Plainsboro Public Library News

2012-01-31T09:41:00.000-08:00

February Library Hours

The Library will be open regular Hours except as noted:

Saturday, February 4th

• Library open from 10 am - 1 pm
• Art Gallery Reception 1– 3 pm*
• Chinese New Year 3 - 6 pm*
*Please note – all Library Services (including computer and
room usage) will cease at 1 pm for our Chinese New Year Celebration. The event is free and open to everyone!

Monday, February 20th - PRESIDENT’s Day – CLOSED

2012-01-31T09:33:00.000-08:00

New! Alzheimer's Association Caregiver Support Group is forming, beginning on Thursday, February 16th at 6:30 in the History Room on the 2nd Floor of the Library. It will meet monthly on the 3rd Thursday, until June 21st. Call this number to register: 973-586-4300. The Greater New Jersey Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.

Downloading Library ebooks

2012-01-08T15:44:00.000-08:00

ENJOY ebooks from the Library on your Nook, Kindle, or iOS!

Step-by-step tutorials will help you get started!

How to download an ebook to your iPad, iPod Touch, or iPhone

How to download an ebook to your Nook

How to download an ebook to your Kindle

Library Gallery Exhibit

2012-01-07T14:00:00.000-08:00

The Gallery at Plainsboro Public Library presents

Tatiana Sougakova

"Flippables...and More"

January 4 - 31, 2012

Reception: Sunday, January 8, 2 - 4 pm
Open to the Public

Join us for an interactive art reception! A questionnaire will lead you through the art. "Flippable" art can be rearranged (see the display wall facing the cafe) and an original painting will be raffled. 1 raffle ticket per family will be distributed between 2 and 3 pm on the day of the reception. The drawing will be at 4 pm.

2012-01-06T14:04:00.000-08:00

Monday, February 6th, 6:00 - 8:00pm

Join Miss Colleen in an animal storytime, followed by a showing of
Dolphin Tale

Feel free to come in your jammies and bring a blanket and/or pillow!

Light snacks will be provided.

For Grades 1 - 4 only!

Chinese New Year at your Library - February 4th

2012-01-06T09:36:00.000-08:00

Chinese New Year at Plainsboro Public Library

Welcoming The Year of the Dragon!

Saturday, February, 2012

The Library will be only open from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on February 4^th so we can dedicate the building to the enjoyment of this wonderful annual event.

Everyone is welcome to join in the celebration!

Tentative Schedule

1:00 – 3:00 Reception of artist Lucy Z. Lu (Library Gallery)

3:00 – 3:20 Dragon Dance and Drum Team (Plaza/Community Room)

3:20 – 4:30 Stage Performances (Library Community Room)

3:30 – 5:00 Demonstrations (Library first floor)

5:00 – 6:00 Children’s Games/Lantern Riddles (Library Community Room)

5:30 – 6:00 Presentation of Traditional Red Envelopes (Library first floor)

Winter Programs for Children 2012

2012-01-05T01:00:00.000-08:00

Storytime

Moving Stories with Miss Debra on Mondays at 11 Join dancer and movement specialist Debra Orenstein for a magical hour of stories, music and movement! All ages.

Giving Tree with Miss Colleen on Tuesdays at 11 Get ready to hear some wonderful nature stories and make some treats for our feathered and furry friends! All ages.

Musical Stories with Miss Emily on Tuesdays at 7 Emily Vorp is back with accompanist Bill Bauer to brighten up your Tuesday evenings with songs and stories! All ages.

Science Explorers! with Miss Christina on Wednesdays at 11 Explorers of all ages are invited to join Miss Christina in the Science Center for stories and experiments!

Lapsit Time with Miss Julie on Thursdays at 11 Songs, rhymes, dancing and stories are sure to delight babies & toddlers ages 0-30 months and their caregivers!

Animal Stories with Miss Meaghan on Fridays at 11 Come hear stories about our animal friends! All ages.

