Author Talk: Cantonese Yankee

Thursday, November 17, 2011, 7:00 p.m. — Cantonese Yankee is the narrative of Kwong Bing Kong or “Bing,” a student sent by Imperial China to New England to study Western science and technology as part of an educational mission. One of 120 boys sent over between 1872-1881, the biography follows Bing and his ten year stay in America and his subsequent return to China as a modern Mandarin. Tang has written an absorbing and romantic drama based on family stories and her own hours of research at the Yale University Archives and the Connecticut Historical Society. During the 19th Century, China faced a cabal of foreign powers ready to sweep the ancient empire from the pages of history. There have been books written about those days but few have plumbed the depths of her civilization—what were the customs, mores and ethos of her people? In Cantonese Yankee the author presents the intimate life of Bing and his family and the people of his day—and we are there with them. LOUISE SU TANG, Bing’s granddaughter, was close to her grandfather during her childhood years in Shanghai. After a three year interlude in Portland, Oregon, where her father was Chinese Consul, she completed her secondary education at the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Shanghai. She received her B.A. in journalism and political science from UC Berkeley, and her M.A. in School Administration from CSULA. Join us for an absorbing evening of this author’s insights into Chinese and Western history.

FILM SCREENING: NIGHT MARKET HERO

Thursday, November 10, 6:00p – Crowell Public Library and the Taiwanese United Fund are happy to present a special screening of the blockbuster film Night Market Hero, (雞排英雄) a heartwarming story of a Taiwanese night market community. The story reveals the strong work ethic and determination of the vendors and their community when livelihoods are threatened by the plans of a construction company to build on the property. Night Market Hero is not just a story of community struggle, with the nostalgic sights and sounds of food and games that bring the people together. It is also an exhibition of the colorful and iconic culinary exuberance of the Taiwanese culture. Director YEH Tien-lun 葉天倫 tells a feel-good story with a team of comedic veterans like Chu Ko-liang 豬哥亮 and Lotus Wang 王彩樺 with younger names like actor-model Blue Lan 藍正龍 and Alice KO 柯佳嬿. You won’t want to miss this melodramatic tale pitting the power of community values and Taiwanese "street democracy," over the forces of political corruption and the venal property developers. Crowell Library thanks the Taiwanese United Fund (TUF), a non-profit organization dedicated to culture and performing arts, for bringing Night Market Hero to library patrons. The movie runs 124 minutes. Free popcorn will be available while it lasts!

eBooks, Audio Books, Picture Books, oh my!

Crowell Public Library is proud to announce it has expanded its services to include audiobooks and eBooks available 24/7 from the library’s website, http://www.CrowellPublicLibrary.org. Just click on the OverDrive® icon located in the lower middle section of homepage. Using their valid library card, users install free software -- OverDrive® Media Console™ -- for audio and ebooks. Titles can be enjoyed immediately or transferred to a variety of devices, including iPod®, Sony® Reader™, Kindle and many others. Some audio titles can also be burned to CDs to listen on-the-go. Titles will automatically expire at the end of two weeks so there are never any late fees! With hundreds of popular fiction and nonfiction titles to choose from, the new collection is guaranteed to have something for everyone. You can download best-selling novels, well-known classics, self-improvement guides, and much more. Also on the Crowell homepage, a plethora of Online Resources accessible through the icons on the top right side, including Rocket Languages, Gales Health and Wellness, Grzmek's Animal Life, Tuition Funding Sources, Career Transitions, Testing & Education Reference Center and, back by popular demand, NOVELIST which offers new ways to explore the endless possibilities and combinations of books, authors, genres and topics. Looking for the perfect read? Get infinite suggestions here. A new and very popular online resource, BookFlix, is a e-reading program from Scholastic that combines classic fictional video storybooks with similarly themed nonfiction ebooks to make reading exciting for children in grades Pre-K-3. BookFlix pairs award-winning video based on some of the best-selling children’s picture books of all time with related nonfiction ebooks from the rich libraries of Scholastic. Children will delight in watching their favorite books come to life on screen, then turning the electronic pages of an ebook to discover real-world facts and satisfy their curiosity about the world around them. BookFlix offers 95 fiction-nonfiction pairs, of which over 25 are available in Spanish. Designed to provide a constant interactive experience for young users, the unique features of BookFlix include: • A “read-along” option that provides word-by-word highlighting so children can follow along as the fiction video is narrated and the nonfiction ebook is read aloud. • Narrated text and definitions of key vocabulary words to support beginning and reluctant readers, as well as English Language Learners; • Educational games and activities that encourage children to show what they have learned and to reinforce early reading skills like fluency, vocabulary development and reading comprehension; • Biographies and interviews that introduce young readers to their favorite authors; and • Safe, age-appropriate web links to encourage children to further explore topics that pique their interest. Just look for the BookFlix icon at the top of the Crowell Library homepage. This service is supported by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian. It’s all free with a Crowell Library card, the best bargain in San Marino. Questions? Contact any librarian at Crowell, 626-300-0777.

