The New Federal Theatre was founded in 1970 by Woodie King Jr., (1937–  ),  a producing director on the Lower East Side. From its inception to today, the Theatre is as an iconic performance space for many widely recognized African-American actors, directors, and playwrights. The Theatre's productions provide a multi-cultural experience for its audience whether it be classics, comedy, drama, monologues, or musicals.

The New Federal Theatre's name can be traced back to the Federal Theatre Project  (FTP) of the Great Depression. A division of the FTP was the Negro Units or Negro Theatre Project (NTP). Between the years of 1935 to 1939, the NTP operated theatres throughout the country. One of the NTP's standouts  was the New York Negro Unit  located at the Lafayette Theatre in Harlem.  

The New Federal Theatre was initially funded by the Henry Street Settlement. The productions showcased many established and emerging African-American artists such as  Debbie Allen, Gloria Foster,  Morgan Freeman, Linda Hopkins, James Earl Jones, Sidney Poitier, Roxie Roker, Cicely Tyson, and Billy Dee Williams.   

Representative of the diversity of plays, playrights' works and directors associated with the New Federal Theatre include December 7th by George Ratner and directed by Gordon Edelstein; For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide, When the Rainbow is Enuf by Ntozake Shange and directed by Oz Scott; Long Day's Journey Into Night by Eugene O'Neill and directed by Geraldine Fitgerald; Paul Robesonby Phillip Hayes Dean and directed by Lloyd Richards; and A Soldier's Play by Charles Fuller and directed by Douglas Turner Ward. 

The titles of some productions would certainly catch the interest of any  theatregoer to stop by the theatre and find out what the play is about. A sampling of  these titles include Boogie Woogie and Booker T. by Wesley Brown; The Conjure Man Dies: A Mystery Tale of Dark Harlem by Rudolph Fisher;The Sovereign State of Boogedy Boogedy, and one of the longest titles for a production The Trial of One Short-Sighted Black Woman vs Mammy Louise and Safreeta Mae by Marcie L. Leslie. 

The New Federal Theatre continues their productions under the guidance of Woodie King, Jr. For additional information, visit their website.

Bert Andrews (1929–1993), shot many of the photographs over the decades. Andrews's attention to detail allowed him to capture the emotion of the play at the right moment as shown in the following pictures: 

This blog  post was inspired by New Federal Theatre photographs (Billy Rose Theatre Division, Library for the Performing Arts) and New Federal Theatre records (Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, Schomburg Center).

Selected recommendations:

In the shadow of the great white way: images from the Black theatre, photographs by Bert Andrews; text by Paul Carter and Bert Andrews; introduction by Cicely Tyson. 

The natonal black drama anthology : eleven plays from America's leading African-American theatres / edited by Woodie King, Jr.

Get help with your research queries

Federal Resource Fair on Monday, May 22, 2017 10 am-2pm at the Science, Industry and Business Library. Representatives from federal agencies are available to answer your questions.  Federal agencies include Social Security Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor, Department of Veterans Affairs and Postal Service.  For more information: www.nypl.org/frf   tel: 917 -275-6975

Union Settlement is recruiting for its Pre-Home Health Aide Training in Spanish. In this training program participants learn medical terminology, dealing with basic medications, and basic anatomy and physiology in Spanish and English.  They receive asthma and CPR  certification.  They can also attend preparation for High School Equivalency classes in Spanish.  For more information call 212-828-6016.

Opportunities For a Better Tomorrow is recruiting for its Web Design and Coding Program.  In this program participants will learn and receive instruction to master the coding fundamentals of HTML, CSS, JavaScript and jQuery, skills to analyze information  using digital technology, preparation for the Adobe Certified Associate Certification  in photoshop, college application assistance and job placement assistance.  For more information please call 718-801-8970.

Career Development Workshop on Monday, May 8, 2017, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm at Brooklyn Workforce 1 Career Center, 250 Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn, NY  11201.  All interested jobseekers will learn the value of the career exploration  process and how the process can positively impact your career path. 

Coach, Inc., will present a recruitment on Tuesday,  May 9, 2017, 10 am - 1:30 pm  for Sample Maker (5 Seasonal openings on per Project/ Event basis) at Brooklyn Workforce 1 Career Center, 250 Schermerhorn Street,  Brooklyn, NY 11201.   Candidates must have at least 10 years' Sample Maker experience in Luxury Women's & Men's Apparel , as well as in Leather Goods. No English  required.  Interviews will be conducted in four different languages - English, Spanish, Mandarin or Russian.  Potential for permanent hire.  $30-$35  per hour (commensurate with experience).

New Partners, Inc. will present a recruitment on Tuesday, May 9, 2017, 10 am - 1:30 pm   for Home Health Aide (5 F/T & P/T openings) at Flushing Workforce 1 Career Center, 138-60 Barclay Avenue, 2nd  floor, Flushing, NY 11355.  Please contact Ms. Chang at 718-661-5000.

Sweetgreen will present a recruitment on Wednesday, May 10, 2017, 2:30 - 4:30 pm for Team Member  (40 openings), Team Captain (20 openings) at Brooklyn Workforce 1 Career Center,  250 Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201.  For more information call 718-613-3696.

Adapt Community Network  will present a recruitment on Thursday, May 11, 2017, 10 am - 5 pm for Residence Program Specialist (5 F/T & P/T openings), Habilitation Specialist (5 openings), Case  Manager (5 openings) at Adapt  Community Network, 160 Lawrence Avenue,  Brooklyn, NY 11230.  To apply: RSVP by e-mail.  Send your resume with phone #.  Attend Customized Recruitment/Open House. 

Basic Resume Writing  workshop on Thursday, May 11, 2017, 1:30 - 3 pm at Brooklyn Workforce 1 Career Center, 250 Schermerhorn  Street,  Brooklyn, NY 11201.  Participants will learn the purpose of a resume, chronological and combination resumes and select the appropriate type for their specific needs.

Job Postings at New York City Workforce 1.  

Apprenticeship Opportunities in New York City.

Brooklyn Community  Board 14: Available jobs

The New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCE&TC) is an association of 200 community-based organizations, educational institutions, and labor unions that annually provide job training and employment services to over 750,000 New Yorkers, including welfare recipients, unemployed workers, low-wage workers, at-risk youth, the formerly incarcerated, immigrants and the mentally and physically disabled. View NYCE&TC Job Listings.

Digital NYC is the official online hub of the New York City startup and technology ecosystem, bringing together every company, startup, investor, event, job, class, blog, video, workplace, accelerator, incubator, resource, and organization in the five boroughs. Search jobs by category on this site.

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 or call 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.

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 eight 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 six weeks and includes test prep and 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, email: info@cmpny.org, call 212-571-1690, or visit. CMP also provides tuition-based healthcare and business trainings free to students who are entitled to ACCESS funding.

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 backgrounds. For information call 212-832-7605.

Please note this page will be revised when more recruitment events for the week of May 7 become available.

And I Darken by Kiersten White is the first book in a trilogy that I have read in a long time. And I Darken tells the tale of Lada and Radu, who are forced to live in the Ottoman Empire after being sold out by their father. In order for them to survive their father must hold up his end of the bargain. Lada hates the Ottoman Empire and plots her vengeance against them. While living in the palace Lada and Radu meet Mehmed, the son of the Sultan. Their friendship will test their loyalty and love for one another.

Despite everything Lada was born to become a warrior and she will not let anything get in the way of that. This is one of the best books I have read in a very long time. Lada is a strong and brave character.

1. “Your father will do what? Write the sultan to ask permission to scold us? Ask my family to donate to the throne so he can afford a switch to whip us with? Your father is nothing. Just like you.” (p.15)

2. “What could she do? She had no power.

