Our deepest condolences to the family of our former Director at CPL, Howard Zogott. The link below is to his very lovingly written obituary. https://orlandsmemorialchapel.com/howard-zogott/

This week the Township Committee wrote a letter to Governor Murphy asking that he help to ensure that the New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act moves forward quickly.  As you know, the NJ Library Construction Bond Act was approved by a majority of voters in New Jersey on November 7, 2017.  It was also passed overwhelmingly in Cranbury. Please join us in urging Governor Murphy to ensure the New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act moves forward quickly.  Sign the petition at here. In Cranbury, this 14-month delay has had a significant negative impact on our plans for a free-standing public library with community space. We have a shovel-ready project, funded by $2.5 million in private donations, but our donations have tapered off after the Bond Act was passed, as our community anticipated a quick application and release of matching grant funds to finish the project.  Rising construction and material costs move the goal further away with each month of delay. Cranbury has been working as a community to raise funds for a new public library since 2009 when a Foundation was formed by a group of concerned citizens who were committed to raise the funds for a free-standing public library; Cranbury is the last township in New Jersey where the public library is shared with a K-8 school library space. The Cranbury Township Committee donated the land for the new library in a space identified on the master plan since 2010.  The new library can operate fully on the minimum New Jersey library appropriation.  We expect the new library will serve as an community anchor and invigorate our downtown business area. By raising $2.5 million in private donations, our community has demonstrated the need for new public library.  Please help us cross the finish line and ensure the New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act moves forward quickly. Regards,   Cranbury Township Committee & Cranbury Public Library Board of Trustees

The Evening Book Discussion Group will be meeting next on Tuesday, February 26 at 6:30 p.m. We’ll be discussing The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. New members are always welcome! To learn more go to Cranbury Public Library Book Chat on Goodreads. Summary (via Goodreads): Cora is a slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia. Life is hellish for all the slaves but especially bad for Cora; an outcast even among her fellow Africans, she is coming into womanhood – where even greater pain awaits. When Caesar, a recent arrival from Virginia, tells her about the Underground Railroad, they decide to take a terrifying risk and escape. Matters do not go as planned and, though they manage to find a station and head north, they are being hunted. In Whitehead’s ingenious conception, the Underground Railroad is no mere metaphor – engineers and conductors operate a secret network of tracks and tunnels beneath the Southern soil. Cora and Caesar’s first stop is South Carolina, in a city that initially seems like a haven – but the city’s placid surface masks an insidious scheme designed for its black denizens. Even worse: Ridgeway, the relentless slave catcher, is close on their heels. Forced to flee again, Cora embarks on a harrowing flight, state by state, seeking true freedom. As Whitehead brilliantly re-creates the unique terrors for black people in the pre-Civil War era, his narrative seamlessly weaves the saga of America from the brutal importation of Africans to the unfulfilled promises of the present day. The Underground Railroad is at once a kinetic adventure tale of one woman’s ferocious will to escape the horrors of bondage and a shattering, powerful meditation on the history we all share.

The Afternoon Book Discussion Group will be meeting next on Wednesday, February 20 at 1:30 p.m. We’ll be discussing Women of the Silk by Gail Tsukiyama. New members are always welcome! To learn more go to Cranbury Public Library Book Chat on Goodreads. Sent by her family to work in a silk factory just prior to World War II, young Pei grows to womanhood, working fifteen-hour days and sending her pay to the family who abandoned her. In “Women of the Silk” Gail Tsukiyama takes her readers back to rural China in 1926, where a group of women forge a sisterhood amidst the reeling machines that reverberate and clamor in a vast silk factory from dawn to dusk. Leading the first strike the village has ever seen, the young women use the strength of their ambition, dreams, and friendship to achieve the freedom they could never have hoped for on their own. Tsukiyama’s graceful prose weaves the details of “the silk work” and Chinese village life into a story of courage and strength.

