she has seen many mythology books arrive incorrectly cataloged as 398.2 (folktale call number).

What's on the horizon

She asked the panelists what is new that they are currently working on.

Kass responded that she has three projects that are currently circulating on the desks of various editors. One is a graphic novel for junior high school students. One is a teen novel that borders on adult that includes a confrontation between religion and science.

Elswit responded that she is working on a book about Latin America, which can get very political. She stated that she needed to include Tibetan stories under stories about China, because otherwise citizens of China would never see the stories. On the advice of a teacher, she included the Tibetan stories under the heading China so that they would be circulated and read in that country. She is currently seeing more folklore that are published in Spanish/English bilingual books coming into libraries.

New York International Children's Film Festival

Linde then gave a presentation about the New York International Children's Film Festival. In 1997, the festival started. It has grown to accomodate 25,000 audience members in 2011, and the festival is now one month in length. Out of 3,000 submissions, the best 100 are chosen for the festival. She gave a presentation of clips from a variety of films with music that was projected onto the wall of the Margaret Berger Forum. Then, we saw a more detailed story of a boy and his Grandpa who were cooking fish for dinner. The boy begs his grandfather to tell him the story about the boy and fish. His Grandpa at first declines, then starts telling a version which the boy corrects.

Bird thanked the participants and panelists for attending. Thanks to Betsy Bird for coordinating and moderating another enlightening Children's Literary Salon at NYPL.

Future Children's Literary Salons

Children's Literary Salons are held nearly every month on a Saturday from 2 p.m. - 3p.m. at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building of the New York Public Library.

June 2, 2012 - Formed in 1987 by a group of Brooklyn illustrators to share publishing information and industry experiences, the Children's Book Illustrators Group brings together artists with an interest in producing exceptional artwork and books for children. Join Donna Miskend, President (Exhibition Curator), Vicky Rubin (Webmaster, Listserve Manager), Maria Madonna Davidoff (Postcard Designer) and others in a discussion of the group's accomplishments and future goals.
Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Location: Margaret Berger Forum, Room 227
September 15, 2012 - Patti Lee Gauch: The picture book has long been a favorite of both children and adults. But why do some picture books stand transcend? Do they begin, as an Act of Mischief - with design and color as well as idea? And what about the creators themselves? Did the mischief begin with them? Using examples from some of the most best loved picture books, Patricia Lee Gauch, editor of three Caldecott medal winning books, will bring new understanding to this popular genre.
October 20, 2012 - Bullying in children's literature with Frieda Wishinsky.
October 27, 2012 - Crockett Johnson and Ruth Krauss: How an Unlikely Couple Found Love, Dodged the FBI, and Transformed Children's Literature. An illustrated talk, focusing on Johnson and Krauss in the 1950s, the period in which they reinvent the modern picture book, and the FBI places them under surveillance. Working with legendary Harper editor Ursula Nordstrom, Johnson publishes Harold and the Purple Crayon (1955), and Krauss begins her decade-long collaboration with Maurice Sendak, creating the groundbreaking A Hole Is to Dig (1952), A Very Special House (1953) and six others. And FBI builds a file on Johnson, opening his mail, monitoring his bank account, and noting the names of people who visited or phoned. Drawing from the biography (forthcoming September 2012) that shares its title with this talk, Nel offers a story of art, publishing, politics, and the power of the imagination.
November 3, 2012 - Independent Publishing in an Age of Mass Marketing - While huge companies like Scholastic, Macmillan, Harper Collins, etc. may have seemingly unlimited funds to promote their materials, smaller independent publishers have found niche areas missed by some of their bigger competitors. Join Cheryl Hudson (Just Us Kids), Claudia Zoe Bedrick (Enchanted Lion Press), and others for a conversation about the advantages and disadvantages of being a David in an era of Goliaths.
December 1, 2012 - Jonathan Yamakami, the designer behind Tara's I Saw a Peacock with a Fiery Tale, and other designers in New York.

Descriptions provided by Betsy Bird, Youth Materials Specialist

A Fuse #8 Production
Google ebooks about multicultural children's literature
TumbleBooks (ebooks that are offered in languages other than English)
Databases for kids
Multicultural books for kids
Folklore ejournals
Children's Literature Association

Connections in Unlikely Places: A WWII Genealogy Story

Wed, 23 May 2012 13:59:55 -0400

Many patrons arrive at the Milstein Division of U.S. History, Local History and Genealogy with questions and something more. Often it is a letter written long ago, an address of a deceased cousin, or a sepia toned photograph from 1930. All are talismans from which patrons begin their family research.

