Wednesday, January 11, 2012

College Prep Survival Tools

Wednesday, January 25th, 7 p.m.

Getting prepared for college is tough. Libraries are a great place to find survival tools for college readiness. Embark on your journey at Crowell Public Library’s “College Prep Survival Tools” presentation Wednesday, Jan 25th at 7pm in the Barth Room.

You’ll find out about amazing library resources-- beyond the shelves, with the click of a mouse. This talk will highlight the best tools available, and provide quick, painless video tutorials on these resources, which include free online practice tests, scholarship finders, and more! These are resources you can access anytime--and on any computer, iPad or smartphone--for free! All you need is your library card. Don’t worry if you don’t have a library card—you can sign up for free after this presentation.

All high school students in attendance will be entered in a raffle for an Amazon.com gift card. Refreshments will be served. Registration is recommended--space is limited. Call the library at (626) 300-0777 to reserve a seat! This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Crowell Public Library.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

One Book, One City: The Sherlockian

On Thursday, January 5, 2012, Sherlock Holmes’ official birthday, the Friends of the Crowell Public Library, led by President MARYANN SEDUSKI, announced their One Book, One City selection for 2012: The Sherlockian, the debut novel by Graham Moore. The Sherlockian was a New York Times bestseller, which has been sold for publication in 16 countries and translated into 13 languages. A mystery about the life of Arthur Conan Doyle and the modern Sherlock Holmes obsessives who devote their lives to the secrets in his books, it was called “sublime,” “clever” and “delightful” by the New York Times, and “savvy” and “entertaining” by the LA Times. Graham Moore is a novelist and screenwriter. He first learned to love mysteries as an eight year-old when he and his mother would pass a copy of Agatha Christie’s A Murder in Three Acts back and forth, reading to each other. From there, his love of mysteries grew even stronger, culminating in his own contribution to the world of Sherlockiana. Moore has served as a staff writer for a season on the ABC Family sitcom 10 Things I Hate About You, and recently sold a script about the life of legendary scientist Alan Turing to Warner Brothers. He was born in Chicago, received a B.A. in Religious History from Columbia University, and currently lives in Los Angeles. Children’s programming Saturdays -- times vary: January 21: Movie: Great Mouse Detective; 2:30 Basil, the rodent Sherlock Holmes, investigates the kidnapping of a toy-maker and uncovers its link to his archenemy, Professor Ratigan. 74 minutes, rated G February 25: Storyteller, Ferrell Marshall; 2:30 Ferrell is a professional actor and voiceover artist. She was a 20 year member of the famed West Coast Ensemble and is currently a member of The Production Company, an award winning theatre group in Hollywood. March 24: 39 Clues Mystery Program; 2:00 A mystery is underway! Come uncover secrets, solve codes and enjoy activities related to the popular book series “39 Clues.” March 31: Movie: Harriet the Spy; 2:00 Harriet M. Welsch is a spy. But when Harriet's friends find her secret notebook, the tables are turned on her. Can she win her friends back and still keep on going with the spy buisness? 100 minutes, rated PG Adult Programs Thursday Movies, 10 am Jan. 12, Adventures of Sherlock Holmes with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. The master sleuth hunts his archenemy, Professor Moriarty, who is planning the crime of the century. (1939, 85 min.) Feb. 2, Hound of the Baskervilles starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee (1959, 87 min.) When a nobleman is threatened by a family curse on his newly inherited estate, detective Sherlock Holmes is hired to investigate. Mar. 8, Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey and Jude Law (2009, 128 min.) PG-13 Detective Sherlock Holmes and his stalwart partner Watson engage in a battle of wits and brawn with a nemesis whose plot is a threat to all of England. Apr. 12, Masterpiece Mystery! Sherlock -- PBS TV series, 2010. Sherlock Holmes stalks again in a thrilling contemporary version of the Victorian-era whodunits based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the go-to consulting detective in 21st-century London, with Martin Freeman as his loyal friend, Dr. John Watson. Thursday Evening Adult Events, 7 pm March 1, Crime Solving Techniques Today with Steve Galuzian, Senior Forensic Scientist of the Orange County Crime Laboratory. March 15, TBD Mar. 29, Sherlock Holmes & His Pipe with Robert Noble, member of the Board of Trustees of the North American Pipe Collectors. April 12, “221b Baker Street” with Chuck Kovacic: a look at how this address impacted the Sherlock Holmes series. The concept of One Book, One City originated in Seattle back in 1998 as an entertaining strategy to build community – imagining a huge book group consisting of friends and neighbors, discussing plots and characters, while promoting literacy. Past selections for San Marino’s One Book, One City event have included Iron River by T. Jefferson Parker, Flower Confidential by Amy Stewart, Samurai’s Garden, by Gail Tsukiyama and last year’s The Ragtime Kid by Larry Karp. The tireless efforts of Muffy Hunt, Chair of the One Book One City committee, have been pivotal in arranging all the programming and events associated with this year's selection. More details on the One Book, One City programs will be announced in upcoming weeks, so readers are urged to check the Crowell Public Library website frequently: http://www.CrowellPublicLibrary.org