HAPPY HAPPY! SEEYA NEXT YEAR!

DON'T FORGET WRITING ON THE

7TH OF JANUARY (6:00 - 7:30 pm)!!

It is a truth universally acknowledged that. . . *

anyone reading a Jane Austen novel is changed for ever!

Today is Jane's birthday. If you have not yet graced your life with her fiction, maybe today is the day to promise yourself that kind of joy, for reading her novels is a joy for sure.

www.jasna.org

*if you do not recognize this seven word string, you have not yet read the first line of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE!

Hey, it's Tamora Pierce's birthday. Read all about her on her website, and then go to the Wyckoff Library and check out one of her great books! Talk about 'girl power'! She's got it all in her fantasy novels.

www.tamorapierce.com

It's Emily's birthday!

Celebrate!

Write a poem!

Read a poem!

Read one of her poems!

Or you may just read about her: http://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/

On this day in 1972, the above picture was taken by Apollo 17 astronauts, and for the first time the earth, the Big Blue Marble, as the astronauts called her, was photographed in space in all its magnificence.

Enjoy her, respect her, protect her, and love her!

TURKEY DAY . . .TOFURKEY DAY . . .EAT 'TIL YA DROP DAY . . .WHATEVER IT IS TO YOU, HAVE A GOOD TIME AND DON'T SKIP ON DESSERT NO MATTER HOW FULL YOU ARE!

(. . .just be grateful the turkey you ate was not a farmyard pet!)

NEW MOON!!

Who saw it and whadya think of it?

Submit your review and I'll post it here!

I will edit, so don't get too sassy!

Pssst: Some of us haven't seen it, so don't give away any secrets!!

Hey, it's dragon-boy's birthday!

http://www.alagaesia.com/christopherpaolini.htm

Expecting to see many of you tonight at the Teen Writing Group at 6:00 in the Monroe Room.
I'm toying with the idea of New York Yankee haiku . . .just toying with the idea at present.

THE YANKEES ARE BACK ON TOP, WHERE THEY BELONG!

YIPEEEE!

AND A GREAT AND NOBLE WIN IT WAS!

THANKS, HIDEKI, FOR YOUR MVP-ISHNESS!

THANKS TO THE YANKS FOR GIVING US SO MUCH EXCITEMENT THIS YEAR!

OKAY, SO IT'S NOT 'WIN-OR-GO-HOME' YET, BUT TONIGHT IS A CRITICAL GAME FOR THE BRONX BOMBERS !

ROOT ROOT ROOT FOR THE HOME TEAM!!!

Things to look forward to (now that the party is over (but is the party really over?)):

TEEN WRITING GROUP: Thursday 11/5 6:00 - 7:30 PM

BOOK DISCUSSION (THE LAST KNIGHT): Thursday 11/19 6:00 - 7:00 PM

Both will be held in the Monroe Room and both will offer refreshments (when do I not offer refreshments!).

As they used to say (well before my time, in truth),

"BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!"

Get ready, party pics are comin'!

GO YANKEES!

NOW. . . ON TO THE WORLD SERIES!!!!

If you weren't there, well , what can I say? You missed a great party! Clearly, Wyckoff teens know how to party down, and let's just say that I haven't enjoyed "Musical Chairs" as much as I did tonight (even remembering my early childood!). You guys rocked the house, that was beyond true!



Watch this space for some cool pics, and then you can either remember what you experienced or see what you missed!

This is Babs, all tuckered out from a night of partying with Wyckoff teens! (And . . .I have to be a Librarian tomorrow, too!)

Wow, the jury is in and the verdict is final! Hilari Bell beat out Stephenie Meyer by a mile and a half, literarily speaking that is!



In tonight's book discussion of JESSICA'S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARK SIDE, the book by Ms. Bell was judged (and fairly, I might add most gently to all TWILIGHT fans out there!) to have far more merit, both in content and conceit, than the hallowed Meyer fiction.