This photo is my maternal uncle, Sgt. Phillip M. Carlon, 451st Bomber Group, U.S. Army Aircorps. Uncle Phil sits on the barrack steps at Stuart Airfield in Illinois. Outfitted for the chilly temperatures of high altitudes, he's smiling like a 10 year old all dressed up for a party in his Army issue brown leather jacket, with its sheep skinned collar pulled up around his neck, and in his lap the leather cap of an airman. It is January 1944. On October 14th of that same year Phillip Carlon became another casualty of World War II. He is my family's war hero. His photo is my talisman.

I feel lucky to have a few of his letters home from his three years of service. I also have the complete edition of the Wilmington Evening Journal of October 22, 1944. The editors of the paper chose Carlon's official and solemn military portrait for its front page with the headline "Aerial Gunner Killed on Raid Over Germany." The article reported, "Overseas only since August, Sgt. Carlon wrote on Oct. 13 that he had returned from a mission so difficult and dangerous that it would be counted as two missions on his bomber's list of missions. He was reported killed in action on the following day."

Like all researchers, I would like more. From the National Personnel Records Center, a part of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), located in St. Louis, Missouri, I have learned that a massive cache of Military Personnel records, especially for Army and Air Force soldiers of World War II, was lost in a 1973 fire. Sgt. Phillip M. Carlon's, Uncle Phil's, are among them. My project goes on hold until serendipity strikes.

A friend hands me a book for vacation reading. "Here's a book about World War II and poetry. Try it." Daniel Swift's Bomber County: The Poetry of a Lost Pilot's War is a beautiful book. Swift, an assistant professor of literature at Skidmore College, writes of his grandfather, an RAF pilot who trained on the East Anglia coast and was shot down over Holland during Britain's bombing war against Germany. Swift's grandfather and my uncle seem an unlikely pairing. An RAF pilot and a U.S. Army ball turret gunner. An Englishman and an American. One flying air strikes across the North Sea on Germany and Phil part of the air support for the U.S. army advancing up the spine of Italy. I find out differently.

The prologue to Bomber Country provides my inspiration. Swift explains that he and his father had traveled to Holland to the beach where his grandfather was shot down and to the Dutch cemetery where his grandfather was buried. The writer continues, "I'm not sure we wanted to find him in the end: I think we probably wanted to invent my grandfather for ourselves. I think I wanted to tell a story...". We family researchers all want to tell our stories.

But, I want hard facts to complete the little I know of my uncle's story. I start with the Milstein Division's online searching tool Ancestry Library Edition. I find my uncle, Phillip M Carlon's name in U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records. I know most of the information: Education 4 years of high school, single without dependents. The last data are height and weight. From the Carlon family of big, strapping men, Phil was a mere 67 inches (5'7") tall and weighed 140 pounds in August, 1941. I search for other Carlons; the spelling of our surname is unusual. I find from U.S. Veterans Gravesites an entry for Rudolfo Robles Carlon interred at Golden Gate National Cemetery on July 9, 1946. A Hispanic addition to our Scotch Irish Carlons.

Daniel Swift in Bomber County includes a notes section at the end. Arranged by chapter it is good reading and instructive even to an amateur researcher. Every pertinent U.S. source related to my project can be found in NYPL's collection here at the Milstein Division at the Stephen A. Schwarzman building on 42nd Street. The United States Strategic Bombing Surveys, an important source for Swift, gives me a detailed account of the air campaign in Italy. Swift cites the American reports on London by Ernie Pyle, Janet Flanner and Edward R. Murrow which are collected in Samuel Hynes' Reporting World War II: American Journalism 1938-1945. A search of NYPL's catalog yields 31 entries for Ernie Pyle. Brave Men includes whole chapters on the Italian campaign, Uncle Phil's part of the war. Many of the war correspondents were close to the troops, but Ernie Pyle was a hero to the soldiers he traveled with and the American public who followed his dispatches as though each was written by a loved one. In the index to Brave Men I find an entry for Wilmington, Delaware and Sergeant Sam Lynch. Pyle, on board a supply ship at Anzio, wrote, "Our crew boss was Sergeant Sam Lynch of 2411 West Street, Wilmington, Delaware." I can picture that block of West Street, almost the Carlon's, my family's side of town.