Babies Read with Miss Tara on Fridays at 10:15 Join Miss Tara for books, songs, games and an introduction to American Sign Language! For babies 0-18 months with caregiver. Please sign up at the children’s desk.

Science Adventures with Miss Meaghan on Friday, January 6 & 20 at 7 Stories, experiments and exploration galore. For ages 4 and up.

Winter Wonders! Saturdays at 11 Cozy up with us on Saturdays for some wonderful winter tales! All ages.

Afternoon & Evening Programs

(Registration Required: please carefully note the grade range requirements for each program)

The Hundred Dresses on Monday, January 2 , 4-6:00: Join Miss Colleen in reading this classic book and enjoy a short break for tea. Feel free to bring a blanket and pillow! Grades 2-4 only.
Registration began December 22.

13 Scary Stories on Friday the 13th , 7:00: Join Miss Meaghan for a night of scary stories and superstitions for the first Friday the 13th of the year! Grades 2-5.
Registration begins on Tuesday, January 3.

A Ticket to…on Mondays, January 16-30, 6:30-8pm: Join Miss Colleen for a journey to another state! We will explore the land, history, traditions, culture, and more! Grades 3-5 only. Registration begins Monday, January 9.

Let’s Celebrate!: Join Miss Meaghan as we explore holiday traditions and festivals from around the world! Through activities, stories, and games, we will learn how these special days are celebrated. Grades 2-5.

Let’s Celebrate!: Chinese New Year, Thursday, January 19, 4:30-6: Registration begins Thursday, January 12.
Let’s Celebrate!: Australia Day, Thursday, January 26, 4:30-6: Registration begins on Thursday, January 19.

Cooking by the Book, Friday, January 20, 4-5:30: Join Miss Colleen for an hour and a half of stories, measuring, cooking, and more! All recipes will be vegetarian. Grades 2-4 only. Registration begins in early January.

Plainsboro Library E-Zine, Mondays, Jan. 23- Feb. 27, 4:30: Kids in 4th grade & up are invited to join the E-Zine staff to create our spring issue! Grades 4 & up. Registration begins on Tuesday, January 10.

Improv Too! Tuesdays, Feb. 7-Mar. 13, 5:00: Join Miss Emily for tons of creative drama fun! Grades 1-3. Registration begins on Monday, January 23.

Improvmania, Thursdays, Feb. 9-Mar. 22, 4:30: Get dramatic with Miss Julie as we explore theatre games, improvisation & scenes. Grade 4 & up. Registration begins on Monday, January 23.

Chess for Beginners, Wednesdays, Feb. 8-Mar 14, 6:15: Render Cutts will lead this class for those kids who are new to chess. Grades 1-5. Registration begins on Wednesday, January 25.

Chess for Advanced Beginners, Wednesdays, Feb. 8-Mar 14, 7:15: This class, also led by Render Cutts, is for kids who have some chess experience. Grades 1-5. Registration begins on Wednesday, January 25.

New Hospital Talk

2012-01-03T13:36:00.000-08:00

Design for Healing: University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro

March 7, 2012 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Plainsboro Library Community Room

Learn about the University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro (UMCPP) and other health-related facilities moving in the near future to a 171-acre site in Plainsboro, bounded by the Millstone River, Scudders Mill Road and Route One, just 2.5 miles from the center of Princeton.

UMCPP will be the state-of-the-art replacement hospital for the current University Medical Center at Princeton (UMCP) on Witherspoon Street in Princeton.

Barry Rabner, President and CEO of Princeton HealthCare System, will present this session.

2011-12-06T11:42:00.000-08:00

Introducing the Fall 2011 edition of the:

Plainsboro Library E-Zine!

Written entirely by kids(or their animal friends)

to view click below:

E-Zine!

Elsie the Cow
Editor-in-Chief, Plainsboro Library E-Zine

2011-10-16T13:36:00.000-07:00

BENGALI CLASS

FREE program. Learn to speak, read and write Bengali in a fun Way! Sunday 10am-12pm, Third Floor of the Plainsboro Public Library. Contact information: bangla@bkpa.org or 609-586-5662.

