Volume 19, Number 3 (October 2008)

THE
A Publication of
The Newark Public Library
Volume 19 Number 3, October 2008
Enriching Lives and Expanding Horizons
More Than Words on View
A
n exciting exhibition, entitled
More Than Words: Artists’
Books and Book Art From the
Special Collections of the Newark Public
Library, will be installed on the 3rd-floor
gallery from October 7 through January
4. It traces the trajectory of artists’ book
and book art movements from their
origins among European avant-garde
factions in the early 20th century to the
continued celebration today of the book
as a medium for artistic experimentation
and innovation.
The show supports the concept
of “the book as art.” It includes books
that are “bound” in tin cans, papiermâché rabbits, and functioning ukuleles.
Other examples have text printed on
sandpaper, metal, or plastic, or are
simply photocopied and stapled.
Artists’ books emerged as a way of
subverting officially sanctioned chan­
nels of production and distribution,
and continue to challenge established
conventions of book design, structure,
material composition, and content.
Historically, the medium has given
voice to minority and marginalized
populations and individuals whose mes­
sages are considered too unconventional,
controversial, or financially unprofitable
to elicit interest from publishers.
Since the late-1960s, conceptual and
visual artists have embraced the book as
a means to make their work accessible
and affordable to a larger population.
Themed programs and events for
all ages will be presented during the
run of the exhibition, including a Family
Book Arts Day on December 13; curatorled tours of the show; and a November
12 screening of Proceed and Be Bold, a
documentary about the life and work of
Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr., a contemporary
book artist and letterpress printer known
internationally for his focus on themes of
African and African-American heritage.
More Than Words is curated by
Jared Ash, Librarian, Special Collections
Division, and organized in conjunction
with RESISTANCE!, the Fourteenth
Annual New Jersey Book Arts Exhibition
and Symposium, to be held at the
John Cotton Dana Library at Rutgers
University in Newark on November 7.
For more information about the
exhibition or related events, please call
Jared Ash at 973-733-7745, or email
him at [email protected]. s
Top: Clark Coolidge, On the Slates,
design by A.S.C. Rower, 1992.
Bottom left: Clarissa Sligh, It Wasn’t Little Rock, 2005.
Bottom right: Peter Thomas and Donna Thomas,
A Brief History of the Ukulele, 2003.
In This Issue
2 Director’s Journal
2 Gala
3 Exhibitions
4 Challenge Winners
6–7 Hispanic Celebration
9 NJCH Grant
11 Dr. King & Harper
12 Friends of NPL
The
A
Director’s Journal
common misconception about libraries is that they are static institutions.
They are not. While retaining a core focus on reading and books, libraries
have constantly reinvented themselves in response to changes in society.
For example, when mega bookstores became prevalent and forced the massive
closing of small bookshops, it was predicted that they would have the same effect
on libraries. But libraries began to adopt more modern promotional and marketing
practices and thus retained clientele who ultimately realized that it was more
economical to borrow books than to buy them.
When video rental stores came into prominence, libraries began developing
media collections which were an immediate hit with the public. These collections
are still among the most heavily used in most libraries.
As computers gained a foothold in our society and the Internet became a
primary vehicle for information seeking, libraries embraced technology. The card
catalog was replaced with the online catalog, book-based reference services were
supplemented with electronic database searching, and electronic search tools,
computer access, and computer classes were provided to an eager public.
In a time of economic difficulty, most libraries are taking steps to ensure
that people have ready access to the tools they need to sustain themselves.
Consequently, people are coming in droves to borrow bestsellers, attend family
programs, participate in book discussions, listen to lectures, improve their English,
research employment opportunities, write resumes, and learn a variety of new skills.
Wilma J. Grey, Director
The ability and willingness of libraries to respond to a changing society makes
them needed more than ever. s
Annual Gala
Set for November 13
Booked for the Evening
W
e are proud to announce that Dennis Bone, CEO and President of
Verizon New Jersey, will serve as Dinner Chair for our 5th annual
gala dinner, Booked for the Evening, on Thursday, November 13th, at
Nanina’s in the Park. Our exceptional Event Committee will be led by Susan Bass
Levin, Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.
The gala will be held at Nanina’s in the Park.
Booked for the Evening, the Library’s signature fundraising event, provides us
with an opportunity to recognize those who have made positive contributions to
the fabric of the Library and the City of Newark. This year’s honorees are McCarter
& English, for its continued support of the Library; Warren and Andrea Grover, for
their community commitment; Marion Bolden, for her leadership of the Newark
Public Schools; and Zachary and Trish Morris Yamba, for their years of professional
and personal service to the residents of Newark and Essex County.