NYPL's online catalog gives me more sources. There is the renowned photojournalist, Margaret Bourke-White's They Called It "Purple Heart Valley", a combat chronicle of the war in Italy which depicts a stark reality of that war or any war. Among many first person accounts is A Bomber Pilot in WWII: From Farm Boy to Pilot: 35 Missions in the B-24 Liberator Bomber by Walter F. Hughes.

My gratitude to Swift the war historian is enormous. The reader learns that the immense destruction of people and place came from all combatants, the Allies and the German Reich. The sections about the American poets and their poetry bring me unexpectedly to Phil again. The American poet, Randall Jarrell was stationed in Texas. Phil earned his gunner's wings at Harlingen Army Air Base in Texas. Jarrell moved on to a base in Illinois. Phil made the same move. I remember Jarrell as the author of the whimsical, children's book The Bat Poet. His war poetry is far from that and brings me to the painful reality of Phil's position in a plane as a gunner with the poem "Death of a Ball Turret Gunner." Jarrell's journals from his time at those bases are right here at NYPL.

John Ciardi, another American poet and an amateur pilot enlisted right after Pearl Harbor. Like Phil, Ciardi was trained as control gunner on B-29s, in charge of the twin guns at the upper rear turret. Ciardi survived the war. Forty years later in an interview with oral historian Studs Terkel's "The Good War:" An Oral History of World War Two. Ciardi recounted his reassignment from combat duty to literary duty. "We need somebody with combat experience who can write. You've taught college English, you've published...You're now working for me.'...Ciardi spent the next six months in an office...writing condolences and citations."

I only recently discovered the condolence letter written to my grandmother. On onion skin paper a carbon on the original letter includes the usual expression or sorrow and ends, "After crossing the eastern border of Italy, the plane encountered a heavy rainstorm. Visibility was almost impossible. The craft on which your son was armorer-gunner crashed into a mountain, killing the entire crew instantly." The letter is signed: "Very sincerely yours, N. F. Twining, Major General, USA, Commanding, General." Twining didn't sit up late at night writing that condolence letter. It would have taken a poet or writer of fiction to compose it.

Back to Swift's personal take on Ciaridi "like my grandfather, he was twenty-eight years old when he completed training, and the oldest man on his crew." Uncle Phil was the same age. Was he the oldest man in his crew?

I leave Swift's Bomber Country and my searches of NYPL's catalog with solid references and a realization my own family story can be found in unlikely places. I want to reread the The Iliad, the first mythic war story, Stud's Terkel's interviews, and learn more about the Italian campaign.

I cannot do justice to Daniel Swift, the writer, and his elegant tapestry of a book. Bomber County is a story of loss, of family, of poetry, the literary imagination, and the destruction of war. It is a book not to be missed.

I sort my papers. I look again at Philip Carlon's 1941 enlistment record, the most tangible of my new discoveries. I read again his height of 5'7" tall and his weight of 140 pounds. Uncle Phil and I could have stood almost eye to eye had we been able to face each other in my adult life.

Hidden Chess Gems

J. Soucé, AskNYPL — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:44:02 -0400

Care for a game of chess? Here are some hidden gems you'll find in our collection.

Digital Gallery

J.R. Capablanca. (ca. 1921-1929)
Considered by most experts to be one of the strongest players of all time. He was often referred as the Chess Machine.

Emanuel Lasker (1868-1941)
Mathematician, Philosopher, Lasker held the Chess crown for 27 years, until he met the Chess Machine, Capablanca.

Miss Price. (1872-1956)
One of my favorites, because, it leaves you thinking, who the heck is this? Answer: Miss Edith Charlotte Price, Five-time British Ladies Champion (1922, 1923, 1924, 1928, 1948).

Paul Charles Morphy: (1837-1884) Considered by many to be the greatest natural chess talent of all-time. One of my personal favorite players.

Microfilm

Chess Match in America Between W. Steinitz and E. Lasker. [March 15th-May 3rd 1894] [Microform]

Books

The Community of the Future by Emanuel Lasker.

The exploits and triumphs, in Europe, of Paul Morphy, the chess champion; including an historical account of clubs, biographical sketches of famous players, and various information and anecdotes relating to the noble game of chess. By Paul Morphy's late secretary. Frederick Milnes Edge. Available online via HathiTrust.

Ancient Board Games in Perspective: papers from the 1990 British Museum colloquium, with additional contributions. London: British Museum Press, c2007.

William Steinitz, 1836-1900. The games in the Steinitz-Lasker championship match with copious notes and critical remarks by Gunsberg, Hoffer, Lasker ... Steinitz ... together with biographical sketches of the two players; comp. and arranged by J. G. Cunningham. Imprint Leeds, Whitehead and Miller, printers, 1894.

