Celebration of the 15th Anniversary of Hong Kong’s Return to China

July 2-3, 2012 -- two days only

The Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Los Angeles and the Xinhua News Agency, Los Angeles Bureau, will be presenting the Celebration of the 15th Anniversary of Hong Kong’s Return to China photo exhibition, on the first Monday and Tuesday of July in the Barth Community Room of Crowell Public Library.

The exhibit consists of forty selected photos, including some invaluable, seldom-shown historical photos. The show will educate visitors in the history, culture and the daily lives of Hong Kong residents.

Xinhua Gallery is a successful division of the Xinhua News Agency. Since it began to stage exhibitions in May 2010, hundreds of exhibits have been held in over 100 countries around the world. The China Photo Archive, which belongs to Xinhua News Agency, contains over six million historical photos going back to the 1850s. The Xinhua multimedia database holds more than 10 million current photos, and every day Xinhua is releasing over 2,000 photos taken by its photographers all over the world. The combination of the abundant resources and Xinhua’s strength in editing and display has made Xinhua Gallery photo show attractive to visitors.

For more information on this exhibit, contact Jessie Liu, 626-321-2468, jessielww@gmail.com

dClutter with Tracy McCubbin

Wednesday, July 11th 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Because there are many areas of our lives that still need organizing, we have asked The Queen of dClutter to return. TRACY McCUBBIN, professional organizer extraordinaire, has given several workshops at Crowell Public Library to standing room only crowds. She has the diplomacy to deal with horders and the expertise to tackle all clutter dilemmas including the garage, so gentlemen, start your engines and get it in gear here at Crowell Public Library.

A clean environment aids concentration and increases productivity. Don’t let accumulated clutter stress you out. “Liveable Organization” is about organization that’s easy for you to live in, co-exist with, and ultimately maintain. Learn to reduce, reorganize, and recycle, so you can relax. Tracy will offer professional tips and explore the mindset that blocks us from letting go of things. Take control of your physical space!

“dClutter Between the Covers” is part of the Adult Summer Reading Program at Crowell Public Library. Registering for the summer reading program is easy: just visit the Adult Reference desk to sign up and start reading! Pick up a Between the Covers brochure and see what other programs will be happening this summer. Write a book review or a six-word novel and a prize may be in your future. It’s all happening at Crowell Public Library through July.

Dream Analysis

Monday, June 25, 2012, 7:00 p.m.

The Adult Summer Reading Program, Between the Covers, is off and running at Crowell Public Library and the first scheduled program, so thematically astute, will be Dr. Trevor Dobbs’ Dream Analysis on Monday, June 25th at 7:00 p.m. in the Library’s Barth Community Room. Do dreams have meaning or are they just synapses firing at random? Dr. Dobbs, a member of the core faculty at Pacific Oaks College, will clue us in. He teaches in the School of Human Development & Family Studies and maintains a part time private practice in psychoanalysis, also in Pasadena. He has a multi-disciplinary background that ranges from computer science, to theology, to psychoanalysis and couples therapy.

Registering for the summer reading program is easy: just visit the Adult Reference desk to sign up and start reading! Pick up a Between the Covers brochure and see what other programs will be happening this summer. Write a book review or a six-word novel and a prize may be in your future. It’s all happening at Crowell Public Library through July.

Film: Secret

Thursday, June 21, 2012, 6:30 p.m.

Ye Xiang Lun is a student majoring in piano who just transferred to Tamkang, a school famous for its talented piano students. On his first day of school, he hears a mysterious melody being played, and following it, meets Lu Xiao Yu, another piano major. When he asks her about the song she was playing, she tells him that it is a secret that cannot be told. The two form a friendship that quickly evolves into a romance. Unbeknownst to Xiang Lun, there is more to Xiao Yu than initially meets the eye. This film stars and is directed by Jay Chou. The film was originally released in 2007, is 101 minutes long with English subtitles.

Please note that the previously announced screening of the documentary Hand In Hand will NOT be taking place.

Crowell Public Library thanks the Taiwanese United Fund (TUF), a non-profit organization dedicated to culture and performing arts, and Dr. Jerry C. Liu for bringing Hand In Hand to library patrons.

Free popcorn while it lasts!

Teen Anime Convention!

A week of Anime-themed programming:
July 9 – 12

Love anime? Can’t get enough? Want to experience an anime convention without the lines and pricy tickets? This summer, Crowell Public Library will offer its first ever Teen Anime Convention. Enjoy a week of FREE anime-themed programs for teens entering grades 7-12.

