SAGEWorks will be hosting two career based workshops on January 26 and 27.
The workshops take place at 305 7th Avenue (between 27th Street and 28th Street) in Manhattan and are FREE admission and open to all who are interested.
Seating is limited, RSVPs are required. Please contact zramos@sageusa.org or 212-741-2247 x224 to RSVP.
Career Transition: How to enjoy & be empowered by the process of changing jobs
Monday, January 26, 2015 5–6:30 p.m. at 305 7th Avenue (Cyber Center, 15 Fl.)
Uncover The Hidden Job Market
Tuesday, January 27, 2015 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. at 305 7th Avenue (Classroom, 15th Fl.)
At NYPL, we love to read. Why? you ask. Let us count the ways. Here are 13 quotes about the joy of reading that sum up how we feel about our favorite activity. So get ready to begin your next bookish conversation with, "A wise person once said..."
“Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly—they’ll go through anything. You read and you’re pierced.” ―Aldous Huxley, Brave New World
“What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn't happen much, though.” ―J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye
“Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.” ―Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
“A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say.” ―Italo Calvino, The Uses of Literature
“To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life.” ―W. Somerset Maugham, Books and You
“A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading.” ―William Styron, Conversations with William Styron
“I am eternally grateful for my knack of finding in great books, some of them very funny books, reason enough to feel honored to be alive, no matter what else might be going on.” ―Kurt Vonnegut, Timequake
“Literature is my Utopia. Here I am not disenfranchised. No barrier of the senses shuts me out from the sweet, gracious discourses of my book friends. They talk to me without embarrassment or awkwardness.” ―Helen Keller, The Story of My Life
Recently, the film adaptation of Cheryl Strayed's Wild received Oscar nods for Reese Witherspoon (Best Actress) and Laura Dern's (Best Supporting Actress) performances. Wild, the story of Strayed's journey on the Pacific Crest Trail, has become a runaway hit both onscreen and off. Strayed joined NYPL to discuss the blockbuster memoir, measuring success, and good advice.
Since Wild became a bestseller, Cheryl Strayed has become one of the most visible authors in the United States. Yet she is quick to note that this success is not the most important aspect of her work as a writer:
"I've spent my whole, I mean my whole adult life, really working on this thing: becoming a writer, becoming the sort of writer who would find an audience. And so, I never really, and I said this this morning too, you know, I never set my sights on fame or being on the bestseller list or any of those things because all of you in the room who are writers or artists of any sort know that that sort of external recognition is not the measure by which artists can measure their success. The way we measure success, and often for artists what looks like failure is often success and that it takes a long time to develop that craft and to do anything as simple as write a really bad book, you know. I mean truly, it's really hard even to write a really bad book. Trust me, I know. But I think that this fame thing, it feels in some ways, thankfully, very much separate from the work I've been doing all these years as a writer. My job was to write the best book I could ever write at that moment of my life, and that's what I've done with each of my three books, and then the thing that happens to it in the world is really outside of me."
Before Wild's publication, Strayed was perhaps best known for writing her Dear Sugar advice column in The Rumpus. The column has meant that she has seen her share of conundrums. Ultimately, she says that she can divide them into four basic categories:
"So if I put the letters into four stacks, it would be: someone central to my life or essential to my life died, and I don't know what to do with my grief. That's one category. And there's a lot of people like that. A lot of them write to me... The other category is essentially: I love someone and I'm cheating on him or her or she or he has just cheated on me, you know, the whole monogamy, sex, not being faithful, that's a whole category of it's own, and I have a lot of letters from people like that, surprising stories. And what else? You know, the 'What the hell am I gonna do with my life? Woe is me.' Do you know 'Woe is me' is the oldest sentence in the English language that's still in use, that's never gone out of use: 'Woe is me. Woe is me!' And I teach writing, and I started doing this writing exercise where I just wrote 'Woe is me' on the chalkboard, and I would say, 'Okay, write for thirty minutes something that has to do with 'Woe is me.'' And it's like the one exercise that no one's ever stuck. Everyone just feels so sorry for themselves. I mean, they have no problem. There's no problem coming up what they have woe about. So there's a reason, right? 'Woe is me' is a whole huge category. And what else? And then there's the whole 'What am I gonna do with my kids. I love them and they've messed my life up,' and that whole 'Should I have them? Should I not have them?'"
Strayed discussed the Write Like a Motherfucker tips to a letter writer Elissa, which she wrote for Dear Sugar. Sugar, she explained, encourages focus on working on writing instead of focusing on external criteria of success:
"Being a motherfucker is a way of life really. And it really is encompassed in that column. I'm going to try to loosely quote myself. It's about having strength, rather than fragility, or resilience and faith and nerve and really leaning hard into work rather than worry and anxiety... You have to get your ass on the floor and get to work."
You can subscribe to the New York Public Library Podcast to hear more conversations with wonderful artists, writers, and intellectuals. Join the conversation today!
This current exhibition draws from the Moghul style of drawing—what drew you to this realm of art?
I am a professional artist who specializes in the art of sacred geometry—a hybrid of art, the sciences, and spirituality that constitutes a common ground between many of the world’s cultures and traditions. Its language of number and symbol (circle, triangle, and square) can be used to express profound ideas about the nature of existence. One day I was looking at a lavishly illustrated coffee table art book, Court Paintings of India: 16th to 19th Centuries, by Pratapaditya Pal. There is a fineness and delicacy in the images that resonates with my artwork. I began doing drawings and paintings based on art from the book as a contemplative practice, without being familiar with the historical context of Mughal miniatures. Later on, my wife suggested that I turn them into finished works, embellished with my geometric designs.
