San Marino 1914 …What’s Happening?

Monday May 19, 2014 7:00 p.m.

In the spring of 1913, the city of San Marino incorporated, partly to avoid being taken over by a neighboring town with higher property taxes. In 1914, one year later, what was going on? How was the new little city working? What was going on in the 48 United States? KEN VERONDA, Headmaster of Southwestern Academy, will entertain one and all with a historical lecture on this era at Crowell Public Library Monday, May 19th at 7:00 p.m. Ken will impart the issues and perspectives of that day including the problems with the schoolhouse, Alhambra’s outrageous charges for their services here, and the infestations of rats throughout the orange groves and farms. Water had started flowing into the empty San Fernando Valley and the county was nearing a half-million people. Pasadena’s streets were congested with motor cars, and their odorous exhaust was fouling San Marino’s air. Some fine new homes were being constructed on the golf course along the city’s northern border, though many feared they will only add to the crowded valley. There were reports of an increasing threat of war with Mexico and the son of the town’s board president was preparing to fight. European nations were bickering again, but fortunately the U.S. was far from being involved.
Ken Veronda holds degrees in history from Stanford University. He is a lifelong member of the community and is a past president of Rotary Club of San Marino and the San Marino City Club. He is a sought-after speaker on the history of the San Gabriel Valley.

Come hear what’s happened since San Marino City was organized in 1913, how the farms and towns of our San Gabriel Valley were doing, and how the people were responding to the social and political changes swirling around. This program is free and open to the public.

Helping Hands for Hand-Held Devices

Monday, May 12, 6:00 p.m.

Electronically savvy students from San Marino High School will be available on Monday night, May 12th from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Crowell Public Library’s Thornton Room to help people figure out how to use their hand-held devices. Lots of people have their own iPods, Androids, tablets, iPhones, and other devices, but they can’t figure out some of the features. The teen volunteers are pretty familiar with many of the concepts behind these devices, so even if they haven’t used a particular device, they may be able to help a person figure out what to do. The Library works with teens to try to match them up with those who are perplexed with their gadgets. During a similar session in April, patrons were quite pleased with the assistance they received from these service-oriented teenagers.

If you are frustrated with online support options, come to Crowell Library and work with a living, breathing techie that will help you “bond” with your device. There’s nothing like one-on-one assistance to help solve problems and tackle sticky widgets. To reserve your spot for this program and to match volunteers with patrons and types of devices, please call 626-300-0777, extension 579 to make a reservation as soon as possible. There are a limited number of teen volunteers, so slots will fill quickly!

For more information, visit our website www.CrowellPublicLibrary.org
1890 Huntington Drive, San Marino, California 91108

How to Become a Mystery Shopper

Thursday, May 8, 7:00 p.m.

How would you like to get paid to go shopping? Mystery shopping is used by hundreds of well-known businesses to ensure consistent, top-quality service from their employees. It’s a splendid way to earn extra money and have fun at the same time, doing what you love to do. ELAINE MORAN, author of How to Become a Mystery Shopper will share her insights into this fun and exciting career path. Learn about the structure of the industry, the roles of schedulers, editors and contractors. Secret Shopping can be fun and free. In a world filled with get-rich-quick scams, there are legitimate resources on how to become the shopping spy that clients love and friends and neighbors envy.

Elaine is a “Mystery Shopper of the Year” nominee, who has written a read-today, start-today guide. She has been a successful business owner, teacher, administrator, and entrepreneur her entire adult life. She has taught a variety of business classes in colleges on the West Coast since the mid 1980s, possesses a California Community College Instructor Credential (Lifetime), and has worked part time as a mystery shopper for over 20 years. In the year 2000, Elaine developed a mystery shopping program which has become tremendously popular. It has been instrumental in helping hundreds of attendees get started in this rapidly growing industry.

Whether you're a college student, senior citizen, or somewhere in between, mystery shopping is a fun way to earn part time income and engage in new and exciting adventures. Elaine will share her experiences and keep you entertained with "almost caught" scenarios. If you love adventure and want to brighten your day, be sure to attend this informative presentation at Crowell Public Library, Thursday, May 8 at 7:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

LA Opera Talk: Jules Massenet’s Thaïs

Sunday, May 4, 2:00 p.m.

Religion, ecstasy, lust… these are the fundamental motivations of the opera Thaïs by Jules Massenet. With a libretto by Louis Gallet based on a novel by the Nobel Prize-winning Anatole France, the opera tells of the conflict between the love of human pleasures and a devotion to God that ultimately consumes the lives of the two principal characters — the monk Athanaël and the courtesan Thaïs.

Using video clips from DVDs of three different productions of the opera, Community Educator RON STREICHER will present an uncensored exposé of the fate of this classic "fallen woman." (Because of the provocative sexual references and nudity, this presentation is rated "R" - not recommended for children.) Like Manon, which was written only a few years earlier, Thaïs was composed at the height of La Belle Epoque in Paris and is one of the most well-known of Massenet's more than two dozen operas.

Ron Streicher began his career in music as a pianist, percussionist, and choral conductor. His interest migrated to audio production while a volunteer for the music department of a public radio station in LA. That avocation subsequently evolved into a career that now spans nearly five decades as an independent audio consultant and recording engineer specializing in live performances.