Archival materials

Fred Snitzer chess collection, 1910-1951 View finding aid (53.32 KB PDF)

G.A. Pfeiffer chess collection, 1837-1933 View finding aid (91.73 KB PDF)

Additional books and materials available for check out

A Worse Crime than Burning Books: Joseph Brodsky in the Village

John Flood, Hudson Park Branch Library — Wed, 23 May 2012 11:22:01 -0400

Joseph Brodsky was a Russian poet, born in Leningrad, who became the American Poet Laureate in 1991. He lived at 44 Morton Street and his birthday is May 24.

Like Dylan Thomas, Brodsky wrote a birthday poem. His is called May 24, 1980, and was published in Collected Poems in English. In it he describes various hardships and difficulties in his life, none perhaps worse than being exiled from Russia. Even so, he ends saying:

Only gratitude will be gushing from it (his larynx).

He also said this:

There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.

Face First: Resources on Cosmetics

Melanie Locay, AskNYPL — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:31:48 -0400

In the film The Truth About Cats & Dogs there is a scene where Janeane Garafalo’s character Abby is at a cosmetics counter in a department store. Abby has been dragged there by her new friend and total opposite Noelle, played by Uma Thurman. The salesperson warns Abby of the dire condition her skin is in and how she can take action to counter her “huge pore” situation. Abby quips that it sounds more like the salesperson is planning to stage a military coup rather than advise her on her skin.

The scene ends with Abby’s character in tears. She is overly made up by Las Vegas standards, and yells at Noelle that “this is what they do” while clutching a large bag of cosmetic products she succumbs to purchasing. It was easy as a kid to find the humor in that scene. Now that I am a grown up lady trying to stage a skin regimen coup of my very own, I realize how easily I could fall into Abby’s predicament. There are so many products, promises and pretty bottles. What to choose? How do I become a savvy consumer and not let desperation lead me to drop a pay check on barrels of "Hope in a Jar" (an actual product that I have tried)?

Allure magazine famously has their Best of Beauty lists. I rely on Allure's beauty experts to recommend products that range from a Saks Fifth Avenue splurge to what is readily available at the local CVS. For example, every day I wash my face with Neutrogena's Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Anti-Blemish Cleanser since I'm somehow now at an adorable age where zits and wrinkles are both equal concerns.

Explore the latest issue of Allure or the October Best of Beauty 2011 issue, which featured 193 winning products and 11 Hall of Famers, from home with your active New York Public Library card.

Let's discuss what happens when our aesthetic pursuits do have disastrous results. It could be when we begin to resemble this or that new lip gloss causes a tingling not mentioned on the packaging. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has a Household Products Database. Visit the database and click on the Personal Care section to access a handy resource that will provide information on a variety of products, their chemical ingredients and very importantly their health rating. If a few products cause you a similar reaction it may be probable they all have the same chemical ingredient. The Personal Care database can help you pinpoint the chemical culprit, but of course it is always best to seek the advice of a medical professional.

You may also want to check out Paula Begoun's Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me. This is a Mom pick. If her skin is any indication we should all be eagerly anticipating the ninth edition of this cosmetic's consumer advocacy tome, which is due out on October 16th, 2012. Begoun is known as "The Cosmetics Cop" offering not only a guide of what products to buy, but an explanation on ingredients and tips on skin care.

I can spend an inordinate amount of time inside a Sephora enthralled by how, for example, many eyebrow styling gels may exist. Mark Tungate's Branded Beauty: How Marketing Changed the Way We Look provides a history on the evolution of the cosmetics industry and just how lucrative it is.

Do not permit anyone to convince you that these are vain or frivolous pursuits. Jean Kerr said it best in her book The Snake Has All the Lines "I'm tired of all this nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep. That's deep enough. What do you want — an adorable pancreas?"

May in the Reader's Den: "The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet" Week Four

Corinne Neary, Jefferson Market Library — Mon, 21 May 2012 09:12:54 -0400

Welcome back to the Reader's Den — this is our final week discussing David Mitchell's The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet. Last week we covered part two of the novel, which focused on the midwife, Orito's abduction to the Mount Shiranui Shrine. This week we will finish up with the last three sections of the book, which include chapters twenty-seven through forty-one, in which Mitchell once again presents new narrators. The first is the slave called Weh, who narrates a short chapter exposing many of the hardships of his daily life. It is from his perspective that we learn Jacob has been working to translate the Japanese scroll containing the edicts of the shrine.