2011-10-15T04:42:00.000-07:00

HINDI LANGUAGE CLASSES
FREE!! Classes for folks 9 and up on Tuesday evenings, 7-8 in the Plainsboro Public Library, Science Center - 3rd Floor. Join Chayya Shah, M.A. in English with years of middle school teaching experience, for a creative and fun filled approach to learning Hindi. Please contact the instructor to reserve your space! Chhaya: 609-785-5446.

2011-10-14T13:23:00.000-07:00

TAMIL CLUB

FREE!!! Fun-filled activity based classes for folks 5 to 15 years of age on Tuesday evenings, 5:30—6:30 in the Science Center on the 3rd floor of the Plainsboro Public Library. The focus of the Plainsboro Tamil Club is on speaking, writing and reading in Tamil. To enroll contact: Suchitra Srinivas at 609-297-8840 or email PlainsboroTamilClub@yahoo.com

2011-08-18T16:01:00.000-07:00

Diwali Celebration 2011

Saturday, October 22, 2011

1 - 5 pm

Workshops: 1:00 - 1:45

Rangoli

Diya Painting

Mehndi

Parade: 1:50 - 2:00

Performances: 2:00 - 4:45

(Music by Hamid Khan and Group)

SPECIAL THANKS, once again, to the benefactor of this and other services at Plainsboro Public Library, Drs. P. Radhakrishnan and Shankar Santhanam of Children's Preferred Care. "Dr. Rad", and his office manager Esme Dayaratna, above right, find the most wonderful ways to reach out and support the community! We are SO proud to be a recipient of his generosity and community care. (Library Director Eileen Burnash and program coordinater Neera Kothary on the left)

2011-05-30T12:23:00.000-07:00

Tuesday After Book Sale - Freebies!!

Quality Leftovers will be available (outside the Library by the front door) for absolutely free on the Tuesdays following our regular booksale

2pm - 6pm

beginning Tuesday, August 9th.

Tuesday Freebie dates for the remainder of 2011 are: September 6th, September 27th, November 1st and November 29th.

2011-05-27T16:36:00.000-07:00

Summer Memories

From Altered Pages to Zig-Zag Books--Wordtastic! Discovery Summer 2011 offered something for everyone: Arts, clowns, cardboard canoes, science challenges, spelling bees, writing and so much more. Enjoy the Snapshots!!

2011-05-26T05:32:00.000-07:00

THE SUMMER BEGAN WITH A SLAM!!

Tuesday, July 5th, 21 finalists selected from 50+ entries competed in the first annual WORDTASTIC story slam! Competitors wove the following words into stories, poems, essays and even a riddle: Candle, small, adobe, persnickety, money, charisma, chicken, fountain, gospel and beautiful. A panel of four judges gave each "performer" ratings from 1 - 10, and......... the winners are:

4TH - 8TH GRADE 1st Prize Trophy went to Jaidev Phadke (age 13), 2nd Place medal to Shambhavi Mishra (age 11) and tied for 3rd Place were Rohit Rao (age 9) and Sneha Jeevan (age 12)!!
9TH GRADE - ADULT 1st Prize Trophy went to Deblina Mukherjee (age 14), 2nd Place medal to Terri Horowitz, and tied for 3rd Place were Kevin Carter and Tasneem Maner (age 16)!!

A terrific time was had by everyone and all the finalists were "BIG WINNERS" who amazed the judges and the audience with their unique entries! What a great way to start the Summer - thanks to all who submitted entries and CONGRATULATIONS to the winners!!

2011-04-10T13:58:00.000-07:00

EGG DROPPING 2011

130 hopeful "inventors" showed up with their egg dropping devices for this year's competition. Eggs were dropped from the 3rd floor terrace of the Library in front of a huge enthusiastic crowd! There were lots of splats, but also plenty of successful drops much to the delight of all present!!

Team Friends: Rahul Kayithi and Adharsh Vanchi took home the grand prize trophy for a successful drop with the lightest device - 0.55 ounces!!

