Living Trusts: What You Need to Know

Thursday, February 9, 2012, 7:00 p.m. — Californians choose living trusts to manage their family wealth. Learn how a living trust can ensure your loved ones continue to thrive through a crisis. As Californians age and "kidults" take longer to grow up, the older generation is increasingly concerned to ensure their hard-won assets are not needlessly dissipated by the next generation's serial divorces, profligate spending habits and addiction issues. How can you protect your grandchildren's ability to afford college through a living trust? How can you protect your adult child from a pushy new spouse? How can you support and incentivize your children's and grandchildren's highest purpose in life -- whether it's going to Harvard, becoming a plumber or being a stay-at-home mom? In this city of the nuclear family, how can we cement relations within our extended family so that our grandchildren grow up to be each others' closest allies? Back by popular demand, attorney ELIZABETH BOTSFORD’s program on Estate Planning in October at Crowell Library was very well received. She graduated with a law degree from the London School of Economics. She worked for Baker and McKenzie in Hong Kong, the European Commission in Brussels, Mishcon de Reya in London and has practiced law in California for well over a decade. Ms. Botsford qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales and is an active member of the California Bar. She recently completed a Masters degree in tax law (LLM Hons) at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, graduating with Honors.

College Prep Survival Tools

Wednesday, January 25th, 7 p.m.

Getting prepared for college is tough. Libraries are a great place to find survival tools for college readiness. Embark on your journey at Crowell Public Library’s “College Prep Survival Tools” presentation Wednesday, Jan 25th at 7pm in the Barth Room.

You’ll find out about amazing library resources-- beyond the shelves, with the click of a mouse. This talk will highlight the best tools available, and provide quick, painless video tutorials on these resources, which include free online practice tests, scholarship finders, and more! These are resources you can access anytime--and on any computer, iPad or smartphone--for free! All you need is your library card. Don’t worry if you don’t have a library card—you can sign up for free after this presentation.

All high school students in attendance will be entered in a raffle for an Amazon.com gift card. Refreshments will be served. Registration is recommended--space is limited. Call the library at (626) 300-0777 to reserve a seat! This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Crowell Public Library.

One Book, One City: The Sherlockian

On Thursday, January 5, 2012, Sherlock Holmes’ official birthday, the Friends of the Crowell Public Library, led by President MARYANN SEDUSKI, announced their One Book, One City selection for 2012: The Sherlockian, the debut novel by Graham Moore. The Sherlockian was a New York Times bestseller, which has been sold for publication in 16 countries and translated into 13 languages. A mystery about the life of Arthur Conan Doyle and the modern Sherlock Holmes obsessives who devote their lives to the secrets in his books, it was called “sublime,” “clever” and “delightful” by the New York Times, and “savvy” and “entertaining” by the LA Times. Graham Moore is a novelist and screenwriter. He first learned to love mysteries as an eight year-old when he and his mother would pass a copy of Agatha Christie’s A Murder in Three Acts back and forth, reading to each other. From there, his love of mysteries grew even stronger, culminating in his own contribution to the world of Sherlockiana. Moore has served as a staff writer for a season on the ABC Family sitcom 10 Things I Hate About You, and recently sold a script about the life of legendary scientist Alan Turing to Warner Brothers. He was born in Chicago, received a B.A. in Religious History from Columbia University, and currently lives in Los Angeles. Children’s programming Saturdays -- times vary: January 21: Movie: Great Mouse Detective; 2:30 Basil, the rodent Sherlock Holmes, investigates the kidnapping of a toy-maker and uncovers its link to his archenemy, Professor Ratigan. 74 minutes, rated G February 25: Storyteller, Ferrell Marshall; 2:30 Ferrell is a professional actor and voiceover artist. She was a 20 year member of the famed West Coast Ensemble and is currently a member of The Production Company, an award winning theatre group in Hollywood. March 24: 39 Clues Mystery Program; 2:00 A mystery is underway! Come uncover secrets, solve codes and enjoy activities related to the popular book series “39 Clues.” March 31: Movie: Harriet the Spy; 2:00 Harriet M. Welsch is a spy. But when Harriet's friends find her secret notebook, the tables are turned on her. Can she win her friends back and still keep on going with the spy buisness? 100 minutes, rated PG Adult Programs Thursday Movies, 10 am Jan. 12, Adventures of Sherlock Holmes with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. The master sleuth hunts his archenemy, Professor Moriarty, who is planning the crime of the century. (1939, 85 min.) Feb. 2, Hound of the Baskervilles starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee (1959, 87 min.) When a nobleman is threatened by a family curse on his newly inherited estate, detective Sherlock Holmes is hired to investigate. Mar. 8, Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey and Jude Law (2009, 128 min.) PG-13 Detective Sherlock Holmes and his stalwart partner Watson engage in a battle of wits and brawn with a nemesis whose plot is a threat to all of England. Apr. 12, Masterpiece Mystery! Sherlock -- PBS TV series, 2010. Sherlock Holmes stalks again in a thrilling contemporary version of the Victorian-era whodunits based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the go-to consulting detective in 21st-century London, with Martin Freeman as his loyal friend, Dr. John Watson. Thursday Evening Adult Events, 7 pm March 1, Crime Solving Techniques Today with Steve Galuzian, Senior Forensic Scientist of the Orange County Crime Laboratory. March 15, TBD Mar. 29, Sherlock Holmes & His Pipe with Robert Noble, member of the Board of Trustees of the North American Pipe Collectors. April 12, “221b Baker Street” with Chuck Kovacic: a look at how this address impacted the Sherlock Holmes series. The concept of One Book, One City originated in Seattle back in 1998 as an entertaining strategy to build community – imagining a huge book group consisting of friends and neighbors, discussing plots and characters, while promoting literacy. Past selections for San Marino’s One Book, One City event have included Iron River by T. Jefferson Parker, Flower Confidential by Amy Stewart, Samurai’s Garden, by Gail Tsukiyama and last year’s The Ragtime Kid by Larry Karp. The tireless efforts of Muffy Hunt, Chair of the One Book One City committee, have been pivotal in arranging all the programming and events associated with this year's selection. More details on the One Book, One City programs will be announced in upcoming weeks, so readers are urged to check the Crowell Public Library website frequently: http://www.CrowellPublicLibrary.org