Yet, she vowed. She no power yet.”(p.45)

3. “If you are too weak to stand being hit and too stupid to avoid it, then you deserve more pain.”(p.93)

4. “A true conversion is always only between a man and God.” (p.153)
5. “Appearances are deceiving.” (p.209)

6. “My presence does not usually elicit such joy. I will make a point of disappearing from your life for years only to surprise you again more often.” (p.211)

7. “Your words are as sweet as honey, and as lacking in substance. ” (p.247)

8. “Someday you will go, and your life will be blessed for it. But it will not fix you-all your troubles will still be here, waiting. First you should strive to find peace where you are, and then you can make the pilgrimage to celebrate that peace.” (p.289)

9. “You can be the aggressor, you can fight against crusaders on their own land, or you can stay at home and wait for them to come to you. And they would come. They would come with fire, with disease, with swords and blood and death. Weakness is an irresistible lure.” (p.333)

10. “I am the dragon.” (p.575)

During the week, it can be tough to stay on top of everything. On Fridays, though, we suggest kicking back to catch up on all the delightful literary reading the internet has to offer. Don’t have the time to hunt for good reads? Never fear. We've rounded up the best bookish reading of the week for you.

We Read...

Books about the best of times and the worst of times in honor of A Tale of Two Cities.  Looking for authors in all the wrong places makes for the right reading sometimes. Mother's Day gifts are super easy with our shopping guide. Just two great librarians talking Henry James, Emily Dickinson, and Camille Paglia on The Librarian Is In. We have ten favorite songs about librarians. Vintage lit mag inspo is here! TFW Wes Anderson comes to discuss Truffaut. 

Stereogranimator Friday Feels:

GIF made with the NYPL Labs Stereogranimator

TGIF:

No need to get up! Join our librarians from the home, office, playground — wherever you have internet access — for book recs on Twitter by following our handle @NYPLrecommends from 10 AM to 11 AM every Friday. Or, you can check NYPL Recommends any day of the week for more suggestions. ​

If you need a new book to read, we've got you covered. Tell us one you like and we'll suggest another, until 11 AM EST. #fridayreadspic.twitter.com/LXx9atZdQt

— NYPL Recommends (@NYPLRecommends) April 28, 2017

@MarisaElana Hooray! We totally loved ALL OUR WRONG TODAYS by @elanmastai. #FridayReads

— NYPL Recommends (@NYPLRecommends) April 28, 2017

What did you read?

If you read something fantastic this week, share with our community of readers in the comment section below.

Gráfica de la pintura "Reading" de Lilla Cabot Perry

Una breve selección de historias variadas de misterio, suspenso, fantasía y romance para celebrar un día especial. Sírvase imprimir esta lista para adultos.

Una chica acude a una cita a ciegas

Paige, Helena S.

La protagonista de esta historia sabe que tratar con tipos en la red es un juego arriesgado y ya ha hecho su eliminatoria, pero ¿Con cuál de ellos se quedará?

Gráfica de la pintura "Reading" de Lilla Cabot Perry

La chica de medianoche

Grey, Melissa.

Una joven, adoptada y criada por una raza de criaturas mágicas, se envuelve en guerras antiguas y conflictos de amor que transcienden el tiempo, donde descubre la sorprendente verdad del mundo en que vive.

La chica del abrigo azul

Hesse, Monica

En esta misteriosa y conmovedora novela basada en la segunda guerra mundial, una joven descubre la injusticia social, el amor y la amistas y trata de encontrar a una chica judía que esta mantenida oculta, antes de que los nazis la descubran.

La chica del león negro

Quintas Garciandia, Alba

En un mundo tenebroso, donde nunca s

ale el sol, Selena sale durante la noche convertida en la chica del león negro para enfrentar criaturas inhumanas en busca de la cura que podría salvar el amor de su vida.

La chica que dejaste atrás

Moyes, Jojo

En esta intrigante trama, dos mujeres separadas por un siglo y cuyas historias se entrelazan por un fascinante cuadro, lo arriesgarán todo por amor.

La chica que lo tenía todo

Knoll, Jessica

Ani ha fabricado un mundo casi perfecto, una vida con un marido, hogar y carrera implacable, hasta que un violento incidente de su pasado amenaza con exponer el secreto más impactante de todos.

Las chicas de la buena suerte

Harms, Kelly

Dos chicas con el mismo nombre pero con nada en común, se llevan la sorpresa de su vida cuando creen ser las ganadoras de una hermosa casa costera, pero la vida les sorprende con una segunda oportunidad.

Cómo se hace una chica

Moran, Caitlin

Una novela escrita de forma autobiográfica, donde la autora relata los altibajos de su vida familiar.

Una gran chica

Steel, Danielle

Victoria acaba de conseguir el trabajo de sus sueños como profesora de escuela secundaria, y permanece cerca de su hermana y sus padres a pesar de la tensión familiar, hasta que recibe una noticia impactante.

Secretos de chicas

Jordan, Patry

Tipos de maquillaje, peinado, diseño de moda y otros trucos de belleza para mejorar la apariencia y enaltecer el estilo personal.

Sírvase imprimir esta lista para adultos. Algunas de las obras también pueden estar disponibles en diferentes formatos. Para más información, sírvase comunicarse con el bibliotecario de su biblioteca local. Para información sobre eventos, favor de visitar: Eventos en Español. Más Blog en Español. Síganos por ¡Twitter! 

A brief selective list of recent Chinese language titles. 

懸案追追追 - Xuan an zhui zhui zhui

天地無限 - Tiandiwuxian,

徐海音是社會線記者，而阿唐是一心想靠推理小說吃飯的業餘作家。為了要在一堆名嘴、類戲劇的新聞節目中突破重圍，電視台破天荒地推出全新的帶狀節目《懸案追追追》，網羅擅長推理的人士一起加入製作團隊，重返當年的犯罪現場，追尋蛛絲馬跡來偵破懸案。徐海音與阿唐聯手出擊，挑戰治安史上最離奇難解的七大懸案！然而，幕後卻牽扯出意想不到的案件……？ (books.com.tw)

去雅典的鞋子 - Qu Yadian de xie zi

叶兆言 - Ye, Zhaoyan,

一个女孩的疼痛青春, 一段啼笑皆非的寻父之旅.  (Dangdang.com)

 改變人生的100個夢境 - Gai bian ren sheng de 100 ge meng jing 

Wallace, Ian

在這本書中，你不需要去了解神話學或符號的意義，也不用迷失在深奧的心理學名詞中。從特定的情境著手，理解夢境，將訊息轉化為行動，你就能跳脫生活的壓力與煩惱之源，活出更自在、更美好的人生。(books.com.tw)

自體免疫戰爭 - Zi ti mian yi zhan zheng

126 ge nan jie ji bing zhi mi yu ge ming xing yu fang

Nakazawa, Donna Jackson

全方位說明何謂自體免疫系統疾病，從報導性案例披露、患者生活與治療過程，到醫界、學界的專家建言，作者用極易理解的方式描述讓你快速瞭解自體免疫機制，並且知道該如何面對它。 (books.com.tw)
 

中國高危官員 - Zhongguo gao wei guan yuan

梁登科 - Liang, Dengke

令計劃的少壯派團伙殘餘勢力，對習近平的危險最大。他們越有膽魄，越有方略，越有政績，越有口碑，習總就越不放心，因為他們有一切，唯獨沒有忠誠——或者更準確地說，習近平不相信他們對自己有忠誠。(books.com.tw)

The titles on this Chinese language list have been kindly selected by Maria Fung.

A brief selective list of recent Russian language titles. 

Dissidenty: dvadt︠s︡atʹ razgovorov

Диссиденты: двадцать разговоров

Morev, G. A. Морев, Глеб.