Medals were awarded to the lightest successful entries in each division: Preschool -- Byron Song, Grades K-3 -- Paige Kowalsky, Grades 4-6 -- George Song, Grades 7-8 -- Kevin Gao, High School -- Sarath Jaladi, Beyond High School -- Ting Yao, and Team Family -- Angie Alexander Family. Congratulations to all the BIG WINNERS!!

2011-03-28T07:06:00.000-07:00

DEPTH Delivering Exceptional Presentations that Heal. ™ is a trained group of public speakers who speak from their hearts and share stories of human experience. Its goal is three-fold: public speaker development, community engagement and cross-cultural conversation.

Eileen N. Sinett, Speech coach and President of Comprehensive Communication Services who founded DEPTH, explains, “Speakers need an audience to practice before and my ESL class at Plainsboro Public Library wants help listening and interpreting American speakers. It seemed like a natural win-win to pilot Depth in this way.”

Each session will feature a 10-15-minute personal story. The audience is then invited to share their thoughts and reactions in facilitated small group conversations.

DEPTH is scheduled for the second Thursday of the month from 7:00PM-8:15PM beginning on June 9 and will be held in the Community Room. This series is free and open to the public. All adults are invited to participate in this creative experience. The July session has been rescheduled to Thursday, July 28th and the August session to Thursday, August 18th. All will be held in the Community Room.

2011-03-17T06:48:00.000-07:00

TIME CAPSULE BURIED....AGAIN!

Thanks to the hard...VERY hard....work of Lenard David, Nick Delanos and Todd Hayes of the Public Works Department, the Library was able to re-inter the Town's Time Capsule in the courtyard of the new Library on Friday, May 13th at 7 p.m! Nothing could stop these guys--including an almost solid bed of rock which necessitated hours of pick and jackhammer work!

The capsule was originally planted on April 30, 2000 at the Library in the Municipal Complex at 641 Plainsboro Road to commemorate the turn of the century. It contains the work of many children, who photographed cars, stores, mailboxes, shoes, refrigerator contents and many other features of life during the summer of 1999. U.S. Congressman Rush Holt contributed a tribute. Deputy Mayor Neil Lewis added some significant coins. And the Library dropped in a book describing the near panic of the times: the Y2K "crisis."

This ceremony was highlighted by Vox Nova's delightful performance of "Plainsboro My Home Town", arranged by Victor Shen, with lyrics by Radwa Ali and Heather Schweitzer. The debut of Plainsboro's anthem was greeted by enthusiastic applause!

Plans call for a re-opening of the steel capsule in April of 2050. Mark the date!

2011-01-08T04:59:00.000-08:00

MATHEMANIA'S SUDOKU WINNERS!

Amidst the fun and frolic of a day full of numbers, many players attempted a difficult Sudoku puzzle. Five contestants returned for a final playoff! Aastha Choksi walked off with the first place trophy, finishing in 18 minutes and a perfect score. Second place went to Ashu Shaik, who also had a perfect return, completed in 39 minutes.

2010-10-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Tutoring!

If you'd like a bit of homework help, you have two wonderful choices at the Library. #1 The Tutoring Society, from the High School, will be here Monday-Thursday, 6-8 p.m. on the second floor, to help you conquer school work!

#2 Tutor.com, online, offers personalized "chat room style" instruction, 7 days a week, from 4-9 p.m. It gets rave reviews from our users. Go to the Library's homepage, www.lmxac.org/plainsboro and click on the "Got Homework" button!

2010-10-06T10:44:00.000-07:00

Directory of ESL Courses

at Plainsboro Library and in the area

Join us for a free weekly conversation class every Thursday 7—8:30pm. Perfect for those who know the grammar but just want to USE it!!

No registration required.

The following is a list of literacy service providers who offer classes in English as a Second Language (ESL) in Middlesex and Mercer counties. Some programs are free, others may charge a fee or tuition. Please call the provider to learn about any fees or eligibility requirements for their programs. For additional offerings in Middlesex County go to http://www.co.middlesex.nj.us/employment/literacy.asp for current information.

