Intermediate English

Fridays:  September 9 – October 21

1:15-2:30 pm

This free class at Crowell Public Library is for those who know a bit of English and want to learn more. If you or somebody you know speaks some English and wants to improve, this free six week class will help all participants make progress.  Instructor Richard Bourell will cover vocabulary and basic concepts.  His method is to concentrate on listening and conversation skills so that students can interact in English, building vocabulary and confidence. The class will not dwell on grammar, but will encourage students to learn English through real life situations and dialogs. 

Richard Bourell has been teaching English for almost forty years, locally and globally, and is the author of the Video Language DVD series, and In English, a video and workbook-based ESL series.  He has taught for the Los Angeles Unified School District, the American English Institute in Mexico City, the Richard Lewis School of Languages in Paris, Huntington Park Community Adult School and the ELS Language Center in Los Angeles.  His students have come from all over the globe:  Latin America, the Middle East, Russia, Korea and Japan.  Now Mr. Bourell is reaching out to the community and offering his course for free, a fabulous opportunity for patrons of Crowell Public Library, so don’t miss out.  

Classes take place in the Library’s Barth Community Room from 1:15-2:30 pm on Fridays, beginning September 9^th.  Interested learners can register in advance by calling the Library at (626) 300-0777, extension 579.  

The Journey of Raising Music Prodigies & Sports All Stars

Saturday August 20, 1:30 pm

East Meets West Parent Education Club is a multicultural group that presents professionals who share their knowledge and pass on skills on how to raise children in an international and competitive world.  Topics can include positive discipline, teenage issues, special education, and internet safety.  At Crowell Public Library, their first parent conference will be, “The Journey of Raising Music Prodigies and Sports All Stars,” which will advise parents on how to encourage their children to engage in sports and music activities for a healthier life.  The speakers will be Sean Gill, the president of San Marino Little League Baseball, experienced coach and father of three sports all-stars, and Cindy Lewis, mother of three home-schooled children with exceptional music talents:  national competition winners, studying now or graduated from world-class music conservatories.

Some new families in the San Gabriel Valley area come from countries that do not have baseball or any of the “youth sports culture” that we have in the U.S.  Sean will explain the benefits of team sports for raising children, including the tradition of little league baseball here in the U.S.  He will also review the San Marino Community sports leagues of flag football and basketball.  Cindy will discuss her passion for and philosophy of raising her three music prodigies and the benefits of homeschooling.  Her stories will encourage parents to nurture and cultivate their children's music talents. 

Upcoming topics at Crowell Library include college and scholarship applications, positive parenting, internet safety and neighborhood watch, teenage issues and special education.  Programs are presented in English, with Mandarin speakers on hand to translate.

Parents with children in the San Gabriel Valley region and beyond are most welcome to attend. 

Road Scholar: Adventures in Lifelong Learning

Thursday, June 16, 7:00 pm

If you love to travel, enjoy learning new things, like to explore interesting places and meet people 

who share a love of adventure, come and learn about Road Scholar, the group that offers more than 

5,500 programs each year in 150 countries worldwide. Volunteer Road Scholar Ambassador 

JILL SWAIM will offer an insider's look at its adventures on Thursday June 16th at 7:00 p.m. in 

the Library’s Barth Community Room. Light refreshments will be served. Road Scholar Ambassadors 

are seasoned participants who volunteer their time to give informative and enthusiastic presentations 

about the educational travel adventures available through Road Scholar, formerly called Elderhostel, 

the not-for-profit world leader in lifelong learning since 1975.

Adventuresome, curious, fun... what else is there to know about Road Scholar participants?  Their learning adventures engage expert instructors, provide extraordinary access, and stimulate discourse and friendship among people for whom learning is the journey of a lifetime.  Since its inception, more than five million people have enrolled in its iconic educational adventures offered annually in countries around the world.  The Road Scholar program has made connections with educators and other local "insiders" all around the world, creating learning opportunities that show the world in a way that just can't be done alone or on a "tour." From expert-led lectures and field trips to comfortable lodgings and meals, all the details are handled, taking the worry out of the planning, so Scholars can focus on the learning experience.

Road Scholar is headquartered in Boston, Mass., with offices in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Bring all your questions regarding this exciting travel program Thursday June 16 at 7:00 pm to Crowell Library’s Barth Community Room.

Forbidden City USA

Chinese American Nights Clubs 1936-1970
Thursday May 19, 7:00 p.m.

Join us for a fascinating look at San Francisco’s internationally celebrated Chinese American nightclub scene and its performers with filmmaker and writer Arthur Dong on Thursday, May 19th at 7:00 p.m. in the Barth Community Room. A recipient of an Oscar nomination, a Peabody Award and an NEH grant, Dong will discuss his research on Chinese American nightclubs in San Francisco during the years 1936 to 1970, the focus of his book, Forbidden City, USA. In 1985 Author Dong began the research for his award-winning documentary on this little-known chapter of entertainment history, and has since then become arguably the foremost aficionado on the topic. Forbidden City U.S.A.: Chinese American Nightclubs, 1936-1970 received a 2015 American Book Award and the Independent Publisher’s IPPY Award.