Под этой обложкой объединены самые разные голоса, в свое время – с конца 1950-х до середины 1980-х – принадлежавшие в СССР общественному движению инакомыслящих, получившему имя диссидентства. Это голоса разных поколений, разных политических убеждений, разных судеб. Советское диссидентство никогда не было монолитным политическим движением – это всегда был разноголосый хор, объединенный не политическими, но этическими установками. Эта книга дает ему возможность быть услышанным. (sentrumbookstore.com)

Chtosamyeuspeshnyeli︠u︡didelai︠u︡dozavtraka

Что самые успешные люди делаю до завтрака

Vanderkam, Laura. Вандеркам, Лора.

О чем эта книга:Эксперт по личной эффективности и управлению временем Лора Вандеркам проанализировала распорядок дня множества успешных людей и написала книгу, в которой подробно рассказывает, какие привычки помогают достигать успеха.Книга позволит вам не только взглянуть по-новому на свою утреннюю рутину, но и покажет, как получать максимальный заряд энергии и пользы каждое утро, на работе и по выходным. (sentrumbookstore.com)

Vechnoesvidanie; Zhditeneozhidannogo

Вечное свидание; Ждите неожиданного

Ustinova, Tatʹi︠a︡na. Устинова, Татьяна.

«Ждите неожиданного»Никогда нельзя предположить, чем кончится путешествие... (sentrumbookstore.com)

FaktorCherchilli︠a︡: kakodinchelovekizmenilistorii︠u︡

Фактор Черчилля: как один человек изменил историю

Johnson, Boris. Джонсон, Борис.

Черчилль — великий государственный деятель, премьер-министр Великобритании (1940–1945 и 1951–1955), реформатор, лауреат Нобелевской премии по литературе, знаменитый журналист и блистательный оратор. Бросая вызов мифам, заблуждениям и гипертрофированной реальности, Джонсон изображает человека противоречивого, храброго, обладающего феноменальным красноречием, несравненным стратегическим талантом и истинной гуманностью.В книге выдвигается предположение, что, если бы Черчилля не было или он совершил ошибку, Гитлер мог одержать в Европе полную победу. Автор убежден: будь Уинстон Черчилль жив, наверняка бы выступил за выход Великобритании из Евросоюза…  (sentrumbookstore.com)

Kitaĭskiĭ massazh: roman

Китайский массаж: роман

Bi, Feiyu.  Фэйюй, Би.

Действие романа разворачивается в массажном салоне Нанкина, где работают слепые мастера. Описывая каждого из пятнадцати своих героев, рассказывая о том, что для каждого из них означает быть слепым, что им пришлось пережить на своём веку и как им живётся сейчас, Би Фэйюй заставляет читателя сопереживать своим героям от начала до конца повествования. За роман 'Китайский массаж' писатель был удостоен самой престижной литературной награды Китая - премии Мао Дуня (2011). Полнометражный фильм, снятый по его мотивам, получил на 64-м Берлинском кинофестивале 'Серебряного медведя', кроме того 'Китайский массаж' лёг в основу популярного в Китае киносериала. (sentrumbookstore.com)

Nulevoedosʹe

Нулевое досье

Gibson, William. Гибсон, Уильям.

Бигенд обнаружил, что кто-то использует вирусный маркетинг хитроумнее и эффективнее самого Бигенда, — и поручает Холлис найти неуловимого дизайнера секретного бренда «Габриэль Хаундс» («Гончие Гавриила»)…Впервые на русском!   (sentrumbookstore.com)

Podpolʹnyĭ Internet: temnai︠a︡storonamirovoĭ pautiny

Подпольный Интернет: темная сторона мировой паутины

Bartlett, Jamie. Бартлетт, Джейми.

Автор книги проникает в тайны мрачного и опасного мира 'подпольного Интернета' - 'Даркнета'. Именно здесь рождаются самые радикальные идеи современности, а запрещенные законом услуги и товары без проблем приобретаются за крипто-валюту.  (sentrumbookstore.com)

Malenʹkai︠a︡zhiznʹ

Маленькая жизнь

Yanagihara, Hanya. Янагихара, Ханья.

Для кого-то этот роман станетисторией о дружбе, которая подчас сильнее и крепче любви, для кого-то — книгой, о которой боишься вспоминать и которая в книжном шкафу прячется, как чудище под кроватью, а для кого-то “Маленькая жизнь” станетповестью о жизни, о любой жизни, которая достойна того, чтобы ее рассказали по-настоящему хотя бы одному человеку.  (sentrumbookstore.com)

AstridLindgren: ėtotdenʹ iestʹ zhiznʹ

Астрид Линдгрен: этот день и есть жизнь

Andersen, Jens. Андерсен, ̆Иенс.

«Этот день и есть жизнь» – первая за 40 лет биография великой сказочницы, книги которой многие десятилетий помогают детям во всем мире справляться с нелегким делом взросления.  (sentrumbookstore.com)

The titles have been kindly selected by Irina Tkach, Supervising Librarian, BookOps , with the generous editorial collaboration of Marianna Vertsman and Elie Weitsman, Mid-Manhattan Library.

This was my second visit to the semi-annual Financial Planning Day at the Science, Industry and Business Library. This is a terrific event where I always learn much about finances and money. Last year, the session on wills and estate planning, amongst others, was quite illuminating. This year, I loved the Medicare session and the one on business plans. I also refreshed my knowledge of basic accounting. There is always something new at this event. Many vendors are available to speak to customers at information tables, and the library offers free financial counseling sessions during the day. Free career and business counseling is also available throughout the year in the library.

Medicare

The first session I attended was taught by an employee of Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP). People are free to call the agency or visit in person in order to learn more about this type of health insurance. They could also call 311 in order to get connected to the Department for the Aging (DFTA).

People must have a work history of at least ten years in order to qualify for Medicare health insurance coverage, which can begin at age 65. People must enroll in the window period (three months prior to 65th birthday, the month of their birthday, or three months following the birthday) in order to avoid late enrollment fees. People who are working may enroll; in fact, some employers want Medicare-eligible employees to be enrolled. Enrolling in Part A is free. Part B Medicare comes with fees attached. Part D is for prescription drug coverage. There is also Medigap (A-N), which consists of ten different plans that people can choose from, if they like. Patients who have two medical insurances will use Medicare first, then the secondary insurance. Sometimes, having multiple insurances can be redundant, and it may be advisable to save money and reduce insurance coverage in those cases. 

It is important to determine if your health care providers are participating or non-participating providers. Participating health care providers accept Medicare. Nonparticipating providers fall into two groups. Some non-participating providers accept the insurance by assignment (case-by-case) basis, while others opt-out of accepting Medicare entirely. When selecting a provider, it is important to ask non-participating providers if they will accept assignment for your case. Also, nonparticipating providers are able to charge patients 5 or 15% more for deductibles than participating providers do for medical services.

Many services are covered by Medicare insurance, but not everything. Dental care, eyeglasses and eye care, long-term care and routine physical exams are excluded from coverage. However, the Medigap plans (supplemental Medicare insurance) cover these services. It is a good idea to familiarize oneself with the services that are covered and those that are not. If you believe that you are being charged for services that were not rendered to you, or the dates of service do not look right, you can report Medicare fraud to mymedicare.gov or call 877-678-4697. 

Bloomberg Database

One of the librarians demonstrated the Bloomberg database, which is full of financial information about companies, including their past and present performance and analysts' commentary about the future projection of companies. The database has two computer screens with a black background and colored text. The database is only available at SIBL, and there are three computer stations dedicated to this tool. Bloomberg donated the three subscriptions to the library, and banking and financial professionals enjoy using it. However, some features are blocked because they cost more money.  Google, now known as Alphabet, is featured in the database; I discovered that it actually has a web site for its investors: abc.xyz.

