Lumps, Bumps & Spots: Harmless or skin cancer?

Thursday, September 12 - 7:00 p.m.

Most brown spots, rough bumps and persistent lumps on the skin are not skin cancer. Some are related to sun exposure and some merely represent normal skin aging. Education regarding signs and symptoms of skin cancers can help people identify suspicious skin lesions. DR. PHILLIP LEE will discuss the typical features of skin cancers and features of the most common types of harmless spots, bumps, and growths. He will also discuss the various options available for treatment of these skin lesions.

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. It is estimated that over 3.5 million non-melanoma cases are diagnosed every year.* The three most common types of skin cancer are basal cell skin cancer, squamous cell skin cancer, and melanoma. While melanoma is the least common of the three, it is the most deadly. The American Cancer Society estimates that over 76,000 new melanomas will be diagnosed and over 9000 people are expected to die of melanoma in 2013. Diligent sun protection can help prevent skin cancers and screening for skin cancers can help diagnose skin cancers at their earliest stages.

Phillip H. A. Lee, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology. Nominated by his local peers, he received the Pasadena Magazine Top Doctors Award in Dermatology. Born in Glendale and raised in Pasadena, Dr. Lee earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame, graduating summa cum laude in biology. He earned his medical degree at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. He received a laboratory research fellowship at the VA Medical Center in La Jolla, CA after which he went on to complete dermatology residency at the UC San Diego Medical Center. He served as chief resident during his final year of residency. Dr. Lee is part of the volunteer faculty of University of Southern California, Department of Dermatology. For his teaching, the dermatology residents awarded him the Outstanding Teaching Award in Medical Dermatology. In addition to English, Dr. Lee, who happens to be half Chilean, also speaks fluent Spanish.

Light refreshments will be served.
* http://www.cancer.org/research/index

What are Colleges Looking for?

Sunday, September 8, 3:00 p.m.

As students work their way through a tough high school curriculum, they often feel unsure about where to start the college process. PATTI BRUGMAN and JOYCE SALTER will go over each of the attributes that are most valued by college admissions officers on Sunday, September 8 at 3:00pm when they present this special program at Crowell Library. Learn how to measure what colleges want for the future freshmen classes against what is desired from a college. Learn the differences between an average applicant and an extraordinary one, and why there is a “Perfect Fit” college for everyone. This talk will give an outline of what it takes, beyond great classroom performance, to be a successful applicant to the colleges of preference.

Patti Brugman has a B.A. in English from Occidental College and an M.A. from Claremont Graduate University. She helps her clients find the "perfect fit" college, a major area of study, and life goal. Her mission is to help students discover their passion through writing, study, and the college process. In her own writing, she has presented academic essays for conferences in New York and Liverpool and continues to teach writing privately. As a member of the Board of Governors at Occidental College, she helps with admissions committee and career networking events. Patti is a member of WACAC, The Western Association of College and Admission Counselors.

Joyce Salter is a detail-oriented editor, always reading for content, tone and grammar. Her rapport with students is often what inspires them to do their best writing. She has years of experience as a writer/researcher for film and television with produced credits. She is also a member of the Writers Guild of America and the Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, with an extensive background in children's library programming. Joyce is also a member of WACAC.

Whether starting early or late, Patti and Joyce help students submit the best application to their own Perfect U. Light refreshments will be served.

Crowell Public Library Gets New Wifi

According to a 2011 Harris Poll created for the American Library Association, public computer and wifi use increased at more than 70 percent of U.S. libraries than the previous year.* When libraries can’t afford to upgrade their computers or increase their numbers, wifi access becomes even more critical. When the new Crowell Library opened in January 2008, it had a whopping 16 public access computers, up from the meager six if offered at the old library, but the wifi remained the same, six year-old Blue Socket technology that was pathetically slow and constantly going down, much to the dismay of the staff and patrons.

A city-wide service satisfaction survey conducted earlier this year complained about the library’s unreliable wireless service. But before the survey was even published, a generous donation from the Hal Suetsugu Family, the Montelongo Family, Robert and Grace Karkafi, Dr. Albert Cho and Dr. Della Fong, Raymond Woo and Kristina Fu Woo, solved the problem with new Zone Director wifi. As a result, Crowell Library has increased patron accessibility a whopping 245%. With the old wifi, the library averaged 47 logins per day and now the average is 115.

News of this gift was proclaimed on the consent calendar of the San Marino City Council on May 8, 2013: http://www.cityofsanmarino.org/downloads/CC5813.pdf. In addition, Crowell Library acknowledged the $5,000 donation with lettering on the entrance door to the building: “Wireless service provided by generous donations from…” which will be seen by the nearly 120,000 people who stream through those doors every year.

Thanks to these munificent benefactors, the Library can continue to proudly abide by its motto: “The 21st century Crowell Public Library provides a gathering place, an information center, a technology hub, and a book and media collection to serve the educational, cultural, and recreational interests of people of all ages.”