The other new voices in these last chapters are John Penhaligon, captain of a British warship that arrives in the Bay of Nagasaki intent on taking over the trading post for the English, and Magistrate Shiroyama, who finds his fate tied to the outcome of this conflict. Dejima residents Chief Van Cleef and first deputy Peter Fischer row out to the warship and are promptly taken hostage by the British crew. Fischer turns out to be amenable to working for the British and goes back to shore to persuade the Dutch and Japanese to allow Penhaligon to take over, with promises of wages and free transport. To his surprise he finds vehement opposition, led by Jacob de Zoet.

Captain Penhaligon is one of the most complex characters in the book. He comes to Japan worried about his worsening gout, and unable to forget the memories of his dead wife and son. Did you feel sympathetic towards him, or dislike him for his attack on Dejima, or both?
Why did Mitchell include the short chapter about Weh, when we never hear from again?
Why do Jacob and Dr. Marinus stay on the watchtower during the British attack, when they seem to face certain death?
After a meeting to discuss the demands of the British, Jacob gives Magistrate Shiroyama the Mount Shiranui Shrine, exposing the creeds of Enomoto's order. Shamed by his failing in military response to the attack, Shiroyama must commit an honorable suicide, but devises to take Enomoto with him. Were you surprised by this twist? Did you think that Enomoto could die?
Years later, at Dr. Marinus's funeral, Jacob finally sees Orito again. Did you hope that they might rekindle a romance, or are circumstances just too impossible?
Eighteen years after arriving at Dejima, Jacob must leave and return to Zeeland without his son, who he fathered with a Japanese woman. Being half Japanese, his son is unable to leave Japan. How did you like the montage of Jacob's life back in Zeeland? At the moment of his death, he has a vision of Orito, who is still in his thoughts all these years later. Why is she the last person he thinks of?
Now that you've finished the book, what did you think of it as a whole? Did all the different elements and storylines come together successfully?

Thank you for participating in the Reader's Den! Please leave your comments below. Come back in June, for a discussion of 11/22/63 by Stephen King.

Find New York Times Bestsellers at NYPL — May 20, 2012

Adriana Blancarte-Hayward, New Dorp Library — Mon, 21 May 2012 08:17:03 -0400

Please help PROTECT YOUR BRANCH nypl.org/speakout
It takes just seconds to sign a letter urging elected officials to reverse the harshest cut to The New York Public Library in its history.

For the week of May 20, 2012 we have hardcover fiction, hardcover non-fiction, and paperback trade fiction.

If you have an iPhone, iPad or Android phone, there is a free app! Use it with your library card/username and pin.

Click on any of the titles below and place a hold to request the item. Remember to update your contact information (phone number or e-mail address), so you are notified when the book arrives for you at your local library. Don't have a library card yet? It's simple! Find out how to get one. Titles are available in regular print, large print, audio, and in electronic format — for FREE!

Week of May 20, 2012

Hardcover Fiction

Deadlocked, by Charlaine Harris
The Wind Through The Keyhole, by Stephen King
The Innocent, by David Baldacci
Calico Joe, by John Grisham
The Witness, by Nora Roberts

Hardcover Nonfiction

The Passage of Power, by Robert A. Caro
My Cross to Bear, by Gregg Allman with Alan Light
Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake, by Anna Quindlen
Prague Winter, by Madeleine Albright with Bill Woodward
The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg

Paperback Trade Fiction

Fifty Shades of Grey, by E. L. James
Fifty Shades Darker, by E. L. James
Fifty Shades Freed, by E. L. James
The Last Boyfriend, by Nora Roberts
The Lucky One, by Nicholas Sparks

For more information on this week's best sellers, visit the New York Times website and check out the full list. There is also a special section for Best Sellers in the Library's catalog, BiblioCommons.

The Thing That Makes You Exceptional: Lorraine Hansberry in the Village

John Flood, Hudson Park Branch Library — Sat, 19 May 2012 04:18:30 -0400

Lorraine Hansberry lived at 337 Bleecker Street. Her birthday is May 19.

A Raisin in the Sun was the first play written by an African American woman to be produced on Broadway. Here are some quotes:

A Raisin in the Sun (1959)

I look at you and I see the final triumph of stupidity in the world!