Our past gala celebrations have been a tremendous success thanks to the
significant support of many individuals and civic-minded corporations. Please
join us at this special event (cocktails at 6:00pm and dinner at 7:00pm) that
benefits the Library’s Annual Fund Campaign.
To purchase tickets, or for further information on sponsorships, please call
CDK Events Management at 973-696-3783. s
2
Pulaski Skyway
Featured in
Exhibition
The Pulaski
Skyway
spans the
Passaic and
Hackensack
Rivers,
connecting
Newark and
Jersey City.
O
n your next trip to the Main Library, be sure to
visit the special 4th-floor display on the Pulaski
Skyway. In conjunction with the New Jersey
Department of Transportation, Division of Project
Development & Bureau of Landscape Architecture &
Environmental Solutions, the NPL is proud to showcase
this well-known New Jersey landmark.
Entitled Pulaski Skyway – NJ Treasure, the past
and present of this remarkable structure is detailed in
four exhibition cases. Covered are the construction,
history, awards won, and special features of the
cantilevered bridge, which opened in 1932, that
spans the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers, connecting
Newark and Jersey City.
This
cantilevered
structure
opened in
1932.
The show, co-curated by Reference Librarian
Deirdre Schmidel of the Charles F. Cummings New
Jersey Information Center, and by the NJ DOT, is on
view through December. s
Example of DIVEDCO poster in exhibition.
“Reel Diversity” Is Focus of
Hispanic Exhibition
T
he theme for this year’s Hispanic Heritage celebration is film—
both as an agent and a reflection of change in the Hispanic world.
Motion pictures by Latino filmmakers represent topics related to
national identity, while addressing transnational concerns.
The exhibition, on view on the 2nd-floor gallery through
December 20, is entitled Reel Diversity: Film in the Hispanic World.
Curated by Ina Rimpau in collaboration with Ingrid Betancourt and
Juan E. Cintrón, it focuses on five national cinemas: Argentina, Cuba,
Mexico, Puerto Rico and Spain.
Included in the show is a collection of DIVEDCO posters (Division
de Educacion de la Comunidad—Community Education Division).
In 1949, this government agency was charged with promulgating
then-governor Munoz Marin’s ideas about Puerto Rican culture and
citizenship through a series of educational posters. Also, there is a
special section on the role and impact of Telenovelas (soap operas) in
Latin America and around the world.
For more information on the Celebration call the Sala
Hispanoamericana at 973-733-7772, or visit www.npl.org and
click on Servicios en Español. s
Winners, Winners,Winners
D
Corky, the Library’s mascot, greeted children at the kickoff
rally for the Prudential Foundation Summer Reading
Challenge.
ozens and dozens and dozens
of kids came up winners
in the Prudential Foundation
Summer Reading Challenge.
The Challenge encouraged
children to put the fun of reading in
their summer activities. Hundreds
did, and we are pleased to list those
who reached the top category:
200 books read. These outstanding
readers are listed by their Branch
Library location.
• First Avenue: Giancarlo Calle,
Melany Caimayo, William Caimayo,
Yathash Dilrukshan, Mahisha
Gnanaseharan, Thanush Gopal,
Harish Gopal, Naomy Ignatius,
Angel Ignatius, Yudissel Ovalle,
Mathushanth Ravichandren,
Abinaya Ravichandren, Shakthika
Thevarajah, Cynthia Victor,
Anna Victor.
• Vailsburg: Charles Ale and
Nene Diallo.
• Branch Brook: Gabriela Marmol
and Ashley Camacho.
• North End: Campbell Hester,
Deidra Moniz, Xavia Garcia,
Rafael Perez, Guillermo Rosales,
Jaelynn Murillo, Jennifer Murillo,
Olivia Perez, Shirley Celi,
Michelle Murillo, Ashley Perez
and Alexander Perez.
Faith and Charles Ale, of the Vailsburg Branch Library,
were eager participants in this year’s “Challenge.”
• Van Buren: Grace Burga, Solcyre
Burga and Andreia Pereira.
• Springfield: Latisha Robinson.
In the “Teen Challenge,” three
achieved the top category of 60
books read: Marian Calle (First
Avenue Branch Library), Gracia
Marte (Roseville Branch Library), and
De’Janee Jones (Springfield Branch
Library).
Hundreds of children also colored
their Prudential Foundation Summer
Reading Challenge posters. The top
three winners in that category were:
• First Place: Anna Victor,
First Avenue Branch Library.
• Second Place: Khaatirah Wilson,
Springfield Branch Library.
• Third Place: Dwayne Hall,
Weequahic Branch Library. s
Anna Victor, First Avenue Branch Library,
took First Place in the Poster Contest.