If you haven't read this novel yet, get a copy and check out our jury's findings. Frankly, both the hero and the heroine of JESSICA'S GUIDE are far superior to the much vaunted Edward and Bella. There was a 'realness' to them that is soooo missing in the TWILIGHT series (all of which I read and loved, by the way).



I am open to all comment on this topic, but don't get too snippy about it until you've read the competition. I'm telling you, you will like it, and if you don't, well you missed your chance to hate it verbally at tonight's book discussion.



Read on, oh teens of Wyckoff (and anyone else who may be reading this post)!

So here's my current effort to keep all my blogging fans up-to date on what's happening at the library!

First of all, I was away last week visiting Williamsburg, VA, and if you have not been there yet, mention it casually to your parents. It is a fabulous place to visit, AND learn about American History. You can't help but absorb Colonial history and the American Revolution just by walking along the lovely byways and paths. It's a sort of 'living history' kind of place with many folks dressed and acting their parts, quite well, in fact. We saw lots of great playacting, music, and just good stuff in general.


Feel free to ask me more when we meet again. Mayhap I shall post pics on this particular blog, too, once my pics are secure in Photoshop-Land!



But as I began, what's new for teens at the Library? Funny you should ask!



This coming Tuesday, one week from today, on the 20th of October from 6:00 to 7:00 PM I shall be discussing a great book with teens, JESSICA'S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARK SIDE, a darkly funny vampire novel that I think is head and shoulders above Ms Meyer's work (need I say which that is?), from a purely literary standpoint. I still have books if you want to do a quick read of this eminently readable book!



Secondly, it's PA-A-A-ARTY TIME! Yes, on Thursday the 22th of October I will be hosting a party to celebrate Teen Read Week, and to recall the great summer teens enjoyed here at the Wyckoff Library! That is from 6:30 to 8:30 in the Monroe Room and there will be games, music, laughter, fun, and food (of course!). Caveat: Only those signed up in advance will be admitted!!!!



Contact me with any questions you may have about any of the above, either via a post here, an e-mail there (wyckya@bccls.org) or a simple ringy-ding-ding on the phone (201-891-4866).

Wyckoff Teen Writers WRITE ON!!

As last night's first Teen Writers Group meeting evidenced, the teen writers of Wyckoff are back and better than ever (IMHO)!!

So yesterday I was composing a post, outlining what was on my agenda for Wyckoff teens ongoingly. I was trying to do this at a very busy Reference Desk, and that comes under the heading of "ain't gonna happen!". The upshot is I did not post yesterday (INSTEAD I AM POSTING IT TODAY!), but I did go home last night, checked my own e-mail and discovered that one of you anonymous folks had left me a message, attached to my last blog entry.



Ya know, if you're going to maintain a blog, MAINTAIN IT! That was an order to myself, as I have been verrrrry remiss for the past many weeks in updating this weblog (for that is what 'blog' actually stands for, dontcha know).



The message left to me yesterday was a query: When is writing????? :)
The answer to that message is: OCTOBER 1ST, THURSDAY, FROM 6:00 - 7:30 PM.

'nuff said!

Okay, the blog is BACK (after a brief hiatus (SAT word...look it up!))!

I have not been idle these past several weeks. In fact, I'm planning a great season for Wyckoff teens. So far, here's where we stand:

10/1/2009 Thursday 6:00 - 7:30 WYCKOFF TEEN WRITERS GROUP MEETS, Monroe Room, for Wyckoff teens from 12-16. Bring a recent piece of writing (or, if small, a couple of pieces will do, too). Be prepared to read them aloud to your peers--it's a WRITERS GROUP after all.

10/20/2009 Tuesday 6:00 - 7:00 PM, BOOK DISCUSSION! This month we will be celebrating TEEN READ WEEK by reading and discussion JESSICA'S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARKSIDE by Cheaney. Books are available NOW! If you haven't guessed yet, it's a vampire novel, and it most certainly is as entertaining as TWILIGHT, if I may dare say that.