Beneatha to Walter, Act III

There is always something left to love. And if you ain't learned that, you ain't learned nothing. Have you cried for that boy today? I don't mean for yourself and for the family 'cause we lost the money. I mean for him; what he's been through and what it done to him. Child, when do you think is the time to love somebody the most; when they done good and made things easy for everybody? Well then, you ain't through learning — because that ain't the time at all. It's when he's at his lowest and can't believe in hisself 'cause the world done whipped him so. When you starts measuring somebody, measure him right child, measure him right. Make sure you done taken into account what hills and valleys he come through before he got to wherever he is.

Mama, Act III

Eventually it comes to you: the thing that makes you exceptional, if you are at all, is inevitably that which must also make you lonely.

To Be Young, Gifted and Black: Lorraine Hansberry in Her Own Words (1969)

Rare Books: Machinae Novae of 1595

Kyle R. Triplett, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Rare Book Division — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:54:19 -0400

We often get asked about firsts in printing history in the Rare Book Division. Machinae novae Favsti Verantii siceni (Venice, 1595) known as Machinae Novae, or New Machines, contains some of the first printed images related to engineering and machinery.

Machinae Novae was written by scholar-diplomat and scientist Fausto Veranzio in Venice; only a few copies of this 1595 edition are known to exist. Some of the depictions featured in this work point to new innovations in suspension bridges and agricultural equipment.

The book also includes the first depiction of the parachute, based on designs by Leonardo Da Vinci. Veranzio is reported to have personally attempted a test of this early parachute later in his life; unfortunately, we do not know how successful this initial jump may have been.

Early depictions of machines played an essential role in disseminating scientific information. In the case of Machinae Novae, these images were created using copper plate engravings, a process that was heavily utilized at the time. Copper plate engraving was invented in Germany in the 1430s; by the 1590s, it had largely superseded woodcut illustration as the preferred method of creating finely detailed book illustrations. For an understanding of how copper plate engravings (and other types of book illustrations) are created, take a look at this video from the print shop of the Rhode Island School of Design.

For more books on early depictions of machines at NYPL, check out the subject heading: Machines--Early works to 1800.

New Plant Patent Color Images at SIBL: Through May 15, 2012

Kenneth Johnson, Science, Industry and Business Library — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:37:54 -0400

Here are scans of the color plates of U.S. Plant Patents received at SIBL for the weeks of May 1, 8 and 15, 2012. These follow from the earlier Plant Patent plates posted for the weeks of April 17 and 24, 2012.

As before, please be careful in using these - they're really not appropriate to use for prior art or other similar searches. Otherwise, please enjoy!

United States Plant Patents: Patents Published May 1, 2012; Nos. PP22691-PP22712

Date Patent Number Inventor Title Text Color Image May 1, 2012 PP22691 Kordes Floribunda rose plant named 'KORvodacom' USPTO PP22691 May 1, 2012 PP22692 NeSmith Blueberry plant named 'Southern Splendour' USPTO PP22692 May 1, 2012 PP22693 Goodwin Sweet cherry tree named 'Goodwin' USPTO PP22693 May 1, 2012 PP22694 Hooper Magnolia plant named 'Cleopatra' USPTO PP22694 May 1, 2012 PP22695 Misato Mandevilla plant named 'Sunparacoho' USPTO PP22695 May 1, 2012 PP22696 Kolster et al. Hydrangea plant named 'Hokomano' USPTO PP22696 May 1, 2012 PP22697 Davy Lagerstroemia (indica.times.fauriei) plant named 'JD818' USPTO PP22697 May 1, 2012 PP22698 Davy Lagerstroemia (indica.times.fauriei) plant named 'JD900' USPTO PP22698 May 1, 2012 PP22699 Dekker Chrysanthemum plant named 'Dekfirmenich' USPTO PP22699 May 1, 2012 PP22700 Dekker Chrysanthemum plant named 'Dekmaki' USPTO PP22700 May 1, 2012 PP22701 Bridgen Alstroemeria plant named 'Tangerine Tango' USPTO PP22701 May 1, 2012 PP22702 Smith Aster plant named 'Synpin Henfirst' USPTO PP22702 May 1, 2012 PP22703 Smith Aster plant named 'Synbul Henfirst' USPTO PP22703 May 1, 2012 PP22704 Isobe et al. Petunia plant named 'Sunsurfcopaka' USPTO PP22704 May 1, 2012 PP22705 Kelaidis Osteospermum plant named 'Avalanche' USPTO PP22705 May 1, 2012 PP22706 Park Caladium plant named 'SNOW WHITE PARK' USPTO PP22706 May 1, 2012 PP22707 Korlipara Coreopsis plant named 'Center Stage' USPTO PP22707 May 1, 2012 PP22708 Heuger Helleborus plant named 'COSEH 760' USPTO PP22708 May 1, 2012 PP22709 Bentley Lavandula plant named "Bentley" USPTO PP22709 May 1, 2012 PP22710 Hall Lavender plant named 'Myrleigh' USPTO PP22710 May 1, 2012 PP22711 Kennedy Primula plant named 'K 72' USPTO PP22711 May 1, 2012 PP22712 Egger Tiarella plant named 'Oregon Trail' USPTO PP22712