Homework Help and Tutoring
nother school year is upon us, and the NPL is reaching
out via the Internet to students who need tutoring or
assistance with their homework. This online tool is
called Homework Help NJ and is powered by Tutor.com.
A
science, social studies and English—all via the Internet. Access
is available system wide, or remotely with your NPL card
number. Tutors are available online 7 days a week, from 3pm
to 8pm; assistance in Spanish is offered Sunday to Thursday.
Underwritten by PSE&G in partnership with the New
Jersey State Library, the service offers students in grades 4 to
12 free help with assignments and tutoring sessions in math,
To access the site, go to www.npl.org/Pages/
InternetResources/index/html, then click on the letter “H,” and
select homeworkhelpnj.org. s
4
Hooray for
Children is for
Family Fun
T
he Library’s Hooray for Children program series isn’t
just for children; the once-a-month events are a funfilled time for the entire family. From October through
May, the series presents quality live performances by
puppeteers, storytellers, magicians and theater groups.
Each program is held on a Saturday and beings promptly at
2:00pm.
The programs for 2008, which will be held in Centennial
Hall, are detailed below. For further information, call the
Main Library Children’s Room at 973-733-7797 or visit
kidsplace.npl.org/calendar.html.
Encore! Encore! The “Kids Unscripted Theatre Workshop” had a
resounding second season, thanks to the continued generosity of one of our
donors: Carol A. Duncan. The summer event introduced students, in grades 5 to
8, to the dramatic arts. The workshops culminated in a grand performance at the
four Branches that hosted the program. Pictured are the participating actors from
the North End Branch Library. As always, the Library is grateful for the generosity
of donors who are committed to assisting us with enhancing and improving our
programs.
October 25
Felix Pitre: Stories & Songs of Latin America
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Felix Pitre as he
shares many of the Hispanic traditions that were passed
down to him with puppetry, stories, songs, instruments
and dance. Performed in English interwoven with Spanish.
NPL Is a Bargain for
College Students
November 15
Goowin’s Balloons: Fall Fest
Join balloon artist Allynn Gooen as he invites the audience
to participate in a zany balloon story celebrating the arrival
of Fall and Thanksgiving.
T
o a college student, the word free is hard to beat.
For those attending school in Newark, our library
card is free. And it’s just the ticket to stretch a
less-than-full wallet.
December 6
TAINO: Caribbean Holiday
Want to take in a movie? With your NPL card you can
select from thousands of current and classic DVDs.
Welcome winter and the holiday season with TAINO as
they take the audience on a musical journey visiting several
Caribbean countries sharing their holiday festivities with
music, costumes, history and culture. s
Looking for a good book that doesn’t have the word
“text” before it? Choose from thousands, including an
expanded collection of graphic novels.
Computer skills a bit rusty? The Library offers a variety
of free classes—in English and Spanish—to hone your
proficiency.
Want to check your email or write a paper? There are
dozens of computers available for use—free—at the Library.
Or bring in your laptop and use WiFi.
A free NPL card for
Newark college students
can be their ticket to
knowledge and entertainment.
Need the right music to study by and your favorite CDs
are lost in your dorm room? The Main Library has a wide
selection you can borrow.
For these and many other reasons, your NPL card can
be your ticket to happiness in a pinch. s
5
Hispanic
Heritage
Celebration 2008
September 15 – December 20
at The Newark Public Library
PROGRAMS
Tuesday, September 16
5 pm • Centennial Hall
Youth Event
21 Days of Clemente
Essay Contest
September 15 –
December 20, 2008
2nd Floor Gallery
EXHIBITION
Reel Diversity:
Film in the Hispanic World
explores film as both an agent and a
reflection of change in the Hispanic world.
While economics has been, arguably, the
predominant factor shaping film in North
America, the same cannot be said for
Latin America and Spain. Most Latino
countries are developing countries, and
film — as an agent of social cohesion and
often an educational tool — takes on an
importance and significance no longer
seen in North America. The Western
world experienced a cultural awakening in
the 1960s; in Latin America, the decade
saw the birth or revitalization of several
national cinemas. Films by Latino filmmakers represent themes related to
national identity while addressing transnational concerns. The exhibit will focus
on 5 national cinemas: Spain, Mexico,
Argentina, Cuba and Puerto Rico, and
will also include a special section on the
role and impact of Telenovelas in Latin
America and around the world.
Curated by Ina Rimpau in
collaboration with Ingrid Betancourt
and Juan E. Cintrón.
