September’s Book Displays

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As the new school year starts, Syosset Public Library is hosting our second biennial Sy-Con. In conjunction with this event, we have two book displays on the first floor, both with the same theme – Escape Reality: Enter the World of Science Fiction and Fantasy. A bonanza find of books and dvds for fans of this genre.  And it’s also a great introduction to sci-fi and fantasy for anyone interested. Sy-Con 2019 will be held at our library Friday, September 13, 6:30-8:30 pm and Saturday, September 14, 9:00 am-4:30 pm. For more information go to www.sycon.org. Don’t miss either this big event or our book displays.

The theme for the 2 mini displays* are:

On This Friday the 13^th Read a Chilling Horror Novel

In Memoriam, Dorothea Benton Frank, (Sept. 12, 1951-Sept. 2, 2019), a bestselling American novelist.

*mini-displays are subject to change*

The health display on the third floor is September 1-30, Pain Awareness Month.  Pain, whether acute or chronic, is something all people deal with at some point in their lives. Learn what causes pain and what can be done to deal with pain. Included in this display is the classic Mind Over Back Pain by John Sarno, M.D. and books on gout, arthritis, neck pain, and pain management.  There are a variety of handouts on non-drug pain relief, prescription opioids and other pain management related topics. A very timely and important display.

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Constitution Day  is the next display, and is a federal observance that commemorates the U.S. Constitution, which was signed on September 17, 1787. Some interesting facts about the Constitution are it originally contains 4,543 words and has been amended 27 times. For more information on the formation and application of our nation’s basic governing document, check out this display.

-posted by Betty, Reference Services

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Constitution and Citizenship Day

September 17 is celebrated as Constitution and Citizenship Day commemorating the day in 1787 that the United States Constitution was signed and recognizing all who, by coming of age or by naturalization, have become citizens.

For four months in the summer of 1787 twelve states (Rhode Island did not attend) sent 55 men to meet in secret session in Philadelphia to amend the Articles of Confederation. Instead they created a new Constitution with a stronger central government.

(1)  Which of the founding Fathers did not attend the Constitutional Convention: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, or Thomas Jefferson?  

(2) Who is known as the “Father of the Constitution”?

(3) Which state was the ninth state (2/3 of the states then in the Union) to ratify the new constitution and when did that happen?

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The answers are (1) Thomas Jefferson was not in Philadelphia for the convention because he was serving as Minister to France (2) James Madison was called that because of his contributions as a political theorist and practical politician.  He took meticulous notes about the proceedings and, after the document was signed, he along with John Jay and Alexander Hamilton wrote the Federalist Papers campaigning for the its ratification. (3) New Hampshire signed the document on June 21, 1788 making the Constitution the law of the land.

Not everyone approved the scrapping of the Articles of Confederation or of the stronger federal government that was created. Some agreed to ratify the Constitution in the expectation that there would be some amendments limiting the federal power and safeguarding individual liberty. By December 15, 1791 there were 10 Amendments signed. They are known as the Bill of Rights.

There is a display of books on the third floor about the history of the Constitution and about the process of becoming a citizen. Curious about the framing of the Constitution but can’t get to the library? The National Archives provides an excellent history and analysis here.

-posted by Brenda, Reference Services

May’s Book Displays

On the Main Floor

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Bestsellers You Might Have Missed is a collection of great reads, selected by the Readers’ Services Department. You’re sure to find something of interest. Also on this display are handouts with information about the various book discussions at Syosset Library.

From Blog to Book (Every Blogger’s Dream) highlights books written by bloggers covering many topics, such as cooking, baking, decorating, arts and crafts, and clothes styles. If you have a favorite blogger, take a look to see if he or she has published a book.

Mini-displays*

In Theaters May 10 ‘JRR Tolkien’ is a display of his books both in print and audio formats, as well as DVDs of films based on his books to coincide with the premiere of the documentary about him.

Become A Grill Master – Ultimate tips, techniques, and recipes for the perfect barbecue.

*Mini-displays are subject to change during the month.

On the Third Floor

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The theme for the health librarian’s display is May is Better Sleep Month. There are guides to getting a better night’s sleep, help for insomniacs, and treating sleep apnea. Learn how sleep affects your overall health at every stage of life. As always, free handouts are included in this display.