United States Plant Patents: Patents Published May 8, 2012; Nos. PP22713-PP22728

Date Patent Number Inventor Title Text Color Image May 8, 2012 PP22713 Olesen Ground cover rose plant named 'Poulcot010' USPTO PP22713 May 8, 2012 PP22714 Olesen Hybrid tea rose plant named 'Poulpmt007' USPTO PP22714 May 8, 2012 PP22715 Mehlenbacher Corylus plant named 'Tonda Pacifica' USPTO PP22715 May 8, 2012 PP22716 Malone et al. Apricot tree named 'Clutha Summer' USPTO PP22716 May 8, 2012 PP22717 Vinson et al. Strawberry plant named 'Viva Patricia' USPTO PP22717 May 8, 2012 PP22718 Davy Lagerstroemia (indica.times.fauriei) plant named 'JD827' USPTO PP22718 May 8, 2012 PP22719 LaBonte et al. Sweetpotato plant named 'Bonita' USPTO PP22719 May 8, 2012 PP22720 Bartels Phlox plant named 'Barsixtyfour' USPTO PP22720 May 8, 2012 PP22721 Barends Pelargonium plant named 'Fipelmaswhi' USPTO PP22721 May 8, 2012 PP22722 Barends Pelargonium plant named 'Fipelmasneopur' USPTO PP22722 May 8, 2012 PP22723 Barends Pelargonium plant named 'Fipelmaspi' USPTO PP22723 May 8, 2012 PP22724 Barends Pelargonium plant named 'Fipeldancan' USPTO PP22724 May 8, 2012 PP22725 Gossett Hosta plant named 'Purple Heart' USPTO PP22725 May 8, 2012 PP22726 Barends Osteospermum plant named 'Fidostwhispo' USPTO PP22726 May 8, 2012 PP22727 Barends Osteospermum plant named 'Fidostcopu' USPTO PP22727 May 8, 2012 PP22728 Mines et al. Dianella caerulea.times.brevipedunculata plant named 'Weeping Kate' USPTO PP22728

United States Plant Patents: Patents Published May 15, 2012; Nos. PP22729-PP22739

Date Patent Number Inventor Title Text Color Image May 15, 2012 PP22729 Clough Pecan tree named 'ECLIPSE' USPTO PP22729 May 15, 2012 PP22730 Zaiger et al. Interspecific tree named 'Macy-Cot' USPTO PP22730 May 15, 2012 PP22731 Fear et al. Raspberry plant named 'DrisRaspFour' USPTO PP22731 May 15, 2012 PP22732 Kuijf Potentilla plant named 'Kupinpa' USPTO PP22732 May 15, 2012 PP22733 Brouwer Gloriosa plant named 'Crimson Flame' USPTO PP22733 May 15, 2012 PP22734 Barends Pelargonium plant named 'Fipelmasscared' USPTO PP22734 May 15, 2012 PP22735 Barends Pelargonium plant named 'Fipelmasred' USPTO PP22735 May 15, 2012 PP22736 Barends Pelargonium plant named 'Fipelmascor' USPTO PP22736 May 15, 2012 PP22737 Dummen Pelargonium plant named 'Duerobina' USPTO PP22737 May 15, 2012 PP22738 Blom Campanula plant named 'Freya' USPTO PP22738 May 15, 2012 PP22739 Sarrazin et al. Dicentra plant named 'HORDIVAL' USPTO PP22739

Skype with Retired FBI Author Gary Noesner at the Port Richmond Library

Muriel Richards, Port Richmond Library — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:12:11 -0400

May contains National Police Week (this year, May 13-19). This is only appropriate, since America, as evidenced by the literal plethora of fictional as well as real life crime books and shows, has a fascination with the realm of law enforcement that spans decades.