What lessons do you think people can glean from looking at and creating works of sacred geometry?
Sacred = timeless. Geo = earth. Metry = measure. Cooperation with and appreciation for the beautiful proportions of nature, of which we all are part. Belonging to a larger, symbolic universe puts body, mind, and spirit back in alignment. Contemplative art creates wellness: a calm, focused mind in touch with the collective mind. In sacred art, geometry is used for the inner teachings on unity and selflessness which are best communicated as numerical archetypes. Sacred geometry is a good map for post-religious spirituality—the evolutionary path of human intelligence.
Who or what are some of your most profound artistic inspirations?
Pro = before. Found = foundation. Before the foundation (the weaving of human culture), there is a numerical order of existence that is ready-made in nature. To be inspired is to be in spirit. For years I lived near Prospect Park in Brooklyn and on the Atlantic Ocean and Jamaica Bay in Queens. The observed patterns of growth and erosion remind me that there is no permanence in nature: everything changes, especially my mind. The idealized figures, landscapes, and patterns in my artwork are broken up, relocated, and drawn freehand on paper. The dissolution of these images of power and privilege and the fragile, ephemeral nature of paper evoke a vanishing world.I am inspired by and enjoy the Himalayan, Islamic, and Medieval art of the Rubin Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I regularly visit art galleries in NYC to see how creativity reflects the hidden assumptions embedded in language and representation, which are very much on everyone’s mind. In addition to visual art, the rhythmic beauty found in the music of Indonesian gamelan and the improvised intelligence of jazz accompanies the creation of my own work.
We are very grateful that you offered to host a Family Art Workshop at Mulberry Street Library. What motivates you to work with art and families?
Most of the workshops that I give are at holistic learning centers, primarily for adults. Because students of any age can understand, appreciate, and participate in the art activities I teach, I wanted to expand my audience to include children. I’ve had an enthusiastic response from parents and their children taking the workshops, and they’ve expressed their desire for more workshops sponsored by organizations like Free Arts NYC, Queens Public Library, and The New York Public Library.
What do you like about having your work shown in a library space?
A public library is a community resource, and place to exchange ideas: an ideal setting for discovering the art of sacred geometry. Free access to materials and knowledge attracts a large, culturally diverse audience of all ages to see the art and obtain further information about its subject’s source.
The artist has generously offered to host a family-art workshop at the Mulberry Street Library on Saturday February 7 from 1-3:30 pm. Registration is required and limited space is available. Stop by the Information Desk at Mulberry Street Library or call the branch at 212-966-3424 for more details.
Hey! So those who know me, know I'm a Mets fan. I was born in Flushing, New York, lived in a house not even 5 miles away from Shea Stadium... it was destiny. However, that loyalty never made me blind to what the rest of the teams in the League were doing, or have done in the past. Baseball history is very important to me, so I work very diligently to know as many notable names and moments from the days of old as I possibly can. Recently, a colleague asked me (knowing I'm a Mets fan) which New York Yankee was the one I enjoyed reading about the most. I gave it a little thought, and gave him two responses. My initial answer was Reggie Jackson, whose prodigious numbers and lively personality make him an interesting read. But upon second thought I changed tune, and switched my answer to Babe Ruth. And it's definitely the true answer for me, without any doubt.
Ruth had an abbreviated, yet extraordinary life. Brought up in a Baltimore, Maryland orphanage, Babe would go on to experience many highs, and even a few lows over the course of his 22-season career. One thing you've got to admire about the Babe, his ability to draw the crowd. In 15 seasons as a New York Yankee, the club led the American League in attendance in all but 2 of those seasons. In 1920, Ruth's first season in pinstripes, the Yankees saw home attendance (then at the Polo Grounds) double. He also single-handedly (more or less) made the 1934 Major League Baseball good will tour of Japan (and other locales as well) the success that it was, with people going absolutely insane at his mere presence (read more about that tour in Banzai Babe Ruth: Baseball, Espionage, & Assassination During the 1934 Tour of Japan). He was outstanding between the lines, he was impressive, he was funny, he was entertaining, he was the Babe! And the Babe also had a flair for the dramatic. Especially when it came to World Series play. I guess that happens when you play in 10 of them (and win 7). So without further ado, allow me to present to you 5 of Babe Ruth's most notable World Series moments.
1. Ruth tosses 14 innings of 1 run ball (October 9, 1916)
All right, so the 1916 World Series was actually Ruth's second career World Series. His first was the year before. However despite pitching to an 18-8 mark with a 2.44 ERA during the 1915 regular season (as a 20-year old no less!), Ruth's lone cameo in that season's Fall Classic was a sole pinch-hitting appearance where he grounded out to first. So fast forward one year later, Ruth again only appeared in one game during the World Series, and what did he do? Deliver, that's what. 1916's Series pit Ruth's Red Sox against Wilbert Robinson's Brooklyn Robins (for those of you that don't know, the Robins name was actually derived from their manager's surname!). In Game 2, Ruth started and pitched 14 innings, surrendering only one run in the first on an inside-the-park home run off the bat of Hi Myers. After that Ruth shut the Robins down, keeping the score knotted at 1. Ruth, might I add, drove in the tying run for Boston, what wasn't he able to do?! So with the score the same in the bottom of the 14th inning, Red Sox pinch hitter Del Gainer laced a walk-off single into leftfield, giving Boston the 2-1 win, and capping off the longest World Series game (in terms of innings) in baseball history, later tied by the Astros and White Sox in 2005. Babe Ruth earned the W, as well as the record for the longest postseason complete game victory—a record that we may never see broken!