Finalists from 3 Newark middle
schools participating in the 21
Days of Clemente Essay Contest
come together at the Newark
Public Library for the final stage of
the competition. Contest winners
will receive scholarship awards.
The program will include music
and dance performances. This
event is presented in partnership
with the Newark Public Schools
and the Puerto Rican Statewide
Parade of NJ, and is part of a
national campaign to permanently
retire Roberto Clemente’s jersey
number 21, in honor of the
player’s achievements on and off
the field.
Thursday, September 18
6 pm • Centennial Hall
Opening
Reception
Carlos Gutiérrez, Co-founder
and director of Cinema Tropical,
a non-profit organization
dedicated to the distribution, programming and
promotion of Latin
American cinema in the
U.S., will be the featured
speaker at the opening
reception of the Library’s
2008 Hispanic Heritage
Celebration and
exhibition.
All programs are free and open to the public.
For more information call 973-733-7772
or visit us on the Web at www.npl.org.
Saturday, September 20
Auditorium
Saturday, September 27
Auditorium
Mexican Films Puerto Rican
Screening & Films
Commentary Screening &
Como agua para
Commentary
chocolate • 1 pm
(Like Water for
Chocolate)
1992. 105 min.
Based on the novel by Laura
Esquivel. Romantic fantasy set in
the early 20th century about a
young couple who are forbidden
to marry. The young man marries
his love’s sister, who expresses her
passion for him through her
cooking. In Spanish with English
subtitles.
Angelitos negros • 3:30 pm
(Little Black Angels)
1948. 100 min.
This film is one of the gems of the
Golden Age of Mexican Cinema.
Ana Luisa and José Carlos, both
white, give birth to a black child.
Ana Luisa rejects the little girl who
ends up suffering the injustice and
pain of racism. But Ana Luisa
doesn't know that her own maid
who is also black hides a secret
that will
change
her life.
One of
Pedro
Infante's
bestknown
films. In
Spanish.
La gran fiesta • 1 pm
(The Grand Ball)
1987. 101 min.
La Gran Fiesta was the first
feature-length film to be produced
by the Puerto Rican film industry.
In 1942, Casino de Puerto Rico, a
lavish San Juan nightspot, is about
to be turned over to the US Army
as a recreational center. To
celebrate their last night as a
“civilian” nighterie, the staff
members of the Casino stage one
final all-stops-out Grand Ball.
Everyone is invited, even those
“undesirables” who would
normally be shut out of the blacktie establishment. In Spanish with
some English dialogue.
La guagua aérea
3:30 pm
(The Flying Bus —
A Flight of Hope)
1995. 80 min.
Based on the short story La
guagua aérea by Luis Rafael
Sánchez. A comedy depicting a
group of Puerto Rican immigrants
taking the notorious midnight
flight from San Juan to New York
City in 1960. In Spanish with some
English dialogue.
The Library’s Hispanic Heritage Celebration is made
possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State
Council on the Arts/ Department of State, a Partner
Agency of the National Endowment for
the Arts and administered by the Essex
County Division of Cultural and Historic
Affairs.
Saturday, October 4
2 pm • Auditorium
Panel Discussion
& Film Screening
Emerging Latino Filmmakers
Five Latino and Latina filmmakers
currently producing features and
documentaries in the United States
share how their projects were
inspired, created and developed.
Selections from the panelists’ films will
be screened. Includes a question and
answer session. Panelists: Sonia
González-Martínez, Betty García,
Edwin Pagán, Adel Morales and
Francisco Bello. Moderator:
Louis E. Perego Moreno,
President, SKYLINE
FEATURES
Francisco Bello, producer
of Oscar-nominated
documentary short,
Salim Baba.
Sunday, October 5
Bloomfield Avenue,
Newark • 10 am – 4 pm
City of
Newark’s
Latino
Family
Festival
The Newark Public
Library presents bomba y plena —
percussion-driven, African-rooted
traditional music and dance forms of
Puerto Rico. Featured group:
Segunda Quimbamba.
Saturday, October 18
Auditorium
Cuban Films
Screening &
Commentary
Fresa y chocolate • 1 pm
(Strawberry and Chocolate)
1993. 104 min. A chance encounter
over ice cream between a middleaged gay man and a young, fervent
believer in contemporary Cuban
Marxism sets the stage for a funny
but serious film about difference and
acceptance. Fresa y Chocolate swept
all the top awards at the 1993 New
Latin American Film Festival in
Havana, won critical and popular
acclaim at
festivals from
Berlin to
Telluride, and
was nominated
for the Best
Foreign Film
Oscar in 1995.
In Spanish with
English
subtitles.