The following information about the NJ Library Construction Bond Act was posted on the NJ State Library Website on December 28, 2018. The New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act (New Jersey Library Association)

The Afternoon Book Discussion Group will be meeting next on Wednesday, January 16 at 1:30 p.m. We’ll be discussing  A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. New members are always welcome! To learn more go to Cranbury Public Library Book Chat on Goodreads. Summary (via Goodreads): When, in 1922, he is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, the count is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him a doorway into a much larger world of emotional discovery.    

  The Evening Book Discussion Group will be meeting next on Tuesday, June 25 at 6:30 p.m. We’ll be discussing Lifelines by Heidi Diehl. New members are always welcome! To learn more go to Cranbury Public Library Book Chat on Goodreads. Summary (via Goodreads): It’s 1971 when Louise leaves Oregon for Düsseldorf, a city grappling with its nation’s horrific recent history, to study art. Soon she’s embroiled in a scene dramatically different from the one at home, thanks in large part to Dieter, a mercurial musician. Their romance ignites quickly, but life gets in the way: an unplanned pregnancy, hasty marriage, the tense balance of their creative ambitions, and—finally, fatally—a family secret that shatters Dieter, and drives Louise home. But in 2008 she’s headed to Dieter’s mother’s funeral. She never returned to Germany, and has since remarried, had another daughter, and built a life in Oregon. As she flies into the heart of her past, she reckons with the choices she made, and the ones she didn’t, just as her family—current and former—must consider how Louise’s life has shaped their own, for better and for worse. Exquisitely balanced, expansive yet wonderfully intimate, Lifelines explores the indelible ties of family; the shape art, history, and nationality give to our lives; and the ways in which we are forever evolving, with each step we take, with each turn of the Earth.

April 26 @ 6:30 pm At one point, Vincent van Gogh wrote to his brother that since he had no children, he viewed his paintings as his progeny. A painter and pastor, van Gogh produced more than 2,000 “brilliant children.” In this session, dozens of his works of art, with a focus on pieces at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, will be  explored. An overview of his life experiences and how it influenced his art will lead to a lively discussion, which will include talking about the differences  between experiencing original artwork and reproductions. Register online! Presenter Michael Norris, Ph.D., has given lectures for more than twenty years, especially in classical and medieval art, the areas of his expertise. Based in Teaneck, New Jersey, Mike delivers PowerPoint lectures to libraries, schools, retirement communities, and clubs, many geared especially for New Jersey  audiences. This program is funded by the NJ Council for the Humanities.

Thursday, January 3, 3:30 – 4:30 pm Hour of Code continues with a new activity (CodeCombat: Escape the Dungeon!) where we will be coding for fun with JavaScript, Python, Lua, and CoffeeScript. Grades 2+. Chromebooks are limited so register while you can!

The 2019 Open Enrollment Period for the Affordable Healthcare Act runs from Thursday, November 1, 2018, to Saturday, December 15, 2018. Check out plans now. Enroll or renew! FYI, the New Jersey State Library enhanced an existing research guide providing basic and extended information on the ACA. This research guide is found at http://libguides.njstatelib.org/affordable-care-act.

Monday, Nov 19 @ 6:45 PM!

  The Afternoon Book Discussion Group will be meeting next on Wednesday, October 17th at 1:30 p.m. We’ll be discussing Meet me at the Museum by Anne Youngson. New members are always welcome! To learn more go to Cranbury Public Library Book Chat on Goodreads. Summary (via Goodreads): When the curator of a Danish museum responds to a query about ancient exhibits, he doesn’t expect a reply. When Tina Hopgood first wrote it, nor did she … Professor Anders Larsen, an urbane man of facts, has lost his wife, along with his hopes and dreams for the future. He does not know that a query from a Mrs Tina Hopgood about a world-famous antiquity in his museum is about to alter the course of his life. Oceans apart, an unexpected correspondence flourishes as they discover shared passions: for history and nature; for useless objects left behind by loved ones; for the ancient and modern world, what is lost in time, what is gained and what has stayed the same. Through intimate stories of joy, anguish, and discovery, each one bares their soul to the other. But when Tina’s letters suddenly cease, Anders is thrown into despair. Can this unlikely friendship survive?