San Francisco native Arthur Dong's film career began with Public, an animated Super-8 film shot on his bedroom floor. The five-minute film earned first prize at the California High School Film Festival and was the young filmmaker's introduction to the power of film as a tool for progressive change. Since then, Dong has continued to combine the art of the visual medium with an investigation of social issues. His documentaries include Hollywood Chinese, Sewing Woman, Forbidden City, USA, Coming Out Under Fire, Family Fundamentals, and Licensed to Kill. His latest production is The Killing Fields of Dr. Haing S. Ngor.

Besides his Oscar nomination and Peabody awards, Mr. Dong has received three Sundance Film Festival awards, the Berlin Film Festival's Teddy Award, Taipei's Golden Horse Award, and five Emmy nominations. He has served on the boards of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Film Independent, OutFest, and the National Film Preservation Board at the Library of Congress. A two-time Rockefeller Media Arts Fellow as well as a Guggenheim Fellow in Film, Dong is currently Distinguished Professor in Film at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
Learn all about this dazzling chapter in entertainment and Chinese American history when Arthur Dong visits Crowell Public Library, Thursday, May 19th at 7:00 p.m. Copies of the book will be available for purchase.

Christian Cruz, Classical Guitar

Thursday, May 12th @ 7:00 p.m.

Patrons of Crowell Public Library will greatly appreciate the generosity of the Friends of Crowell Library and the San Marino Music Center when classical guitarist Christian Cruz presents a free program on Thursday, May 12 in the Library’s Barth Community Room. Christian received his Bachelor's Degree in Music at California State University, Northridge where he received numerous awards. He is now pursuing his Master’s Degree under William Kanengiser at USC’s Thornton School of Music.

A native of Los Angeles, Christian appreciated the cultural diversity of L.A. and grew fond of the rock and hip hop scene while simultaneously being influenced by the Latin American music of his own heritage. This would translate into his career as a guitarist, where he began playing renowned venues in Hollywood such as the Whiskey A Go Go and the Roxy, as well as performing the music of Ástor Piazzolla in concert halls. He has performed a number of chamber pieces at regional symposia held by the Guitar Foundation of America and has been featured on KUSCs Sundays Live broadcast at the Los Angeles County Museum of Arts.

The Crowell Library concert program will include Sonata Romantica by Manuel Ponce who is regarded as one of the most influential classical composers of Mexico. This sonata is an homage to Robert Shubert and borrows thematic material from the keyboard works of Shubert. Cinco Piezas is written by composer and performer Astor Piazzolla and these are the only pieces he wrote for solo guitar. Balkan Miniatures is by Serbian born Dusan Bogdanovic, one of the most prolific guitar composers in modern day. He has written music for guitar in virtually every variation, from solo to concerto. In 1991, he wrote this set of short pieces for William Kanengiser. The set is dedicated to world peace, as it was created during the separation of the former Yugoslavia.

Don’t miss this special night of free classical guitar music at Crowell Public Library. Seating is limited.

Film Screening: To Climb a Gold Mountain

Wednesday, May 11, 6:30 pm

Crowell Public Library is very fortunate to present a special screening of To Climb a Gold Mountain, a new cultural and educational film that tells the stories of four women of Asian descent who lived in America from the 1850s to the present day. The women came from different backgrounds and lived dramatically different lives. Some of the women featured in the film, such as Anna May Wong, have reached success and fame. Still others, like Sing Ye, a prostitute who lived in the 1800s and fought for freedom, are all but forgotten. Each woman’s story represents a distinct theme of struggle and triumph, and ushers in the succeeding story leading up to the present time. Through these stories, the film tracks the progression, evolution and legacy of the immigrants in America as they integrate into the fabric of America.
In the 1800s, the Chinese called America Gam Saan. It meant “Gold Mountain” and bespoke a myth of treasures waiting for any poor immigrant willing to sweat blood and tears. But for the poor women and men arriving on these shores, it was anything but. To Climb a Gold Mountain relates this 160-year narrative through the stories and voices of a set of particularly iconic women, representing distinct stages and themes in a compelling and dramatic tale. The film’s producers have received a Certificate of Congressional Recognition related to the film, a Golden Award from The World Film Festival, and Best Feature Documentary from the LA Film Festival of Hollywood. In addition PBS has picked the TV version of the film for broadcasting.
The film has a running time of 73 minutes and will be presented by the executive producer and director, Alex Azmi who will discuss the making of the film and answer questions. Dr. Azmi is a filmmaker who is interested in documentaries that deal with social and cultural issues. His most current project is called “Man and Machine,” and is about the impact of technologies on the lives of ordinary people.

Come to Crowell Public Library on Wednesday, May 11th at 6:30 p.m. for a fascinating look into Asian cultural history.