Crowell will be offering an anime/manga art presentation by critically acclaimed local graphic novelist KAZU KIBUISHI on July 9th at 12:15 p.m., followed by a manga drawing and inking workshop with local artist JANELL MITHANI at 12:15 p.m. on July 10th. Registration is required for Janell Mithani’s workshop -- first come, first served. On July 11th at 12:15 p.m. teens will be in for a treat when they learn to make candy sushi, anime-themed crafts and even costume props. Cosplay is encouraged for the full expo experience, plus costumed teens will be entered in a special raffle. Anime Week is capped off with a free screening of a Miyazaki anime film on the 12th at noon. All events take place in the Library’s Barth Community Room.

In addition, teens registered in the Summer Reading Club receive raffle tickets and credit toward a free book for each event they attend. Raffle tickets are good for a variety of prizes, including a pair of Disneyland Parkhopper tickets! Winners will be announced July 23rd.

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Crowell Public Library, the Aquarium of the Pacific, El Pollo Loco, Flightdeck Air Command Center, Huntington Library, Jump ‘n Jammin, Peterson’s Automotive, Pie ‘n Burger, Santa Anita Park, Spaghetti Factory. Find out more about upcoming YA events by following us on Facebook and on Twitter and visit the library website at www.crowellpubliclibrary.org.

eBooks: Why Buy When You Can Borrow?

Wednesday, June 13, 2012, 7:00 p.m.

Are you starting to read books on a hand-held device, such as a Kindle, Nook, iPad or Sony Reader? Along with traditional books, the Crowell Library lends eBooks, as well, and they are free, of course. This session will be a combination of demonstrations and hands-on computer use to help you get the knack for getting eBooks onto your device. Bring your device, along with its USB chord and you’ll be on your way. Please register in advance by calling 626-300-0777 ext. 579.

The evening will start with an overview of the devices available, digital rights management issues and the Overdrive platform available to Crowell Library. Then the audience will break into smaller groups and learn about downloading to specific devices.

If that new reader has been sitting on your dresser since last Mother’s Day, now is the perfect time to learn the joy of reading the Autobiography of Mark Twain without the weight issues!

Use Subscription Databases from Crowell

Used to be, when you needed a magazine or newspaper article, you had to look through a set of books called the Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature. After you found the dates and titles of appropriate articles, you walked to the shelves to pull actual bound copies of old magazines to copy.

Those days are gone forever! Now, you don’t even have to leave your house to get the complete text of articles from newspapers and magazines.

Let’s say that you need news articles to help you write a school paper, for example. You may want to start your search locally with full-text pieces from the archives of the Los Angeles Times. Click on the “LA Times” button on the right side of the Library web page, http://crowellpubliclibrary.org. On the next screen, enter your library card number with no spaces and your pin number (usually the last four numbers of your home phone number.) Then search the local newspaper of record back to 1985.

Need past articles from newspapers across the country, including the Pasadena Star News and The New York Times? Click on the “Newsbank” button and then type in your library card number to log in. Now you can search individual newspapers or across a selection, all at once. For example, a search of the “Los Angeles Metro” collection pings everything from the Agoura Hills Acorn to the Whittier Daily News.

How about some magazine articles, everything from news weeklies to peer-reviewed journals? Just click on the “Magazines” button. Enter your library card number and then click “Proceed.” From the next screen, you can browse subjects or specific publications. Or, you can type in a keyword to get a list of full-text articles.

Students love this database because it means that they don't have to physically go to the library, find the correct edition of the magazine that they seek, and then photocopy it. Parents find this collection useful when they want to read articles about home repair or appliance reviews. This service can also help busy businesspeople to find quality information right from their desks at work.

Even better, if you have an iPhone or Android smart phone, you can search the magazine index on the go. Visit this website to download the appropriate free app for your phone: http://www.gale.cengage.com/apps/.

And there’s more than just news online! The Crowell Public Library subscribes to an array of information resources that you can use through our web page with your library card at any time of day or night. These cover a variety of subjects including language lessons, career advice, and even investment strategy from Value Line.

Need a library card to access all this wonderful information? You can print out an application right from our web site. Under “About Us” on the Crowell Library page, choose “General Information.” From here, you can click for a copy of our application in .pdf format. Print it out and bring it in to the library with identification that shows your name and current address. We’ll get you a library card right on the spot!