Financial Information for Your Business Plan

This was an interesting foray into the world of corporate accounting; the instructor recommends that all business owners take a basic accounting course. The presenter discussed balance sheets, income statements and cash flow statements. These are tools that investors can look at over a twelve-month period in order to determine the health of your business. In general, having more customers is better than fewer customers because it diversifies the risk factor. Keeping track of your expenses and continually striving to find ways to lower them is vital to the business' success. You also want to maximize profit. It is helpful to create a business forecast that is no more than five years into the future for the business plan. If the business has been in operation, you can include up to five years of its past performance. 

Global Economy and Markets

The national inflation rate is determined by the federal government, which is determined by the consumption basket of the "average American." A person's consumption basket is all of the goods and services that s/he buys. Currently, the rate of inflation in the US is 2%. Not everyone agrees with this figure, and we had a person in the class who strongly opined that that was not the case, since the cost of rent in NYC is rising so fast. However, the instructor explained that the inflation rate spreads over all locales and products, not just a single overwhelming rise of cost on a single service in a particular location. 

Deflation is considered to be a negative phenomenon, since it can lead to recessions. This leads to business owners not being able to pay back debts, which leads to bank failures. There is a continual policy debate about what to do to create an optimal rate of inflation in this nation. The government can tax behaviors and properties that it wants to decrease (e.g., smoking and alcohol use) and cut taxes on behaviors that it wants to increase (e.g. healthy eating, etc). It is important to consider regarding wage inflation that we are not competing against other New Yorkers; we are competing against the world. 

The topic of politics and the current federal administration came up in many of the sessions, since governmental financial action or lack thereof affects the many aspects of our lives. I learned much through this day of planning. I am always trying to improve my personal financial management processes, as well as understand the larger economic forces behind the financial decisions that are made by corporations, the government and individuals. The next Financial Planning Day at SIBL will occur in the fall. Come and join us in learning about finances!

Sunday, May 14th is Mother's Day—a day of flowers, cards and brunches. How did this special day to celebrate all mothers actually begin? This question is a perfect research topic to explore using the specially curated electronic resources available at NYPL.  But what seemed like a very simple question—"How did Mother's Day begin?"—led us down a strange and contentious path. Here's what was found.

The movement for a national holiday to celebrate mothers began with Anna Jarvis, a forty-four year-old woman, who in her youth was an active suffragette. The idea of Mother's Day came to her after the death of her own mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis. Surprisingly, Ann and Anna had a strained and unhealthy relationship, according to Katherine Lane Antolini's book Memorializing Mother's Day: Anna Jarvis and the Struggle for Control of Mother's Day, available through Project Muse. Ann was the mother of thirteen children, losing nine to early deaths, and Anna was her tenth born. Ann was said to be a "controlling individual who interfered with her surviving adult children's lives, particularly relying heavily upon Anna, the eldest unmarried daughter...." Regardless of their relationship, and the fact that Anna Jarvis had no children of her own, she worked tirelessly as the head of the Mother's Day movement to have it recognized as a national holiday. In a feature by The Detroit Free Press, available through ProQuest Historical Newspapers, Jarvis stated:

Of all the special days in many lands, not one has been inaugurated to honor womanhood; though individuals have attributed their happiness and their success in life to their mother's influence, no country has publicly dedicated a day to its mothers. And yet no loyalty or sacrifices surpass those of the mothers and wives who have given for their country's defense lives more precious to them than their own—lives of their beloved sons, husbands, fathers and brothers.

On May 9, 1908 a resolution was brought before Congress for the recognition of Mother's Day, but surprisingly the resolution failed to pass.  To understand why such a seemingly uncontroversial resolution would fail, we looked at the ProQuest Congressional Publications database, and here is just a taste of the debate on Mothers' Day on that day in Congress in 1908...

Senator Fulton: "If we are going to take up this line of legislative action I think we should not stop by drawing distinctions. I think we should have a 'fathers' day."'Then I have a great respect for my grandfather and I think we should have a 'grandfathers' day.' Then, perhaps, we ought to bring in our cousins , and our aunts, or uncles. I can see no reason why we should make these invidious distinctions....Everybody would agree that we should have a 'mother-in-law day.'" [Laughter.]

It took another six years before the resolution to designate the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day was passed. Soon afterwards it did not take long for businesses to see the profit potential in such a holiday. Re-enter Anna Jarvis. After the declaration of Mother's Day as a national holiday Anna became incredibly protective of her "founder status," and became openly vocal about the commercialization of Mother's Day. One notable event was when she crashed the Associated Retail Confectioners' convention and "engaged in a verbal tilt with members," saying, "I want to tell you that you are using a beautiful idea as a means of profiteering. As the founder of Mother's Day, I demand that it cease."

Things only escalated from there. Anna Jarvis was arrested when she attacked a member of the War Mothers' Association for commercializing Mother's Day. Anna then planned to bring a lawsuit against the Golden Rule Foundation, claiming she was the "founder, incorporator and copyrighter of Mother's Day," and the Foundation was wrongfully using the holiday only for commercial reasons.

Since its legitimization in 1914, despite her efforts, Mother's Day developed a life of its own, leaving the memory of Anna Jarvis in obscurity. But how did the story of Anna Jarvis end? The first sentence from her obituary in the Daily Boston Globe read: "Anna M. Jarvis, lonely spinster who founded Mother's Day and then vigorously but in vain fought against its commercialization, died today at 84—blind and penniless."

This blog post was researched entirely using NYPL's electronic resources. With over 500 online research options available, many accessible from home with a library card, we challenge you to go beyond the search engine and dig deeper online with NYPL.

Here are the sources used for this blog post. If accessing these links offsite you will need to use your New York Public Library Card.

Antolini, K. L..Memorializing Motherhood: Anna Jarvis and the Struggle for Control of Mother's Day. Morgantown: West Virginia University Press, 2014. Project MUSE,

Congressional Record for 1908 available in ProQuest Congressional Publications (1789 - Present)

"MISS JARVIS WORKS FOR MOTHER'S DAY." The Atlanta Constitution (1881-1945): 10. May 07 1912. ProQuest. Web. 8 May 2017  .

Jarvis, Anna. "How I Started Mother's Day." Detroit Free Press (1858-1922): 1. May 11 1913. ProQuest. Web. 8 May 2017  .

"TRIBUTE TO MOTHERS." The Washington Post (1877-1922): 1. May 11 1913. ProQuest. Web. 8 May 2017.

"MOTHER'S SUNDAY FOUNDER OBJECTS." The Christian Science Monitor (1908-Current file): 2. May 12 1924. ProQuest. Web. 8 May 2017  .

"Mother's Day Founder Arrested in Philadelphia Street Quarrel." The Sun (1837-1991): 1. Sep 12 1925. ProQuest. Web. 8 May 2017.

"MOTHER'S DAY BECOMES CENTER OF SQUABBLE." Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File): 9. Mar 11 1931. ProQuest. Web. 8 May 2017.

"Founder of Mothers'Day Dies Blind and Penniless." Daily Boston Globe (1928-1960): 59. Nov 25 1948. ProQuest. Web. 8 May 2017.

The New York Public Library Podcast features your favorite writers, artists, and thinkers in smart talks and provocative conversations. Listen to some of our most engaging programs, discover new ideas, and celebrate the best of today’s culture.

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Google Play

The New York Public Library is proud to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism. This prestigious award is given annually to journalists whose books have brought clarity and public attention to important issues, events, or policies. 

We're interviewing the five finalists for the Bernstein Award on our podcast over the next two months. Today’s episode features the fourth of those interviews, with Vanity Fair contributing editor Janine di Giovanni. Her book is called The Morning They Came for Us: Dispatches from Syria.

Lynn Lobash, Bernstein library review committee member, describes the book this way:

Janine di Giovanni gives us a tour de force of war reportage, all told through the perspective of ordinary people living in the brutality of of post-Arab Spring Syria. What emerges is an extraordinary picture of the devastating human consequences of armed conflict.