2. Ruth's 29 2/3 Scoreless Inning Streak (1916-1918)
We all know how much attention Ruth's hitting's received over time, but that shouldn't let us lose sight of the fact that he was quite the pitcher too early on in his career. Ruth won 94 games with a 2.28 career ERA over his 163 career games as a pitcher (147 of them being starts). However, once military conscription in the United States sapped the Red Sox of a number of their offensive stars, manager Ed Barrow made the call to allow Ruth to play other positions on days he wasn't pitching in order to keep his valued bat in the lineup. The rest was of course history. Ruth would in time give up pitching, and became the greatest hitting sensation the game has ever seen. But like I said, let's not fail to remember the Babe's accomplishments on the mound either. Like his epic World Series scoreless streak for instance. What started on October 9, 1916 with 13 consecutive scoreless frames, continued on into the 1918 World Series, in which the Red Sox took on the Chicago Cubs. In Game 1, Ruth pitched a complete game 1-0 shutout, upping his scoreless streak to 22. Then in Game 4, a game that saw Ruth smack a key 2-run triple, Ruth tossed zero after zero right up until the top of the 8th, where the Cubs scored 2 runs on RBIs by Charlie Hollocher and Les Mann. Thus, Ruth's scoreless inning streak in World Series play was halted at 29 2/3 frames. Nevertheless, Ruth and the Red Sox would pick up the win in Game 4, and went on to win the 1918 World Series in 6 games, their last title until the "Curse-of-the-Bambino"-busting club of 2004. As for Ruth's record, it stood for over 40 years, until another Yankee great Whitey Ford eventually broke it in 1961, with 33 2/3 scoreless World Series innings of his own, a record that still stands today.
3. Ruth's First Three-Homer World Series Game (October 6, 1926)
Here we are now, nearly ten years to the date of Babe Ruth's incredible 14 inning masterpiece against the Robins. What could Ruth do for an encore? How about become the first player in baseball history to hit three home runs in a single World Series game? Now for those who don't know, there is a bit of a side story to this particular feat of Ruth's. However, there is a ton of confusion and multiple versions of this tale, so bear with me. The short version: an 11-year old Yankee fan named Johnny Sylvester suffered serious injuries on account of a horseback-riding mishap. To lift his spirits, Johnny's father telegraphed the Yankees during the 1926 Fall Classic and asked for a signed Babe Ruth baseball. Johnny ended up receiving gifts from both 1926 World Series participants, the Yankees and the St. Louis Cardinals. Included amongst them was not only a Ruth autograph, but a note from the Babe himself, promising Johnny that he'd knock a home run for him. Lo and behold, Ruth crushed three long balls, only making the story that much more unbelievable. Now as stated, there are so many different variations to the legend of Johnny Sylvester, that it has been largely questioned as to whether or not the whole equestrian incident was a hoax from the get-go. Nonetheless, Ruth promised to come through, and come through he did. Ruth is one of only four players to hit three home runs in a World Series game, and is the only one of that quartet to do it twice, his repeat coming on October 9, 1928.
4. Ruth Is Caught Stealing For The Final Out Of The 1926 World Series (October 10, 1926)
Hey it may not be something Ruth wants to be reminded of, but it was a classic baseball moment, and we should not let it fall between the cracks. Despite the unforgettable Johnny Sylvester/3 Homer Game, the 1926 Fall Classic on the whole is probably not one the Yankees want to remember. They blew both 1-0 and 3-2 Series leads, and it all came down to Game 7 at Yankee Stadium, winner taking all. The deciding game was a close affair all throughout, with Jesse Haines and Grover Cleveland Alexander of St. Louis and Waite Hoyte and Herb Pennock of the Yankees keeping their teams in the game all afternoon long. The scene: bottom of the 9th, Cardinals lead 3-2 with 2 outs, Babe Ruth at the dish against Alexander. Ruth ended up drawing a walk, his fourth on the day. Up next was Bob Meusel, a good hitter who'd experienced success against Alexander in the past. Meusel swung and missed for strike 1, but at the same time, Ruth took off for second in an attempt to get into scoring position! While it surely shocked everybody in the ballpark, Cardinal catcher Bob O'Farrell (a defensive God behind the plate) played it cool and threw down to second baseman Rogers Hornsby. The tandem nailed the Babe by a wide margin to retire the Yankees in the 9th, locking up the Cardinals first World Series title in the process. To date, this is the only World Series that has ended on a caught stealing.