  The Evening Book Discussion Group will be meeting next on Tuesday, October 23rd at 7:00 p.m. We’ll be discussing the book Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie . New members are always welcome! To learn more go to Cranbury Public Library Book Chat on Goodreads. Summary (via Goodreads):  Ifemelu and Obinze are young and in love when they depart military-ruled Nigeria for the West. Beautiful, self-assured Ifemelu heads for America, where despite her academic success, she is forced to grapple with what it means to be black for the first time. Quiet, thoughtful Obinze had hoped to join her, but with post-9/11 America closed to him, he instead plunges into a dangerous, undocumented life in London. Fifteen years later, they reunite in a newly democratic Nigeria, and reignite their passion—for each other and for their homeland.

For really little kids! Ages 12 – 20 months, with caregiver. Songs, stories and free play, until 12:15.Enroll online or at the library! Through November 21.

For Cranbury Day this year the Mike Ferrente, Library Foundation President, got volunteers to help map out and mark the site of the new library building.  Thanks to Jeffrey Butcher for assisting us in marking the plot points; Jerry Thorne in actually marking out the exterior walls; and Tyler and Chris Cenci for documenting the event with aerial photos from their drone flyover.  Here are the impressive results. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to ride the train and take a virtual tour of the new library.  The lucky winner of our Cranbury Day door prize was Jessica Diamond. Congratulations Jessica!

  The Evening Book Discussion Group will be meeting next on Tuesday, September 25th at 7:00 p.m. We’ll be discussing the book The Awakening by Kate Chopin. New members are always welcome! To learn more go to Cranbury Public Library Book Chat on Goodreads. Summary (via Goodreads):  When first published in 1899, The Awakening shocked readers with its honest treatment of female marital infidelity. Audiences accustomed to the pieties of late Victorian romantic fiction were taken aback by Chopin’s daring portrayal of a woman trapped in a stifling marriage, who seeks and finds passionate physical love outside the confines of her domestic situation. Aside from its unusually frank treatment of a then-controversial subject, the novel is widely admired today for its literary qualities. Edmund Wilson characterized it as a work “quite uninhibited and beautifully written, which anticipates D. H. Lawrence in its treatment of infidelity.” Although the theme of marital infidelity no longer shocks, few novels have plumbed the psychology of a woman involved in an illicit relationship with the perception, artistry, and honesty that Kate Chopin brought to The Awakening.

The Afternoon Book Discussion Group will be meeting next on Wednesday, September 19th at 1:30 p.m. We’ll be discussing The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg. New members are always welcome! To learn more go to Cranbury Public Library Book Chat on Goodreads. Summary (via Goodreads): A moving novel about three people who find their way back from loss and loneliness to a different kind of happiness. Arthur, a widow, meets Maddy, a troubled teenage girl who is avoiding school by hiding out at the cemetery, where Arthur goes every day for lunch to have imaginary conversations with his late wife, and think about the lives of others. The two strike up a friendship that draws them out of isolation. Maddy gives Arthur the name Truluv, for his loving and positive responses to every outrageous thing she says or does. With Arthur’s nosy neighbor Lucille, they create a loving and unconventional family, proving that life’s most precious moments are sweeter when shared.

Wednesday, September 12 at 6:30 p.m. Let’s have a conversation about the books on the Great American Read list. What have you read? What would you recommend to others? Enroll online or at the library.

Have a tech question you need help with? Come and ask our Technology Specialist, Jay Oliver, for help — and treat yourself to a tasty bite with coffee or tea! Every third Monday of the month (schedule changes or cancellations pending) @ 11:30 a.m. at the library! 

For Kids Everyday after school beginning in Septemeber Use the library’s Chromebooks to work on homework, do school projects, or plays games with your group.

Wednesday, September 26 at 6:30 p.m. Let’s have a conversation about Cranbury Day!

How often do you get to hear music and then have a high-energy conversation about its role in historical traditions? In this interactive session, Matt Backes explores the origins and history of American fiddle music. Dr Backes is a professor of American Studies at Rutgers University, and a member of the Magnolia Street String Band. This program is made possible by a grant from the NJ Council for the Humanities. Friday, September 21 @ 7:00 p.m. Please enroll online. 