College Planning 101

COLLEGE PLANNING 101 with Moses Lin & Roy Tirakayos: Saturday, February 4, 2012, 2:00 p.m. Whether a private or public school is in your child's or grandchild's future, education costs are rising. That's why it makes sense to prepare for future education expenses now. It's never too late to start putting your savings to work and taking advantage of a tax-deferred growth opportunity for your most valuable investment, your children. Come to Crowell Library on Saturday, February 4 at 2:00 p.m. to gain a better understanding of college costs and how you can prepare. Savings and investment accounts can be the foundation for your education savings, but a number of strategies such as 529 college savings plans are specifically designed to help you reach your education savings goals with tax incentives. Although loans, scholarships and grants are helpful, relying on them could be out of your control. Having a nice nest egg for education gives a child more options. Learn the benefits of 529 savings plans and how to choose the right one. MOSES LIN is a licensed financial advisor with Edward Jones Investments. He graduated from UCLA with an Economics degree and worked at IndyMac Bank for over 10 years as a secondary marketing and wholesale business development manager. He moved to Edward Jones to help clients with their financial goals and planning. ROY TIRAKAYOS is the Vice President of Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. and joined Franklin Templeton in 2002. He is currently a wholesaler responsible for promoting Franklin Templeton products and services in Southern California. Prior to his current position, Roy was a tuition planning specialist in the Sales department. Roy graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a B.A. degree in business administration. The presenters will happily answer questions from the audience after the presentation.

Princess Storytime

Saturday, January 28, 2012, 2 p.m. Crowell Public Library is proud to host the 2012 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Royal Court for the annual children’s “Princess Storytime.” Little princes and princesses in attendance will have the special honor of meeting the ladies of the Royal Court and getting to hear the court share enchanting tales of royalty and how some dreams really do come true. The Royal Court will be available to answer audience questions such as, “What is it like to be a princess?” and “What was your favorite part of being in the Rose Parade?” The ladies of the 2012 Royal Court were chosen from over one thousand San Gabriel Valley women. Selection was based on skills in public speaking, poise, academic achievement, community involvement and personality. Remember to wear your finest royal gown or robes and bring your camera for pictures with the Royal Court! **Space is limited and registration is required** Admission is limited to one adult per child. Walk-in registration at Crowell Public Library for San Marino residents (with a library card) begins Tuesday, January 3 through Thursday, January 5. Open registration (non-residents with a library card) begins Saturday, January 7. The more the merrier! Share this event on Facebook & Twitter. 1890 Huntington Drive, San Marino, CA 91108-2595 ● Phone: (626) 300-0777 ● Fax: (626) 300-0121 www.CrowellPublicLibrary.org

Medical Mondays: The Magic of Medical Weight Loss

Monday, January 23, 2012, 6:00 p.m. As the last of the Christmas candy is being rapidly consumed in anticipation of the looming New Year’s diet resolutions, it’s time to get serious about health and weight loss. DR. JOHN DE BEIXEDON will discuss the causes of the obesity epidemic and the consequent rise in diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia as well as the various modalities available to treat obesity and reduce the associated medical risk factors. John de Beixedon, M.D. is a board-certified internal medicine physician who has been in private practice in Pasadena since 1999. He received a B.S. in Zoology from Duke University in 1984, was granted his M.D. degree from St. George's University School of Medicine in 1988. He completed his Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Virginia and has specialized in diabetes and more recently, bariatrics. Since 2008, Dr. de Beixedon has served as a medical adviser for ABC News and is also an accomplished magician and a member of the Magic Castle in Hollywood. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that at any given time two-thirds of all American adults are on a diet to either lose weight or prevent weight gain. Yet only 5 percent of these dieters will be successful at keeping the weight that they lost off. [http://www.answerfitness.com/tag/fad-diet-statistics/] Join us on Monday January 23 and learn what you can do to win the battle.

Just Magic! Bookmark Winners Unveiled

Saturday, January 21, 2012, 1:00 p.m. – The San Marino Public Library Foundation is proud to unveil the winners of the 5th annual Bookmark Design Contest on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. in the Barth Community Room of the Crowell Public Library. This annual bookmark contest began in 2008 received nearly 160 entries this year and six will be chosen to be produced as limited edition bookmarks throughout 2012. Children 18 and under were eligible to enter and the six winners will receive two tickets to Disneyland®. Each year 15,000 bookmarks of the winning designs are produced, distributed and displayed in the library. This year’s theme was magic so what better way to reveal the winners than with a magician! DAVID SKALE is the Master Magician who will unveil our winners and then perform a side-splitting show. David will wow the crowd with extraordinary magical feats, slight-of-hand and comedy forays to entertain and elicit howls of laughter. David is a member of the Magic Castle in Hollywood, a graduate of Second City and a frequent performer around the southland. Whether you are a contestant or just a patron in search of a blast of entertainment, you’ll want to be in the Barth Community Room at Crowell Public Library for an afternoon of surprises and magic.