5. Ruth Calls His Shot (October 1, 1932)
Ah, last but certainly not least. Babe Ruth's "called shot" in the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs is a lot of things. It's arguably Ruth's signature moment. It's arguably the most famous home run in World Series history. It's arguably the most memorable act baseball lore has to offer. But, it is also arguable that the moment never even really happened. Allow me to explain. The 1932 World Series was the tenth and final one of Babe Ruth's storied career. Even before the Series was underway, plenty of trash talk took place between both clubs. There was no love to be lost. Ruth's Yankees arrived at Wrigley Field with a 2-0 Series lead after taking the first two games at Yankee Stadium. Once Game 3 was underway, the Yankees seemed to receive a hard time of things from every direction, with Ruth receiving the worst of the Chicago jeering. The Cubs themselves engaged in plenty of bench jockeying, and the Wrigley Field crowd was especially raucous, going as far as to spit on Babe's wife Claire. Bottom line, it was an immensely hostile environment for the visiting Yankees, and Ruth had had enough of it. So in the top of the 5th, with the score tied at 4, Ruth (who already had one home run on the day) stepped to the plate against Charlie Root. He fell behind in the count, 0-2. It was then that Ruth made a pointing gesture. Root's next delivery was clubbed over the centerfield wall for his 15th and final career World Series homer, giving the Yankees a lead they would never relinquish, en route to a 4-game Series sweep. Now, here's the issue. It's never been fully confirmed or denied that Ruth's gesture was directed towards centerfield. Some accounts say he was pointing at Root, some say he was pointing at the Cubs bench, and some say he was pointing to the Wrigley-faithful, as if to let the unruly crowd know his at-bat wasn't over just yet. While grainy photos and distant newsreel footage have definitely confirmed that Ruth made a pointing gesture, it's more or less impossible to know what it was exactly he was pointing at. Some parties claim he absolutely gestured to the centerfield wall, other parties have claimed he certainly did not. We'll never know. Nonetheless, the story took on a life of its own, and became one of the most timeless tales the glorious sport has to offer. Who better than the Babe?!
Brooklyn Workforce Innovations (BWI) helps jobless and working poor New Yorkers establish careers in sectors that offer good wages and opportunities for advancement. BWI's mission is to empower low and moderate income people by creating living wage employment opportunities and access to career paths. BWI seeks to develop programs that counter prevailing market inequalities (especially those based on race or gender) and contribute to a broader movement for economic justice.
Currently BWI helps poor New Yorkers start careers in commercial driving, telecommunications cable installation, TV and film production, and skilled woodworking. BWI also trains public housing residents for jobs at New York City Housing Authority (NYVHA) properties, and BWI also operates a job readiness and driver's license access program for women. BWI recently launched a physical and programmatic expansion at the Brooklyn Navy Yard as well. There, in partnership with other nonprofit job training and adult education providers, BWI will leverage its considerable workforce development experience and match training resources with rapidly-emerging job opportunities at the expanding commercial and industrial complex.
Brooklyn Workforce Innovations' Brooklyn Networks offers Free Cable Installation Training Program
Now accepting applications for their March class.
6 -week cable training
Internationally recognized cable certification
OSHA 10 Safety Certification
Job placement assistance
All services are free
Minimum Requirements
Must be a resident of NYC
21 years or older
Must have a valid driver's license
Eligible to work in the U.S.
Qualify as low income OR receiving public assistance
MUST pass a drug test
Must pass a reading & math test at an 8th grade level
Accessible by the R train to Union Street. From Union Steet station go 2 blocks down 4th towards the clock tower and make a left on Degraw Street. Or the 2, 3, 4, 5, N, B, D,Q Trains to Atlantic Avenue/Barclays Center. From Atlantic Avenue / Barclays Ctr. station go 8 blocks down 4th and make a right onto Degraw Street.
For information please call 718-237-2017 ext. 149 or ext. 182.
Pride and Prejudice was first published January 28, 1813, and for this, millions of readers can be thankful. Fans of the novel probably know that Mr. Darcy's first name is Fitzwilliam, that Elizabeth Bennet can power-walk and trade witticisms with the best of them, and that the novel of manners was Jane Austen's second, after Sense and Sensibility. And we all know that Austen's wry humor finds a perfect outlet in the repartee between Darcy and Elizabeth, making it one of the most quotable books of the nineteenth century. Here are twelve favorite lines from Pride and Prejudice. What are yours?
"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."
"Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, canity to what we would have others think of us."
"There is so much of gratitude or vanity in almost every attachment that it is not safe to leave any to itself. We can all begin freely ― a slight preference is natural enough; but there are very few of us who have heart enough to be really in love without encouragement."
"Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. If the dispositions of the parties are ever so well known to each other, or ever so similar beforehand, it does not advance their felicity in the least. They always continue to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation, and it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life."
"I am astonished, my dear... that you should be so ready to think your own children silly. If I wished to think slightingly of anybody's children, it should not be of my own however."
"I have been used to consider poetry as the food of love."
"I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of anything than of a book!"
"The wisest and the best of men, nay, the wisest and best of their actions, may be rendered ridiculous by a person whose first object in life is a joke."
"It is particularly encumbent on those who never change their opinion to be secure of judging properly first."
"Adieu to disappointment and spleen. What are men to rocks and mountains?"
"I should infinitely prefer a book."
"One may be continually abusive without saying anything just; but one cannot be always laughing at a man without now and then stumbling on something witty."
It has come to my attention that not everyone has read these books. I don't care what you normally read. Whether it's science fiction, fantasy, romance, non-fiction, or whatever, these are books that you seriously need to read... right now. No excuses. Open up a new browser window, place it right beside this one, and get ready to add things to your hold list. Go ahead. I'll wait.
Got it all set up? If you're on a PC, you can dock both windows on opposite sides of your screen. It's all neat and you can see both windows perfectly. Handy, right? Anyway...
OK. So. I read YA. Whether or not you also read YA, you do now. Ready? Here we go.
Ready Player One
This one was sold to me as "If you love '80s video games, you'll love this book." What the person should have said was: "If you have a pulse, you will love this book." Seriously. EVERYONE loves this story. It's basically a morbidly humorous romp through '80s pop-culture set in the future. I would say it's a great example of a stand-alone title, but author Ernest Cline is rumored to be working on a sequel. If you listen closely, you can hear angels singing.