Literacy Volunteers of Mercer 609-587-6027 Volunteers provide free, confidential literacy one-on-one or small group tutoring services to adult residents at a variety of locations including public libraries, workplaces, churches and retirement homes in Mercer County and Plainsboro.

Mercer County Community College http://www.mccc.edu/programs_english.shtml MCCC’s noncredit ESL program at the West Windsor Campus offers affordable noncredit grammar and vocabulary classes. The program is designed for students who want to improve their English proficiency but who are not enrolled in a degree program at Mercer and do not plan to pursue a degree. For more information about registration for Non-Credit ESL courses, please contact the conference center at 609-570-3311.

Princeton Adult School 609-683-1101 http://www.princetonadultschool.org/

Courses are open to all adult residents of Princeton and its neighboring communities. Classes are held at various locations in Princeton. Courses are 10 weeks in length and offered in the fall (starting in January) and the spring (starting in September.) ESOL classes are offered at six levels—beginning to advanced. Students learn conversational American English and review practical grammar, idioms, and vocabulary. There are also courses that are designed to give students the opportunity to practice spoken English, build colloquial vocabulary, and enhance listening skills. For upper-level ESOL students there is a course which addresses pronunciation problems.

West Windsor-Plainsboro Community Education Adult Program 609-716-5000, ext. 5034 http://www.ww-p.org/departments/Community_Education 8-week ESL courses are offered in the fall (starting in October) and the spring (starting in February) to foreign born adults who want to improve their language skills. Speaking skills are emphasized, in addition to reading, writing and listening skills, to help students cope with social and workplace English language needs. Classes are divided according to skill level and meet twice a week either at High School South, The First Presbyterian Church of Dutch Neck or the Plainsboro Library. Classes are funded by the NJ Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development Grant.

YWCA Princeton 609-497-2100,ext. 306.

http://www.princeton.edu/~cbli/profiles/ywcaprincetonesl.html The Princeton YWCA’s integrated English as a Second Language (ESL) Program is open to both women and men and is designed to present a well-rounded experience for all levels of language skills. Its mission is to empower its students to interact with confidence and enjoyment in the larger community. The program teaches language skills through class work and homework that integrate listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

2010-09-30T06:28:00.000-07:00

DIWALI PROGRAM 2010!

SPECIAL THANKS, to the benefactor of this and other services at Plainsboro Public Library, Drs. P. Radhakrishnan and Shankar Santhanam of Children's Preferred Care. "Dr. Rad", and his office manager Esme Dayaratna, above left, find the most wonderful ways to reach out and support the community! Note the poster behind us--an ongoing program of reading and then GIVING books to his patients at his Lawrenceville office! We are SO proud to be a recipient of his generosity and community care. (Director Jinny Baeckler and program coordinater Neera Kothary on the right)

2010-09-14T06:50:00.000-07:00

WATS + Wentzscope = Science Triumph!

WATS-that's Women Achieving Triumphs in Science-- is actively seeking donations to bring the microscopic world of a scientist, right to the fingertips of kids and adults at the library. Want to look at snowflakes in detail? Explore fossils? Or observe life in a drop of yogurt? The young women in WATS, some of whom grew up with the Library's science programs, have launched a campaign to purchase a Wentzcope (seen above) for Plainsboro Public Library's Science Center. Seeking to raise $2,000, to complete the project, the group is eager for concerned scientists, businesses and parents to pitch in a few dollars and help them reach their fiscal and educational goal. More details are available at the Library, or donations can be mailed directly to Plainsboro Public Library, 9 Van Doren Street, Plainsboro, NJ 08536. Please put "Microscope" in the memo line! The Library's Tax ID Number is 22-2726100. Check out this and other work of WATS at: http://www.youngerscientists.org/

2010-09-13T12:31:00.000-07:00

SAY HELLO TO THE LIBRARY'S LATEST PROJECT !