Claudio Mir
Memorias del subdesarollo
3:30 pm
(Memories of
Underdevelopment)
citizens. Yet, the perspective shifts
from the past to the present —
interweaving various nationalities,
genres, places and ages — as he is
possessed by the spirits of the dead
whose papers he has stolen.
1968. 97 min. Based on the novel of
the same name by Edmundo
Desnoes, this film chronicles the life
of a middle-class intellectual caught
in the midst of the rapidly changing
social reality of revolutionary Cuba.
Sergio is a landlord and writer who
remained behind when his wife,
family and friends, whom he ridicules,
leave for Miami. But he is unable to
commit himself to the revolution and
remains a skeptical observer. In
Spanish with English subtitles.
Saturday, November 15
Auditorium
Argentinian
Films Screening
& Commentary
Camila • 1:00 pm
1984. 105 min. An engaging drama
of both political and romantic clout,
this Oscar-nominated film directed
by Maria Luisa Bemberg recounts the
true story of a young Catholic
socialite from Buenos Aires, Camila
O’Gorman, who falls in love and runs
away with a young Jesuit priest,
Ladislao Gutiérrez, in 1847. Camila
had the courage to defy the
paternalistic order of family, church
and state in 19th Century Argentina.
Although the historical facts were
well known to Argentineans,
government censorship prohibited
the filming of this story until 1982. In
Spanish with English subtitles.
Saturday, October 25
Auditorium
Spanish Films
Screening &
Commentary
Volver • 1 pm
(Coming Back) 2007. 121 min.
Apparitions are made flesh and
blood in Pedro Almodóvar’s latest
film, a dynamic blend of hilarity and
drama. Irene returns from the
afterlife to reconcile with her
estranged daughter Raimunda. But
by the time Irene shows up in the
trunk of her other daughter’s car,
Raimunda, who lives in Madrid with
her teenaged daughter Paula and
her perennially drunk husband Paco,
has bigger things to worry about. In
Spanish with English subtitles.
La historia oficial
3:30 pm
(The Official Story)
El espíritu de la colmena
3:30 pm
(The Spirit of the Beehive)
1973. 95 min. In a small Castilian
village in the early 1940s, as echoes
of the Spanish Civil War can still be
heard throughout the countryside,
six-year-old Ana is introduced to an
alternate world of myth and imagination when she attends a town-hall
showing of Frankenstein, an
experience that forever alters young
Ana’s perception of the world around
her. In Spanish with English subtitles.
Saturday, November 1
2 pm • Centennial Hall
Theatrical
Performance
Mondongo Scam
Written and performed by acclaimed
Dominican artist Claudio Mir,
Mondongo Scam is a solo theater
piece that shatters stereotypes of all
kinds. It is a humorous and insightful
examination of the lives of so many
immigrants living and working in the
United States and their struggles for
survival. The action takes place in a
courtroom where Casiano Tapia, an
undocumented Latino worker, is on
trial for using social security cards and
other documents of deceased U.S.
1985. 110 min. In the mid-’70s,
Argentina’s military dictatorship
carried out a brutal campaign of
torture and murder against thousands of its own citizens. Set in 1980s
Argentina, the film follows the
sheltered wife of a wealthy businessman who finds herself face to face
with a legacy of terror as she begins
to discover that her own daughter,
adopted at birth, may have been
stolen from a family of “los
desaparacidos” (the disappeared
ones). Directed by Luis Puenzo.
Starring Norma Aleandro, Hector
Alterio, and Amalia Castro. In
Spanish with English subtitles.
Valcárcel’s “Grandma’s Wake” to the
poignancy of José Luis González’s
“There’s A Little Colored Boy in the
Bottom of the Water;” and in style
from the baroque of Emilio Belaval’s
“Spectralia” to the spare, tough
prose of Pedro Juan Soto’s “The
Champ.” Each story is published in
both English and the original
Spanish. Sometimes sad, and
sometimes hilariously comic, these
stories are in many respects an
authentic voice of the Puerto Rican
people.” — Schocken Books
Saturday, November 22
2 pm • Auditorium
Youth Event
NJ Teens Making Films
Screening of short films and public
service announcements written and
produced by teens participating in
Aspira’s Youth Filmmaking Academy
and La Casa de Don Pedro’s Youth
Program. The young filmmakers will
introduce their films and participate
in a question and answer session at
the end of the program. Special
presentation of Amina: Life Through
the Eyes of a Young Muslim, a
documentary short produced by
SarahJane Pattwell, and featured in
NJN’s Images/Imágenes Show last
year. This event is being developed
in partnership with Aspira of NJ and
La Casa de Don Pedro.