I am the Messenger
You've all read or at least heard of The Book Thief, also by Markus Zuzak. It's an exquisite book. So is this one. Although, it is one of those books that you might have to finish before you realize just how awesome it is. I loved this book so much, I Instagrammed it. While it's definitely a YA book, it might be a little more adult due to the violence peppered throughout Ed's unique, life-changing story.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
You kow how #WeNeedDiverseBooks, right? Well, here's one! It won a serious amount of awards and honors: Stonewall, Printz, Pura Belpre, and more. Whether you're a GLBT Mexican-American teenager or not, Aristotle and Dante's beautiful coming-of-age story will touch your heart and warm your soul. You might feel the need to snuggle with this one. I know I did.
All the Truth That's In Me
The cover is terrible. I am aware. Whatever you think this book is about, it's not about that. Do yourself a favor and ignore what's on the front. Just open it and start reading. Judith's story will captivate you. You're welcome.
Graceling
You know how there are no new stories? Everything fantasy has already been done? Well this hasn't. I have never been more enthralled by, and engulfed in, a fully realized brand-new universe as I have in Kristin Cashore's Graceling. And this is her first book! I mean, what IS that? I have not met one person who's disliked this book. Want to know what's even better? It's a trilogy. Bam. *mic drop*
So basically, you have at least one full week of reading here. Possibly more. Get on it. Report back in the comments.
Have you already read one of these? All of these? Did you love them? I'd like to know. Hate them? You're probably lying. Then, tell me what you would put on your Need to Read list. Maybe I haven't read your favorite YA book. I would thrilled to add a plethora of titles to my TBR list.
Want to see these books all in one place? Check out the corresponding booklist on bibliocommons.
At the end of the novel, content and sure of himself, Meursault accepts his death. Author Aaron Gwyn writes about reading Camus'sThe Stranger as a teenager and how relatable he found it at npr.org. How did The Stranger affect you?
For further reading on the French-Algerian relationship, nihilism in fiction, and other themes found in The Stranger, try these titles:
Take a look back at Part 1 and Part 2 of the discussion The Stranger and continue the conversation at any time. And, join us in February for the continuation of our hero/anti-hero theme in the Reader’s Den withElizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey.
New York City is bracing itself for 32 inches of snow. Here in Readers Services we are doing our part by making sure you have some good snowy day reading. Here are some titles for all ages.
Children
Snow by Uri Shulevitz
For readers who think the forecast is all hype. This wordless picture books depicts a skeptical town turning into a winter wonderland.
Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner
A snowy day is still and hushed above the ground, but there is a lot going on below the snow.
Outside by Deirdre Gill
A child plays alone in the snow and creates an imaginary world.
Young Adult
Trappedby Michael Northrop
Seven high schools students are trapped in a New England school during a blizzard.
Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick
A suspense tale set in 1910 Finland.
After the Snow by S.D. Crockett
A post-apocalyptic coming of age story set after the 2059 snow that ushered in the second ice age.
Adult
The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon
An Alaskan police detective investigates a murder for which the most important clue is an unfinished chess game.
Smilla's Sense of Snow by Peter Høeg
A Danish scientist deduces cause of death by reading the clues in snow.
Whiteout by Ken Follett
A deadly virus is stolen for use in a terrorist attack, and Toni Gallo must stop the culprit no matter the weather.
The artifacts component consists of a Presidential Medal of Freedom, Head Competition Racquet, lapel pins, buttons, jewelry, medals, badges, trophy, awards, flags, and other miscellaneous items that illustrate the life and career of Arthur Ashe from the 1960s through the early 1990s. Also included in this collection are artifacts such as a set of blessed candles that are remembrances of his battle and death from AIDS, which he acquired from a blood transfusion and announced to the world in 1992.
This collection is a strong representation of Arthur Ashe’s incredible tennis career and the legacy that he leaves behind. We are excited to share this collection with researchers and users who are interested in viewing it. The collection can be accessed by scheduling an appointment with the Art and Artifacts Division Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:30 am and 4 pm.
Every jazz fan has their favorite Miles period, I'm probably in the minority but I'll take his electric phase from '68-75 which expanded his amazing skills by importing the energy of rock and funk. For studio albums I can turn to A Tribute to Jack Johnsonand the haunting Bitches Brewbut in that elusive mystical live momentDark Magus rumbles to the front of the pack. As a kid who grew up on Heavy Metal and Hip Hop it was shocking to find a live recording from a stuffy hallowed hall that was so bad ass residing in the jazz realm; my ears and mind were forever opened.
"I'll play it first and tell you what it is later." -Miles Davis
One of the 50 Heaviest Albums Of All Time- Q Magazine
Jazz arrives in all forms but one thing is for certain; it lives in the moment. When that moment is at the hallowed Carnegie Hall and the performance is recorded for a live release you would think the stakes would be highest, not a time to audition two new band members....but that was exactly what Miles Davis did on March 30, 1974.
Miles Davis had played the venue numerous times before and even recorded a live album there in 1961 so this time around some scene setting is in order. 1974 was close to the end for Miles (or at least one career end) as four constant years of touring had caught up to him. Davis was dealing with a litany of issues including severe drug abuse, a variety of serious health concerns and burnout all of which would contribute to him retiring in 1975. At the age of 48 he seemed finished, Miles wouldn't record new material until cleaning up again in 1981.
During the '74 tour Davis was light years from his cool jazz roots and neck deep in electric mayhem. Using rock and funk as catalysts/inspiration for his musical adventures he disregarded individual songs for extended movements in the vein of Karlheinz Stockhausen. Davis had given Stockhausen credit on the1972 album On The Corner which was not his most popular and had fans wondering where Davis would go next.
