THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY
The Friends of New Brunswick Free Public Library encourage library awareness, promote use of the library, and encourage reading and life-long learning. They publicize library activities, enrich the presentations of the library, donate equipment, and raise funds. Become a Friend, and with your annual membership enable the library to share with the community the wealth of knowledge in a speaker or a book.
To become a Member of the Friends, or simply make a donation, fill out the Friends brochure (available for downloading in English and en español) and mail it in or visit the Library.
MEMBERS
Executive Board
Marilyn Herod, President
Jennie Fischer, Vice-President
George Dawson, Treasurer
Robert Belvin Marie Borbely Cecilia Claflen Joan Lyons
Harvey Schrier Pam Sheinman Peggy Sica Teresa Vivar
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FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY EVENTS
The Friends' Book Club
Mondays (usually the last Monday of the month) at 1:30 p.m. in the Library's Carl T. Valenti Community Room. The only requirements are to have read the book and be willing to discuss it.
Download a copy of the Friends' Book Club Schedule for 2012-2013.
2012-13 BOOK CLUB LIST:
Sept. 24 The Passage of Power by Robert Caro.
The fourth book of Robert A. Caro’s The Years of Lyndon Johnson describes Johnson’s move from Senate Majority Leader to Vice President to President.
Oct. 29 Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel.
A historical novel that relates what happened when Henry VIII became disenchanted with his second wife, Anne Boleyn.
Nov. 26 The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka.
A novel about the Japanese picture brides who arrived in San Francisco in the early 1900s.
Dec. 17 The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.
A novel about the loving relationship between a racecar driver and his dog.
Jan. 28, 2013 In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson.
Contains the eyewitness account of Hitler’s Third Reich by William Dodd, U.S. Ambassador to Germany, and his family.
Feb. 25 Sacre Bleu: a Comedy d’Art by Christopher Moore.
Takes place in the France of the Impressionist painters and mulls over the circumstances of Vincent Van Gogh’s death.
April 8 The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien.
A compelling and haunting story of American infantry in Vietnam. (Originally scheduled for April 29.)
Apr. 29 The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.
Tells the dramatic story of how the cells of this victim of cancer continue to help scientists develop vaccines, clone, and map genes. (Originally scheduled for March 25.)
May 20 Anatomy of Injustice: A Murder Case Gone Wrong by Raymond Bonner.
A suspenseful telling of what can go wrong in our criminal justice system.
June 10 The Mysterious Stranger by Mark Twain.
Twain’s final novel is a social commentary on humanity.
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"Brown Bag Lunch" Programs
Wednesdays (the first Wednesday of the month) at 12:15 pm in the Library's Carl T. Valenti Community Room. Admission is free; coffee and tea will be served.
September 5, 2012
Terrence Seamon will speak about his recent book, To Your Success, a motivational guide for anyone in transition. Terrence is a job search and career coach in addition to being an organization development consultant, and he provides leadership and team development services to employers.
He co-founded and co-moderates the St. Matthias Employment Ministry in Somerset, NJ, and will soon have a new book published, Lead the Way, which explores the challenges of leadership.
October 3, 2012
"On the Waterfront": An afternoon talk with George Dawson covering a 280-year history of the doings and happenings of the Raritan River.
November 7, 2012
The Friends of the New Brunswick Free Public Library presents The String Trio from the Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University. Come enjoy an afternoon of music with performers Elena V. Chernova-Davis, Michael Davis, and Jordan Enzinger.
December 5, 2012
Rescuing the River: the Raritan, a one-hour documentary film, will be shown (instead of the originally scheduled talk by NJ Senator Barbara Buono.)
It was written and directed by Eric G. Schultz, narrated by Avery Brooks, and distributed by the New Jersey Council of the Humanities.
February 6, 2013
Joan Marter, Professor of Art History, will present on the topic "Actions and Improvizations: Pop Art, Happenings and Fluxus at Rutgers in the 1960s". This presentation will describe the early developments of Happenings and Pop Art in the Rutgers Art Department, and include artists Allan Kaprow, George Segal, Roy Lichtenstein, Lucas Samaras and others.
Joan Marter is a Board of Governors Professor of Art History at Rutgers University. She organized "OFF LIMITS: Rutgers University and the Avant-Garde, 1959-63" at the Newark Museum, and was the editor and principal essayist of the accompanying book published by Rutgers University Press. Dr. Marter is the author of five books and 100 articles and essays. She is editor of the Woman's Art Journal, and continues to teach in the graduate and undergraduate program in Art History at Rutgers.
March 6
The string trio of Misha Shapiro, Lindsey Gamble, and Timothy Leonard return! All are students at Rutgers' Mason Gross School of the Arts.
April 3
A talk with New Brunswick City Administrator Thomas A. Loughlin 3rd: Challenges facing New Brunswick.
May 1
Classical pianist Dennis Kobray will perform. Mr. Kobray began piano lessons when he was five years old, co-majored in music and history at Brooklyn College and did graduate work at Southern Methodist University. He has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, National Public Radio, and with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington D.C.
June 5
Judith Krall-Russo, certified tea specialist and food historian, will be our featured speaker. Her topic will be "Blueberries: New Jersey’s Wonder Fruit." The cultivated blueberry has its roots in the Pinelands of New Jersey. Elizabeth White and Dr. Frederick Coville proved that the "swamp huckleberry" could be cultivated. Today the blueberry is touted as a wonder fruit with many health benefits. Judith Krall-Russo will discuss the history and health benefits of blueberries, and describe a variety of ways to prepare them.
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Annual Meeting - Monday June 3
The Friends Board will meet at 1:30. After this annual meeting, they will present a talk with author, educator, and independent filmmaker Hisani P. Dubose, who wrote the book Do I Have to Be a Starving Artist in the 21st Century? Her book is intended to help all types of artists take control of their careers. For more about Mr. Dubose, you may visit this website.
3 PM in the Henry Guest House.
Special Evening Program - March 7
Please join the Friends of the New Brunswick Free Public Library for an evening of Gospel music! Reverence Ministries will perform as a celebration of Black History.
7 PM in the Carl T. Valenti Community Room.
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2-Day Book Sale
The Library's Book Sale is an annual event, usually held in mid-April. The Friends organize a wide array of items and sell them at incredibly low prices! There are always thousands of books as well as videos, DVDs, CDs, and more!!
The 2013 Book Sale was on April 12 from 1:00 to 7 PM and
April 13 from 10 AM - 4 PM.
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