Wendy Ritch, “TonalVision” @ TR Mancini Hall

What: Photography Exhibit
When: November 1-30, 2010
Where: Toms River Branch

CONTACT: Megan Ruisch / Information Services
                    (732) 349-6200 xt. 5100
                    mruisch@theoceancountylibrary.org

Library Exhibit Showcases Music In Living Color

TOMS RIVER – The Ocean County Library  will host “TonalVision”, an exhibit of experimental photography by local artist Wendy Ritch, during  November.

 TonalVision is a series of digital images created with an electronic device known as a music visualizer.  Ritch ran MP3 recordings of her own original musical compositions through the visualizer and captured the resulting screen images, which she then altered using PhotoShop.   This highly original method produced 100 images using only twelve minutes of music.

 “I can never create the same image twice, because the process is so dynamic,” says Ritch.  “But I have many new songs to be written and new images to create.”

 A resident of Wall Township, she is the Assistant Dean of the School of Nursing at the University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey (UMDNJ).  Her interest in photography and digital imaging turned professional in 2007 with the founding of RitchVision Photography in 2007.  Ritch has since exhibited her award-winning work in more than thirty solo and group exhibits and is an active member of the Toms River Artists Community (TRACx81). 

 A reception for Ritch will be held in the McConnell Gallery on November 11, 2010, 7:00-8:30 pm.  Visitors are invited to meet the artist and enjoy light refreshments.

 This exhibit is free and open to the public, and can be viewed in the Toms River Branch galleries during library hours.  Additional information is available from either the Web site (www.theoceancountylibrary.org) or by telephoning (732) 349-6200, xt. 5100.

Reflections on Justice: Art & Politics in the Work of Ben Shahn in TR library branch

The Ocean County Library will present a series of programs “Art and Politics in the Work of Ben Shahn” on Oct. 20th and Oct. 25th at the Toms River branch, 101 Washington Street, Toms River.

Long time New Jersey resident Ben Shahn recorded in paint and on film a broad swath of America’s social landscape, ranging from the Great Depression to the Civil Rights Movement.

A program for teens will be held on Wed Oct 20 at 6:00 p.m. They will view the film “Ben Shahn: Passion for Justice” and discuss how historical images in print and film influence their opinions.

Two programs for adults are scheduled on Monday, Oct 25. “Ben Shahn: A Passion for Justice” will be shown at 5 p.m.

It will be followed at 7 p.m. by “Reflections on Justice: Ben Shahn,” a lecture and discussion presented by Geraldine Velasquez Ed.D., Professor of Art at Georgian Court University.

These programs are funded by a grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities, in support of the NJCH’s Humanities Festival Grant theme “Reflections on Justice”.

This program is free and open to the public. Register in-person by telephone (732) 349-6200 or online at www.oceancountylibrary.org.

OCL & OCC to screen anti-bias film

The Toms River branch of Ocean County Library and Ocean County College will both sponsor screenings of Chas Brack’s documentary “Dreams Deferred: the Sakia Gunn Project” on Tuesday, October 5.

The screenings will be followed with a discussion about the event and the film.

Both screenings are free and open to the public.  The college viewing begins at 2 p.m. in the College’s Student Center.  The viewing at the library begins at 6:30 p.m. in Mancini Hall.

Sakia Gunn, a 15-year-old black, lesbian teenager, was killed in Newark, NJ on May 11, 2003 after she rejected the sexual advances of a man.  It was estimated that more than 2,500 people attended her funeral.

Her death spurred the local community to protest bias against gays in Newark.  Brack’s film examines Gunn’s death and the issues confronting black LGBT people.

“No film has addressed Sakia’s story or youth like her,” Brack wrote in describing “The Sakia Gunn Project.”  “The film’s mission is to make black LGBT kids more visible and less vulnerable. The goal is to elevate them and signal to everyone that black LGBT youth are worth loving, protecting and planning for.”

Brack studied documentary arts at Antioch College.  In New York City he became involved in Men of All Colors Together, NY – an anti-racism organization.  He took a position at the New York City Commission on Human Rights in the Lesbian and Gay Discrimination Documentation Project/AIDS Discrimination Unit as Associate Video Producer. 

Brack co-founded and performed with Lavender Light Gospel Choir for over 15 years. As a result of that work he became a charter member and ordained deacon in Unity Fellowship Church, NY.

Brack’s professional career continued at The Gay Men’s Health Crisis as producer of their weekly AIDS information television magazine, “Living With AIDS.”  He works at Third World Newsreel as Fiscal Sponsorship Officer while producing the Sakia Gunn Film Project.

TV genealogist talks about family secrets, genealogy @ TR

Genealogist and television personality Megan Smolenyak will speak at Ocean County Library’s Toms River branch (101 Washington St.) Thursday July 8 at 6:30 p.m.

 Smolenyak, one of the researchers who appears on the NBC network’s “Who Do You Think You Are?”  and author of two books, will talk about “Cases That Made My Brain Hurt.”

 Recent episodes of the show have investigated the ancestry of such celebrities as Sarah Jessica Parker, Susan Sarandon, Brooke Shields, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Broderick, Spike Lee and Emmitt Smith.