On this night in Manhattan, Davis would go where the other worldly groove took him and then beyond.
Gratefully, it was captured and eventually birthed as Dark Magus. As an album it is an odd duck being quietly released only to be rediscovered and appreciated much later, a key reason this major artist is being profiled in this series. The cover image is an enigma, it is hard to make out anything more then shapes and colors, possibly Davis in tripped out profile on the far right. This does perfect justice to the music contained within.
Things are fuzzy, fluid, hard to pin down but vibrant, scary and exotic. The title of the disk came about when the record company was preparing for it's 1977 release to take place only in Japan, Dark Magus was suggested by an A&R executive and stuck. Davis was not active (having already retired) in the sale of the album and it was never even released in the USA until 20 years later in 1997 as a 2 disk CD.
It is a shame it remained hidden so long as the power here is undeniable, it even made some prominent critics best of list when it finally found the US market. The grooves alone are some of the hardest in jazz (can they even be called that) as the band rambles along like an elephant who decided to stampeded into an unsuspecting village while listening to the funkiest of cuts on giant headphones.
The main players are as follows: Davis on electric trumpet and Yamaha organ, Dave Liebman – soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, Pete Cosey – electric guitar, Reggie Lucas – electric guitar, Michael Henderson – electric bass, Al Foster – drums, James Mtume Foreman – percussion
With his road tested band cooking Davis threw a curve ball that saxophonist Liebman described as typical Miles for the big gigs, two brand new players were auditioned during a live recording in one of the most famous venues in the world.
Azar Lawrence - tenor saxophone and Dominique Gaumont – electric guitar, both got their break to play with the outfit on this night; it is hard to think of a bigger trial by fire then that.
Without typical songs to work with the tracks played that night, which became Dark Magus, are focused around 25 minute outings that on the 1997 CD release are broken up about midway for sequencing. Titled "Moja", "Wili", "Tatu" and "Nne" after the Swahili numbers 1 through 4, the African vibe permeates as Davis and company swirl around Jazz, Rock, Funk, splashing all three together in haunting outer space ways.
All of the music feels alive and dangerous as the best should. Davis was not in a particularly active trumpet mood this evening allowing for the trio of guitarists to augment the bass and percussion while he played with textures on his Yamaha organ. The sax players pepper the attack then soothe, all contributing gorgeous layers to the playing and elevating the ensemble as they mix with pedal effects and the odd trumpet blare above the monster rhythms.
It wasn't going to be your typical night of jazz at Carnegie Hall, this is wild stuff and "Moja" signals that immediately blasting out of the gate with cymbals slamming and wah-wah wailing; this should be played loud. "Wili" gets a thick as molasses combo of drums and bass rolling on and on while the other players add their own cosmic treats to the stew.
Guitars get fuzzy for "Tatu" as the playing becomes freaky, giving way to a mixing of trumpet, guitar tricks and saxophone wails that intermingle like long extinct pterodactyls squeals. "Nne" gives hints of "Ife" but things are just as apt to jump off the rails and drive deep in grimy directions.
The sounds flow in and out effortlessly and at times with seemingly no pattern except for the one in Davis' head. The almighty, meaty groove however keeps flowing tying it all together, pushing this night above other Davis electric outings in my book. Drummer Al Foster deserves special attention as he pummeled his drum kit furiously, Davis commented that "Al could set it up for everybody else to play-off and just keep the groove going forever" and that is just what he did here leading some later day critics to point to this disk as one of the beginnings of the Jungle/Drum & Bass sound.
As for those two auditioned new members? Gaumont would stick around and record with Davis on his pre-retirement release Get Up With It, but this was the lone Miles contribution for Lawrence who did go on to his own successful jazz career however. It is doubtful he ever forgot this insane night in NYC that became the magical Dark Magusthough.
Preview the recordings of Miles Davis Dark Magus online:
Jan. 26, 2015 - the start of a new cycle for the Adult Learning Center and ESOL classes throughout the 3 boroughs....
Jan. 27, 2015 - predicted to be perhaps the most snow ever to fall on New York in at least 100 years.
What's a teacher to do?! You know the old adage about "You only have one chance to make a first impression." Somehow, just canceling class did not seem ideal. But the NYPL is nothing if not with it when it comes to technology and the internet, and as their English teacher, I wrote to them all, expressing my disappointment that the first day of classes on Tuesday would be canceled due to snow... AND gave them a writing assignment. Why not?
In my classes in the past , we have encouraged writing by blogging! So up on the internet went: NYCSnowDay.wordpress.com! I notified the students in my two classes, and crossed my fingers that they would
Get my email and read it; and
Would find a way to post their snowday story, or email me a story, or use Facebook to communicate their experiences and photos.
AND THEY DID! They ranged—as our students' skill level ranges—from a sentence or two, to a couple of beautiful essays! They referenced many of the things that we all know characterize a snowstorm (big or small)—long lines at supermarkets and bodegas, children oh so excited by a school day at home, bingeing on TV, etc.
Students from Brazil and Africa, from Germany and the Ukraine—all responded differently to our "historical snowstorm"! For some, this was "just another snowy day," while for a few... it was SNOWMAGEDDON!
Once again The Science, Industry and Business Library offers two Tax Assistance programs. Fliers are available throughout SIBL and are reproduced here with a brief description of both programs. Please also consult Income Tax Information 2015 for tax filing help offered across the New York Public Library.
Following a general pattern of the IRS cutting back on distribution of tax forms, SIBL will receive a limited supply of 1040 and 1040EZ forms. Those forms will be located across from the Volunteer Desk. TheIRS is no longer printing instruction booklets. Tax forms can be printed on Internet or database computers using a copy card.