Author bio

Janine di Giovanni, Middle East editor of Newsweek and contributing editor of Vanity Fair, is one of the most respected and experienced reporters working today, with vast experience covering war and conflict. She has won major awards, including the National Magazine Award and two Amnesty International Awards for Sierra Leone, Chechnya, and Bosnia. Born in New Jersey, di Giovanni now lives in Paris. The Morning They Came for Us is published by Liveright, a division of W.W. Norton & Company.

Praise for Janine Di Gionvanni

“Janine di Giovanni has described war in a way that almost makes me think it never needs to be described again.” —Sebastian Junger, author of War

“Di Giovanni is a war reporter whose courage is matched only by her compassion for her subjects.” —Evening Standard

Interview and Author Talk

• Interview Leonard Lopate on WNYC (May 12, 2016)  
• Talk at the American Academy in Berlin (October 20, 2016)

Di Giovanni Online

Twitter:@janinedigi 

Website: http://www.janinedigiovanni.com/

The 2017 winner will be announced on May 22. Check out more of our #Bernstein30 coverage, find a complete list of prior winners, and learn more about the process on the official site. 

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Lynn Lobash is a member of the 2016 committee of librarians that selects the five finalists for the Bernstein Award. Lobash is the manager of the Readers Services unit.

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May 9 is the 157^th birthday of J.M. Barrie, the Scottish-born author of dozens of impossibly imaginative books and plays for children and adults.

In honor of his most famous creation — Peter Pan, the eternally young boy forever living in Neverland — we asked our book experts at The New York Public Library for recommendations of books that have Peter-like characters who simply refuse to grow up.

“Jeffty Is Five,” Harlan Ellison’s Hugo-Award winning story and the first in his excellent collection Shatterday, concerns a boy who never grows older than five, and lives forever in “the good old days,” when comic books were just a nickel and they put real butter on the movie theater popcorn. But is it possible to stay five in “the good old days” forever or, sooner or later, will the real world come creeping in? —Isaiah Pittman, Inwood

In The Tin Drum by Günter Grass, Oskar Matzerath quite literally refuses to grow up, willing his physical growth — and seemingly also his mental and emotional growth — to stop when he’s three. Unspeaking, he communicates with ceaseless drumming on his prized toy drum and glass-shattering shrieks. As he narrates his own story, he reveals to the reader his uniquely anarchic inner life and his perspective on the far more deranged period of history he lives through in the era of the Third Reich. —Kathie Coblentz, Rare Materials

The dystopian novel Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart features a sexagenarian character named Joshie, who is obsessed with doing absolutely anything to retain his youth. Amongst the many things he does, the most extreme move is using his company’s expensive “dechronification treatments” to take decades off his appearance, without knowing the possible aftereffects..... —Joe Pascullo, Grand Central

In Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney, the charming 85-year-old protagonist, is not exactly a Peter Pan character — but she is remarkable for her vigor and her open-minded interest in all the people she encounters during an epic walk around lower Manhattan on New Year’s Eve of 1984. I’m pretty sure none of my septuagenarian and octogenarian relatives had any interest in learning about “Rapper’s Delight“ and the Sugar Hill Gang back in the 1980s, but Lillian is a budding rap fan. —Elizabeth Waters, Mid-Manhattan

With a slight twist on the theme, Roz Chast’s bittersweet memoir, Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?, chronicles her interactions with her aging parents as they revert to child-like behavior and she must assume the role of parent as she cares for them in their last years. Be prepared to laugh out loud, but keep a box of Kleenex nearby because life is complicated. —Maura Muller, Volunteer Program

I’ll Mature When I’m Dead: Dave Barry’s Amazing Tales of Adulthood is a hilarious collection of essays by Dave Barry. Among many other subjects, he pokes fun at his own and his friends’ occasional immaturity. —Christina Lebec, Bronx Library Center

Not exactly a story about someone who won’t grow up, but instead someone who grows backward. Benjamin Button is born an old man, and with every year he grows closer and closer to his childhood. You may remember the Brad Pitt movie but the short story The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald tells this strange tale in an entirely different way that warrants a read! —Alessandra Affinito, Chatham Square

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Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!

Zahra and Hassan are grateful to The New York Public Library for the citizenship classes they took before they faced their naturalization exam — and passed. Libraries play a critical role in welcoming and educating new citizens.

Send a letter NOW asking the Mayor and City Council to invest in libraries.

Welcome to The Librarian Is In, The New York Public Library's podcast about books, culture, and what to read next.

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Google Play

We're a bit of a mess this week, between sweet-sad poems, ghosts of the Village Past, and melancholy post-Victorian tales of ruined childhoods in creeepy cults. But we manage to have a little fun, too.

What We're Reading Now

Ghosts of St. Vincent's by Tom Eubanks

Poems that Make Grown Men Cry: 100 Men on the Words that Move Them, edited by Anthony and Ben Holden

Foxlowe by Eleanor Wasserberg

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

Non-Book Recommendations

Frank:  Miss Sloane

Gwen:  WNYC's Nancy podcast: “There Are No Gay Wizards”

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Thanks for listening! Have you rated us on iTunes yet? Would you consider doing it now?

Find us online @NYPLRecommends, the Bibliofile blog, and nypl.org. Or email us at nyplrecommends@nypl.org!

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How to listen to The Librarian Is In

Subscribing to The Librarian Is In on your mobile device is the easiest way to make sure you never miss an episode. Episodes will automatically download to your device, and be ready for listening every other Thursday morning

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Open the purple “Podcasts” app that’s preloaded on your phone. If you’re reading this on your device, tap this link to go straight to the show and click “Subscribe.” You can also tap the magnifying glass in the app and search for “The New York Public Library Podcast.”

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Open the orange “Play Music” app that’s preloaded on your device. If you’re reading this on your device, click this link to go straight to the show and click “Subscribe.” You can also tap the magnifying glass icon and search for “The New York Public Library Podcast.” 

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Click the “play” button above to start the show. Make sure to keep that window open on your browser if you’re doing other things, or else the audio will stop. You can always find the latest episode at nypl.org/podcast.

During the week, it can be tough to stay on top of everything. On Fridays, though, we suggest kicking back to catch up on all the delightful literary reading the internet has to offer. Don’t have the time to hunt for good reads? Never fear. We've rounded up the best bookish reading of the week for you.

We Read...

Books about adults who don't want to grow up, poetry about Grand Central Station by one of our amazing Cullman fellows, and new picture books for the still young. Surreal facial hair for those Dali vibes. That time that George Saunders interviewed Susan Sarandon. Not all of the 50 types of PDFs are created equal; learn more about file types. Maurice Sendak: "As an aspiring artist, you should strive for originality of vision. Have something to say and a fresh way of saying it." What's the difference between a comic book and a graphic novel?  It's time to ogle goggles because we rounded up cool eyeglasses for you. We'll hook you up with the ACLU digital archive for free.

Stereogranimator Friday Feels:

GIF made with the NYPL Labs Stereogranimator

TGIF:

No need to get up! Join our librarians from the home, office, playground — wherever you have internet access — for book recs on Twitter by following our handle @NYPLrecommends from 10 AM to 11 AM every Friday. Or, you can check NYPL Recommends any day of the week for more suggestions. ​

Anybody need a good book to read this weekend? Tweet at us with a mood or another book you loved and we will suggest a couple to check out. pic.twitter.com/3SPnesq34h

— NYPL Recommends (@NYPLRecommends) May 5, 2017

@Kel_Hammer Mary Karr! Mary Karr! Check out LIAR'S CLUB. So good! #fridayreads

— NYPL Recommends (@NYPLRecommends) May 5, 2017

Catch us on Facebook Live:

Every other week, our resident book experts are live on Facebook giving book recommendations! Like our Facebook page, and every other Thursday at 3 PM EST you can watch live and comment to get a personalized book recommendation.