 The show personalizes the celebrity’s family history, uncovering secrets and long-lost relatives.  And along the way it records the raw emotions they feel as their stories unfold.

 Smolenyak, who has written a companion guide to the series, is a genealogical adventurer who loves to solve mysteries.  Since 1999 she has worn many hats in the family history world.  She created RootsTelevision.com and founded UnclaimedPersons.org, a volunteer group that assists coroners and medical examiners.

 The program is free and open to the public.  Registration is required.  For more information or to register check the library Web site www.theoceancountylibrary.org or telephone the operator at (732) 349-6200 or (609) 971-0514.

 Copies of her books, “Who Do You Think You Are?: The Essential Guide to Tracing Your Family History” and “Trace Your Roots with DNA: Using Genetic Tests to Explore Your Family Tree” will be available for purchase. 

 The program is cosponsored by the Ocean County Genealogical Society and the Leisure Village West Genealogy Club.

Tech Buddies can answer your hi-tech questions

Need to program your cell phone?  Having trouble with your digital camera?  Want to reconnect with friends and family online?  Teenagers are the experts in the latest ways to keep in touch – and they can help you get started! 

Volunteer teen Tech Buddies will be available by appointment every Monday, July 12 through August 16, from 2:00-3:00 p.m., in the Toms River library’s computer lab.  Tech Buddies can help with basic technology questions, like:

•  My niece told me I should join Facebook – how do I get started? 
• I have a new cell phone and I’m having trouble re-entering the names and numbers.  Is there an easier way?  (Bring your list of contacts with you.)
• If I take a picture with my cell phone, can I print it out?

 Take advantage of these unique opportunities to connect with friends and family and with the teen volunteers in your community.

 The Toms River Library is located at 101 Washington Street, Toms River, NJ.  To make an appointment for this free program call 732-349-6200 or visit our website www.theoceancountylibrary.org.

North Jersey Philharmonic Glee Club to perform in TR

The North Jersey Philharmonic Glee Club, one of the oldest continuously singing all-male groups in the Mid-Atlantic States, will perform at the Toms River branch of the Ocean County Library (101 Washington St.) Monday June 14 at 7 p.m.

Throughout their history, the North Jersey Philharmonic Glee Club’s members have been drawn to perform because of their love of choral music.  That joy is evident throughout each concert.

The North Jersey Philharmonic Glee Club is dedicated to the preservation of male choral singing tradition performing a wide variety of music.  Since its founding in 1939 it draws much of its repertoire from African American idioms and Western European Classical music forms.

The group’s performances reach audiences throughout the nation and have delighted people from different cultures, social classes and neighborhoods.  They have appeared in The White House, Lincoln Center, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), Smithsonian Institution, the National Cathedral, Riverside Church and the Schomberg Center in New York City, and the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark.

Since their formation they have performed with such singers as Paul Robeson, Harry Belafonte, Smokey Robinson, Ben Vereen, the late Christopher Reeves, Savion Glover, the Newark Boys Chorus and gospel legend Shirley Caesar. 

The glee club’s performance is free and open to the public but registration is required.  To register or for more information go to the library Website (www.theoceancountylibrary.org) or telephone the operator (732) 349-6200 or (609) 971-0514.

Preserving your hisotric items

As spring cleaning is underway, Americans across the country will be left to contemplate how to preserve new found treasures.

Ocean County Library will provide information and expertise on how to preserve collectables, photos, family records and other valuable materials.

“Pass It On: Preserving your Family Treasures” will be held on Saturday May 22 at 2 p.m. at the Toms River branch of the Ocean County Library.

Preservation Specialist Jill Rawnsley has worked at the Conservation Center in Philadelphia and with the Philadelphia Archives. She will answer questions such as: “How should I handle a fragile photograph? How do I store my quilts, baseball cards, comics, family papers, or doll collection?” Bring your questions and learn how to properly store, display and handle your treasures.

Sample books, handouts, and examples of storage boxes and folders will be available.

This program is presented in cooperation with the New Jersey State Library and American Library Association’s Preservation Week. Ocean County Library received funding this year from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of Cultural Affairs in the Department of State, through a local history program grant administered by the Ocean County Cultural & Heritage Commission.

This program is free and open to the public. Please register in-person, by telephone (732)349-6200 or (609) 971-0514, or online at www.theoceancountylibrary.org .

French author to discuss her new cookbook

What: Mireille Guiliano (“French Women Don’t Get Fat”) discusses her new cookbook

When: Thursday May 20 @ 7 p.m.

Where: OCL Toms River branch

CONTACT:   Larry Meegan, 732-349-6200, ext. 5906

                        lmeegan@theoceancountylibrary.org

                        Scott Rodas, 732-349-6200, ext. 5906

                        srodas@theoceancountylibrary.org

TOMS RIVER –   Internationally best-selling author and former president and CEO of Clicquot, Inc.,  Mireille Guiliano will discuss her newly-released fourth book “The French Women Don’t Get Fat Cookbook” at the Toms River branch (101 Washington St.) of the Ocean County Library.