10/22/2009 Thursday 6:00 - 8:00 PM, PARTY!! This is a party in celebration of our Summer 2009 activities, as well as Teen Read Week. Lots of entertainment, lots of fun, lots of food! Plus, prizes for all!

Keep checking this spot, and never hesitate to contact me at the library, via e-mail (wyckya@bccls.org) or at this very blogspot!

We are midway through the summer of teen programs.

Yesterday was the third of the TALK IT UP/SPEAK OUT book discussions, and we all had a great time! The coolness, though, was when the lights went out as we were in the middle of the TALK IT UP discussion of SHAKESPEARE'S SECRET.

An unexpected blackout in the Library!!

(Of course, when is a blackout ever really expected anyway!) We all left the Monroe Room and wended our way about to the front of the Library to find that the lights had come on...so we just continued our discussion and the mass consumption of chocolate!

http://simply-simpy.com/wp-content/themes/simply/images/lb_images/blackout1.gif

Yes, it's BASTILLE DAY!

TODAY IS THE BIRTHDAY OF HAROLD BLOOM!

You may not know him yet, but if you ever chance to require literary criticism of any sort, you will doubtless encounter his work. We have many books, edited by Mr. Bloom, sitting pretty on the Library shelves awaiting your introduction. A great writer himself who has written criticism of his own work as well, Bloom's collection of critical reviews of literature and authors is legend!

"In the finest critics, one hears the full cry of the human. They tell one why it matters to read."

Yeah, I know, I haven't blogged in a good long while, but it's not for lack of intent. Nay, intent was certain, it's just that late June was way bizzy for me, including a wonderful family wedding (mayhap you will see pics, whenever!), and now I am in the Adirondacks on a long-awaited and well-earned vacation.

Sitting on the porch overlooking a lovely lake and gazing at Pharoah Mountain in the misty distance...yes, a vacation is just what I needed. (A rainy day in the Adirondacks is way better than a sunny day in NJ anytime!)

But I shall return, and next week I will see many of you at Book Discussion on Thursday, and maybe even at Literary Magazine on Tuesday! (Check my summer schedule at wyckoff-nj.com, if you please,)

Today is the anniversary of the steamboat disaster of 1904, featured in this historical fiction novel, THE UNRESOLVED by T. K. Welsh, which relates the tale of the tragedy that took the lives of more than 1,000 people who died when fire erupted aboard the steamboat General Slocum in New York City's East River.

It is told from the point of view of a girl who died in that fire. . .after her death. . .yes, she is a ghost!

At present, our copy is checked out, but feel free to ask at the Ref Desk for this book and we will attempt to get one asap-ishly for you!

If this little girl had been allowed to live out her life, she would now be 80 years old, and full of the wisdom that comes with such an age.

Instead, her life ended before she had any opportunity to show what she could have become.

Instead, we are left only with remembrances, such as this joyous photo taken in an innocent age, at an innocent age.

And her diary, her beloved Kitty.

Her memory is alive and she is honored each time someone reads her diary, into which she poured the wisdom she had accrued in a life cut short so cruelly.

Today, we celebrate the birthday of

ANNE FRANK.

GET READY FOR SUMMER!!
Our theme this year for Wyckoff teens is
EXPRESS YOURSELF
@ YOUR LIBRARY,
and our summer-long reading program with incentives will again be offered.
The Library will also be hosting book discussion groups:

TALK IT UP! for those entering 7th through 9th grade, and

SPEAK OUT! for those entering 10th through 12th grade.

Six books chosen by Barbara the Teen Librarian will be discussed

every Thursday evening for six weeks, from
July 17 through August 20,
6:00 to 7:00 PM and 7:30 to 8:30 PM.

BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE NOW!

And we will be offering a number of other great arts programs

to get Wyckoff teens creative in a way cool way!
Check out the Library Summer Teen Schedule

and contact Barbara at the Library if you have questions

about these summer activities…
@The Library

Last night the Wyckoff Teen Writers Group met, maybe for the last time this season (but we shall see...).