What did you read?

If you read something fantastic this week, share with our community of readers in the comment section below.

Journalists protect democracies by doing their job well, says George Packer, staff writer at The New Yorker and past winner of the Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism. Packer will join National Review executive editor Reihan Salam for a discussion of current events, moderated by the president of The New York Public Library, Anthony Marx, on Friday, May 12. The event is available by livestream.

In July of last year, one of our librarians, Arieh Ress, started a program called “Picture Yourself Online!” in which he took headshots of patrons (and some staff too) so they would have a decent photo of themselves to use online and while job-hunting. I’ve been the program’s assistant since day one, and I sat down with Arieh and interviewed him about the program we’ve been running for nearly a year now.

What made you decide to propose this program?

I have a photography background: I’ve been messing around with cameras since I was a little kid, and spent a lot of time in my high school's darkroom.  For three years I was a photo assistant in a studio in Midtown, and I took headshots on the side. So when I started working at Mid-Manhattan and saw a call for new programs I thought I could put those skills to use.

I teach several computer classes including Facebook, and I see people nearly every day using our computers who don’t have a good photo of themselves to use online. Either they don’t have a digital camera or a smartphone to take such a shot, or they don’t know how to get the pictures onto a computer or otherwise uploaded to the internet.

There was also a third category: those with the means and the knowhow, but who just don’t have anything appropriate for getting work. Working in that studio I saw a lot of models looking for jobs using club shots or poorly framed selfies, and now it’s not just models that need a photo to get a job.

I’ve seen this too in my Resume Open Labs. I was glad to see this program come together.

Right! Everybody needs a photo of themselves to get work and have a successful online life at this point. LinkedIn and other job sites have a place for a photo, and even Facebook now has a job seeking/hiring feature on it. If you don’t have a profile pic you look like you either don’t know what you are doing or don’t care. Either way you aren’t going to be considered above people who have one.

I was glad to have an assistant who understood why this was important too.

What did you expect from it when you started?

I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. I thought a few people might show up the first time and that it would grow from there. I thought it would mostly be regulars that came in.

Our first night we actually had pretty good numbers though. While we did have a decent patron turnout, a lot of the people who came in were our co-workers who were curious about the program. Also a request had just gone out for everyone to upload a photo to our work gmail accounts. The program was a good way to get this done.

It has taken off though. You even presented at a conference about it.

Right, I did a Cybertour at the Computers in Libraries Conference in Arlington last March. There were several people in the audience who came up after and said they wanted to try to replicate it in their systems. One was from Florida and he agreed that it’s hard to get a job, not just modeling but any job, these days without a good photo. In fact according to him —I haven’t looked into this myself—anyone looking to get a government job in his state needs a photo of themselves on a blue background, so he’s going to try to get his library to buy one and they can provide those photos.  It’s neat to think we might have started something that takes off actually changes people's lives accross the country! ::High fives interviewer unexpectedly::

In June, I will be presenting a short session at the American Library Association’s annual conference in Chicago. I think it’s really cool that people are interested in the program. The more attention it gets the more the NYPL and libraries in general get, and that’s an excellent bonus.

What do you hope the future holds for the program?

We've sent out close to 400 photos in the eight sessions we've had so far which is pretty great. I want to keep that momentum going for sure though maybe not just in this one location.  There are areas served by NYPL where many people have been left on the wrong side of the digital divide. I’d like to take the show to them: the equipment is portable enough I could bring it to the other branches and do the program there.

Maybe at first just a select few, but it would be really cool to visit every branch. I think if we played our cards right maybe a few local papers might pick up the story which would be excellent press for the program and for the library itself.

Another idea I had was a book. Library Patrons of New York or something along those lines. Headshots of willing patron participants along with a blurb about what The New York Public Library means to them.

I think it’d be pretty cool anyway, but for now I’m just happy the program has been doing well and that our patrons are finding it valuable.  

Any tips you’d like to give in regards to photography or getting great headshots?

I’d say take a look at what you have around you and go from there. We bought a pop-up background for the program, but I used to take headshots of people in the park or in front of buildings or even stairwells that had interesting walls. Good lighting is key, so invest in a flash that isn’t just the one that comes attached to the camera, and get a diffuser too. If you can bounce the light it will help even things out a lot, so a flash that can be aimed in different directions and a simple reflective or even just white piece of cardboard the subject can hold to bounce light up works wonders.

The other part of it, and sometimes the longer, harder part is the post-production work. I’ve been using Photoshop for half my life, so a lot of it comes naturally to me. We do have retouching classes available in the Mac Lab on the 4th floor of Mid-Manhattan. Usually I spend about 5 minutes on a photo (sometimes less, sometimes more) getting the contrast and levels just right and getting rid of any stains or lint on their clothes. To a point anyway: if they wear something covered in stains or something I’m not going to spend too much time on it. The actually tricky part is wrinkles though: no one wants to see themselves in true high definition because unless you have a baby-face you will have some circles under your eyes and crow's-feet and such. The trick is not removing them altogether which ventures into the uncanny valley, but in lessening them without making it look weird. If I do my job right no one knows I’ve done it at all.

Picture Yourself Online! Returns in one June 7th and 12th at 7:30pm.
Come to room 101 on the first floor for your free headshot!

In celebration of Mother's Day the Department of Labor Women's Bureau presents By the Numbers: Happy Mother's Day! authored by Liana Christin Landivar, senior researcher for the  Women's Bureau.  This blog presents some  noteworthy facts about American  mothers in the workplace.

Federal Resource Fair on Monday, May 22, 2017 10 am-2pm at the Science, Industry and Business Library. Representatives from federal agencies are available to answer your questions.  Federal agencies include Social Security Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor, Department of Veterans Affairs and Postal Service.  For more information: www.nypl.org/frf    tel: 917 -275-6975

According to US Department of Labor Statistics, occupations related to elder care are expected to add 1.6 M+ new jobs to the economy by 2024.  These occupations include Home health aides, Personal care aides, Registered nurses, Nursing assistants, LPNs and LVNs.  You can take a closer look at some of these jobs from the US Deparment of Labor blog, The Growing  Need for Eldercare Workers, May 8, 2017, authored by Emily Rolen, economist at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Union Settlement is recruiting for its Pre-Home Health Aide Training in Spanish. In this training program participants learn medical terminology, dealing with basic medications, and basic anatomy and physiology in Spanish and English.  They receive asthma and CPR  certification.  They can also attend preparation for High School Equivalency classes in Spanish.  For more information call 212-828-6016.

Opportunities For a Better Tomorrow is recruiting for its Web Design and Coding Program.  In this program participants will learn and receive instruction to master the coding fundamentals of HTML, CSS, JavaScript and jQuery, skills to analyze information  using digital technology, preparation for the Adobe Certified Associate Certification  in photoshop, college application assistance and job placement assistance.  For more information please call 718-801-8970.

Intro to Social Media on Monday, May 15, 2017, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm  at Brooklyn Workforce 1 Career Center, 250 Schermerhorn  Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201. This workshop is for all interested job seekers to get an understanding of social media, and learn how you can use social media sites to help on your job search.

Career Development workshop  on Monday, May 15, 2017, 12;30 - 2:30  pm at Flushing  Workforce 1 Career Center, 138  60 Barclay Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355.  This workshop is for all interested jobseekers and dislocated workers to expand their view of qualities that they  offer potential employers.

Madison Square Boys and Girls Club will present a recruitment on Tuesday, May 16, 2017,  10 am - 4 pm for Youth Program  Director (5 openings), Group Leader (20 P/T Seasonal openings), Safety Monitor & Attendant (30 P/T openings), Youth Program Coordinator  (4 P/T Seasonal openings )at Brooklyn Workforce  1 Career Center, 250 Schermerhorn Street,  Brooklyn, NY 11201.   