 The program and book signing will take place Thursday May 20 at 7 p.m.

 Her cookbook, a follow up to “French Women Don’t Get Fat” (2004) and “French Women for all Seasons,” (2006) tells how French meals differ from American meals, and how American women can make changes in their menus to slim down.

 “We love to eat and we eat for pleasure,” Guiliano said of French women in a television interview. “It means we take our time eating.  And we eat a lot of vegetables, fruit and soup.”

 Water also accompanies each meal, important for hydration, she says, and French women walk a lot.

 This is in contrast to American diets that contain too many carbohydrates and fat, and not enough protein.

 Guiliano insists that one need not give up on treats like wine and chocolate, but she cautions they should be taken in moderation.  And tasty, nutritious desserts can replace many of the fat and calorie-laden treats people often consume.

 Her cook book presents 150 new recipes along with childhood memories of provincial France, philosophical insights and quick and easy French recipes she cooks at home herself.

 “This book is designed specifically for busy women/mothers,” she wrote on her Website.  “These days, most people don’t have time for elaborate meals, myself included.  For most of my career, I worked at least 10-hour days, so I had to learn recipes that could be easily prepared in 30 minutes when I arrived home tired and hungry.”

 She also wrote the book as her appeal for people to reconnect with the kitchen.

 “We live in a brave new world of processed foods and many young people today, even in France, have no idea how to cook.  I intended the cookbook partly as an homage to the art of home cooking.”

 “I hope people are inspired to go into the kitchen and cook a meal.  I want readers to see that cooking doesn’t require huge amounts of time, just an appreciation for good food,” she added.

 A native of France, Guiliano studied French and English literature at the Sorbonne and holds the French equivalent of a master’s degree in English and German and certification as a translator/interpreter.

 She first arrived in America as an exchange student in Boston and came back for good early in her professional career as a spokesperson for Champagne Veuve Clicquot.

 She has appeared on many radio and television shows, including Oprah, The Today Show, CBS’ The Early Show, NBC’s Dateline and CNN.  She has been profiled in The New York Times, USA Today, Time, Newsweek, People, Business Week, Travel & Leisure, Food & Wine and dozens of other publications.

 This program is free and open to the public.  For more information or to register for this program go to our Web site www.theoceancountylibrary.org or telephone the operator (732) 349-6200 or (609) 971-0514.

Star Wars author to speak in Toms River branch

Jason Fry, author of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Ultimate Battles,” will discuss his book at the Toms River branch of the Ocean County Library, 101 Washington St., Tuesday May 4 at 7 p.m.

Fry’s book offers a glimpse at the ferocious, fire-storm battles featured in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” television series and highlights the weapons, spaceships, strategies, and spies who made the Clone Wars an epic time in Star Wars history. 

Jason Fry is a writer in Brooklyn, New York, where he lives with his wife, son, and about a metric ton of Star Wars stuff. He is the author of the New York Times bestselling “Star Wars: The Clone Wars Visual Guide,” “Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Ultimate Battles,” “ Star Wars: The Clone Wars: New Battlefronts,”  “Star Wars: The Clone Wars Character Encyclopedia,” and “The Clone Wars: Official Episode Guide: Season 1.”  He has also written extensively for the “Star Wars Insider” magazine.

This program is free and open to the public.  For more information or to register for this program go to our Web site www.theoceancountylibrary.org or telephone the operator (732) 349-6200 or (609) 971-0514.

Peter Yarrow to speak at Toms River

Singer and songwriter Peter Yarrow, of Peter, Paul & Mary fame, will visit the Toms River branch of the Ocean County Library, 101 Washington St., Sunday May 23 at 2 p.m.

Yarrow will bring his new book and 12-song CD, “Songs for Little Folks,” and introduce a new generation to the joys of folk music.

“Songs for Little Folks” is a compilation of folk songs selected especially for very young children who are just discovering the pleasures of singing along. Yarrow has chosen timeless favorites that toddlers and their families will have fun singing and sharing.

This book includes beautiful pictures by Terry Widener to accompany every song.

Yarrow was born in New York City and attended the city’s High School of Music and Art, now LaGuardia High School.   After graduating Cornell University he met Noel “Paul” Stookey and the late Mary Travers in Greenwich Village, and formed the folk-music trio “Peter, Paul and Mary.” 

Yarrow’s songwriting produced such hits as “Puff, the Magic Dragon,” “Day is Done,” and “Light One Candle.”

As the trio grew in popularity, they became very active in social and political causes.

They marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., protesting civil rights injustices, and participated in demonstrations that opposed the war in Viet Nam.

Yarrow was also a leader in the campaign to free Soviet.  In 1982 he received the Allard K. Lowenstein Award for his efforts to advance the causes of human rights and in 1995 he was recognized by the Miami Jewish Federation for his part in helping to “repair the world.”

In 2000 Yarrow helped create Operation Respect, a non-profit organization that teaches children civility and conflict resolution.

Yarrow has performed on 61 albums.

This program is free and open to the public.  For more information or to register for this program go to our Website www.theoceancountylibrary.org or telephone the operator (732) 349-6200 or (609) 971-0514.