The Newark Public Library is
a cosponsor of Rutgers-Newark’s
Latino/a Arts Festival “Before
and Beyond Spain: Celebrating
the Indigenous and African
Herencias of Latino/a Culture.”
The festival incorporates several
different events, all taking place at
Rutgers–Newark. Admission is free.
Wednesday, October 1
2:30 – 4:30 pm.
A screening and discussion of
Henry Chalfant’s documentary film
“From Mambo to Hip Hop” with
Bronx native and artistic director,
Elena Rivera.
Tuesday, November 18
5:30 pm • Centennial Hall
Wednesday, October 8
11:30 am – 1 pm
A panel of scholars will provide
information and commentary on
video documentary, linguistic
practices, literature and performance that reflect the diverse cultural
influences in Latino/a culture.
Cuentos: Stories
From Puerto Rico
Wednesday, October 8
2:30 – 6 pm
Rutgers-Newark, Samuels Plaza
Headline performers include the
artistic director of Cuauhpatlanini,
Jorge Baltazar Ramírez, of
Cuetzalán, México; the Mexica
dance circle, Cetiliztli Nauhcampa
Quetzalcoatl; Nuyorican poet and
performer Caridad de la Luz a.k.a.
La Bruja; and the popular New York
Puerto Rican music and dance
group YerbaBuena.
For more information contact
Laura Lomas —
[email protected]
(973) 353-5279 x 519
or Luz M. Costa —
[email protected]
NJHRIC
NetworkingEvent/
Book Presentation
The Support Network of the NJHRIC
@ the Newark Public Library hosts a
networking reception featuring the
presentation of the book Cuentos:
Stories from Puerto Rico, edited by
Kal Wagenheim.
“Cuentos is a bilingual anthology of
twelve short stories by six of Puerto
Rico’s leading writers. Themes vary in
time from the 16th century Spanish
conquest to the migration of Puerto
Ricans to the United States; in mood
from the black humor of Emilio Díaz
A Lasting
Memory
This special bust of Charles F. Cummings stands at the
exterior of the Essex County Courthouse so that he may
always oversee the City he adopted as his own. The memorial
inscription, written by Pulitzer Prize author Philip Roth,
reads: “We Doubt That Charles Knew Or Would Believe
That He Has Earned Heroic Stature Through The Seemingly
Workaday Labors Of Librarian And City Historian, But We
Want To Declare That He Achieved Nothing Less And That
He Will Be Remembered For Nothing Less.”
A
fter the untimely death in 2005 of
Charles F. Cummings, NPL Assistant
Director and Newark City Historian,
many of his friends—including Liz DelTufo,
Richard Grossklaus, and Essex County
Executive Joseph Di Vincenzo—wanted there to
be a lasting memorial for Charles. Their efforts
came to fruition with the creation of a bronze
bust. So that Charles will always oversee the
City he adopted as his own, the sculpture has
been placed in a park at the exterior of the
Essex County Courthouse. s
Charles F. Cummings established the Robert
Treat Endowment for the purchase of Newark
and New Jersey materials for the Library’s
collections. Over the years, numerous patrons
have donated to this endowment, thus helping
to preserve his memory.
Those wishing to make donations in Charles’
name to his special endowment may send checks
(made payable to The Newark Public LibraryRobert Treat Endowment) to The Robert Treat
Endowment, c/o The Development Department,
The Newark Public Library, PO Box 630,
Newark, NJ 07101-0630.
Special Donors
Support
Special Services
Presenting the TD Commerce Bank check were Eric R. Radell, Vice President, Retail Market
Manager/Essex County (far left), and John J. Falco, Regional Vice President, Essex County
(far right). Accepting for the Library were Joseph C. Casale, Assistant Director for Finance and
Development, and Director Wilma J. Grey.
O
ur 2008 Annual Fund campaign, in addition to providing
donations for general use, has seen an increase in gifts for specific
projects. One of those areas is the Special Services Room.
Donations have been received to support Library plans to expand our
special services offerings and to relocate them to a larger area on the third
floor of the Main Library. Included will be computers and other equipment
to meet the needs of the physically, hearing, and visually challenged and
those of our senior citizens. The Library’s Deaf Awareness Club has also
been expanded and revitalized. In addition, a core collection of materials
will be purchased.
While the bulk of funding for the Special Services division will come
from the general and capital appropriations from the City of Newark,
funding has also been made available through the generosity of TD
Commerce Bank, Florence Miller and The Friends of The Newark Public
Library.
The Friends have allocated $5,000 for furnishings in addition to a
gift of $500 for American Sign Language materials. TD Commerce Bank
has made a generous $4,000 donation, which will be used for collection
development. A gift of $5,000 from the estate of longtime NPL friend
Florence Miller will be used for materials for the visually challenged.