Preferred Home Care will present a recruitment on Tuesday, May 16, 2017, 11 am - 2 pm for Home Health Aide (5 F/T  & P/T openings) at Flushing  Workforce 1 Career Center,  138-60 Barclay Avenue, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355.  By appointment only.

Sweetgreen will present a recruitment on Wednesday, May 17, 2017, 2:30 -4:30 pm for Team Member (40 openings) Team Captain (20 openings) at Upper Manhattan Workforce 1 Career Center, 215 West 125th Street, 6th Floor, New York, NY 100276.  Please contact Ms. Diaz 718-613-3696.

Harlem Community Development Corporation - 2nd Annual Spring Career Fair on Thursday, May 18, 2017, 10 am - 4 pm at Riverbank State Park  - Athletics Gymnasium, 679 Riversidse Drive, New York, NY 10031.  This job fair is for all interested jobseekers.  Participating businesses include Bronx Youth Center, The Door, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), NYU Langone Medical Center, Per Scholas, West Side YMCA. 

Spanish Speaking Resume Writing  workshop on Thursday,  May 18, 2017, 12:30 - 2:30 pm,  at Flushing Workforce 1 Career Center, 138-60 Barclay Avenue, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355.  All interested jobseekers will learn to organize, revise and update resumes.     

Basic Resume Writing  workshop on Thursday, May 18, 2017, 1:30 - 3 pm at Brooklyn Workforce 1 Career Center, 250 Schermerhorn  Street,  Brooklyn, NY 11201.  Participants will learn the purpose of a resume, chronological and combination resumes and select the appropriate type for their specific needs.

Job Postings at New York City Workforce 1.  

Apprenticeship Opportunities in New York City.

Brooklyn Community  Board 14: Available jobs

The New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCE&TC) is an association of 200 community-based organizations, educational institutions, and labor unions that annually provide job training and employment services to over 750,000 New Yorkers, including welfare recipients, unemployed workers, low-wage workers, at-risk youth, the formerly incarcerated, immigrants and the mentally and physically disabled. View NYCE&TC Job Listings.

Digital NYC is the official online hub of the New York City startup and technology ecosystem, bringing together every company, startup, investor, event, job, class, blog, video, workplace, accelerator, incubator, resource, and organization in the five boroughs. Search jobs by category on this site.

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 or call 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.

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 eight 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 six weeks and includes test prep and 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, email: info@cmpny.org, call 212-571-1690, or visit. CMP also provides tuition-based healthcare and business trainings free to students who are entitled to ACCESS funding.

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 backgrounds. For information call 212-832-7605.

Please note this page will be revised when more recruitment events for the week of May 14 become available.

Update: We are thrilled to announce the winner of the inaugural Albertine Prize: Bardo or Not Bardo, written by Antoine Volodine, translated from the French by  J. T. Mahany, and published by Open Letter Books. 

Following two rounds of online voting open to readers across the U.S., Bardo or Not Bardo emerged as the favorite. The author will be awarded at a ceremony by the Albertine Prize co-chairs, Lydia Davis and François Busnel. 

About the winner:

One of Volodine’s funniest books, Bardo or Not Bardo takes place in his universe of failed revolutions, radical shamanism, and off-kilter nomenclature. In each of these seven vignettes, someone dies and has to make his way through the Tibetan afterlife, also known as the Bardo, where souls wander for forty-nine days before being reborn with the help of the Book of the Dead.

Antoine Volodine is the primary pseudonym of a French writer who has published twenty books under this name, several of which are available in English translation. He also publishes under the names Lutz Bassmann and Manuela Draeger. Most of his works take place in a post-apocalyptic world where members of the “post-exoticism” writing movement have all been arrested as subversive elements. Together, these works constitute one of the most inventive, ambitious projects of contemporary writing.

The Albertine Prize, a reader's choice award, recognizes American readers favorite work of contemporary French fiction.

About the Albertine Prize finalists

Aiming to celebrate the best of contemporary French-language literature, Albertine, the bookshop of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, has revealed the shortlist for the inaugural Albertine Prize, an annual award honoring the author and the translator of one Francophone novel published in the U.S. over the past year.

Reflecting the rich diversity of modern French fiction, the ten nominated works range from Ladivine, Marie NDiaye's powerful account of four generations of women haunted by their country of origin, to Eve Out of Her Ruins, Ananda Devi's poetic snapshot of life on the increasingly violent island of Mauritius, to Infidels, Abdellah Taïa's tale of a Moroccan boy's path to jihad. The nominated titles have been chosen by the Albertine booksellers, along with the Prize's Honorary Chairs, American author and translator Lydia Davis and French literary critic and TV and radio host François Busnel.

This year’s finalists and their works are:

Couple Mechanics(Moment d'un couple) by Nelly Alard (Other Press (US), Gallimard (Fr.))

At once sexy and feminist, Couple Mechanics tells the story of a woman who decides to fight for her marriage after her husband confesses to an affair with a noted politician. With intelligence, honesty, and humor, the novel examines the forces at work in a marriage, the effects of the inevitable ebb and flow of desire, and the difficulty of being a man today. The book won the Prix Interallié in 2013, making Alard the first woman to win the prestigious award in more than 20 years.

Constellation(Constellation) by Adrien Bosc (Other Press (US), Stock (Fr.))

This best-selling debut novel from one of France’s most exciting young writers is based on the true story of the 1949 disappearance of Air France’s Constellation, a new plane launched by Howard Hughes, and its famous passengers. Tying together the destinies of boxer and fiancé of Edith Piaf Marcel Cerdan, a musical prodigy, and others, the novel gives these thirty-eight men and women a new life by imagining their long-forgotten story.

The Heart (Réparer les vivants) by Maylis De Kerangal (MacMillan Publishers (US), Verticales (Fr.))

The Heart takes place over the 24 hours surrounding a fatal car crash and the subsequent heart transplant as life is taken from a young man and given to a dying woman. As stylistically audacious as it is emotionally explosive, the book examines the deepest emotions of everyone involved--grieving parents, doctors and nurses--as they navigate decisions of life and death. The book won the 2014 Grand Prix RTL-Lire and the Student Choice Novel of the Year from Prix France Culture/Télérama.

Eve Out of Her Ruins(Ève de Ses Décombres) by Ananda Devi (Deep Vellum Publishing (US), Gallimard (Fr.))

With brutal honesty and poetic urgency, Ananda Devi relates the tale of four young Mauritians trapped in their country’s endless cycle of fear and violence: Eve, whose body is her only source of power; Savita, Eve’s best friend; Saadiq, a gifted would-be poet in love with Eve; and Clélio, a belligerent rebel waiting for his brother to send for him from France.

The Little Communist Who Never Smiled(La Petite Communiste qui ne souriait jamais) by (Lola Lafon Seven Stories Press (US), Actes Sud (Fr.))

Lola Lafon's award-winning novel offers a fictionalized account of iconic gymnast Nadia Comaneci’s life, from her rural Romanian childhood to her unprecedented perfect score in the 1976 Olympics and to her 1989 defection to the U.S. The book re-imagines a childhood in the spotlight of history, a woman adored by young girls in the West and appropriated as a political emblem in Communist Romania.

Suite for Barbara Loden(Supplément à la vie de Barbara Loden) by Nathalie Léger (Dorothy, a publishing project (US), P.O.L (Fr.))

Moving between fact and speculation, film criticism and anecdote, Suite for Barbara Loden came out of Nathalie Léger's obsessive investigation into the mysteries of Wanda, the only film American actress Barbara Loden ever wrote and directed. The product of a journey across continents, into archives, and through mining towns of Pennsylvania, the book is a stunning meditation on how we come to truth not through facts alone, but through acts of the imagination.