Those who attended were Jen D, Jen K, Amy, Sally, Kaitlyn (the extreme softball player), and a new member of our group, Kevin (and we hope he returns to us when next we meet!).

Need I mention candy was consumed? Need I mention great writing was done, and more great writing was read aloud to the amazement and amusement of all present? Need I mention that if you weren't there, you should have been and you were missed? Well, all of the above is TRUE!

Keep watching this space for more news of more new to come for Wyckoff teens!

PS: Picture above represents no one in the Teen Writing Group . . .yet!

Another birthday !!

Name:
Walt Whitman
Birth Date:
May 31, 1819
Death Date:
March 26, 1892
Place of Birth:
West Hills, New York, United States
Place of Death:
Camden, New Jersey, United States

Read the and tell me Mr. Whitman was not years and years ahead of his time. Then read his biography sometime and learn the coolness of this poet! (btw, you may ask a librarian for such a biography, if you wish! I happen to know one!)

Song of Myself (excerpt)by (the birthday boy) Walt Whitman

This is the meal equally set, this the meat for natural hunger,It is for the wicked just the same as the righteous, I make appointments with all,I will not have a single person slighted or left away,The kept-woman, sponger, thief, are hereby invited,The heavy-lipp'd slave is invited, the venerealee is invited;There shall be no difference between them and the rest.
This is the press of a bashful hand, this the float and odor of hair,
This the touch of my lips to yours, this the murmur of yearning,This the far-off depth and height reflecting my own face,This the thoughtful merge of myself, and the outlet again.Do you guess I have some intricate purpose?Well I have, for the Fourth-month showers have, and the mica on the side of a rock has.
Do you take it I would astonish?Does the daylight astonish? does the early redstart twittering through the woods?Do I astonish more than they?
This hour I tell things in confidence,I might not tell everybody, but I will tell you.
20
Who goes there? hankering, gross, mystical, nude;How is it I extract strength from the beef I eat?
What is a man anyhow? what am I? what are you?
All I mark as my own you shall offset it with your own,Else it were time lost listening to me.
I do not snivel that snivel the world over,That months are vacuums and the ground but wallow and filth.
Whimpering and truckling fold with powders for invalids, conformity goes to the fourth-remov'd,I wear my hat as I please indoors or out.
Why should I pray? why should I venerate and be ceremonious?
Having pried through the strata, analyzed to a hair, counsel'd with doctors and calculated close,I find no sweeter fat than sticks to my own bones.
...
I exist as I am, that is enough,If no other in the world be aware I sit content,And if each and all be aware I sit content.
One world is aware and by far the largest to me, and that is myself,And whether I come to my own to-day or in ten thousand or ten million years,I can cheerfully take it now, or with equal cheerfulness I can wait.
Excerpts from "Song of Myself" by Walt Whitman. Public domain.

Today is Robert Zimmerman's birthday. He is turning 68 years old on this day, the 24th of May 2009, and his life has been very meaningful to many people in the entire world.

Robert Zimmerman is his birth name.

Can you tell me by what name does the world know him?

(I give no point for this, nor do give hints!)

So, as it says on one of my lovely display boards, done by

our ever able and talented teen volunteers,

SUMMER APPROACHES ON HORSEBACK . . .

as indeed it does.

The theme for teens this summer is:

Express Yourself @ Your Library

so creativity of all sorts will be the order of the season!

Get ready for summer programs I will be offering, such as the very popular Summer Reading program (read as you wish, count your pages, and win prizes!!), the also very popular TALK IT UP (for grades 7-9) and (not as popular, but equally fun) SPEAK OUT (for grades 10-12), wherein we read a (great) book every week and discuss the following week, for six weeks in a row!

Additionally, in the spirit of CREATIVITY, we will be offering a wonderful art class, printmaking with the artist Sharon Gross. Also, another artist you may recall, the origamist Linda Bogan will be returning for some cool paper foldings.

A few other things are lurking (but only in my brain at present!).