Please be aware that provisions of the Affordable Care Act for Individual Shared Responsibility require that several new forms be filed if you purchased insurance in the "marketplace" or if you were exempted from buying insurance. (These forms are 1095A, 8962 and 8965) There may be unanticipated consequences for tax filers (the IRS may determine that you owe a penalty or deny an anticipated refund).
E-file program
Starts Monday, January 26
Takes place in classroom ETC2 on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
People earning less than $60,000 per year can use SIBL's PCs to file their taxes on line for free.
An employee from the Food Bank is available to assist with any questions.
TurboTax and NY State provide the free online software.
I am not a complete fan of science fiction, but I did enjoy learning more about it, especially its history and its applications for different age groups. I had never thought of sci-fi picture books, but it seems to make sense that stories of many different subjects and genres are created for a variety of age groups. Also, the authors' love for science fiction books comes through in their descriptions of works that gave them inspiration to create new out-of-this-world stories.
Betsy Bird, Youth Materials Specialist at NYPL, hosted the panel. Stephanie Whelan is a children's librarian at the Seward Park branch and author of the science fiction blog, Views from the Tesseract. Jason Fry is an author of more than thirty books and essays. Andrew Harwell is an editor and author of science fiction for children. This event, as always, was held at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.
History of Science Fiction
Bird began the discussion by asking Whelan to describe the history of the genre and current trends.
Whelan mentioned that there was no age separation for science fiction work prior to 1900. In 1910, a series called Tom Swift, which featured a boy and his motorcycle, began. Tom had a video phone and an electric rifle, which was the precursor of the TASER (Tom A. Swift Electric Rifle). This series was the front runner of other writing that occurred in the 1930s and 1940s by Isaac Asimov and others. In the 1950s, sci-fi authors began to speculate about space. This market was exploded following the 1969 landing of man on the moon. In the 1970s and 1980s, science fiction for kids became common. During this time period, everyone was excited about the future, space exploration, and cloning. After this period, science fiction began dwindling.
What They Read
Bird inquired as to how each of the panelists discovered science fiction. She wondered if they read science fiction when they were children.
Fry loved Star Wars, and he started playing Dungeons and Dragons in sixth grade. He read much adult science fiction by authors like Lloyd Alexander. He never noticed the difference between science fiction and fantasy. He was fascinated by City Underground by Suzanne Martel, which his mother tracked down at The Corner Bookstore from an excerpt that he read.
Whelan is a big reader. As a child, she loved her public library card. She looked for the sci-fi stickers on the books, made a pile, and brought them home. She is fascinated by artificially intelligent robots, and she is also interested in space.
Bird stated that science fiction is coming back in a dystopian way (e.g. The Hunger Games). She was told that there is no science fiction market for elementary or middle grade readers. She asked the panelists if they have encountered any resistance to reading or publishing science fiction.
Fry classifies Star Wars as science fiction. He picks and chooses what he likes. He is the author of The Jupiter Pirates, which is a 29th Century story in which a family of characters work together to deal with an undeclared war.
Harwell has not encountered resistance to publishing sci-fi. On the contrary, his publishers like sci-fi in the younger grades because there is a dearth of such material in the market. It is not what his publishers expect, but they are quite positive. They like to bring new material to the market.
Whelan commented that Ray Bradbury described science fiction as "the art of the possible, never the impossible."
Girls in Sci-Fi
Bird has seen girls represented in dystopian science fiction, but she wondered where else girls appear in sci-fi. She also asked the panelists to discuss multicultural representation in sci-fi.
Whelan said that fighting to get girls in is a challenge. New writers for adults tend to have the notion that sci-fi for kids is for boys. Books that are labeled sci-fi are perceived as being for boys.
Bird recounted that kids do come in to the public library reluctantly announcing that they have to read a sci-fi book for school. The rumor is that the next Disney princess will be Princess Leia. Disney owns Star Wars. None of the panelists had mentioned Star Trek. She wanted to know if any of the panelists were influenced by Star Trek.
Whelan enjoyedliked watching Star Trek in the past. However, now it is painful for her to watch since it has changed, and not for the better, in her opinion.
Fry announced that he is missing the Star Trek gene. However, he tries to watch an episode about once every three years, but he can never get into it.
Awards
Bird broached the subject of how quality science fiction for kids gets recognized. The two major awards are the Newbery Medal and the Caldecott Medal, and other awards have a juvenile component. She wondered if the panelists were award of any science fiction awards.
Bird asked where science fiction is going in the future. Currently, there is a huge push for more Star Wars, animated series, and new movies for kids.
Harwell sees diversity gaining ground in science fiction in the future. He edited Zita the Spacegirl, a graphic novel for kids that was published in 2011.
Whelan emphasized that the United States is not the only country that publishes works of science fiction. China and Africa will likely produce more science fiction. Unfortunately, there is a misconception that black people do not like sci-fi.
Whelan said that there are many possibilities out there and dreams to be had.
Audience Questions
Bird asked if audience members had any questions.
One person stated that many science fiction books are written by women who had to use their initials due to publishers' hostility towards women authors. Many girls read sci-fi and comic books, although they can be told that these books are not for them. The Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art is a good resource in New York City.
Bird mentioned that there are some graphic novels series that are geared towards girls such as Pippi, Nancy Drew, etc.
Whelan told us that sci-fi picture books also exist. They use names like Interstellar Cinderella to entice kids to try the genre.