From the love of British fiction detective Bulldog Drummond books in the 1930s to the 1950s television series Dragnet to Michael Connolly’s current mysteries featuring central characters with LAPD affiliations and the modern television show, NCIS, the American appetite for an insider’s view of the day to day operations of law enforcement is seemingly never satiated. My fellow ardent mystery and true crime fans have often expressed the desire to speak directly with real or imagined law enforcement entities, so riveting are many works in those genres. I can readily comprehend the urge to be able to call upon Hercule Poirot (Agatha Christie's retired Belgian police detective) to find one's lost wallet, or ask Rhys Bowen's fictional detective, Molly Murphy Sullivan if the urge to state "I told you so" to her husband, NYPD Captain Daniel Sullivan, after her (usually unwanted by him) advice regarding criminal matters proves pivotal in solving a case, is ever irresistible.

However, I must admit that I admonished another true crime afficionado who had experienced a personal transformation that caused her to endeavor to sow seeds of peace in discordant fields that it was likely a very bad idea to invite a former ATF Special Agent and the alleged gang members who he investigated on an undercover basis to a picnic together. Somehow, I just didn't believe that the relevant afficionado's egg salad sandwich, no matter how delectable, would be able to entice the alleged gang members to "lighten their karma" by "forgetting" the years-long investigation and subsequent prosecutions. Despite the immediately aforementioned obstalces, many a mystery and true crime reader yearns for more information regarding the subject matter of their collective fancy.

The Port Richmond Branch of the NYPL is, owing to the graciousness and talent of Gary Noesner, author and former Chief Hostage Negotiator of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (herein “FBI”), able to slake the thirst of all true crimes fans who wish to avail themselves of the opportunity to speak directly with Mr. Noesner regarding his work, Stalling for Time.

In Stalling for Time, this august thirty year veteran of the FBI affords readers a superb, detailed and accurate account of the development of the FBI’s Crisis Negotiation Unit as well as the FBI's role in widely publicized hostage situations such as Ruby Ridge and WACO. Mr. Noesner expertly expounds upon other issues effecting hostage negotiations, from the psychological tactics utilized to bring about as peaceful a resolution as possible when contending with a hostage taker as well as the diplomacy required to convince others within the realm of law enforcement to avoid, when feasible, virulent techniques to end a hostage situation. Mr. Noesner’s munificent Skype appearance at the Port Richmond Branch will provide participants with the singular opportunity to speak directly with Mr. Noesner, who was in the vanguard of developing hostage negotiation strategies for the FBI. It is a rare chance to fulfill many a reader’s wish—to converse directly with the author concerning his book.

Readers may secure Stalling for Time from the NYPL circulating book collection with a valid NYPL card (large print copies of this book are also available via the NYPL). Please call the Port Richmond Library at (718) 442-0158 to register for our June 2, 2012 book discussion featuring Mr. Gary Noesner and his highly informative as well as engrossing book, Stalling for Time.

Stalling for Time by Gary Noesner
Securing the City Inside America's Best Counterterror Force: by Christopher Dickey
Under and Alone: The True Story of the Undercover Agent Who Infiltrated America's Most Violent Outlaw Motorcycle Gang by William Queen
No Angel: My Harrowing Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of the Hell's Angels by Jay Dobyns
Ghost: Confessions of a Counterterrorism Agent by Fred Burton
Smoke, Mirrors and Murder by Ann Rule
Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit by John E. Douglas & Mark Olshaker
Inside the Mind of BTK: the True Story Behind the Thirty Year Hunt for the Notorious Wichita Serial Killer by John E. Douglas
The Evil that Men Do: FBI Profiler Roy Hazelwood;s Journey Into the Minds of Sexual Predators by Stephen G. Michaud
The Last Undercover: the True Story of an FBI Agent's Dangerous Dance with Evil by Bob Hamer
Secrets of the FBI by Ronald Kessler
No Backup: My Life as a Female FBI Special Agent by Rosemary Dew
Special Agent: My Life on the Front LInes as a Woman with the FBI by Candice De Long
At the Devil's Table: the Untold Story of the Insider who Brought Down the Cali Cartel by William C. Rempel
A Cop's Tale, NYPD the Violent Years : A Detective's Firsthand Account of Murder and Mayhem by Jim O'Neil with Mel Fazzino
Learning Express: Reasoning Skills for Law Enforcement Exams
Law Enforcement Agencies: Federal Bureau of Investigation by Edward R. Ricciuti
Virtual Apprentice: FBI Agent by Gail Karlitz
National Geographic: The FBI (DVD)
J. Edgar (DVD)
Learning Express Library - Jobs & Careers - Law Enforcement