Donors to the Library’s Annual Fund may designate the use of their
gifts for the aforementioned Special Services section and other dedicated
funds. Memorial donations and bequests can also be designated. Please
call 973-424-1832 or visit our website at www.npl.org and select “Support
the Library.” s
Golf Tournament Is Aces
T
he Library’s annual “Book Classic” golf tournament came up
aces again, raising monies in support of the 2008 Annual Fund
Campaign. The July 22 event at the Plainfield Country Club was
filled with fun, food, golf and networking. The Library thanks everyone
who made that possible, especially Dinner Sponsor HSBC Bank. s
Michael Petrucci, Commerce Bank; Patricia Barksdale,
Merrill Lynch; and Michael Staryak, Commerce Bank,
were among the event’s participants.
The threesome of Ian Shearn,
The Star-Ledger; Jeffrey Vanderbeek,
New Jersey Devils; and Murphy
Durkin, Esq., Durkin & Durkin,
LLP, enjoyed playing on one of New
Jersey’s premier golf courses.
Archival assistants conduct initial
processing of fragile materials.
NJCH Awards
$10,000 Grant
for Archives
Project
T
he Library has received a $10,000 grant from
the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a
state partner of the National Endowment for the
Humanities, to support the continuing work of our
Puerto Rican Community Archives project.
This is the first archival collection
of Latino materials in the state. It is
one of the key components of the
Library’s New Jersey Hispanic
Research and Information Center, the
division that is dedicated to expand,
preserve, and make accessible informa­
tion about the history and culture of
Latino communities in Newark, Essex
County, and New Jersey.
The endeavor is under the
direction of Supervising Librarian
Ingrid Betancourt and Project Archivist
Yesenia Lopez.
Once archived, these primarysource documents will be available
to researchers to demonstrate
how Puerto Rican individuals and
organizations have participated in
New Jersey’s economy, civic life
and culture. s
Library Hours
Main Library
Monday Tuesday – Thursday
Friday, Saturday
9:00am to 5:30pm
9:00am to 8:30pm
9:00am to 5:30pm
Branch Libraries
Monday, Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday, Friday
Saturday
9:30am to 5:30pm
1:00pm to 8:00pm
9:30am to 5:30pm
9:30am to 1:30pm
In case of inclement
weather, please call
(973) 733-7784 to determine
whether the Library is open.
Stopping for a breather along the way, the six NPL staffers pose for a photo by the Munchmobile: Dale Colston,
Ann Miele, Curt Idrogo, Deirdre Schmidel, Maureen Ritter, and Jim Capuano.
NPL Staff “Eat It Up”
on Munchmobile Trip
I
t began with decadent baked goods in Andover and ended with yummy
ice cream in Lawrenceville. Along the way, six NPL staffers—Jim Capuano,
Dale Colston, Curt Idrogo, Ann Miele, Maureen Ritter, and Deirdre Schmidel—
sampled a variety of foods on the “Munchmobile” trip along Route 206. The
librarians took part in one of the Newark Star-Ledger’s weekly excursions of
sampling the fare at New Jersey’s favorite roadside eateries that are led by reporter
Peter Genovese.
How was the food? Our judges rated it: Delicious! Tangy! Stupendous! At the
end of the trip, one was heard to say: “Stick a fork in me. I’m done.” s
Cory A. Booker, Mayor, City of Newark
Mildred C. Crump, At Large,
City Council President
Newark Municipal Council
Augusto Amador, East Ward
Oscar James, II, South Ward
Anibal Ramos, Jr., North Ward
Ronald C. Rice, West Ward
Carlos M. Gonzalez, At-Large
Donald M. Payne, Jr., At-Large
Luis A. Quintana, Vice President, At-Large
The Second Century is published by the Newark Public Library, Wilma J. Grey, Library
Director, and the Board of Trustees: Jeffrey
A. Vanderbeek, President; Dr. Timothy J.
Crist, Vice President; Dr. Gayle W. Griffin,
Secretary (Alternate for District Superintendent of Schools Dr. Clifford B. Janey);
James Simmons, Treasurer; Bari Mattes
(Alternate for Mayor Cory A. Booker);
Jill Johnson; Sandra King; Trish MorrisYamba; Dr. Clement Alexander Price.
A number of our Branch Libraries are
ADA Compliant: North End, Springfield,
Vailsburg, Van Buren, and Weequahic.
For more information on accessing
our services and collections please
call our Special Services Division at
973-733-5412.