Thanks to Rob Ashmore of AeonSolar, the Library's Solar Demonstration panels are moving into place! (sorry giant chess players, you'll have to wait til the work is done!) An avid solar scientist, Rob is President of AeonSolar and teaches courses at the Center for Sustainable Energy at City University in New York City. Mr. Ashmore, aside from being a "hands on" guy, is enthusiastic about our desire to teach folks of all ages how this works! When completed, it will be possible to see the amount of energy the panels are producing, real time! A cloud passes over--the difference will be visible in productive output! As one of our construction crew mused, this might really inspire some great future solar engineers! Yes!

2010-07-28T05:33:00.001-07:00

2010 Newspaper Chair Building Contest

1 lb. newspaper = 94.4 lbs support!

The last of the summer Science and Engineering competitions concluded with a packed room, racing the clock to take one pound of newsprint, one roll of Tartan masking tape, and one hour of time to complete a chair which could support volumes and volumes of the classic Encyclopedia Britannica. Tied in the artistry category: The team of Rhea Khatri, Akshat Lal, Rohit Rao and Reeti Shah; and the team of Aidan, Joe and Regan Naticchia. Tied for creative design were the teams of Tim and Tess Kowalski; and Sai and Almaja Venkata. Special judges Monster Math Award went to Aastha Chokshi, who upholstered her chair with numerous items of mathematical interest which she managed to find in her one pound stack of papers. In the weight bearing competition, Aaron, Zack and Robert placed 3rd, supporting 60.4 pounds. Placing 2nd--Rohan, Asha, and Anjali Agrawal, supporting 71.4 pounds. And taking home the trophy, with a sturday, five legged creation were Annie and her Daddy! Thanks everyone, for another fabulous investigation into science and engineering!

2010-07-26T14:50:00.000-07:00

Pringle Packing 2010

Every year Pringle packing puts on display the inventive talents of our Plainsboro Patrons! Distance, size, innovative design, artistry--all come into play! This year's winners and a few of the entries are seen below! Enjoy!

The innovative design winners are Riddhi and Siddhi Shah. Aditya Sivakumar won with the lightest package weighing in at .45. Simran Aljuani triumphed with the smallest package at 8.44 cubic inches, Anthony Vivona's entry won the long distance award with a safe arrival after 822 miles. Judges awarded a tie for artistry to Shreya Jain, whose code breaking tape is shown above; and Asmita Basker, whose poems and rebuses are delighted the audience and judges alike. CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE!

2010-07-21T05:44:00.000-07:00

EGG DROPPING 2010

THE MAGIC OF AN EVENING WITH EGGS

and Library Inventors, young and old

Once again egg dropping at the new library proved a most electric and exciting experience. Eighty eight entrants registered and got to see their inventions hurtle through the air, off the third floor patio, to a waiting crowd below. Judges determined whether the egg had "splated" or survived the death defying plunge. There were moon lander designs, dangling clay jewels, pinwheels, parachutes, fans and of so much creativity on displayed. All told, there were 51 splats, one parachute landing in limbo on the sun screen, and a tremendous show of Plainsboro's inventive, exciting community spirit. Winners by age group included: K-3, Annie Ma; Grade 4-6, Ashu Shaik; Grade 7-8, Rohith Sivakuma; High School, tied Danika Baskar and Neha Kulkarni; Beyond High Schol, Sunetha Batehu; Team Family, Aaron and Zack Kellett; Team friends, Rahul Vanchinathan and Sushmith Ramesh.

AND THE GRAND PRIZE, surviving the fall AND being the lightest at weigh in: Team Family: Aaron and Zack Kellett, seen below with their trophy! Well done everyone!

2010-06-17T04:53:00.000-07:00

DISCOVERY SUMMER 2010

MONSTER MATH IN FULL ACTION!

Check out the summer program for kids and adults alike. Most programs don't require registration. Weeks of learning have begun. Keep an eye on our schedule--check the web page button at lmxac.org/plainsboro for full details! Ongoing updates will be posted here on the blog! And so we begin our Discovery summer 2010 scrapbook! Hope to see you here often!