A school librarian noticed that there is a dismissive attitude towards science fiction in American society.
Whelan pointed out that some things in regular fiction books are not in the realm of experience that kids are used to. One of the great things about fiction is that it inspires readers to use their imaginations, and science fiction merely requires a bit more imagination.
Another audience member found the panel discussion inspiring. She inquired as to whether Harper Collins Publishers accepts unsolicited submissions.
Harwell stated that Harper Collins does not. However, it accepts submissions from agents, and many agents are open to science fiction.
Someone else asked if it is difficult to define science fiction for kids.
Whelan said that The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer Holm was published in 2014. In the book, the grandfather experiments on himself, and the story centers on his relationship with his granddaughter.
Thanks to the panelists and Betsy Bird for elucidating the subject of science fiction for children.
Enrollment Now Open - SAGE Boot Camp. This two-week long, intensive training course will provide participants with esssential skills to lead them toward job placement. The first session starts on Monday - Friday from 3/2/15 - 3/13/15, 9 am - 2:00 pm. Participants must attend every day at the SAGE Center, 305 7th Avenue, 15 th Floor, New York, NY 10001.
Sunnyside Citywide Home Care will present a recruitment for Home Health Aide (50 openings) on Tuesday, February 3, 2015, 10 am - 1 pm, at Flushing Workforce 1 Career Center, 138-60 Barclay Avenue, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355.
Time Warner Cable will present a recruitment for Field Technician (20 openings) on Tuesday, February 3, 2015, 11 am - 3 pm at Brooklyn Workforce 1 Career Center, 250 Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201.
Defender Security Services, Inc. will present a recruitment for Security Guard (F/T & P/T) (15 openings) on Wednesday, February 4, 2015, 10 am - 2 pm at Flushing Workforce 1 Career Center, 138-60 Barclay Avenue, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355.
C&S Wholesale Grocers will present a recruitment for Order Selector (15 openings), Backhauler (10 openings), Forklift (2 openings) on Thursday, February 5, 2015, 9 am - 12 pm, at Orange Works Career Center, Newburgh, 3 Washington Center, 4th Floor, Newburgh, NY 12550.
Time Warner Cable will present a recruitment for Field Technician (20 openings) on Wednesday, February 4, 2015, 4 pm - 7 pm at Per Scholas, 804 E 138th Street, 2nd, Bronx, NY 10465.
Sanitation Salvage will present a recruitment for Overnight Driver (7 openings), on Thursday, February 5, 2015, 10 am - 2 pm at the Bronx Workforce 1 Career Center, 400 E. Fordham Road, 7th Floor, Bronx, NY 10458.
St. Nicks Alliance Workforce Development provides Free Job Training and Educational Programs in Environmental Response and Remediation Tec (ERRT). Commercial Driver's License, Pest Control Technician Training (PCT), Employment Search and Prep Training and Job Placement, Earn Benefits and Career Path Center. For information and assistance, please visit St. Nicks Alliance Workforce Development, 790 Broadway, 2nd Fl., Brooklyn, NY 11206, 718-302-2057 ext. 202.
Brooklyn Workforce Innovations helps jobless and working poor New Yorkers establish careers in sectors that offer good wages and opportunities for advancement. Currently BWI offers free job training programs in four industries: commercial driving, telecommunications cable installation, TV and film production, and skilled woodworking. BWI is at 621 Degraw Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217. 718-237-5366.
CMP (formerly Chinatown Manpower Project) in lower Manhattan is now recruiting for a free training in Quickbooks, Basic Accounting, and Excel. This training is open to anyone who is receiving food stamps but no cash assistance. Class runs for 8 weeks, followed by one-on-one meetings with a job developer. CMP also provides Free Home Health Aide Training for bilingual English/Cantonese speakers who are receiving food stamps but no cash assistance. Training runs Mondays through Fridays for 6 weeks, and includes test prep then taking the HHA certification exam. Students learn about direct care techniques such as taking vital signs and assisting with personal hygiene and nutrition. For more information for the above two training programs, please Email: info@cmpny.org, call 212-571-1690 or visit 70 Mulberry Street, 3rd Floor, NY, NY 10013. CMP also provides tuition-based healthcare and business trainings for free to students who are entitled to ACCESS funding. Please call CMP for information.
Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW) trains women and places them in careers in the skilled construction, utility, and maintenance trades. It helps women achieve economic independence and a secure future. For information call 212-627-6252 or register online.
Grace Institute provides tuition-free, practical job training in a supportive learning community for underserved New York area women of all ages and from many different background. For information call 212-832-7605.
Please note this blog post will be revised when more recruitment events for the week of February 1 are available.
Suzanne Collins's book Mockingjayhas been split into two films. Here's a list of fiction titles to tide you over until Part Two comes out in November, or until you get a chance to see Part One.
Young Adult
Tandem by Anna Jarzab, book 1 of the Many-Worlds trilogy, to be followed by Tether, coming March 2015. Sasha Lawson is sixteen when she learns that she has the ability to slip between parallel Chicagos through something called the Tandem, and to return to her home using her anchoring bracelet. The first book in the Many Worlds trilogy, this is a promising retelling of a science fiction standard.
Endgame: The Calling by James Frey and Nils Johnson-Shelton
At first glance, this series seems clearly modeled on The Hunger Games, but the twelve players who must battle do so from alien locales, seeking out keys and puzzles. Frey has created a real life game similar to a book he read as a child and the reader who can decipher the clues will discover a real world treasure. If, as a reader, you can see past whatever might have happened on Oprah and you enjoy a fast-paced series, this might be a series for you.