Ladivine(Ladivine) by Marie NDiaye (Knopf (US), Gallimard (Fr.))

Malinka’s pale beauty helped her rise above her dark-skinned mother’s life of servitude. Ladivine tells the story of Malinka, whose pale beauty helps her to rise above her dark-skinned mother’s life of servitude. The book follows her through years of living a lie, leading up to a shockingly violent act that leaves her own daughter yearning to understand who her mother really was.

Infidels (Infidèles) by Abdellah Taïa (Seven Stories Press (US), Le Seuil (Fr.))

Set in Morocco, Infidels follows the life of Jallal, the son of a prostitute witch doctor, fresh out of boyhood and on the path to Jihad. Filled with a cast of supporting characters whose dreams unravel, the book is structured as a series of monologues, an emotionally relentless mix of confession, shouting match, and secret longing.

Naked (Nue) by Jean-Philippe Toussaint (Dalkey Archive (US), Éditions de Minuit (Fr.))

Naked is Jean-Philippe Toussaint's fourth and final novel about one of the most fully realized female characters of contemporary fiction, the haute couturière Marie Madeleine Marguerite de Montalte. With his customary nuanced reflection and nimble wit, Toussaint continues to follow Marie’s relationship with his unnamed narrator, navigating through jealousy and comedy, irony and tenderness, and the meticulous accretion of details that engross and distract us even as life’s larger changes shift the assumptions by which we live.

Bardo or Not Bardo(Bardo or Not Bardo) by Antoine Volodine (Open Letter Books (US), Le Seuil (Fr.))

One of the funniest installments in Antoine Volodine's acclaimed post-apocalyptic series, Bardo or Not Bardo consists of seven vignettes set in a universe of failed revolutions, radical shamanism, and off-kilter nomenclature. In each one, a newly dead character bungles his way through the Tibetan afterlife, or Bardo, failing to achieve enlightenment, while the living make a similar mess of things.

Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!

Great reads for young adults are blossoming like crazy this spring. Check out some of the reads — fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels — that our YA librarians are buzzing about. 

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

From the author of the Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda comes a sweet-but-not-corny romance set in the leafy D.C. suburb of Takoma Park. Two twins — one who dates other girls and one self-described chubby girl — approach their moms, their futures, and their romantic lives with humor, honesty, and insight. 

This book is: character-driven, romantic, seriously good writing, sweet.

Alex and Eliza: A Love Story by Melissa de la Cruz

Young Hamilton fans will have a great time picking apart this historical romance, comparing and contrasting with the hit musical.

This book is: engaging, historical, romantic.

Bull by David Elliott

A modern-day retelling of the Greek myth of the minotaur and Theseus, the king of Athens. It's written in modern verse, like: "the things you mortals do: / Ridicule. / Follow orders. / Stay passive. / Betray. / What a pity! / It could have gone another way."

This book is: engaging, historical, stylistically complex.

The Other F Word by Natasha Friend

When Milo begins his search for his biological father, he has no idea that he'll wind up finding multiple other kids born from the same sperm donor.

This book is: character-driven, engaging, offbeat.

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

A quietly lovely book about grief, love, and leaving home.

This book is: character-driven, emotionally intense, spare.

Survivor’s Club: The True Story of a Very Young Prisoner of Auschwitz by Michael Bornstein

The author -- born in 1940, in a Jewish ghetto in Nazi-occupied Poland -- describes his survival in the concentration camp, his family's life-or-death struggle, and his eventual immigration to New York City.

This book is: fast-paced, moving, a true story.

Black Ships: Illustrated Japanese History by Sean Michael Wilson, illus. by Akiko Shimojima

Compelling nonfiction in graphic novel format! This comic tells the story of the Commodore Perry and American fleet that arrived on Japanese shores in 1853 to force Japan open for trade.

This book is: compelling, historical, visually complex.

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Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!

Welcome to our biweekly update on events happening during the next two weeks at The New York Public Library. With 92 locations across New York City, a lot is happening at the Library. We're highlighting some of our events here—including author talks, free classes, community art shows, performances, concerts, and exhibitions—and you can always find more at nypl.org/events. If you want our round-up in your inbox, sign up here. We look forward to seeing you at the Library.  

Stephen A. Schwarzman Building

5/23: Metamorphosis: Photographer James Welling talks about his new monograph, Metamorphosis, with curator Quentin Bajac and scholar Robert Slifkin, featuring highlights from Welling's decades of work and a discussion on his first survey show. 6:30 PM.

5/24: Rethinking Othello with Tracy Chevalier: Tracy Chevalier, the author of The Girl with the Pearl Earring, discusses her latest novel, New Boy, and the work of translating the 16th-century Venice of Othello to 1970s suburban Washington, DC. Chevalier will speak with Samhita Mukhopadhyay, the Senior Editorial Director of Culture and Identities at Mic. 6:30 PM.

5/31: Off the Wall: Latin America in Photographs: Meet Edward Grazda, Ann Parker, and John Cohen, three artists featured in the Library's latest exhibition, Viewpoints: Latin America in Photographs, and the curator of Viewpoints, Elizabeth Cronin, as the artists recount their fascinating journeys photographing in Guatemala, Bolivia, and Peru in the 1970s. 6:30 PM.

The Schomburg Center

5/17: American Masters: Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise: The Schomburg screens the first feature documentary about the life of Dr. Maya Angelou (1928–2014), best known for her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. This PBS film weaves Angelou's words with rare and intimate archival photographs and videos, presenting hidden moments in her life at important flashpoints in American history. 2 PM.

5/17: Baldwin's The Fire Next Time: A Conversation in Photographs and Prose: Join us for a conversation on James Baldwin and the influence of The Fire Next Time with Pamela Newkirk, Terrance Hayes, and photographer Steve Schapiro, moderated by Kevin Young, Director of the Schomburg. 6:30 PM.

5/19: Annual Commemoration of the Birth of el-JHajj Malik el-Shabazz (Malcolm X): Celebrate the birth of this civil rights leader with a conversation featuring special guests Sonia Sanchez, Kayo Charles, and Lisa Muhammad, as well as spoken word, a live dance performance, messages of admiration from the community, and a pop-up display showcasing his work, archived at The Schomburg. 6 PM.

5/23: Between the Lines: The Wide Circumference of Love by Marita Golden: Marita Golden is an acclaimed, award-winning author of more than a dozen works of fiction and nonfiction. In The Wide Circumference of Love, Golden explores the unsettling effects of Alzheimer’s disease on an African-American family caring for their ailing patriarch while navigating an uncertain future. Golden will speak about her book with Benilde Little, and a book signing will follow. 6:30 PM.

Library for the Performing Arts

5/25: Radical Dance Artists of the 60s and 80s: To mark the opening of the exhibition Radical Bodies: Anna Halprin, Simone Forti and Yvonne Rainer in California and New York, 1955–1972, Yvonne Rainer and Lucy Sexton come to the Library to discuss their careers in dance, avant-garde performance, and how their separate generations have shaped the New York dance scene. 6 PM.

Mid-Manhattan Library

5/22: Forty Autumns: A Family's Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall: Nina Willner, a former U.S. Army intelligence officer who served in Berlin during the Cold War, discusses her memoir, Forty Autumns, about her family's struggles to stay together after the Iron Curtain divided Germany in two. 6:30 PM.

Science, Industry and Business Library

5/22: Federal Resource Fair: All morning and afternoon at SIBL, get timely information about federal programs and resources for New Yorkers from all walks of life. Regional executives representing 18 federal agencies will be on hand to lead workshops and directly answer your questions. 10 AM.

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More Events

Note: Visit nypl.org/events or call ahead for the latest information, as programs and hours are subject to change or cancellation.