*http://www.ala.org/news/mediapresscenter/americaslibraries/publiclibraries

Road Scholar: Adventures in Lifelong Learning

Thursday, July 11, 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 July 11th 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. To learn more please visit their website at www.roadscholar.org and bring your questions Thursday July 11 at 7:00pm to Crowell Library’s Barth Community Room.

Eating Healthy Is So Delicious!

Eating Healthy Is Sooo Delicious
Monday July 1, 7:00 pm

Food Garnishing Is Sooo Delicious
Sunday, July 14, 2:00 pm

On Monday, July 1 at 7:00 p.m., Registered Dietician VICTORIA BUXTON-PACHECO will present a fun program on food and nutrition as Crowell Public Library celebrates summer reading with programs, prizes and surprises. Victoria will discuss adapting your favorite comfort food recipes, portion control, healthy snacks, reading food labels and how it all relates to the USDA’s Choose My Plate program http://www.choosemyplate.gov. See how eating healthy can make your taste buds stand up and cheer!

Victoria comes to us from the Community Outreach Department at Methodist Hospital in Arcadia. She provides nutritional counseling for clients with gestational diabetes, cardiac disease, cancer and weight management issues. She graduated from Cal State Los Angeles and has both her Bachelors and Masters Degree in Nutrition. Victoria recently published a nutrition textbook and is on the faculty at Pasadena City College and Cal State Los Angeles.

And you won’t want to miss the free demonstration by BRYCE FUJII on transforming common fruits and vegetables into beautiful, edible decorations. With just a few basic tools, garnishes can enhance any meal, making it special without adding significant cost. When presented attractively, food not only looks pretty but also seems to taste better, too! Connect with your inner artist -- even you can be a Rodin with a radish!

Bryce Fujii has been an Independent Director and Trainer with The Pampered Chef for seven years. His lifelong passion for food led him to become a USPCA certified personal chef. While pursuing college degrees in business and fine arts, Bryce learned that with a little instruction, everyone has enough time and talent to prepare delicious and impressive home-cooked meals. Join us on Sunday, July 14th in the Barth Community Room and learn some basics of epicurean embellishments!

The City of Hope Centennial

Monday, June 24, 7:00 p.m.

In 1913, a dedicated group of men and women came together to form the Jewish Consumptive Relief Association of California. Launching a free, national and nonsectarian tuberculosis sanatorium outside of Los Angeles, they offered care to their brothers and sisters in need. By the mid-1940s, tuberculosis was on the decline in the United States. But the organization that became City of Hope rose to the challenge of each successive era, tackling the world's most catastrophic diseases while reaffirming its humanitarian vision that "health is a human right."

On Monday, June 24th at 7:00 p.m. DR. LINDA MALKAS will address the institution’s legacy, as well as its bright future. The City of Hope was founded in the same year as the City of San Marino was incorporated, and thus is celebrating its Centennial in 2013 along with San Marino. Over its history, the City of Hope has been a place of hope and discovery and anticipates continuing in the next century working on the future promise for the prevention, detection and treatment of cancer and diabetes, and the research that makes that possible.

Dr. Malkas is an expert in the areas of human cell DNA replication/repair, women’s cancers, as well as in cancer biomarker and therapeutic target discovery and development. She is currently an Associate Chairman and Profession in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Deputy Director for Basic Research of the City of Hope’s NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center as well as co-leader of the Molecular Oncology and Cancers Programs at the Cancer Center.

Seating is limited and attendance to this free monthly series has been to capacity so arrive early!

CROWELL PUBLIC LIBRARY LAUNCHES SUMMER READING CLUB

June 10 – July 20, 2013

Crowell Public Library launches its Reading Is So Delicious! Summer Reading Club on June 10, 2013. Over the next two months, the library will host a range of free activities for children, teens, and adults that encourage and support a love of reading. Participants also can win prizes for reaching their reading goals! Summer reading isn’t just fun, it’s great. Research has shown that reading over the summer prevents summer reading loss.*

Some of the programs include hilarious “Animal Cracker” tales from Ina Buckner Barnette, the Sunshine Storyteller, fantastic feature films for the whole family every week, “Feed Your Ears a Plateful of Music,” with Bob Harrison, and a visit from the animals of the Wildlife Learning Center. Many more surprises are in store!

The Summer Reading Club is open to ages three through adult. Registration begins on Monday, June 10, 2013 and runs through Saturday, July 20, 2013. The Summer Reading Club is sponsored by the Friends of the Crowell Public Library.

All programs are free to the public.
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1890 Huntington Drive, San Marino, CA 91108-2595 ● Phone: (626) 300-0777
For more information, visit our website www.CrowellPublicLibrary.org

* Summer reading loss refers to the decline in children's reading development that can occur during summer vacation times when children are away from the classroom and not participating in formal literacy programs (Allington & McGill-Franzen, 2003). http://www.readingrockets.org/article/15218/