Poetry – Celebrating Long Island’s Own Walt Whitman on the 200th Anniversary of His Birth are a collection of poetry books written by Whitman, and books written about him and his art. On May 31 at 2 PM, Syosset Library will present the film Walt Whitman at 200, which will be followed by a short discussion.

-posted by Betty, Reference Services

Earth Day – April 22, 2019

It’s hard to believe that we may soon no longer marvel at the incredible long necks of giraffes, the tiny fluttering wings of bees, or the amazing athletic breaching of whales. These and other species are threatened with extinction caused by loss of habitat, deforestation, climate change and pesticides. According to the Earth Day Network:  “ We are facing  the largest period of species extinction in the last 60 million years. Normally, between one and five species will go extinct annually. However, scientists estimate that we are now losing species at 1,000 to 10,000 times the normal rate, with multiple extinctions daily.”

And so, Earth Day 2019 is focused on Saving the Species. It’s mind boggling to think that the first Earth Day was in 1970. Although “environmentalism” was not then part of the common vocabulary, Rachel Carson’s book, The Silent Spring, had brought attention to the link between pollution and health, and raised awareness and concern for all living organisms. After the disastrous oil spill off Santa Barbara, CA, Sen. Gaylord Nelson and Rep. Pete McCloskey hoped to channel the activism of the anti-war movement to focus on the environment. The national news media picked up the message. This movement brought about the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency as well as legislation such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act.

To read more about Earth Day and environmentalism topics, visit our third floor book display, “Save Our Species – Earth Day” and pick up a book or two.

-posted by Brenda, Reference Services

5 Years of the Blog – March

Let’s take a look at some of Syosset Public Library’s blog posts for March during the past five years:

2018: OSCAR WINNERS BASED ON BOOKS

2017: NEW IN DVD

2016: CELEBRATING THE EMERALD ISLE

2015: AFTERNOON BOOK CLUB

2014: LET’S REMINISCE, SYOSSET!

See you next month when we take a look at the past 5 years in April.

-posted by Sonia, Reference Services

Our March Displays

Award Winners is the subject of our first display on the main floor. It showcases winners of the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the Nobel Prize for Literature, and the Man Booker Prize. You may have already read some of these books, but there are some great ones you might have missed.

 

March is Women’s History Month and the theme of our second main floor display. Read about the women’s movement and their struggle for their place in society, the right to vote and equal employment opportunities. The display includes biographies of famous women, such as Sonia Sotomayor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Malala Yousafzai, Indira Gandhi, Rosa Parks, Condoleezza Rice, Sandra Day O’Connor, Gloria Steinem, Eleanor Roosevelt and others.

 

 

 

The subjects of our 2 mini displays* are:

The Art of the Novella- A selection of classic novellas from Melville House publishing.

Robert Goddard-  Books from the 2019 CWA Diamond Dagger Award winner, the highest honor in British crime writing.

*mini-displays are subject to change during the month

On the third floor, our health librarian’s display is National Nutrition Month. The display has books covering healthy eating topics, such as how to stay healthy, what foods to avoid for various illnesses, and nutritional guides for children. The display also includes lots of handouts on eating and snacking for wellness.

Dreams of Far Away Places, also a display on the third floor, is for those who suffer from wanderlust. Learn about some exotic travel destinations and get some ideas for a trip or a travel adventure, or you may just want to read and be entertained by other people’s tales of travel.

-posted by Betty, Reference Services

Dreaming of Faraway Places

Some children hear “Rock-a Bye Baby’ as they drift into sleep. I heard “Far Away Places!” Yes, the song with lyrics: “Far away places with the strange sounding names, far away over the sea, those far away places with the strange sounding names are calling, calling to me.” I caught the travel bug early. I love the planning and anticipation almost as much as the actual journey. And when I am stuck at home and work, it’s fun to read about the experiences of other travelers.

If you find yourself in that situation now, I suggest you visit our third floor display of books about some far away (and not so far away but interesting) destinations. Travel through Africa with Betty Levitov and her students in Africa on Six Wheels. Or visit some hidden natural wonders in Wild Caribbean with author Michael Bright. For a classic road trip closer to home check out Route 66 Still Kicks by Rick Antonson. Bill Geist presents some unusual small towns in Way off the Road.

For more suggested books about travel consult Nancy Pearl’s Book Lust to Go. After you have dreamed perhaps it is time to plan a trip! Patricia Schultz’s 1,000 Places to See Before You Die will provide you with many suggestions.

-posted by Brenda