2012 One Book One City Announcement

Friends of the Crowell Public Library to Announce 2012 ONE BOOK, ONE CITY SELECTION, THURSDAY JANUARY 5 - 7:00 p.m.The Friends of the Crowell Public Library will be joining San Marino dignitaries in announcing the 2012 ONE BOOK, ONE CITY selection Thursday, January 5, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. in the Library’s Barth Community Room. After introductions and the unveiling of this year’s selection, there will be birthday cake honoring the protagonist of the novel and other refreshments. Musical entertainment will be provided by the Huntington Middle School Jazz Band, back by popular demand. Most importantly, copies of the featured book will be available for check-out. Be the first on your block to read this exciting new novel. Readers will also want to save Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons in February, March and April for some very special movies, events and speakers at the library related to the theme of this book. There will be monthly children’s programs and an exclusive backstage tour of the Huntington Library & Gardens, followed by high tea. More details on the One Book, One City program will be announced in upcoming weeks. Every year the Friends of Crowell Public Library present a series of ONE BOOK, ONE CITY events that bring the community together in celebration of the joy of reading. Past selections have included Iron River by T. Jefferson Parker, Flower Confidential by Amy Stewart, Samurai’s Garden, by Gail Tsukiyama and 2011’s The Ragtime Kid by Larry Karp. For further details on this exciting program and others at Crowell Library, keep an eye on the website: http://www.CrowellPublicLibrary.org.

Holiday Music Fun!

Saturday, December 17 -- 2:00p.m.Music lovers from all over the southland are welcome to join musician CRAIG NEWTON at Crowell Public Library on Saturday, December 17th at 2:00 p.m. in the Barth Community Room. Craig will perform holiday songs from a variety of cultures on an amazing array of instruments, with lots of audience participation. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s, the Winter Solstice, or Kwanzaa, you won’t want to miss this free opportunity to relax, enjoy and get in the holiday spirit. A self-taught musician from Simi Valley, Craig Newton has been performing American music for over a decade. His career has taken him through most of the U.S. and given him the opportunity to play in all kinds of situations. He has toured the Midwest, Northwest and Southwest playing colleges, libraries and other venues. Craig has released two albums of his original songs as well as an instrumental Christmas album. His infectious enthusiasm for his work will chase any remaining Scrooges out to the parking lot! This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Crowell Public Library.

dClutterGuy!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011, 7:00 p.m. — Calling all manly men: get a handle on that bedlam in your garage! C.J. BARCUS of dClutterguy will give you the tools to attack that mess and make the garage a place your wife will want to visit. Attendees will learn about the basic garage tune up in six steps; how to formulate a battle plan, how to stimulate an urge to purge, what to keep, and what to let go. Learn about innovative storage ideas and utilizing space wisely, and above all, the joy of being able to actually park your car in the garage! These strategies can be applied to other problem areas such as patios, tool sheds, attics, and backyards. It can take only two days to de-clutter, leaving you with 363 days to enjoy and use your garage. C.J. Barcus has been part of the dClutterfly organization for over four years. dClutterfly’s Tracy McCubbin has presented several organizing programs at Crowell Library to standing room only crowds. Built on the idea of “Liveable Organization,” this is about organization that’s easy for you to live in, co-exist with, and ultimately maintain. C.J. has also been a professional chef for over 16 years and worked in some of the most well organized restaurants in the country, streamlining, and organizing spaces to make a better, more efficient work space. Learn to reduce, reorganize, and recycle, so you can relax. Come to Crowell Library and learn from a pro!

Family Origami Day

Saturday, November 12, 2011, 2:00 p.m. — Children, parents and anyone who wants to try their hand at a unique art form while learning about Japanese culture are welcome at Crowell Library’s Family Origami Day. Origami is the Japanese art of folding paper into different shapes. On hand to show everyone how it comes together will be the renown origami artist YAMI YAMAUCHI. “Yami” is an origami enthusiast, teacher, and innovator who has created many, many models that inspire and delight folders of all ages. He teaches and promotes origami at schools, community organizations and motivational seminars. Yami Yamauchi was the 2006 recipient of the Ranana Benjamin Award from OrigamiUSA honoring his contributions as a teacher. This honor goes to an origami teacher, particularly of children, for outstanding contributions in the teaching of origami. "Within a single sheet of paper exists unlimited beautiful forms, which you will enjoy, ORIGAMI." –Yami You won’t want to miss this free opportunity to learn about this fascinating and beautiful art form!

The Doctor Is In: URINARY INCONTINECE IN WOMEN

Monday, November 7, 2011, 6 -7:00 p.m. Women who suffer from bladder control problems will learn what kind of help is available when DR. ARMEN DIKRANIAN, a Board Certified Urologist, returns to Crowell Library as part of THE DOCTOR IS IN! series. Dr. Dikranian will discuss the different types of urinary incontinence women experience and the latest treatment options. Armen Dikranian graduated from the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine and completed his residency in urology at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center in 2005. He is a member of the American Urological Association and has received the Patients Choice Award. There will be an opportunity to ask the doctor questions at the end of the talk. The program is FREE, but space is limited. Call (626) 300-0777 to reserve your space. THE DOCTOR IS IN! series of educational programs is designed to help people stay healthy and active. These lectures, by some of the communities most accomplished physicians, are being presented at Crowell Public Library in conjunction with the San Gabriel Valley Medical Center. Join us in the Barth Community Room at Crowell and learn about important health topics from the experts and improve the quality of your life.

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!