Address all correspondence to:
The Second Century
The Newark Public Library
5 Washington Street, P.O. Box 630
Newark, New Jersey 07101-0630
Telephone: 973-733-7793
http://www.npl.org
ISSN 1049-5509
Robert L. Wooten, Jr., was named Senior Library Director for a Day 2008. A lifelong Newark resident, he
is “Friend, Helper, and Sure Support” for his family, friends, and other seniors. Mr. Wooten, pictured here
with family members, enjoyed the special luncheon held at the Library in his honor.
10
Editor, J. Dennis Papp
Design: Jenkins Graphics; Production: Linda Lobdell
Printed by Mariano Press
The URL for this issue is: http://www.npl.
org/Pages/ProgramsExhibits/Second
Century/vol19num3/vol19num3.pdf
Casale Is
President of
Newark Rotarians
J
oseph Casale has been named the president of the
Newark Rotary Club. Mr. Casale is the Library’s
Assistant Director for Finance and Development.
He has been a staff member for 40 years.
The Rotarians are
a community service
organization dedicated
to assisting the children
of Newark. There are
32,000 clubs worldwide
with a total membership
of more than 1.2 million.
“Our motto is
‘Service Above Self,’”
noted Mr. Casale, “in
the community, in the
workplace, and throughout
the world. As president,”
Joseph Casale
he continued, “my
primary objective is
to instill that doctrine in the Newark membership.” s
Cramer
Elected
President of NJLA
H
eidi Cramer has been elected president of the
New Jersey Library Association. Ms. Cramer has been
with the NPL for 13 years. Her responsibilities include
public relations, programming, website management, and
Main Library reference.
The NJLA has more
than 1,700 members and
is the oldest and largest
library organization in New
Jersey. It provides vision and
leadership for the library
community and serves
as the voice of the state’s
libraries and librarians.
The NPL has a longstanding
history of involvement,
support and leadership of
the NJLA.
“My goals as president,”
explained
Ms. Cramer, “are
Heidi Cramer
involving more librarians
in our work and increasing the avenues of participation,
especially through electronic meetings.” s
Dr. King Remembered
T
he Library will present its annual Dr. King commemoration on Thursday, January 15. The program,
Celebrating the Dream: The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., will be held in Centennial Hall,
beginning at 6:00pm.
The event is a blend of the spoken word, theater and music written and performed by Lois Moses and Rhetta
Morgan. It includes their reflections on the sacrifices and injustices that people of color have suffered throughout the
history of the United States.
For more information on Celebrating the Dream call 973-733-5411. s
Harper Society’s New Season
D
orothea Moore, Chairperson of the Frances E.W. Harper Literary Society, has selected a number
of items on the African Diaspora for the Society’s new season of insightful commentary.
To learn more about the Society, come to the informal registration in the Main Library’s James
Brown African-American Room on Saturday, September 20, from 11am to Noon.
September 24, 6:30pm: film and discussion of Brother Future, in which an inner-city youth is
knocked unconscious and wakes up in 1822 South Carolina where he is a slave.
October 1, 6:30pm: The Bond, three young men learn to forgive and reconnect with their fathers.
November 5, 6:30pm: The Messman Chronicles: African-Americans in the U.S. Navy, 1932-1943. s
11
Book Sale
Set for 2009
T
he Friends are making plans to raise more
Book Sale bucks than this year’s successful
event and have selected dates for their 2009
sale: April 18, 21, 23 and 25.
So mark your calendar now and plan to be on
hand to secure some great values for yourself and
the book enthusiasts you know. s
Check Out the NPL Blog
T
www.nj.com/
newark/npl
The Newark Public Library
5 Washington Street
Newark, New Jersey 07102
he Library has a blog on the “Newark Live” site on nj.com that tells what’s
happening at the NPL. Have some fun and check us out today by visiting
www.nj.com/newark/npl. s
Zip
E-mail
State
City Address
As any good book filled with memorable characters prompts call for a sequel,
this project will continue to gather stories for some time to come. s
Name
To date, interviewees include Friends founding board members and longtime
Library staff. They have lent their perspectives to both the history of our Friends
group and the Library itself.
Do we have your current address? If not, fill out
the form below and mail it with your (old) preprinted address panel at the left to: The Second
Century, c/o The Newark Public Library, POB 630,
Newark, NJ 07101-0630.
T
he Friends of the Newark Public Library are
continuing to gather oral histories from founding Friends board members
and key NPL staff. This important project, funded in part by the Victoria
Foundation, seeks to capture the richness of what the Library has to offer.
Nonprofit Organ.
U.S. Postage Paid
Newark, NJ
Permit No. 4502
Friends’ Oral
History Project
Progresses
THE