25 Years of LA Opera

25 YEARS OF L.A. OPERA SUNDAY, May15th 2:00 p.m. – In just a quarter century of existence, LA Opera has become the United States' fourth largest opera company, and now, "...stands out as a newly important force in American Opera." (Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times). Under the leadership of Eli and Edythe Broad and General Director Plácido Domingo, LA Opera has presented memorable and remarkable works as well as spectacular artists at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Join LA Opera Community Educator DIANE BELTOYA for an audio-visual presentation highlighting those twenty-five years of performances on Sunday, May 15th at 2:00 p.m. Among the many productions that will be reviewed: Grendel (from 2005-06);Renée Fleming in La Traviata (2006-07);The Recovered Voices series; composers affected by the Holocaust (2008); Involvement of the great Placido Domingo and conductor James Conlon; Wagner’s Ring Cycle (2010);World premiere of Daniel Catán's Il Postino starring Plácido Domingo as Pablo Neruda (2010);LA Opera has become a company of international stature, presenting leading productions in the standard repertory as well as new and rarely-staged operas. The Company brings prominent Los Angeles artists together with other world-renowned singers, designers, directors and conductors to create opera that attracts the attention of international audiences and critics. Take advantage of this excellent opportunity to see what you’ve been missing or to re-live those special performances. Make Crowell Library your LA Opera gateway! The more the merrier! Share this event on Facebook & Twitter.

2-1 Admission to Crowell Cardholders to Pacific Asia Museum

Celebrate Asian Pacific Islander American Heritage Month with 2-for-1 admission this May to Crowell Public Library cardholders.

This special offer will allow Crowell Library cardholders to enjoy a 2-for-1 admission throughout May, 2011, to galleries/exhibitions and public programs that are included with admission. For May event calendar, visit http://pacificasiamuseum.org/_events_calendar/

See the "2-for-1 Admission" flyer.

The visitors will also have the wonderful opportunity to view three concurrent special exhibitions.

• Visions of the Orient: Western Women Artists in Asia 1900-1940,
• Meiji: Japan Rediscovered
• Through the Colonial Lens: Photographs of 19th and 20th Century India

Free Tickets to Luckman Fine Arts!

FREE Tickets Available @ Crowell Library for Upcoming Luckman Fine Arts Performances:

• May 14th Bodytraffic Dance Company;
• May 21st Luckman Jazz Orchestra

Grab them while they last! Our generous friends at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex at Cal State L.A. are donating a limited number of free tickets to two upcoming performances. The tickets will go to Crowell Library cardholders in good standing who are San Marino residents and will be limited to two per library card number.

BODYTRAFFIC is a repertory dance company based in Los Angeles that serves as a vehicle for dancers, choreographers, visual artists, composers and musicians, providing all with an opportunity to experiment, create, and present new work. Their expanding repertoire includes works by Lillian Barbeito, Sarah Elgart, Alex Ketley, Andrea Miller, Laura Gorenstein Miller, Barak Marshall and Guy Weizman & Roni Haver. The company will perform a world-premiere by celebrated Belgian choreographer Stijn Celis. The performance is at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 14th.

On Saturday, May 21st also at 8:00 p.m., the LUCKMAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA will perform a tribute to Clifford Brown. Though his career lasted only four short years, Clifford Brown’s impact on the jazz world still resonates strongly today. With over 20 album credits to his name, in addition to numerous tributes by jazz superstars ranging from Benny Golson to Arturo Sandoval, Clifford Brown did in a few years what most could only dream of accomplishing in a lifetime.

For more information on the Luckman Fine Arts Complex, visit: http://www.luckmanarts.org/ or http://www.facebook.com/luckmanfinearts or follow them on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/luckmanarts

What else is free at Crowell Library? Books, CDs, DVDs, the Internet, lots and lots of programs and friendliest service in San Gabriel Valley! Also coming in May: 2-for1 admission to the Pacific Asia Museum with your Crowell Library card!

Free CTAP Hearing Test

Friday, May 20th, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Representatives from the California Telephone Access Program (CTAP) are coming to Crowell Library. If you have difficulty hearing on the telephone, you will want to take advantage of this wonderful program that connects people with the equipment that makes communication a breeze. All you need to do is fill out an application, make an appointment time by calling the Reference Desk at Crowell Library, and on Friday May 20th, you will meet with audiologist Guoping Cai and have your hearing tested. If you are certified for hearing difficulties, then adaptive equipment will be provided free of charge. CTAP equipment offers many features including telephones that amplify incoming and outgoing sounds, use of large or talking buttons, memory dialing picture buttons, conversation in text, extra loud ringers and strobe flashing lights. CTAP representatives will find the equipment that best suits your needs. The Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program (DDTP) is a public program mandated by the California State Legislature and administered by the California Public Utilities Commission .The DDTP has two components: the California Relay Service (CRS), which includes Speech to Speech, and the California Telephone Access Program (CTAP) which provides assistive telecommunications equipment. The mission of the program is to provide access to basic telephone service for Californians who have difficulty using the telephone. To schedule an appointment, call the Crowell Public Library Reference desk, (626) 300-0777 ext. 579. Applications are available at the library or can be downloaded at www.ddtp.org. Be certified for hearing difficulties and pick up your equipment the same day!

Introduction to Email

Back by popular demand: Introduction to E-mail; Part 1: Tuesday, May 10th,Part 2: Tuesday, May 17th; Both sessions 1:00-2:30 p.m. Do you have limited experience with computers and are new to the world of e-mail? You have friends at Crowell Public Library! Join fellow novices in this two-session class and learn to send and receive messages on a free e-mail account. A very patient and personable instructor will help you set up the account and cover the basic concepts you’ll need to know. You must attend the first session in order to attend the second where there will be opportunities to ask questions, learn additional computer skills and practice. In no time at all you’ll be exchanging messages from relatives you never knew you had! If you’ve been too intimidated to take the plunge, the Crowell Computer Lab is the ideal place dive into action. Reservations are required so please call (626) 300-0777 ext. 579.

What's Under the Clutter

Tuesday, May 10th 7:00-8:30 p.m. Why do we keep what we keep and how we can evaluate our possessions to see if they really are worth the shelf space? On Tuesday, May 10th at 7:00 p.m. top personal organizer TRACY McCUBBIN returns to Crowell Library to talk about both the practical and emotional sides of clutter and why we keep it around. She’ll also offer some very concrete steps to help you deal with and ultimately reduce clutter, from mail to paperwork to children’s artwork. Tracy always offers a plethora of professional tips, while exploring the mindset that blocks us from letting go of things. Attendees will come away with solutions they can immediately put to use. Don’t let accumulated household clutter stress you out. Join us at the library for this free workshop and take control of your physical space!

Transform Your Tees!

A Teen Library Club (TLC) event
Monday, April 25th @ 3:30 pm
Barth Community Room

Don’t throw out that favorite ratty T-shirt! Middle school and High school students grades 6-12 from the San Gabriel Valley area are invited to transform these can’t-wear-in-public Fashion Don’ts into Fashion Do’s at the Crowell Public Library on Monday, April 25th at 3:30pm in the Barth Community Room.

Create purses, halters, dresses, pillowcases, book covers and more! Generation T(eens) can use ideas from Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-Shirt by Megan Nicolay and the Generation T website (http://www.generation-t.com/)--or create their own designs. Supplies will be provided—we will even have extra tees to transform on hand, although teens are encouraged to bring their own for best fit!

Transform your Tees is a Teen Library Club (TLC) event. TLC’s mission is to make the library teen-friendly! All TLC events are sponsored by the Friends of the Crowell Public Library.