Ron’s love for opera was kindled while playing tympani in the pit orchestra of the UCLA Opera Theatre and rapidly grew to an overwhelming passion. His career as an audio engineer has afforded him the opportunity to work with the touring companies of the New York City Opera and Metropolitan Opera, and during his eighteen summers with the Aspen Music Festival and School, he served as the recording engineer and sound designer for more than fifty opera productions. His book, The New Stereo Soundbook is now in its third edition and has gained worldwide recognition as a standard reference on the subject of stereophonic perception, recording, and reproduction techniques.
Mark this date on the social calendar as Crowell Library celebrates LA Opera’s 2013/2014 season. Light refreshments will be served.

Movietown Baby Grows Up

Thursday April 24: 7:00 p.m.

Movietown Baby Grows Up is a blithe reminiscence of Hollywood in the 30s, 40s, and 50s, and the life of one family as seen through the eyes of the youngest child. It is the story of William A. Seiter, director of 131 films, his wife Marian Nixon, actress in 73 films, how they made their way to fame, and yet lead a normal family life in spite of governesses, glamorous parties, and famous friends. Movietown Baby Grows Up is a vivid scrapbook with pictures interspersed through the rambling adventures of daughter Jessica Seiter Niblo’s not-so-ordinary memories.

William A. Seiter started working in Hollywood in 1915 as a stunt double and bit player and quickly graduated to directing comedy shorts. He moved up to features in the 1920s, directing such comedy legends as Laurel & Hardy (“Sons of the Desert”), Abbott and Costello (“Little Giant”), the Marx Brothers and W.C. Fields. He directed Shirley Temple in four features and Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire in “Roberta,” and “You Were Never Lovelier” with Rita Hayworth and Fred Astaire. He helmed scores of television productions and was one of the founding members of the Directors Guild of America. Marian Nixon, aka “the nicest girl in Hollywood,” began her movie career in 1923 with “Cupid's Fireman” when she was nineteen. She was one of those fortunate actresses who made the successful transition to the "talkie" era. Her final film was “Tango” in 1936.

Daughter, Jessica Seiter Niblo, who will speak at Crowell Library on Thursday, April 24, worked at MGM for nine years as a production coordinator and secretary to television executive David Gerber. In addition to being an author, Jessica is a generous fundraiser, providing educational opportunities and scholarships that have profoundly improved the lives of many young people. Don’t miss this special evening on the golden age of Hollywood!

The Science of Learning: Unlocking Human Potential

On Monday, April 14th at 7:00 p.m., Dr. Yu-Wen Taylor will present today’s best thinking on how learning works, based on a convergence of evidence from cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, and neuroscience. “The Science of Learning: Unlocking Human Potential” will reveal why some people are more effective learners than others and debunk common misconceptions about learning which hinder effort and motivation. Participants will understand high-leverage points for improving learning outcomes and gain the skills to cultivate mindsets conducive to learning. Strategies for improving meta-cognition and self-regulation will also be discussed. This workshop will be a must for parents, educators or any lifelong learner. Participants will have the opportunity to assess their learning quotient (LQ) – a more potent indicator of a person’s potential for success than the intelligence quotient (IQ).

YU-WEN TAYLOR is an educator whose mission is to help people become passionate and effective lifelong learners. She earned a Doctorate in Education from USC, an M.A. in Education from Stanford, and a B.A. from U.C. Berkeley. She has taught at various grade levels for over eleven years and has coached and developed teachers. As the Learning Director of an entrepreneurial company in Silicon Valley, she fostered collaboration between the public and private sectors to improve the learning outcomes of K through 12 students. As an Education Consultant, Dr. Taylor advised the Ministry of Education in China on curricular and instructional issues relating to international and second language programs. She is currently conducting research on learning in the twenty-first century and the globalization of education to help policymakers, leaders, and stakeholders understand the complexity of learning in today’s world. She is a resident of San Marino and a Recreation Commissioner for the City.

Dr. Taylor believes that in this multifaceted and rapidly changing society, to master learning is to master life. If you are curious about how to unlock human potential, you won’t want to miss this special program at Crowell Public Library.

Preparing Your Heirs

Wednesday March 19: 7:00 p.m.

According to Roy Williams and Vic Preisser in their book, Preparing Heirs: Five Steps to a Successful Transition of Family Wealth and Values, studies show that 70% of heirs lose control of their inheritance within one generation and 93% within three generations. The loss of wealth is also often combined with a loss of pride, self-esteem, family harmony and productivity. In extreme cases, many wealth heirs turn to destructive behaviors such as substance abuse, loss of motivation and a culture of entitlement. Preparing Your Heirs will inform and educate parents on how to empower their children to lead independent, meaningful and purposeful lives. The program will present practical tools parents can deploy every day on how best to have those challenging conversations with family members and open up safe and productive channels of communication from one generation to the next.

AMIR MOSSANEN is a Senior Vice President and Wealth Advisor for Wells Fargo Private Bank and is responsible for understanding and managing the financial situations for high net worth clients. He specializes in multi-generational planning, family education and succession planning. He has authored papers on the multi-generational wealth transfer and developed family dynamics workshops to enhance harmony and effectiveness across generations. He is also the author of “The Giving Dilemma,” “Beating the Midas Curse,” and “Coping with Sudden Wealth Syndrome.” Prior to his career in wealth management, Amir was a management consultant working with Fortune 500 companies and government agencies on strategy creation and implementation. He earned a Masters in Business Administration with a specialization on Customer Focused Strategy and his MBA thesis on fixed income arbitrage was awarded a distinction for its unique insights.

Come to Crowell Library for an informative evening on the exceptional risks that children of affluence face and how best to mitigate those risks.