Continue to watch this space,

and the library, to0, for the good stuff we'll be offering Wyckoff teens this summer. . .

at the Library!

CELEBRATE 'ODD DAY' TODAY,

AN ODDity NOT TO BE SEEN AGAIN FOR

A GOOD LONG WHILE!

http://www.oddday.net/

It's AUDREY HEPBURN's Birthday!

Check out her cool site!




http://www.audreyhepburn.com/

Okay, who's up for this? In honor of Master Will's Birthday, I'm starting a sonnet, in the Shakespearean fashion, and I will write the first line of this fourteen line sonnet.

Now the rules of the sonnet are thus:

Rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, with each letter representing a rhyme, so in each stanza, every other line rhymes.

Meter: As you may know, it is ALWAYS iambic pentameter. Here's first line from one of his sonnets: "When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes." Think of the 'red' words as being the ones emphasized.

Content: Usually love, this time its love of William Shakespeare's work.

Now, here's the first line:

WHEN OFT I READ WILL SHAKESPEARE'S WONDROUS WORK

Okay, now you guys send me your ideas for the next line, I'll pick the best, and we'll go line by line from there in this blog.

Any questions? Leave me a note. If you wish to see a copy of a sonnet, let me know that too!

http://www.mediabistro.com/unbeige/original/bill%20shakespeare.jpg

omg, it's another birthday!
Happy Birthday (and deathday, as he died on his b'day, too!), Sweet William!
Thanks for everything, gentle poet!

William Shakespeare Picture Gallery at Absolute Shakespeare

HAPPY BIRTHDAY,

CHARLOTTE BRONTE!

(and thanks ever so much for JANE EYRE!)

FOURTH AND FINAL CLUE:

Today is her birthday!

CLUE THE THIRD:

Along with her two writer sisters,

whose pseudonyms were Ellis Bell and Acton Bell,

these noble women crafted literature still esteemed today.

My second clue:

She wrote at least

one book

that should be

on everyone's

'life reading list'!

Can you guess this lovely lady's name?
(My first hint: her pseudonym was CURRER BELL!)

If you were not there last night to hear the latest written creations by Wyckoff teens, boy, did you miss something great! We heard fantastic poetry and prose, some that made us laugh, some that made us want to cry, and some that made us scratch our heads and wonder why. We also heard the first chapter of a book, a novel, in progress. How cool is that! Lucky for you, this happens monthly, the first Thursday of the month, in the Monroe Room from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. A good time is always had by all (I think, at least!)

April Fools!

Now that's out of the way, check out Google's April Fools Joke for 2009...it is a splendid thing (there's that word again!)...

http://cadiesingularity.blogspot.com/

GOOGLE is very well known for their April Fools jokes, and they do take them to great extremes...Regarding this one, we've all been pwn'd, I'm thinkin'!

Last night's book discussion of THE FALCONER'S KNOT went splendidly, and all my splendid teens had splendid things to say, too, as we snacked most splendidly on splendid snacks.

Was that splendid enough for you? I can make it more splendid, if you want.

Choose a splendid book for next discussion, and I will take it under splendid advisement.

Doesn't 'splendid' sound like a stupid word now?

It's St. Patrick's Day!

Just in case you were wondering who the heck he really was:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090316-st-patricks-day-facts.html

Mary Hoffman’s
THE FALCONER’S KNOT
TEEN BOOK DISCUSSION

Wyckoff teens aged 12–16 or thereabouts)
26 March 2009
7:00-8:00 pm
Monroe Room
Wyckoff Public Library

BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE NOW!!
REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED, AS ALWAYS!

RSVP: Barbara, YA Librarian
at 201-891-3866 or wyckya@bccls.org

PS: Okay, if anyone has tried to do the knot shown in the prior post, bring it with you to the book discussion, to the oohs and aahs of all present!! (me most especially...me and knots don't get along!!)

Here's a clue for our next book discussion book:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibXZSuJVLX8

THIS THURSDAY!

WE WRITE AGAIN!