Wednesday, September 12, 2018 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Cranbury Library 23 N Main Street C Cranbury, NJ 08512 This workshop offers tips on how to have honest and caring conversations with family members about: Going to the doctor Deciding when to stop driving Making legal and financial plansRegister by 9-11-18 (800-272-3900)

This summer the library and PBS are celebrating reading with THE GREAT AMERICAN READ! The library has THE GREAT AMERICAN READ book list as well as all the titles.  We hope you’ll pick up the list and several books to take home and read.  We also want you vote for your favorite title and comment on your favorite book here at the library. You can vote and comment each time you’re in the library. Look for our display with books, ballot box and comment board. Let’s find out what Cranbury’s favorite book is and if we agree with the rest of America! See the list of books.    Vote and comment nationally.

Cranbury resident Erica Vogel will lead us in a four-week chair yoga class, Mondays, June 4th, June 11th, June 18th, and June 25th @ 1:00 p.m. Suggested $5 donation per class to benefit Skeet’s Pantry.  Dress in loose clothing or yoga pants.  Bring a water bottle and hand towel. Limit 10. Please enroll ONLINE (select date link above register for each date) or at the library.

You can now access events happening all around Cranbury on our new Cranbury Community Calendar!  The calendar is accessible from the drop-down menu on our website under Events, you can also access from the image in the sidebar as you scroll down on the homepage of the website.  If you’d like to subscribe to the calendar on Burbio.com, you can sign up and then follow the community calendar as well as many more area calendars that are listed on Burbio.  This would allow you to receive e-mail notices when new events are added and you can follow other calendars of interest, such as our library calendar and the Cranbury School calendar, also accessible through Burbio. If you have a community organization or event that you would like to post on the Cranbury Community Calendar, call us at the library and we can add it.

CPL member Wei-Hong Wang was one of the many people in the library parking lot watching the All American Eclipse unfold. He sent us these pictures of the event to share. All America Eclipse.

From the  Director’s Desk… Historic Cranbury Press and Photo Archive  The library has a new resource that I am pleased to share with all of you – the Historic Cranbury Press and Photo Archive. Maybe you already knew that the library has all the back issues of the Cranbury Press digitized and available for researchers. Our files cover the years from 1886 to 2014. Previously, it would take a long time to search through the archive for a specific name or place. Now, with our new online service, the search comes back quickly with the results.  Once you’ve found the article you were searching for, you can print, copy or save it. The Photo Archive is brand new!  The Cranbury Historical and Preservation Society (CHPS) received a grant from the Middlesex County Cultural Heritage Commission to digitize and make all their photos available at the library. Now you can easily browse, search and view each of the photos in the archive. A note of caution though; The photos are owned by CHPS and are copyright protected. You can use this resource, with proper attribution, for educational and other non-commercial uses. For reproduction, publication, or commercial use contact CHPS to obtain permission. The Cranbury Press is also copyright protected – but only from 1923 to the present.  That means the early issues of the press (1886 to 1922) are accessible to you from your home computer or tablet. These issues contain more than just the local news of who is visiting friends or family in Cranbury.  They have news blurbs from around the world, humorous anecdotes, and interesting advertisements. To access the entire archive come into the library and use one of our computers. You’ll find the link to the archive on our Website at CranburyPublicLibrary.org, Just click on the red box on the left side bar that says “Historic Cranbury Press and Photo Archive”. Marilynn Mullen  

Book-a-Librarian!  Are you in need of computer or digital device instruction? Do you want to learn how to use a particular computer program or app? Would you like help with a research project? Are you looking for books that are “just right” for your child? Do you want to learn how to download e-books or audiobooks from the library’s collection? Then Book-a-Librarian!  Call 655-0555 to schedule an appointment for one-on-one help for up to 30 minutes.  Let one of our librarians help you with your technology, research, or literary needs! We’ll be happy to help! Joanne Dera