Food Fear Factor

Crowell Public Library Invites Teens to Celebrate Halloween at Our
Food Fear Factor

Barth Community Room
Oct 25nd @ 3:15pm

Candy is cliché—celebrate Halloween a brand new way! Teens grades 6-12 are invited to join Crowell Library’s first-ever “Food Fear Factor,” held in the Community Room. We’ll be serving such delicacies as Kitty Litter Cake. Don’t worry—it tastes better than it looks!

Aspiring chefs: assemble delightful concoctions—stuffed roaches, anyone?—and astound your friends! Recipes for all foods served at this event will be available. Who knew gross food could be so fun—and delicious? Be a champion gastronome on October 25th at 3:15pm. Come with a big appetite and a strong stomach—it’s time to face your fears!

Registration is not required and the event is free. This is a Young Adult event; ONLY grades 6-12 may attend-- no exceptions. Call the library for details or e-mail Carrie Wilson at cwilson@cityofsanmarino.org. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Crowell Public Library.

Diabetes and Your Eyes: What You Need to Know

The Doctor Is In! Diabetes and Your Eyes: What You Need to Know with Dr. Raghu C. Murthy; Monday, October 17, 2011, 6 p.m. DR. RAGHU C. MURTHY, a board certified opthalmologist and vitreo-retinal surgeon, will explain how diabetes can affect eye health and discuss current therapies available to treat eye conditions associated with the disease. There will be an opportunity to ask the doctor questions at the end of the talk. Dr. Murthy received his M.D. at the University of Florida School of Medicine, and his B.A. at Princeton University. He completed his residency in ophthalmology at the Doheny Eye Institute at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California where he now is a clinical instructor. He completed his fellowship training in vitreo-retinal surgery and a separate fellowship in gene therapy for ocular diseases at the Casey Eye Institute in Portland, Oregon. Like all the doctors in THE DOCTOR IS IN! series, Mr. Murthy is affiliated with the San Gabriel Valley Medical Center, and believes in giving back to the community through educating health care professionals and patients. The Doctor Is In! is designed to help people stay healthy and active. The lectures are by some of the community’s most accomplished physicians. Join us and learn about important health topics from the experts. The program is FREE, but space is limited. Call (626) 300-0777 to reserve your space.

LA Opera Talk: Romeo et Juliette

SUNDAY, October 16th 2:00 p.m. Charles Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette. Based on Shakespeare's timeless tragedy of star-crossed lovers, Roméo et Juliette sets an impassioned secret affair against a cruel background of fierce family rivalries. In the comfort of the Barth Community Room you will learn how Gounod's score thrills the ear with swirling waltzes, dramatic choruses and exquisite arias. Fall in love all over again, as samples of four sublime love duets...so pure, so poetic, so perfect...flood the room with intoxicating romance, making Roméo et Juliette an unforgettable experience to savor. Hear the highlights of this wonderful piece through the eyes and ears of one of LA Opera’s enlightened community educators. And it’s all free at Crowell Public Library! Whether you’re a hardcore opera aficionado or a curious novice, you’ll be delightfully entertained and inspired to make a trip to the Los Angeles Music Center for the full production. Make Crowell Library your LA Opera gateway!

Introduction to Email

Introduction to E-mail - Part 1: Tuesday, October 4; Part 2: Tuesday, October 11 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.