WYCKOFF TEEN WRITING GROUP MEETS...

MONROE ROOM...

6:30 - 8:00 pm

Need I add, REFRESHMENTS WILL BE OFFERED!

Let's maintain the glow left by the illustrious (and lots of fun) Tui Sutherland!!

Let me know if you will or will not be coming, via the usual methods:

201-891-4866

or

wyckya@bccls.org

or

just respond (with your name) to this BLOG!!!

WOW! I am still flying from Tui Sutherland's visit to the Library! I don't think the Monroe Room felt so many good vibrations and general coolness, ever!

And for those of you who missed it, there will be pics posted on this spot, asap-ishly. BUT. . .ya missed it!

YES, YES, YES Tui Sutherland will definitely be in attendance this Thursday at 7:00 PM! Alert your parents: this may run later than our scheduled 8:00, in fact it maybe closer to 9:00 PM.

And for those of you who write creatively, don't forget to bring any of your writing (less than 10 pages, please, per Tui's request) to have her edit it for you!
C'mon...how cool is that!!

(Don't forget to bring your copy of the book I loaned to you, too!)

Check out TUI SUTHERLAND'S blog:

http://www.tuibooks.com/?q=blog/1

NEWSFLASHNEWSFLASHNEWSFLASHNEWSFLASHNEWSFLASH

The author of SO THIS IS HOW IT ENDS will be attending the book discussion of that book on Thursday, February 26th in the Monroe Room of the Wyckoff Library!

Contact Barbara at the Library (201-891-4866 or wyckya@bccls.org) to obtain a book, or further information about this cool news!

RSVP REQUIRED, AS USUAL!

NEWSFLASHNEWSFLASHNEWSFLASHNEWSFLASHNEWSFLASH

NEW BOOK HAS BEEN CHOSEN!

SEE THE ATTACHED FLYER AND PLEASE COME TO THE LIBRARY TO GET A COPY OF THIS COMPELLING READ (AT LEAST I THINK IT IS!).

Tui Sutherland’s
SO THIS IS HOW IT ENDS

TEEN BOOK DISCUSSION
(Wyckoff teens aged 12–16 or thereabouts)
26 February 2009
7:00-8:00 pm
Monroe Room
Wyckoff Public Library
REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED, AS ALWAYS!
RSVP: Barbara, YA Librarian at 201-891-3866 or wyckya@bccls.org

http://nicoleleeartistry.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/yippee_big.gif

So, regarding my last message, what that means is that February 5th will be the first WRITING GROUP of February.

Seeya there!

This is an important message for Wyckoff teens regarding a scheduling change!

As of February 1st, the Wyckoff Teen Writing Group will be meet on the 1st Thursday of every month from 6:30 to 8:00PM, while Book Discussions will be held on the 4th Thursday of each month from 7:00 to 8:00PM. Both will be held in the Monroe Room unless otherwise notified.

This is due to popular demand!

Let me know your mind about this change!

Okay, if any of you have been wondering: nay, my auld acquaintances ha' nae been forgot* since last year, so I'm checking in with Wyckoff's teens with best wishes for an unforgettable 2009, as we all attempt to forget whatever we wish to forget about 2008 (or remember, if you are of that ilk!)

So.....start the New Year right by attending either the Teen Writing Group (1/20/09) or the Book Discussion (1/27/09--books available now!) and 'get on the good foot' ** for the New Year!!

*...just a little fractured Scots meaning 'I haven't forgotten my old friends,' a variation on the lyrics to AULD LANG SYNE, the universal New Years Eve celebratory song, played as 12:01 strikes and Babs' birthday goes away for another year (yay!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acxnmaVTlZA&eurl=http://www.webtvhub.com/auld-lang-syne-lyrics-video-sing-along-to-a-classic-new-years-eve-song/

**...as the estimable Mr. James Brown, King of Soul, as been known to sing! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUat-0pTiAk

PS: Many thanks to Trevor for his great New Year graphic (no, I do not call myself "Trevor" these days!)